It’s amazing but the recent changes to the Derbyshire Hunks novel I sent to Siren Allure, and the fact that now the rest of the series has to follow suit has really seemed to set me free. I feel rejuvenated as a writer. Don’t get me wrong. I love writing the pocket novels for My Weekly and I love seeing them on the shelves, but it’s been so nice to be able to channel my inner trollop over the past few days. I have had to be so careful writing the My Weekly Pocket Novels, and even when I thought I’d got it right, it seems I was sometimes too dark and too sexy. Now the brakes are off and I feel as if I’ve been set free somewhat.
As a result part 2 of the Derbyshire Hunks series is going to be even hotter and naughtier than part 1. This is partly because part one was only adapted to erotica at a late stage (though it did have sex scenes), and part two has started out as erotica from the beginning. Though I hope there’ll still be a decent storyline at the centre of it, so it’s not just link-y bits until I get to another sex scene.
A part of me is still a little nervous about how my erotica stories will be received, but I figure that the majority, if not all, of my followers are sensible enough not to go and buy one of my erotic romance ebooks just so they can decide how ’disgusted of Tunbridge Wells’ they are. And those who do buy them will have a genuine interest in reading the story and understand the conventions of erotica so won’t be that shocked anyway. That’s the wish, anyway.
Mind you, when Hubby said he’d rather I didn’t use Sally Quilford as a name, I assumed it was because he’d told all his friends I wrote as Sally Quilford and would be embarrassed about them finding the erotica if they googled my name. That’s what I thought. Then the other day he came home and said “I told Fred (made up name), whose wife reads your pocket novels that you’ve moved on to writing mucky stories (hubby’s exact words!), and Fred said ‘I won’t let my wife read those or she’ll be getting ideas’.” So much for thinking he was embarrassed. It seems he’s actually bragging about it.
So yes, touch wood, I feel really good about my writing at the moment. It’s fun again after I’d been struggling for a month or two.
‘inner trollop’. Best phrase ever
I cleaned that up
Good for you Sally, great to see that you’re adaptable, and hubby’s proud of you. Maybe he’ll be getting ideas….
I was going to say the exact same thing, I loved the idea of you ‘channelling your inner trollop’! My father, who has never even opened one of my romances, tells all and sundry that I write ‘dirty books’. Not that I’d ever want him to read them, you understand. And his brother, who is even more neolithic, said he didn’t want his wife to read them in case she got ideas.
Good luck with your Derbyshire hunks, I hope you enjoy getting down and very dirty with them!
No, I wouldn’t want hubby to read mine, or any of the family for that matter. Thankfully they all feel the same way. My daughter supports me all the way, but says ‘I could never bring myself to read them, mum’. And I’m glad about that as it would certainly limit me if I felt they might read them.
Men are such funny creatures, aren’t they. My hubby hasn’t ever read any of my writing, yet seems miffed that I use my maiden name as a pen name. I do it because though my crime novel isn’t saucy, it’s a bit close to the knuckle re violence and sadism and I didn’t want my kids embarrassed or bullied by the association. They’re older now, so it doesn’t matter so much. Even so, no way would I put that name to any raunchy business.
I suspect the men worry that other people might think it’s written from life, which could, I will admit, be a tad embarrassing.
Sally, I think what you are feeling is a sense of freedom because MW PNs are a very tight brief, really (and not in the knickers sense either.) I find it quite hard in the modern day context with a young hero and heroine, to have them behave in a semi-chaste manner. You can let yourself go a bit if nauighty nooky and nipples are allowed.
It is ironic that people think if you write sexy scenes, you’re drawing from experience, whereas no one seems to think that if you write a murder mystery.
I’ve always been honest with the family about writing erotica, as I feel that’s better than them having any nasty shocks when I die. But I would never use my real name or my maiden name. Having said that, Elise Hart is a version of my real name, but not one that people would necessarily associate with me. Having said that, very few people in my real life know that I write. Close friends and family do, but it’s not something I share with everyone. Neighbours certainly don’t know.
I always think of that teacher who was fired for writing raunchy stories! Mind you, she told her students about them and put rauncy pictures of herself on her My Space page to which she invited students as friends. It was a bit silly of her, even if it is her right to write whatever she wants outside of her school teaching life.
Oh it’s great fun, discovering your ‘inner trollop’
I have seem to have discovered mine with bells on over the last year!
Glad you’re enjoying writing again, Sally, and may you enjoy letting your trollop out for many more books to come
I’ve still got yours to download, Doris. I keep promising myself a bit of Sven
Oh, good for you, Sally. Write what you want to write. Most definitely.
I did have to chuckle about your husband and his reasons for changing your name. lol! Jean Saunders had loads of pen names, so why nott? Good luck. I’ll try to read your trilogy! (For research purposes… I might try my hand at erotica one day, too lol).
Thanks Teresa, though I’m sure there are better erotica writers than me to learn from! (actually if you go to the Siren Publishing site there are lots of extracts of latest publications, and it gives a good idea what they’re looking for.
I’ve enjoyed your pocket novels
Which reminds me I still have Sunlit Secrets here to read! Yes, I have downloaded some samples from other sites. Just to give it a go – it seems to be whats selling right now 
But I do tend to be more ‘sweeter’ with my romance, although my stories do contain sex scenes, they’re not as rampant as they need to be for erotica. lol!
I was actually given specific words I needed to use to change what were steamy sex scenes to erotica… and there has to be at least two scenes containing these words to fit the Siren Allure guidelines. I shan’t say them here as I am still trying to keep this blog as a universal rating, but if you want to know Teresa, drop me a pm and I’ll tell you.
But actually it took more than just changing words and is perhaps something I should do a blog post about.
I’m glad you’ve got a new lease of writing-life, Sal. It might be just what you need to boost your confidence and get out of that rut. Good on you!
Thanks Antonia!
Good for you Sally! I hoped you’d take the challenge.
I write erotica under my psuedonym, which most people who know me know, but like you, my husband doesn’t read it, and the kids cover their eyes and ears if it should ever be mentioned in their presence – but they are teens and what I’d expect. Not sure I’d like them to read it – ever!
Some friends have read it and have asked for more! I don’t deny my stories but it’s not something I promote as widely as my main writing. I foten add a tag on when people ask what I write – ‘ … oh, and a bit of erotica too.’ I have to confess, that’s sometimes for effect ; )
I also use the psuedonym for erotica as I own a children’s nursery, and bearing in mind that teacher from the US that you mention, I’d hate anyone to take me to task on it. My business life is far, far removed from my writing life. One takes place in England and the other in Scotland, using different names, and the two don’t cross over at all.
Good luck Sally.
No I wouldn’t want my children to read my erotica either, even though they’re both grown up. Like all kids they have a disgusted attitude to older people and sex, especially involving their parents. In fact when my daughter was about 14, I joked to her ‘you’re ruining my sex life’ and she looked aghast and said ‘you don’t still do that, do you?’ Bearing in mind I was only about 36 at the time!
I debated whether to make my erotica persona public on this blog, but it seemed hardly worth having the erotica ebooks published if I couldn’t publicise them and I really don’t have the time or energy to set up another blog and persona.
It’s not that I have anything against ‘erotica’ as such, but with the kind of life I have and the kind of reading time available to me, it’s not practical for me to read it. I mean, read a couple of steamy pages and then go and wash a pile of dishes or do he laundry? In that state? LOL. I’ll stick to tamer stuff for the foreseeable future. But all the best, Sally.
I have to write it then go and do the dishes or the laundry, and that’s just as bad
And thanks, Maria xxx
You’re a braver woman than I am! BTW, I love that phrase ‘inner trollop’. The question is, how to channel it!
Mxx
Good for you – it’s so good to try pastures new and branch out. Looking forward to reading some!