Reading...

I know, I know - it's been a 100 moons since the last time I blogged.  I'm writing again!  Excited about that, but that's not what I'm here to blog about today.

I recently begin reading a genre that I really never cared for, erotica.  I say that because in the books I've read there was never any good writing except for maybe Anne Rice's books, but as much as I love her writing - she never fully got me there.  I'm just not into it.

How I stumbled into reading this genre, a good friend told me to read the Fifty Shades Trilogy.  Which I did.  First book good, second book bad, third book better than the second but not as good as the first.  My opinion, bad writing.  I wanted to scream every time I read, "Laters Baby".  Too repetitive, unbelievable things that made my eyeballs roll up into the back of my head and I begin to fear that maybe they would get stuck there.  

I wouldn't call this set of novels true erotica, they are a more watered down version, romance with kink.  The genre is referred to as "Mommy Porn" which is the step-sister to traditional erotica.  So then I figured, maybe I should read other authors in this genre.  To get a feel of what is really out there.  

Same thing.  I did however pick up on an author by the name of Sylvia Day, the author of the Crossfire Series: Bared to You & Reflected in You who is a better writer.  She has a  repetitive bone as well, but it is not as obvious - she is smart enough to throw it in another story and not the series.  I can see her growth from her earlier work to this recent series and I can see me reading more of her work in the future.

But the more I read I noticed other authors changing up their styles to get on the Fifty Shades train and it was sad.  Real sad.  I'm a writer and as much as I would love to be on the NY Bestseller list for weeks on end and to bounce from book signing to book signing and have my book be on the lips of an enormous audience as the best book ever, I cannot change up my writing style to ride on the coat tails of another's success.  Can't do it. 

However there was a surprise waiting for me.  An author by the name of CJ Roberts.  The Dark Duet Series: Captive of the Dark and Seduced in the Dark are awesome reads.  AWESOME.  These books were unlike anything I've ever read.

The writing is great, the story is great.  I had to read both books again and normally I do not do that.  Once I've read a book, I've read a book.  How I usually tell my "gems" are the ones I pick up over and over again.  It wasn't driven by the sex, that was a plus lol, but it was more psychological than anything else.  It was dark, made me feel uncomfortable and intrigued at the same time.  

She didn't take on too many characters.  It was focused and a damn good read.  The first book I read in about 7 hours.  The second book would have been the same way - but I had to force myself to put it down to get some rest.  Still ended up waking up about 2am to attempt to finish it before I had to go to work.  The bummed out part was I couldn't find much else by this author - but I'm waiting patiently. 

I've come up with this summary.  It is worth reading 100 bad stories to get to one great one.  I'm glad I'm that type of reader.  I won't blast any authors out there - because I'm struggling myself.  However I will say this, be true to yourself and to your art.  This genre works its way into pretty much all fiction.  Who doesn't want to read about romance, great sex and adventure?  Still the bottom line is great writing and storytelling - that is the glue, otherwise it all falls apart.