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How Much Lovin’ Do You Need?

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Hi! I’m Kellyann Zuzulo and am thrilled to be blogging at CoffeeTime Romance today.  I hope you’ll hang out with me for a few minutes, sip some coffee or tea, and leave a comment below.  Later today, I’ll pick two names from my sippin’ buddies to win a copy of my novella called The Third Wish from Sapphire Blue Publishing.

Now, when I ask How Much Lovin’ Do You Need, what I actually want to know is How Much Lovin’ Do You Read?  The romance genre continues to explode, leading all genre fiction as the numero uno read.  But romance means many things to many readers.  

A fade-to-black love scene can be very powerful, but I prefer to learn more about the characters by how they approach one another in an intimate setting.  As an author, I want to raise the temperature in a scene, but I’m very careful -you could even say restrained- not to describe a sex scene gratuitously.  If it doesn’t advance the story, it’s out.  But I do think the action, clothed or unclothed, has to move you.

I came across an interesting statistic recently: 97% percent of the romance ebooks sold by one online bookstore are rated three flames or higher–where the heat level of each ebook is rated from 1 to 5 flames (and 5 being a scorcher; i.e. multiple partners and positions or accessories that Grandma never told you about). Basically, what this means to me is that sex still sells. Of course, that’s one online bookstore and their visitors obviously like it sassy. Many other online romance bookstores feature a variety of innocent escapades. The point is that if people just wanted porn pictures, they wouldn’t bother reading the whole book. People do want to be titillated or intrigued, but they want more than just a salacious image. They want a story.

The key in any captivating romance story is to see the sex as the salvation of the person (genie, vampire, shapeshifter, or wolf … for the paranormal fans) rather than as a mere extracurricular activity. If the author is able to justify the actions of the characters as something that will alter, improve, or deepen either themselves or their relationships, then the reader will go along for the ride. Sex–whether implied or explicit–becomes necessary to the story. Because we are, after all, human.

What about you? What’s your DLR [Daily Literary Requirement] of sex in a book?  How many flames do you look for in a romance? Do you think we expose too much?

Even if you only have time to leave your name, you’ll still be entered to win a copy of The Third Wish.  Don’t forget your e-mail address so I can contact you and send the download of this bestselling novella, which is the first installment in the Shadow of Esagil series from Sapphire Blue Publishing. [btw, my books are all rated at 3 flames]

I’d love to hear from you. Here are some other places you can always find me:

website: http://www.kfzuzulo.com

blog: http://www.kfzuzulo.com/blog

twitter: http://www.twitter.com/kfzuzulo

MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/bethany_obrien

What Would You Wish For?

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  • Lisa Pietsch

    I usually look for particular authors as opposed to the flame factor. I still remember one scene Cindy Gerard wrote where the heroine straddled the hero on a weight bench and the act itself was barely sexual but she wrote so deep into these people’s heads that the emotional, spiritual and physical connection was undeniable. Walking away from that scene was an impossibility. Pardon the expression but “lady wood” was inevitable.

    I don’t need to know where he put this or what she did with that. What I do need is to know there is a passionate, emotional connection that the physical act is merely a consummation of.

  • Sherri

    I don’t look for flame factor. If the characters are feeling it and the author has made me feel it, it can be vanilla or scorching. I’m all about the HEA. Of course, the scorchers can be fun to role play with hubby 😉

  • Nettie Thomson

    For me it should be all about the story, whether we are talking romance, action or gory murders. The romance aspect needs sex, especially in today’s liberal society. But look at Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet! He managed to be bawdy AND tell a darn good story.
    Like Lisa says, if I want to know where the bits are going, I’ll buy a manual. I want a story to touch my heart, not my G spot!

  • Kellyann Zuzulo
    AUTHOR

    Thanks, gals, for stopping by. It really all comes down to ‘different strokes for different folks.’ Luckily, there’s such a wide array of romance fiction today that is increasingly accessible that readers can find exactly what interests them.

    But you’re right, the bottom line is about the writing. Whether or not sex is included, the story has to be strong or an author will not hold her reader.
    -Kellyann

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