From sweet to heat or heat to sweet?

 

Long before any of my novels were accepted by a publisher, I still wrote. Before that first acceptance, I wrote several stories about a widow living in the 1830's Ozarks and the man who stumbled across her place, sick and near dying. Parts of those early works became "The Marriage Cure" and "What Fills The Heart" with Astraea Press that became Clean Reads. Sadly, Clean Reads closed down last year. I also wrote a novel titled "Kinfolk", which was accepted by Champagne Books. Then I wrote a cute little supernatural tale titled "Wolfe's Lady" for Evernight Publishing back when they were brand new.

Those two titles were followed by more. My late husband's late Uncle Wayne – where my son got his middle name – told me when I worried I would be a "one hit wonder", afraid it might be a flash in the pan. He assured me that it wouldn't me and many titles later, he was right.

Before "Wolfe's Lady", I never wrote much that was sexy but since the publisher wanted spicier stories, I gave it a try. Early editors urged me to add more so I did.

All of my titles with Clean Reads were sweet – wholesome with no sex or swearing.

I liked that but I'm a diverse writer.

Fast forward from that first publication back in 2010. I've written many novels and stories, what I began calling a range from "sweet to heat".

If you've read my books, most will agree that my hottest isn't a patch on some of what's out there. It's tame compared to many novels, some of which make me blush.

My recent titles are a blend of heat levels. "Scrooge And Marlee" that came out in July from World Castle is sweet. I wrote it that way – and found I enjoyed spinning a story without intimate details.

My next one from World Castle, already contracted, "At Face Value" is sexy.

So was "By Any Other Name", the upcoming "Tall, Dark And Cherokee" and the Faery Folk series with my new Irish pen name (which is just MY name in Irish Gaelic).

 

 

I am writing a multi-novel series about Boone Wilson and his family set in Texas beginning a few years after The Civil War. It's more family saga than romance and it's sweet. So is a new work in progress I'm calling Vintage Cowboy for now as a working title. It's contemporary and it connects to Boone's series.

These novels are my passion. In some ways I feel I tell a richer, better story when I'm not worried about the next sex scene or descriptions.

But I worry I'll disappoint my readers. Will the ones who like the sweet stories be shocked or even angry if they read one of the sexier titles? Or, on the flip side, will my readers who have enjoyed my sexier romps find the sweet novels too tame? Will they be disappointed?

I don't know but for now, I'm writing the stories as they come to me. Some are sweet, some will have some heat.

When I figure out how that works or if it will, I'll let you know. Maybe it's just all about having a good story, telling a good tale.

In the meantime, I just hope you keep reading!