Dare to Take a Bite with Sharon Page
I'm Sharon Page, and I'd love to sit back with a cup of tea and introduce myself.
I wrote my first erotic story in high school on a manual typewriter, hampered by a certain lack of experience, and inspired by Erica Jong’s ‘Fear of Flying’ and ‘Fanny’, which opened my eyes to the pleasure of historical erotic romance. Back then I could actually check ‘Fanny’ out of the library—now, in my local library, it’s only available by special request. Funny the ways in which things change!
It took a few years of dealing with a real job, a house that desperately needed renovation, and my first child, before I began writing erotic romance again, but I am so delighted that I did. What’s changed since I wrote that first book? Well, that book was about a young woman’s journey of self-discovery as she tried to chose between two men (also it's still in my file drawer). But in my newest release, Blood Red, my heroine doesn’t have to choose.
A vampire story set in Regency England, Blood Red is my first ménage a trois story. It seemed to me that the vampire story is so passionate and so intense, and of course, the drinking of blood is so intimate, that a sweeping and conflicted love story was called for. And what could be more intense than twin brothers in pursuit of the heroine? As a vampire huntress, my heroine is defying the rules of her Society and the wishes of her father—he’s rather have her make a happy marriage and produce grandchildren for him to bounce on his knee.
That’s what I love about writing historical erotic romance. My heroines take a lot of risks to get what they want in life and in the bedroom. They might be the sort of ladies to enjoy a polite cup of tea, but they are strong women who are unafraid to claim the intimacy and pleasure they know they deserve.
It’s wonderful to have a chance to say ‘hi’, and now it’s back to that cup of tea and copy edits for me. Just so you know, I have two books in stores—Sin (about a woman who draws erotic art) and Blood Red. And I’m such a Regency addict that the hero of my contemporary vampire story in the Wild Nights anthology is a Regency male, of course!
32 comments:
Hi Sharon,
Great to meet you. And my word, what a fabulous cover. Who's the publisher?
FEAR OF FLYING was important to me too -- there's a wisecrack from it tucked into my book CARRIE'S STORY (w/a Molly Weatherfield). I've never gotten around to FANNY, though. Wonder where the San Francisco Public Library shelves it...
Hugs,
Pam (waking up early to write -- in Pacific Time -- and still hanging out in the blogosphere instead. Gotta get to work.)
Hi Sharon,
I can't wait to read BLOOD RED!! And the cover is awesome. Is it out? And, yea, who is the publisher? Speaking of passionate and intense... Ya'know that scene in Dracula *1992* toward the end where Gary Oldman wraps his arms around Winona Ryder? I think that's the best scene in the movie! Their embrace is so touching. And when she bites his chest and he sways back in ecstasy...oh, yea...
It is ridiculous that you can't get "Fanny" as easily as you used to. However, we are a society of prudes. I'll bet in Europe you could find it anywhere.
Melissa (I was in the hospital yesterday for tests on my stomach. Now I have an anesthesia hangover so I'm going back to bed.)
Hi Sharon!! Great you are here! When I read historical romance after reading lots of contemps, I couldn't believe what I was missing. I then since haven't gone a week without reading a historical. Its beautiful to read the culture and breaking all the rules, smile. Then last year paranormal came around and I was hooked. I read now at least one of each of those genres. But putting them together is fab! So i'm very much looking forward to reading this one!
Sounds like a fabulous book, Sharon! I love Regency, and the menage a trois sounds utterly wonderful.
I haven't read Fear of Flying, but I do have My Secret Garden, which was one of my introductions to eroticism.
Welcome Sharon,
I have Blood Red in my TBR pile!
I crawl into bed each night and I look at that fantastic cover as it sits there on the top of the pile and then close my eyes so I can get my 5 hrs of sleep.
One of these days I will get into bed before 1pm and I will start reading it!
I have never read FEAR OF FLYING. I will pick up a copy.
Hugs,
Lacy.
Fanny as in Fanny Hill? You know Cleland was offered a bribe, I think in the form of some undemanding government position, if he never wrote another book...
I love the cover, too. Gorgeous, tho not quite Regency undies (sorry, it's my inner Regency Nazi goosestepping in).
Hi Sharon, I really can't wait to read Blood Red. I'm a big fan of erotic historicals and erotic paranormals so this sounds perfect!
Love the cover. I want to read this book. :)
After reading Sin, I can't wait to get my hands on Blood Red!
I love how you've turned that guy-with-twin sisters fantasy on its head! To my way of thinking, two men makes much more sense than two women. :)
The cover is beautiful and the subject matter...even more interesting-vampires and erotica go together like tea and milk, perfectly. (I'm English so that's how I like my tea, period)
Do all of us write Regency erotic romance? Why did we all pick that period?
I too love the identical twin thing-I did something similar in 'Eden's Pleasure' and 'Antonia's Bargain'
I'm trying to stay away from the bookstore because I have to read my RITA books-this blog is making it very hard!
Hi, I read your A GENTLEMAN SEDUCED and am waiting for you to go back to straight erotic historical since i dont do paranormal
Kate, I my erotic historical isn't set in the Regency, it's set in 1880s Paris (Phantom of the Opera)...but I have an alter ego who writes a vampire slayer in Regency England....so I'm really close! :-)
Love the dramatic and striking cover. Can hardly wait to read this novel.
Kate, I haven't seen or heard any other settings of historicals with the paranormals. I'd love to see them with Medievals. That would be unique. Even expanding that to shapeshifters or werewolves etc. So I too always wondered why the Regency setting for them but I love them anyways. I think someone writes a werewolf series and it has a historical setting (MM paperback)
Colette I must go find out what your alter ego is :)
Hi Sharon! Love the cover to Blood Red. Blood Rose sounds good too. Awesome cover for it. Can't wait till it is released!
Caffey, my alter ego's blog is listed on the Spiced Tea Party blogroll.... ;-)
Hi Pam and Melissa,
Thanks very much for the compliments on the cover. Kensington's Aphrodisia line is publishing the series.
I really enjoyed Fanny and it completely hooked me on historical erotica with adventure and romance. There's a hilarious scene where poor Cleland reveals he enjoys his pleasures while wearing a white dress.
Hi Little Lamb,
Great to see you here. I managed to almost finish copyedits, so could go on line. How terrific to hear there's Aphrodisia's in the library.
Hi Caffey,
I know, I'm addicted to historicals. The play of language, the conflicts in the society--I just love them.
Great to see you here.
Hi Colette,
Thank you. Have you also written The Rest Falls Away? Is it out yet? If it's yours, I think it looks terrific.
Hi Lacy,
Thanks--I know what you mean about late bedtimes and reading. I'm doing RITA judging and am reading a little too slowly...
Hi Jane,
Yes, the story is supposed to be about the real "Fanny" who is the inspiration for Cleland's book. And I admit I did have the same thought about the lingerie. But since the book is about twins, I thought the cleavage was nicely tongue in cheek!
Hi Maria and Crystal,
Nice to meet you and thank you so much.
Hi Jenn,
I'm thrilled to hear you read and enjoyed Sin. It's also so cool to receive a compliment.
Hi Maggie,
I totally agree!
Hi Kate,
Thanks. I love all the inherent conflicts of Regency twins when one is a peer--one hero having the title and power, and the other missing out.
I'd love to write an Edwardian erotic romance sometime, since its a period when women were demanding change in society. Or do something in the 20s--I love The Great Gatsby.
Hi Cherie,
Thanks so much for picking up the book. I'm thrilled.
Hi Seton,
I'm delighted to hear you read A Gentleman Seduced. I'm also writing a straight erotic historical series with Aphrodisia. The first is Sin, which was released in September. Black Silk will be following in late '07.
Hi principessa, Amy S., and Pearl,
Thanks and nice to see you here.
Coming in late, cause I've had one heck of a day and need to type up my post for tomorrow ...
I didn't know Erica Jong had written a version of "Fanny". FEAR OF FLYING was important to me too -- I learned it was okay to use the word -- okay, I'm gonna say it -- no I'm not, I'm chickening out, don't want the blogger nazis on our backs -- f**k in my books. (If you can pick your way through that sentence I might just have to give out another prize.)
Hi, Sharon! Sorry to be tardy greeting you, but my muse had me by the throat yesterday. Can't complain about that, eh?
Blood Red sounds absolutely delish and I can't wait 'til it gets here!
The two books that really opened my eyes when I was in high school were Jacquelyn Suzanne's Once Is Not Enough (depressing but fascinating) and Rosemary Rogers' The Insiders. I'm going to have to hunt down copies and see how they strike me now.
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