A Mistress of Subtlety
When writing my erotic novels, I don't leave much to the imagination--as far as emotion, action, insert Tab A into Slot B, etc. I mean, to me, that's what an erotic novel is: detail, so one can immerse onself.
And while I love that kind of writing, there are times when I also prefer subtlety. The kind of writing I have to work a little harder to appreciate.
One of my favorite authors is The Mistress of Subtlety--in all facets of her writing. She writes romantic mysteries/gothicky ghost stories. There's always a romance (never any sex; I think she's used the word "breast" five times in more than thirty books)...and sometimes it's more satisfying than the insert Tab 6 into Slot 9 (heh heh) stories.
Her name is Elizabeth Peters, and she also writes as Barbara Michaels. She's brilliant. She's funny and witty and writes the most dry, humorous stories with such a great romance that I read her stuff over and over. And the wonderful thing about it is I always catch something new every time--even the books I've read upwards of five or six times.
Do you have a favorite author who, unlike many of us Strumpets, leaves some of the details to the imagination? Do you find you have a preference between the implications of sex and the immerse-yourself-in-the-moment scenes?
Why and when?
5 comments:
Dorothy Dunnett
such extreme sexual tension and sweeping stories-one of my all-time favorite authors
Seconding Dunnett but also Georgette Heyer. I particularly love the sneaky undertones in The Corinthian - the heroine is dressed as a boy so when the hero kisses her at end, he outrages the passengers of a passing coach.
Oooh...yes, Georgette Heyer is another one I thought of.
Kate, I've not read Dunnett, though I have heard much about her. Dang it. Better get one!
The French Colette. Such a combo of earthiness and hauteur.
Oh and of course Emily Bronte and the Charlotte Bronte of Villette
Post a Comment