I’ve been chatting with authors recently about labels. Genre labels.
Why are some mainstream books that contain lots of sex not labelled erotica?
Why do I label my writing and art erotic? Or at the very least, sensual?
Well, I guess I can only speak from my point of view. I worry sometimes that labelling a piece of work ‘erotic’ is putting a warning on it. Why would you need to be warned about a story that contains all facets of human existence? Birth, violence, sex, death, longing, desire – all the good stuff that make up a story. Well, apart from trying to make sure only adults get hold of it, here’s why I think I put the label on mine. I don’t put the sex and sensuality in my tales simply because the story and characters demand it. I do it because I want it to be a sensual experience for the reader. I’m not simply trying to tell their story, I’m hoping their story will arouse you and make you desirous of the sensual.
Does that make sense? Much in the same way that authors of horror aren’t just writing about horrible things to put their characters through, no, they want to scare you. They want to involve you in the fear. They are trying to elicit that response in you.
But still… why label it? A warning? Perhaps just ‘adult’ would suffice.
I was going to draw a conclusion but I’ve come full circle!
What makes a piece of work erotic?
Sensual?
I think it’s partly what the artist intended but more importantly, how the reader/ viewer experiences it.
I draw all my pictures with a hue of the erotic in mind – same with my stories, even if there is no actual sex, there is erotic intent.
What do you think?
Here’s one of my drawings that I felt was quite erotic, yet not explicit.
And here’s the start of a story which I tried to make as sexy as possible without any sex. Erotica?
The Birthday Cake
the candles out of the thick frosting and hold it out to her, still
smouldering.
wrap your lips around it and lick it clean?”
stony and her exasperated breath matches the look in her eyes.
Quentin.”
calling me my full name for the past few days. I’m still unsure of what has
caused this most recent mood but it is certainly something of my doing. She
does this to ‘teach me a lesson’ when I’ve been bad. I never know when or how I
pass her test but we might be on the cusp tonight if I play this right.
persevere, waving the sticky candle over the table. It hasn’t escaped my notice
that she didn’t go to the trouble of buying those little coloured birthday
candles but plumped instead for the emergency dinner ones from the bits and
bobs drawer. At least she’d made a cake. That’s something. An olive branch of
sorts. “It would be a shame to waste this creamy celebration.”
corner of her mouth hints at a thaw. My groin twitches at the thought of
watching her ease the sugary shaft into her pout and teasing me, undulating her
tongue around and around. I can even hear the slide and pop as she pulls it
out, clean and slick with her saliva. I waggle the candle again, urging her to
take it from me, lifting my eyebrow in a way I hope is sexy.
eyes but then very slowly, reaches out.
snatching my hand away and making her come closer but relinquish it in favour
of nurturing the fragile moment. It’s time to play by her rules precisely. Her
fingers hover slightly and for a moment I think she might withdraw them. I hold
my breath as she takes the candle and the ice melts a little more.
be too eager so I settle back and just watch. Her gaze meets mine and she lifts
the frosting to her lips. Her pupils dilate and she shifts in her seat. Does
she feel it? She must. The rigid pose softens and she smears the soft butter
icing over her red, red lips easing them open with the end of the candle. It is
exactly what I’d seen in my mind just a few seconds ago.
the icing cream cling to her lips as she opens her mouth, wrapping her tongue
around the candle, sucking and licking it clean. Her mouth is such a sensual
thing, moving and teasing me, just as I want. My cock swells and strains in my
jeans but I remain still, not wanting to break the static spell that hangs
between us.
throat blushes crimson as she sucks, pushing the candle in deeper. It is a good
sign. She shifts a little and I know if I peek under the table, her legs will
be parted. Lust hangs heavy on her expression now and I inhale deeply, feeling
confident this is the start of something. Something to heal and shatter the
chill of the past few days. I venture a hand to her knee and it yields to my
touch, falling to where I push. Running my palm up her inner thigh I shudder
when I feel the nylon change to lace…
If you want to read the rest of that story it’s from An Intimate Education – charity anthology raising money for Brook Advisory
I’d love to hear your thoughts on genre labelling in general, not just erotica x x x