Book Tour for Crash Into You by Roni Loren (Guest Post & GIVEAWAY)

I was recently given the opportunity to read this intriguing and sexy new book release by Roni Loren and am excited to now bring it to you.  Courtesy of Goddess Fish Promotions, Roni Loren is here today to talk about the erotic genre and give us tantalizing looks at Crash Into You.  So without further ado, here's Roni.....

5 Ways Writing Erotic Romance Differs From Writing Other Genres

Crash Into You is my debut novel, but like most writers, it wasn’t the first I wrote. When I started on this writing journey, my first manuscript was actually paranormal YA. (Yes, I know, I’ve made a big jump, lol.) The next I wrote was a contemporary sexy (but not erotic) romance.

So when I got the idea for Crash, an idea that could only be told in an erotic romance, I didn’t really think writing in this genre would be all that different. At the end of the day, writing a great story is writing a great story regardless of the genre or heat level. But as I’ve trekked along this new path, I’ve realized there are some differences.

1.    There are no closed doors.

-Writing a great love scene is tough. There is so much more to it than describing the physical aspects. And in most romance subgenres, you may have 1-3 of these to tackle when you’re writing your book. Other times you can sneak out of it by fading to black or closing the bedroom door. But in erotic, there are no closed doors. If your characters are  going to sleep together, your reader will expect to “see” it. And you as the writer better deliver a well-written, different from the previous scenes, moving the plot forward, emotionally-rich experience or you’re going to tempt them to skip the pages.

2.    You have to get over your own inhibitions.

-I’m an introverted, very private person. I’ve never been one to even discuss my relationships with my closest friends. So writing the sexy stuff when you know other people are going to read it (including people who know you in real life) can be a bit of a hurdle to get over. My best advice to writers who are trying to do this for the first time is to read “above” the heat level you want to write. You’ll see that there is always someone writing something naughtier than you, lol, and that can help make you feel less scandalous. :)

3.    No frilly euphemisms.

-In erotic romance, you get to use all those words that would’ve gotten you detention in high school. And dirty talk between your characters is encouraged. Fun stuff. :)

4.    There is a stereotype that erotic means “less of a story” because the genre is “all about sex.”

-This is a stigma that’s out there. Just like any other genre, there are some great books and some bad books. And yes, there are books that forget to put in a plot and just have loosely tied together sex scenes--that’s called p0rn even if it’s not labeled as such. So you have to be sure that the love scenes in your novel are there because of the story, that they move the plot forward, and that they are rich with emotion and purpose.

5.    People will make assumptions and form opinions about your personal life based on your fiction.

-When we read a great serial killer novel, we don’t assume that the author is a sociopath. But when an author writes an erotic book, for some reason, we assume all kinds of things about them--especially when it’s a BDSM book. “The author must be in that lifestyle” or on the flip side, “The author is clearly vanilla because she did this or didn’t do this in that chapter.” It’s all a bit silly. So even though you write erotic fiction, remember your personal life and choices are still nobody’s business but your own.
Don’t feel obligated to answer questions about it.

But besides those differences, it still comes back to write a great story with fully developed characters, tension, and plot. After all, at their heart, these stories are still romances. :)

So what do you think about the stereotypes attached to erotic fiction? Do you find yourself assuming things about authors based on their books? Do you think you’d feel comfortable writing fully described love scenes knowing your mother may one day read it? (Not joking on that last one, my mom is currently reading Crash. Eek!)

CRASH INTO YOU by Roni Loren

Brynn LeBreck has dedicated herself to helping women in crisis, but she never imagined how personal her work would get, or where it would take her. Her younger sister is missing, suspected to be hiding from cops and criminals alike at a highly secretive BDSM retreat—a place where the elite escape to play out their most extreme sexual fantasies. To find her Brynn must go undercover as a sexual submissive. Unfortunately, The Ranch is invitation only. And the one Master who can get her in is from the darkest corner of Brynn’s past.

Brynn knows what attorney Reid Jamison is like once stripped of his conservative suit and tie. Years ago she left herself vulnerable only to have him crush her heart. Now she needs him again. Back on top. And he’s all too willing to engage. But as their primal desires and old wounds are exposed, the sexual games escalate—and so does the danger.  Their hearts aren’t the only things at risk. Someone else is watching, playing by his own rules. And his game could be murder.

EXCERPT:

Brynn emerged from the bathroom with a handful of Band-Aids and a bottle of hydrogen peroxide. She pointed to the dining room table. “Sit.”

He dried his hands with a paper towel and fought a smile. She always had been a bossy little thing. But he knew the truth. Underneath all that tight control was a woman who, at least when he’d known her, loved handing over the reins. He swallowed hard, tamping down memories he didn’t need to rehash at the moment.

He dropped into one of the chairs, and Brynn sat across from him, her knees bumping against his. He widened his legs, and after the briefest of hesitations, she scooted forward, allowing his thighs to frame the outsides of hers as she reached for his injured hand. She circled her fingers around his right wrist, his pulse jumping at her touch, and brought his hand up to her face to examine it. His fingers itched to reach out and trace the bow of her lips.

Dammit. He took a deep breath, trying to keep his desire to touch her in check, but the citrus scent of her shampoo drifted to his nose and sent a bolt of carnal need straight to his groin.

He stared down at her. One quick grasp of her waist and he could lift her to straddle his lap, bunch up that dress, and slide right into her sweet heat—kiss away all the tension furrowing her brow, drive her to that place of wild abandon he knew she could reach.

Without thinking, he lifted his other hand and twined her broken dress strap between his fingers, brushing the backs of his sore knuckles across her collarbone in the process. The small catch of breath in the back of her throat made his balls tighten. Such a feminine sound, so close to the noise she would make as he entered her.

But she didn’t raise her eyes to him and beg him to take her like he secretly hoped she would. She simply took the slip of material from him and tucked it under her bra strap to hold it in place, sending her message loud and clear. Not yours.

Not anymore.

AUTHOR BIO:

Roni wrote her first romance novel at age fifteen when she discovered writing about boys was way easier than actually talking to them. Since then, her flirting skills haven’t improved, but she likes to think her storytelling ability has. Though she’ll forever be a New Orleans girl at heart, she now lives in Dallas with her husband and son. If she’s not working on her latest sexy story, you can find her reading, watching reality television, or indulging in her unhealthy addiction to rockstars, er, rock concerts. Yeah, that's it. Her debut novel, CRASH INTO YOU, will be published by Berkley Heat January 3, 2012.

Website/Blogs: www.roniloren.com
Twitter: www.twitter.com/roniloren
Tumblr (where I post mancandy photos): http://roniloren.tumblr.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/roniloren
Buy links for book: www.roniloren.com/books

**********GIVEAWAY**********

There are actually 2 Prizes being given away......The 1st prize is one signed set of Romance Trading Cards for Crash Into You to a random commenter & the 2nd prize is a $25 Amazon GC to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour.

-The 1st giveaway for the RTCs ends at 11:59 pm CST TONIGHT 1/12.

-I will use random.org to choose a winner.  I will then send a winner's confirmation email and must receive a response within 48 hours or a new winner will be chosen.

-To be entered in the giveaways, just answer the questions Roni asks at the end of her post (which are in bold), along with leaving your email addy.

-The 2nd giveaway will be awarded to a random commenter who leaves a comment at each tour stop, so the more blog stops you post at the greater your chances of winning.  A list of blog stops can be found here.

-The 2nd giveaway ends at 11:59 pm CST on 1/27.