Future genres I'd like to write.

Elizabeth's question to me: Is there a particular genre that you would like to write (which you haven't already?) And do you think you will someday?

Quite a few! I'd love to write an erotic horror - and I mean a full-out HORROR with the suspense and shit-scary shenanigans and gruesomeness, and so on.

I'd also quite like to write a contemporary romantic or chick-lit erotic comedy, sort of like Friends or Sex and the City in erotic novel format.

I'd also love to write some kind of really intelligent literary, ground-breaking novel, that would probably be like a psychological thriller/suspense or something, but I'm pretty sure I never would because my slightly lewd sense of humour (and love of weaving eroticism into everything) would pretty much ensure it's not ever going to win a Nobel Prize! There seems to be this undercurrent train of thought in the public consciousness that says if it has eroticism in it, it can't be that intelligent. That is so so wrong (Lolita, for example). I actually feel in some ways that we are more judgemental about taboo and controversial subjects that we used to be, what with all the "political correctness" that colours our culture nowadays. It's a great shame - minds need encouragement to be opened, and not a scolding for trying.

Now, I am not comparing my work to that of such literary masterpieces; merely saying that I'd like to be able to write something like that one day and weighing up the reality :)

Thanks for the great question, Elizabeth!

Dianna xxx

Favourite Genre/Sub-Genre to Write

As some of you may know I often struggle to find a topic for my Monday posts. It is somewhat irritating and I don't wish to ramble on about nothing just for the sake of posting something. So, Dianna and I have decided that we will choose each others topics each week in the form or questions - unless we have something we wish to talk about - but we also want to invite all of you to ask us questions, which we will answer the following week in our blog post. So, please do feel free to use the comment section below (and on any post) to pick our brains. :-)

So, my topic for today is on which genres I prefer to write. Main genre would be romance.

I have yet to have an idea which has not involved romance. It's not purposely done, but at the heart of it I am a romantic and no matter what I read or watch I find that I am drawn to any sprinkle of romance that appears. I have always enjoyed the little moments between the hero and heroine. I love the details, the glances, the small touches, I find I crave those moments in any story. So, I guess it would make sense why I enjoy writing romances. I like being able to help two people find one another. Sure some of my characters have rockier roads and bigger challenges than others, but I enjoy going on their journey with them. I want happy endings. I want hope and passion and fulfilment.

Sub-genres . . . Erotic romance would be the main sub-genre that mingles in, because sex is a part of life and of any relationship. It's the conclusion of chemistry, caring, and opening up to someone; trusting them.

Although we can all understand love (to some degree) it's very different for all of us. We each feel it differently and can do on many occasions, but it can be confusing. So can sex, but it is something that we can all understand biologically. We can all relate to sex. We have all had sex.

I actually prefer Erotic Romance to Romance, because although romance is lovely, and sweet it is very innocent. I am of course talking in the sense of the Romance genre when both books and films close the door on sexual side of the relationship. You just know those characters are going to be ripping each others clothes off at some point, but to push that side of the relationship out kinda makes the genre seem like a fairytale. Not that there is anything wrong with fairy-tales (I'm a huge fan of fairy-tales) and not that there is anything wrong with closing the door and keeping a story sweet. Sometimes a story is sweet, or has to be because there is a bigger plot going on. (I have written a sweet romance, so I'm really not against them, I promise.) But we have hormones; we lust, we crave intimacy and that physical, deep connection. I just personally feel that erotic romance makes the relationship a little more real.

Otherwise the Paranormal Genre would be the sub-genre I tend to lean toward the most. I grew up loving fairy-tales, and stories to do with the supernatural. I found the Greek Mythology fascinating due to the idea of these gods and goddess, Hades and the underworld, and creatures like Medusa, Scylla and Charybdis etc.

I believe that every creature that has every been placed under "supernatural" or a being of "myth and legend" did actually exist at some point in time. Perhaps that makes me sound crazy, but I really don't care. Everything starts with a grain of truth, and the idea that magic is truly alive and real just makes the world and existence that extra bit interesting.

The paranormal genre is a playground of endless possibilities. So many creatures to choose from. So many ways to view each of those creatures. So much you can create with them. They will never get old.

The above three tend to be the genres I stick to the most. Contemporary is a fourth component as every story I have written so far - even if it contains a supernatural being - has always been modern; it's always been set around this year and time zone.

But I don't plan to stick or even limit myself to these particular genres. I enjoy reading period stories, steam-punk, fantasy, and futuristic and would like to at least write one story in each of those particular genres at some point in my life time.

So, my question to you (readers and fellow writers) which genres (and sub-genres) do you enjoy reading and/or writing?