Monday, November 23, 2009

Happily Ever After ... Or Not


I've been working on plotting some new stories this week. That got me thinking about romance endings, particularly that industry standard, Happily Ever After. One of the things I love most about writing erotic romance is that I don't feel my endings must be pigeonholed into a formulaic conclusion. Because honestly, not every story warrants the sort of warm, fuzzy, we'll-be-together-forever sort of conclusion. In erotic romance, the couple merely has to be happy together for now. And in erotica, the boundaries are further loosened. The characters need not even promise to call soon!
I like having the freedom to allow the story to go in any direction. That latitude unleashes my creativity more than being stuck in a certain groove and being forced into a predictable conclusion.
As a reader, do you want to know in advance you're getting the Happily Ever After model or do you prefer to be surprised?
Oh - the hot picture of Brendan Fraser is there merely to put a smile on your face this Monday morning;-)
On another note, I want to welcome Naima to the ranks of Naughty Author Chicks. I'm looking forward to your first post tomorrow.

5 comments:

Savannah Stuart said...

As a reader I definitely want to know if I'm getting HEA or not. I'm an HEA reader all the way :)

Naima Simone said...

Hi, Wynter!
I'm going to admit the cardinal sin of all readers...I always go to the back of the book and see how it ends. I want to know who ends up with who and how they got there. I know! I'm a stinker! For me, the hero and heroine--and another hero as the case may be (LOL!)-- don't have to end up married with 2.5 kids, but I want them to definitely be happy and together. But then, I always find that out because I'm a...you got it! Stinker!! LOL!

Naima Simone said...

Oh and thank you for the welcome, Wynter!!

Wynter said...

Oh no, Naima! I've heard about readers like you;-)
I prefer the H & H to be content together for the time being, too. Although the erotica I just finished writing didn't technically end that way, but let's just say the heroine had a fabulous time!

Naima Simone said...

I know! I know! I'm one of THOSE!! Hee-hee-hee! Did I forget to mention that when I look at the back of the book the heroine MUST be smiling and tired at the end, too?? LOL!