Liquid Silver Books heat levels

[K. Taylor]

I'm interested in this line at Liquid Silver:

Sterling:
"Sweeter" erotic romance
Allow for emotional buildup leading to culmination of relationship sex
Longer sensual tension/slower developed heat
M/F only
HEA
Descriptive sex

Does anyone have experience in what they mean by "descriptive sex", as in, how descriptive? I'd try reading a book or 2, but I'm literally down to my last pennies right now.

Thanks!

[Dee Carney]

It's still descriptive sex, but instead of sex being the focus/plot, there may be a total of one or two scenes for the characters. The build up is long in coming...My friend's Sterling book was 38K and had two brief self-pleasuring scenes, one brief scene in a truck and one longer scene with the H/h near the end. The language also doesn't lean toward use of the three cs.

My other friend's book had a few scenes, but they were also very brief. You still knew exactly who was doing what to whom though!

This is not behind closed doors sex.

[JanDarby]

Ditto to what Dee said.

From my understanding, it's still erotic romance, but the slower build-up is the key, and the designation as sterling is meant to establish readers' expectations that it won't be sexy on page one, but will get there eventually. Still not sweet, but not quite so fast out of the gate.

If you're not sure if your style is "sterling" or their regular "liquid" silver, that decision doesn't have to be made right away, and you can discuss it with your editor during/after acquisition.

JD, whose next book is being released as "liquid," but that's at least in part because they hadn't established the "sterling" line when Liger Games was submitted; the sex, while graphic and erotic, begins a few chapters into the book.

[Dee Carney]

JD, whose next book is being released as "liquid," but that's at least in part because they hadn't established the "sterling" line when Liger Games was submitted; the sex, while graphic and erotic, begins a few chapters into the book.

My first book with LSB (subbed after the "sterling" line debuted) didn't get to the sex until half way in. It ended up being "liquid". Although, there were a few sentences of *ahem* naughtiness twice before then.

And to add to what Jan said, if you're new to LSB, the Acquisition's Director will make the determination as to which line you belong.

[K. Taylor]

Thank you all!
All I knew was it wasn't erotic enough for Samhain.

The story has sex scene in the beginning that happens during a dream, then nothing but UST until towards the end. And I don't use the naughty words, just don't like 'em.

[veinglory]

What do you mean not erotic enough for Samhain? They take completely non-erotic romance.

[K. Taylor]

They do? Because the person that rejected me told me it wasn't erotic enough for their readers.

Her comment: "The lack of explicit sex scenes might also make it more difficult for the story to find an audience with our particular readership."

I had 2 nekkid scenes and a blow job in the version I sent them, so it wasn't like I did a fade-to-black.

[Lainey Bancroft]

Samhain? Hmm. A friend of mine had a book released there a while back that was very sweet, all 'closed door' hint at the passion type thing.

As far as Liquid Silver goes, so far I only have one LSB release in a Sterling Silver Anthology, and while my story is fairly high sexual tension, it isn't all that graphic. Gah, I can't remember who does what and by page # whatever--isn't that awful?--too many wips on the go. But I can say LSB is great to work with, and I'd venture a guess that if they thought you had a solid story they'd direct it to the right heat line and/or possibly even work with you to increase the heat.

Good luck!

[veinglory]

It must have been a recommendation specific to that editor or that book, or something recent--because I have a book with Samhain with no sex scenes at all.

[K. Taylor]

Yes.

The book I sent to them was Contemporary Romance, so for that genre, that might be the guideline.

[K. Taylor]

I had a very quick response from Liquid Silver. 9 days from sending the e-mail to getting a decision.

[Tina Burns]

FYI. My inbox is always open for questions. I don't always get to check the forum as much as I like to (but I'm getting back to doing so), so remember you can email me anytime.

tina @ liquidsilverbooks.com

[Tina Burns]

To answer the Sterling question. Dee and Jan did a great job. Descriptive means the light has to be left on, at least one. No fading to black, or implied only stories. Make sense?