Is this really erotica? (genre help)

I need a little help finalizing the genre for my first novella. Yes, finalizing! LOL

Basically, the story is paranormal (vampires) where the human is seduced by a vampire, but there is no straight up sex just very sexually tense moments. There is also quite a bit of mystery, especially in the first couple chapters which get cleared up at the end. It doesn't end on a HEA note, as both characters get together by necessity than choice, but it's HFN.

The 2nd book gets more naughty, with sexual situations etc. Is that too much of a change from one book to the other??


So, would this be erotica or more like paranormal erotic romance or something completely different? Should I add more sexual situations in the first book to match the sequel more?

And what publishers would take it? (been rejected twice btw for lack of 'steamy moments')

dangerousbill said:

Beware making one book mainline and the other erotica. You may lose the audience that's built up from book 1 if book 2 has an '18+' warning on it.

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This is all the more reason that I should add more sexual moments in book 1.

Right now there are 2 hand-job scenes. So, yes, there is explicit scenes, but no right on sex (yet).
I could always change the last scene up too.

druid12000 said:

Can I ask you a question? Are you just following your muse or trying to fit into a genre?

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I'm more following my muse, but trying to figure out what genre I'm really writing in. Since I used to write horror, it's pretty weird changing over to romance, especially erotica so I'm still getting over the change. But it's my muse lately.

druid12000 said:

From your last statement, it sounds like you have some pretty explicit scenes. If you're thinking of ramping up for the next novel(la), don't hold back. If you feel it in your gut, then go with it.

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The last publisher I submitted to said the story didn't have enough explicit scenes and stated that it contained too much mystery to really be called erotic romance, which I felt was wrong. But not sure.

Anyone else have an idea?

At the moment, I'm thinking of combining book 1 and book 2, making it just a two part single book.

There's a couple more publishers that caught my eye too.

Thank you veinglory. That helps a lot

I was thinking of combining book 1 and book 2, since in the 2nd book the characters do voluntarily fall in love, and they do have an extensive positive sexual experience. And they are both happy for now at the end.