- Joined
- Oct 4, 2014
- Messages
- 1,045
- Reaction score
- 89
I have these two characters who love each other and have been through a lot and have finally reached the "Oh, noes! We have to separate" point in what I assumed was going to be a NA erotic romance, but it's starting to look like what's best for them might be to end things a little nebulous. I intend to continue the story in a series with a romantic arc leading to an eventual HEA (made all the more touching by those HFNs), but to even get there I have to sell the first one. Where my characters currently stand, I think it would make sense for their individual and combined arcs to choose to cool it for a bit, but to remain in each others' lives, i.e. "You need time to grow, but know that I'm here for you, don't be a stranger, just one last kiss, okay maybe more," etc.
I'd like to pitch it as erotic romance rather than erotica because the series arc would be romance overall. I'm not opposed to just querying it as an "erotic novel, complete at xx,xxx words, with series potential," but the romantic elements are very strong and from my research, it looks like erotic romance series are a lot more common than erotica series.
(tl;dr) With regards to agent and publisher expectations, what qualifies as a HFN? Do the characters have to be in a relationship or is the promise of resuming the relationship sometime in the near future enough as long as one or both parties are hopeful? (see Asking For It by Lilah Pace) What about sex with the promise of more if I can make it clear that it's only a matter of time before they reunite? Does the fact that it's NA make a difference?
This book is already tap dancing on the taboo line, so I'm doing my best to amass a list of appropriate agents who rep similar authors. The thing is, while most agents that accept erotica often take erotic romance, too, those that take erotic romance don't necessarily accept erotica. How would I even go about querying an erotic novel as the first in a planned series that has the potential to become erotic romance? Would I have to scratch the latter group off my list altogether?
I'm at a fork in the road. Do I leave the novel a little open-ended and hope that the agent/publisher likes the concept and writing enough to ask about the series or do I tie it up in a nice little bow and potentially compromise both the character and potential series arcs?
Probably cart-before-the-horse thinking, but I'm about to begin developmental edits and I'm still wavering on the damn ending!
Anyway, thanks for reading.
I'd like to pitch it as erotic romance rather than erotica because the series arc would be romance overall. I'm not opposed to just querying it as an "erotic novel, complete at xx,xxx words, with series potential," but the romantic elements are very strong and from my research, it looks like erotic romance series are a lot more common than erotica series.
(tl;dr) With regards to agent and publisher expectations, what qualifies as a HFN? Do the characters have to be in a relationship or is the promise of resuming the relationship sometime in the near future enough as long as one or both parties are hopeful? (see Asking For It by Lilah Pace) What about sex with the promise of more if I can make it clear that it's only a matter of time before they reunite? Does the fact that it's NA make a difference?
This book is already tap dancing on the taboo line, so I'm doing my best to amass a list of appropriate agents who rep similar authors. The thing is, while most agents that accept erotica often take erotic romance, too, those that take erotic romance don't necessarily accept erotica. How would I even go about querying an erotic novel as the first in a planned series that has the potential to become erotic romance? Would I have to scratch the latter group off my list altogether?
I'm at a fork in the road. Do I leave the novel a little open-ended and hope that the agent/publisher likes the concept and writing enough to ask about the series or do I tie it up in a nice little bow and potentially compromise both the character and potential series arcs?
Probably cart-before-the-horse thinking, but I'm about to begin developmental edits and I'm still wavering on the damn ending!
Anyway, thanks for reading.
