"X" is for X-Rated

Unless you live under a rock, you've undoubtedly heard of a book called Fifty Shades of Grey.  If you haven't, Google it.  But I'll provide an extremely abbreviated summary: an erotic novel has made mainstream best-seller lists.  Like, the New York Times best-seller list among others.  It's also gained popularity in many other countries...I've seen displays of it at the Tesco I often go to.  Oh, and people are surprised that women read sexy books.  That part makes me scratch my head...how is that a surprise?  Oh well.

But this post isn't about Fifty Shades of Grey.  It's not a book review.  I'm not sharing my thoughts (good or bad) on Fifty.  Nope.  Sorry to disappoint.  So if you're looking for one of those blog posts with those things called opinions, or are looking to share your own on Fifty, too bad.

Instead, this post is about a common theme in news and articles I've been seeing, often in conjunction with the book being mentioned.  And as someone who also writes erotica, I'd thought I'd share my thoughts on them.

By the way, check out my "E" entry from last year's A-Z Challenge for more on Erotica.  It might be something different than you think.

The other day, one of my friends mentioned that she'd found an article about e-readers and how women are reading erotica on them.  Apparently, people have been catching on that it's much less embarrassing to read a book without Fabio on it.  Seriously, the covers are pretty awesome nowadays, but still...

Um, yeah, this is the new cover for Oliver Twist. Yeah.

Anyway, you can take your X-rated book with you anywhere!  You can read it on a plane, on the bus, at work when your boss isn't looking, when you're supposed to be doing homework, etc.

And it's much easier to cover it up if people want to get all up in your business.

*peeks over your Kindle*

"Hey, what are you reading?"

*hits the Home button to return to main screen listing*

"Oh, just The Claiming of Sleeping Beauty War and Peace."

Obviously, these increased sales have been noted.  As soon as you Google "ereaders and erotica", a ton of articles show up, including news stories from MSNBC.  Here's a link to an article about a small press whose  sales have gone through the roof.  And this isn't an isolated incident.  See, people who would never be caught dead with those books--whether because of religion, they have small kids in the house, or because they live with their parents at the age of thirty among other reasons--are buying the books because they have anonymity, both in reading and purchasing.  They don't have to go up to the check-out counter in Barnes & Noble with an armload of BDSM stories.  Nope...they can click their mouse a few times or tap their touch screen, and BAM.  Instant access to whips and floggers; sexy, brooding vampires; hot male on male action; lick-able gods and goddesses; and irresistible kinks they didn't know they had.

To me, this is an excellent thing.  Not only does it drive sales, which, as a pre-published writer, I'm very interested in following, but it opens up a lot of avenues.  Writing about risque subjects that would have been  frowned upon even ten years ago is now not only fair game, but encouraged.  And, to me, anything that gets people reading, whether it's Harry Potter or Fifty Shades of Grey is a good thing.  So fire up that e-reader, click away, and take a look through that keyhole.

Thoughts?

xoxo Sarah