So, do you remember the “old days” when it was shocking that successful authors decided to jump on the bandwagon and write paranormal romance? And then there was another wave we are pretty deep into where everyone was going young adult? Well, now it looks like the Fifty Shades effect has fully kicked in, and everyone is going erotic trilogy (and some of it is also from Twilight fan-fiction. Go figure).
- Sylvia Day has seemingly dropped her Renegade Angels series (for now) in favor of her super successful Crossfire erotic trilogy. She has had a lot of success from these books, so I can’t really blame her.
- Maya Banks just signed a seven figure deal from Penguin’s Berkley books for an erotic trilogy called Breathless. Book one is called Rush, and will be out next February. Fever will follow in April, and Burn will finish it off in August.
- From the world of Twilight fan fiction which actually spawned Fifty Shades comes another erotica series, this one from author Sylvain Reynard. He scored a “substantial seven figure deal” with Penguin’s Berkley for two books, Gabriel’s Inferno and Gabriel’s Rapture, due out in print next year. Both are already available in e-format.
- In one of the stranger deals I saw, Nightshade author Andrea Cremer will be writing an erotic trilogy for adults…set in her Nightshade world. I think that is the first time I have heard of YA and erotica in the same world, but I might be wrong.
- A 1980′s series from Anne Rice, written under the pen-name A.N. Roquelaure, has been re-released. The Claiming of Sleeping Beauty, Beauty’s Punishment and Beauty’s Release are apparently on the shelves now.
So, what do you think? Flash in the pan, or the next big thing? It seems to be where the money is, by the size of some of those book deals, but it isn’t really a trend I find myself getting behind. I think maybe for me, it is just that they all read the same (and this is from the chick who has a hundred versions of vampire books. Heh).
Hi K!! I highly agree. This is a wave I’ve been riding this whole year. Read 50 Shades, but this trilogy is not as good as Sylvia’s Crossfire trilogy, which is more Contemporary Romance. There are also numerous indie authors who have been gaining popularity in both Erotica and Contemporary Romance. Their books are just as sexy, intriguing, and engaging.
Sylvain Reynard is one of my favorites! Gabriel’s Inferno was well written and developed and was a great debut book. Gabriel’s Rapture, which is already out, is even better with more character development and storyline progress. Mr. Reynard (yup, Mr.) is writing book 3 right now. I can’t wait for it!!!!
Thank you for highlighting this wave. Many of us who love PNR have found these books to be a great escape when we want a break from all the paranormal. I go back and forth between genres, so it’s great to have even more choices!!
It is great to get a break from the one genre once in a while, and you can’t turn around without running into one of these trilogies lately. I have heard good things about the Crossfire books, too – most agree with you that they are better than the 50 Shades books, too.
I am excited that there is going to be a third book in the Gabriel series! When is it due out?
Not sure – I think from what I heard it is just now in the planning/contract signing stage.
Hi Kaleigha!
I haven’t read Gabriel’s Inferno or Gabriel’s Rapture but am planning on it since such good things are being said about them! This may or may not shock you (it sure did me!) but Sylain Reynard is actually a MAN!
Hey, V. I actually stopped for a minute when I saw the name Sylvain, since in Canadian French it is pretty much always male. Then I thought, nah, no way. Gotta be a chick. That is what you get when you stereotype, I guess. Still surprised me, though.
In refference to you note about Gabriel’s Inferno and Gabriel’s Rapture they have already been published. I am reading Gabriel’s Inferno as I write and it is fantastic. I can recommend it to all your readers.
I have seen good reviews for these ones, too. I do wonder if there is a third in the works?
I love the Crossfire series and I thought that the 50 shades series was hugely overrated. I have been reading erotica for years, and I think it has to be frustrating for all of those authors who wrote it for so long to see the hype being made over the 50 series just because it started out as Twilight fanfic.
I could never seem to get the whole fan-fic thing, especially when it is re-packaged as something else. Guess I just haven’t seen the charm in it, yet.
Hey Kaleigha! I LOVE the Renegade Angel series of Sylvia Day’s (I enjoy the Crossfire stuff, but really, fallen angels and vampires act more reasonably than Gideon). Please tell me you mean she’s just putting new books on the backburner for now… sadface
Well, I am hoping that it was just a pushback, but the release date was changed to…sometime. Not sure when.
Just wanted to let you know that the 1980′s Beauty series has already been re-released. I saw them in, of all places, Kroger about 3 weeks ago. The Beauty books make Fifty Shades look like PG material. I was very surprised to find 2 rows of the books on a center end-cap at the grocery store. Go figure…
Good lord, looks like my “sources” are behind. And, er, that raunchy? Lol…good for a laugh, if nothing else.
Loved Gabriel’s Inferno and Rapture but, funnily enough, I don’t think they should be classed as erotica. Sure, there’s a heck of a lot of sexual tension but, nope, definitely not erotic.
Have you heard if there is a third book planned? I saw that somewhere, but then of course forgot where it was.
Yep, on his website there’s an update stating that he’s been contracted to do 3 books–one of them being the last book in this series. But who knows when it’ll be out
Thanks…I figured there must be a third on the way. I will check them out.
Hi K.
To be honest, I don’t like all this Fifty thingy. I already read Fifty Shades of Grey and well, its.. full of wreck :/. I don’t know why people love it, but to each of their own, I guess. Then, now many authors seems like jump in convo. I see it as the way they want to have so money. Maybe I’m being cynical, but Fifty itself is just Twilight fanfic, sure its make pay homage to Stephenie Meyer? Even just a little bit? And now almost erotica covers like Fifty. Ugh bring the sexy cover back!
I didn’t hate 50 Shades, but I did find it funny. It was a quick, easy break from the PNR and UF, but not sure if it is my thing. I guess I am just a creature of habit. But I do find it funny when one finds success, the rest follow.
Maybe I had read lot of erotica and BDSM, that’s why I find it just.. okay
.. Yes, its funny. Right now so many books come with billionaire vs young virgin heroine come out.
I haven’t read much of it, but I have read more than my share of PNR erotica. Maybe I just find the far fetched vampire and wolves stories more believable? Not sure.
I liked 50 shades. I want to like the Crossfire series more but the endings of both the books managed to make me so angry lol… I just didn’t like the abrupt ending and feeling like nothing was accomplished, fingers crossed for the last one. I read the Ann Rice trilogy before I read 50 and Crossfire and liked those too. I still swoon for my paranormal romances though haha.
Yeah, I don’t see myself turning away from the PNR to head to the contemporary erotica, either. I haven’t tried the Crossfire series yet, though.
You really need to read Crossfire – loving that series!!!
I did like the PNR book of hers I read, so that is a good start.
I tend to agree with other comments, 50 shades have been hugely overrated. I’ve been reading many sub genres of erotica for quite awhile and I found 50 shades only so-so not fantastic as other people have said on other sites.
Authors such as Megan Hart and Lauren Dane have been writing these kinds of books for years and have been totally missed off the wagon in my opinion by the hoopla that is the 50 shades train…but as we all know only to well, hype comes and goes and fantastic authors such as Sylvia Day, do indeed stand the test of time
It is the same as Twilight for me. Not bad, but there is way better out there that gets lost in the shuffle.