The Brown Paper Bag
I’VE BEEN TOLD I write “those” books.
The first time someone said that to me I was startled, then slightly offended as I realized she was referencing the erotic content in my stories. Hell, I thought, didn’t anyone tell you the days of brown paper bagging your naughty books are over?
In a way I was right, but I was wrong, too.
I was a new author and an arguably lucky one. I sold my first story to Kensington’s erotic Brava imprint less than a year after I began writing. A few weeks after that sale, the submissions I had out with Black Lace and Ellora’s Cave—both erotic imprints/publishers—were acquired. Writing erotic romance is what I do, and I was very happy to be placing my stories with publishers who knew how to publish it well.
Within the next year, other publishers created erotic imprints, spurred by the stunning success of Ellora’s Cave. Berkley and New American Library had Heat, Harlequin had Spice, HarperCollins had Avon Red, and Kensington added Aphrodisia, which was marketed as leaning more toward erotica than its sensual sister imprint Brava. By 2005, so many members of Romance Writers of America were writing erotic fiction, or wanted to learn how to write it, that I cofounded the Passionate Ink chapter with friend and fellow author Shayla Black. When we applied for affiliation, over four hundred writers’ names were on the application paperwork.
But there was controversy surrounding the subgenre. It was said that erotic romance wasn’t actually romance. Many disdained it. Others swore there was no market for it, despite the proliferation of new erotic writers and imprints. They were certain erotic romance would never sell in large enough quantities to hit national bestseller lists. And still others didn’t believe that writers of erotic stories were “real” authors. After all, we didn’t write “real” books; we wrote “those” books.
In the meantime, many of us writing erotic romance were making very good money. We had avid and dedicated readers. Some of us were selling an impressive quantity of digital copies before the invention of the Kindle or Nook.
But the writing community wasn’t the only place that didn’t embrace erotic romance in the mainstream. Some of the retail outlets that carry books didn’t welcome them either.
Being a published author of erotic romance meant that your books were published as trade paperbacks at a higher price point. The titles were often suggestive (such as Sex Drive and Pure Sex) and the cover art left little to the imagination. As a result, distribution was limited and writers often heard from readers who had difficulty finding the books.
Some publishers, however, chose to publish erotic romance in mass-market paperback format with traditional romance titles and cover art—the new brown paper bag. Long before Fifty Shades disguised the sexual nature of the story through packaging, authors such as Lora Leigh and Cheyenne McCray were being published incognito. And with the expanded distribution the format and packaging enabled, the books were easier to find and therefore easier to buy, and they hit the national bestseller lists—the very ones the naysayers had insisted were beyond reach. Lora Leigh swiftly hit the number-one spot on the New York Times bestseller list.
Is that the happily-ever-after to this tale? Not quite …
Distribution was still problematic if the erotic content wasn’t subtly conveyed. The mass-market format remained key, but it was a format in decline in the industry as a whole. Trade paperbacks still held a steady market share, but it was rare to find a trade paperback romance outside of traditional bookstores. It’s very difficult, if not impossible, to reach a large audience if your books aren’t conveniently available. Many books are acquired at grocery stores, membership warehouses such as Costco and Sam’s Club, and at general stores such as WalMart and Target. Readers want to one-stop shop, not make an extra trip to a specialized store, where most romance trades are sold at full cover price sans the hefty discounts general retailers and e-tailers often apply.
The media spotlight on Fifty Shades of Grey changed that. In a tragic economy, retailers couldn’t afford not to stock an in-demand item. They made room on their shelves, and once that room was made and the demand remained, they continued to fill it. My novel Bared to You, which was a New York Times and USA Today bestseller as an e-book but had nonexistent print distribution, was suddenly eagerly welcomed in brick-and-mortar venues where erotic trades had previously never been stocked.
Yes, the covers being used on erotic trades are now uniformly subtle, with flowers, scarves, feathers, pearls, belts, and stilettos, but the latest brown paper bag is an immediately recognizable one, which means it’s not really there at all. We know something sexy is going to be found between those innocent-looking covers and we don’t care who sees us with them. Better yet, we can buy them pretty much everywhere.
Erotic fiction is finally out, proud, and widely available.
SYLVIA DAY is the New York Times, USA Today, and internationally bestselling author of seventeen novels. Her stories have been translated into over thirty languages. She’s been honored with many awards, including multiple nominations for Romance Writers of America’s prestigious RITA® Award of Excellence. Find out more at www.SylviaDay.com.