Carla Swafford, Author

Good Bye Bitter Sweet and Hello Brightness

Posted on January 1, 2015January 1, 2015 by Carla Swafford, Author

Earlier this week, I wrote a long post about the last year and what I have to look forward to and then yesterday morning I deleted it. It was way too sad and wordy. So the short version is this.

2014 had a lot of good moments to celebrate while darkened by one bad event.

At the end of August last year, I lost my biggest cheerleader. My dad. He died unexpectedly. One important thing was he knew I was in the middle of working with a new editor toward a new contract with a new publishing house, and my writing career was looking up. He was very happy for me. Being a voracious reader, he was as excited as I was about me being published and continuing to be so.

So in October, I received a two-book contract from a wonderful editor at Penguin/Random House’s Loveswept line. Yay! And then a couple months later, I signed with Prospect Agency. Love my new agent!

I’m starting off 2015 the right way. All fresh and new. I have to pinch myself on occasion. Other times, I freak out and worry that I have lost my mind. Who am I kidding? I can’t write!

Well, this is where I dig in my heels and prove I can do anything, if I want it bad enough. Nothing will stop me but me. And I won’t let that happen. Heck, my daughters and writing family won’t let me. I’m so grateful for them all.

Watch out! I’M BAAAACK!

Odd Observation, Writing

One in a Million

Posted on December 27, 2014January 1, 2015 by Carla Swafford, Author

The past week, I’ve been on vacation. So nice. Working on my writing during the day and watching TV or reading at night. Mercy, I’ve watched quite a few movies and TV shows on Netflix.

You know, it got me to thinking about the millions of actors and authors who hope to become famous for what they love to do. It blows my mind.

Does it make me want to quit? Goodness, no. All of this makes me want to work harder, to become a better writer. Every author should strive to improve with each book.

My Books, Odd Observation, Writing

Back In The Day

Posted on December 15, 2014 by Carla Swafford, Author

When my husband I were dating, he was known for being a bad boy. Since I don’t want to embarrass his family or my daughters, I won’t get into about what he did. But we hung out with some people you would call in a nice way – rough. Now, I’m not saying all of them were that way. A few of the girls were like me, from the middle class part of town and attracted to the bad boys.

I can tell you after a few years, I realized that life wasn’t for me. The drinking, drugs, smoking, cussing (still a bad habit of mine that slips out on a occasion) and living on the edge sucked big time. They cheated on each other, stole from anyone, even their friends, and many didn’t know the meaning of hygiene or taking care of their possessions. And they would laugh about it all.

Thankfully, my hubby grew up to be a good man, though that bad boy mentality (a.k.a. Cranky) comes out on occasion.

Over the years, a few people have recommended to me book series about motorcycle gangs/clubs. My sister even talked about how much she loved Sons of Anarchy. I gave in and bought one book, “sampled” a few others and watched the Sons. The book I didn’t finished, the others I didn’t buy, but I did watch all seasons of SOA. The TV series had some good moments. I think mainly I wanted to see Charlie/Jax’s butt. Otherwise, the show had more violence than plot.

The books and even the show reminded me of those days from my youth.

So now I’m writing a motorcycle club series. It will be toned down (really, I’m known for writing about sex and violence; so there will be enough in it) compared to the series and the partial books I’ve read. As I mentioned, I’ve been around those type of people. You don’t want to mess with them or be like them.

But there is something romantic and sexy about bad boys and dangerous men. Even more so when they’re reformed.

My Romance Magicians' post

Where, Oh, Where?

Posted on December 5, 2014December 4, 2014 by Carla Swafford, Author

Hey, come on over to the Romance Magicians’ blog. I’m talking about personal tastes in Christmas decorations and reading. Be sure to leave a comment and let us know what you think. Hope to see you there. (Psssst! Don’t leave me alone.)

Odd Observation

Porn vs Erotica

Posted on November 26, 2014November 10, 2018 by Carla Swafford, Author

Over the years, I’ve heard clueless people call romance novels porn. The last couple years, with the FIFTY SHADES OF GREY craze, the newest incorrect term is mommy porn. (Geez, if you do, you obviously have never read the real mommy porn. Yuck.)

I can tell you there is a big difference between porn and romance novels, including romantic erotica. From here on out, I’ll just refer to it as erotica to make it simple.

First, let’s talk about romance and erotica. Romance books have a lot in common with numerous genres: literary, mystery, science fiction, action/adventure, etc. In fact, romance books can be all of those things. But the underlying difference is there are two people who become attracted to each other, fall in love or decide they cannot live without the other. And of course, they all have the wonderfully required happily ever after. (I swear the journey to that point is always nail-biting.)

That attraction is what leads the book into becoming a romance. Even if they can never kiss, touch or make love. Those romantic feelings are deep inside the heart and overtake the head. They have nothing to do with how many climaxes they can reach with each other. Romance is how a person treats the other, and in turn, how he/she wants to be a better person for the one they love.

There are many readers who love what is called a Closed Door Romance. They never read what happens behind the bedroom door. I refer to those as pure romance. You will find Inspirational and Sweet romances do that in many genres.

Now, in the romance writing world, erotica is romance that shows love through physical actions along with the emotional ones. There are readers who want the full excitement from beginning to end. They’re like your best friend who comes up after a date and asks, “Tell me the details. Don’t leave anything out.” And as most men know, women rarely leave out anything in the telling in private to their best friend. Or the whole office.

In erotica, the writer will cover every sensory involved in a relationship. The emotions of romance wrapped in taste, sound, smell, sight, and especially touch. I don’t know about you, but I have a hard time buying a new blouse without touching the material. Thus to me, if the heroine hasn’t touched the man in every way possible, how does she know the whole package (pun intended) will suit her for a lifetime?

For porn, the physical act is what leads and ends the story. No character development and none to little emotion. And no – screaming at the end of climax is not the emotion I’m talking about. Though bravo for the character(s).

I can promise you I do know the difference. In my precocious teens to my early thirties, I read many books that could only be called porn. They never left me satisfied (pun intended again), in particular, on an emotional level.

So next time a person calls a romance (no matter how hot) porn, be sure to correct them. Tell them, it’s like calling a history book, a time travel. If you don’t know the difference between those, you might as well keep your mouth shut and read.