Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Sex-less in the City - Linda Poitevin

Sex-less in the City

Right, so given the genre of books written by authors on this blog, I’m thinking this may be a somewhat riské subject. Never one to shy away from controversy, however (actually, that’s completely untrue…I avoid conflict wherever possible!), I thought I’d bring it up regardless…partly because I have a question for you and I think you’re the perfect audience to ask, and partly because you’ll find out sooner or later anyway, lol.

You see, SINS OF THE ANGELS has no sex in it.

Not a single scene.

Not one.

Interestingly, it was supposed to. In fact, when I started writing the story I intended it to be a paranormal romance. But the deeper I got into the characters and the more of the plot I uncovered, the more I realized that the world I was building simply wouldn’t allow Alex and Aramael to make love. My intended paranormal romance had morphed into the beginning of a dark urban fantasy series that is rich in character development, gritty action, and non-stop plot—but it has no sex.

That’s not to say that there’s no sexual tension, however, because there is. In spades. The connection between Alex and Aramael is raw, passionate, and in many ways bigger than either of them. Their feelings for one another just aren’t consummated (at least…not in SINS OF THE ANGELS).

And that brings me to my question. I know sex sells, but I’m curious. How important is it to you when choosing a book? Is the physical act of lovemaking an element you absolutely want, or are you more concerned about the emotional satisfaction that (usually) goes hand-in-hand with that act? If you’re an urban fantasy reader, will you not purchase a book if you know it doesn’t have sex in it? (You can be honest…I have thick skin!) Inquiring minds want to know!

Linda Poitevin is the author of a new urban fantasy series, The Grigori Legacy, from Ace Books. Book one, SINS OF THE ANGELS, will be out September 27/11. Book two, SINS OF THE SON, follows in May 2012. In her other life, Linda is wife, mother, friend, gardener, coffee snob, freelance writer, and zookeeper of too many pets. 


For more information on Linda, visit her website. Click here to read an excerpt from Sins of the Angels. Click here to purchase her novel in ebook or print form.


Remember to leave a comment for a chance to win a copy of Sins of the Angels!
Contest runs from today through next Wednesday, October 19th.

16 comments:

Dawn said...

heh I had this long drawn out comment that appears to have disappeared...the joys of modern technology.

Anyway I just wanted to say that sometimes the best series/stories have loads of sexual tension with out the main peeps having sex. It makes things interesting and keeps us guessing when or if they will get down and dirty :D.

Anonymous said...

Makes no real difference to me. The last several books I read either had no sex or "offstage" sex, where you never see anything beyond kissing. That's still better than badly written sex! LOL

Put another way, it's hardly going to keep me from buying a book. :)

pamerd said...

Hi

The story is what is important to me. The character interactions, the plot and where it takes me is why I buy and read books. Don't get me wrong, I love a great romance but sex does not "make" a book.
I have read Sins of the Angels and loved it. I agree that sex scenes would not have worked, liked the tension and the promise of relationships to come in the future.
Do not enter me in the contest as I have the book and have read it.

Thanks for a great story.

Pam

Anonymous said...

@Dawn -- thanks for persevering and leaving a comment, lol! And I agree, sometimes the wondering is what keeps me glued to the page. :)

@Anonymous -- I couldn't agree more...just about anything is better than badly written sex! :D

@Pam -- Thank you so much! I'm thrilled that you enjoyed Sins of the Angels, and that you agree with the characters' decisions not to become too entangled! ;)

Hailey Edwards said...

Dawn, your comment reminded me of how I've read two books in a series just to get a kiss from the h/h. Let me tell you, knowing the third book is it for them, and the series, has me making grabby hands. (Kelley Armstrong-Otherworld)

To answer your question, Linda, for me, sex is a non-issue. It has nothing to do whether or not I purchase a book. If I only wanted sex, well, that's easy enough to find. Good books aren't. I love sexual tension. Done right, it's so much better than the payoff, IMO.

I do read a lot of UF, and what has turned me off a series isn't the lack of sex, it's the almost requisite love triangle. I don't like them. They're emotionally exhausting with no real payoff, because someone always gets hurt in the end.

It also makes me dislike the heroine to an extent she can't be redeemed in my eyes. So, yeah, I'm a lot more likely to ask about a heroine's romantic entanglements than about the book's heat rating.

Sins of the Angels is my reward read for meeting my next deadline. I can last three more weeks, right? LOL

alainala said...

depends on my mood.. im quite happy reading lora leigh and laurell k hamiltons sex filled books when i want to.. otherwise im just as happy reading urban fantasy with no sex and more character development.. i dont think patricia briggs (one of my all time favs) had a sex scene in her books until book 4 or 5.. and i was quite content with that.. and to be quite honest, half the time i page through them.. yep yep theyre still makin nasty.. turn page.. lol..

i would love to win a copy of this! and there being no sex... really isnt an issue at all!

alainala@ hotmail.ca

Anonymous said...

@Hailey -- First of all, thank you SO much for giving me this spot today! It's been great fun and I'm loving the comments. :) You can definitely hold out for three more weeks, lol, and I'm honored that SINS will be your reward! Interesting comment about the love-triangle thing...I've read a lot of UF, too, but haven't noticed that trend. Definitely food for thought...*heads off to page through collection with more critical eye*

Anonymous said...

@Alainala -- Confession time: I tend to page through those scenes, too...especially the lengthier ones. I'm not a very patient reader, I'm afraid, lol! Thanks for commenting! :)

LadyVampire2u said...

I think you read a book based on what the back cover says. You like or dislike the storyline. There are no guarantees of happy endings or intimate scenes. Its up to the author and what she writes into her story. Even though I will admit that I like reading books with intimate scenes, I am fine with a story without that also.

LadyVampire2u AT gmail DOT com

Hailey Edwards said...

Thanks for stopping by, Linda! It was great having you.

Unknown said...

I read a lot of racy books, but to be honest if there is no sex scene involved I'm okay with that! Sometimes there is enough tension and action(other types of action..hehe) and that is enough to carry a book. i have come across a few books that havent had sex scenes and have fell short but also a few that have went above and beyond my expectations!
Thanks for the giveaway! i look forward to reading this!
xoxo

kristinaparmenter51(at)gmail(dot)com

dawnmomoffour said...

I don't care about the sex honestly. I like the tension with or without it. So long as the story is good, flows along and has a good plot, I'm more liable to like it then if it is filled with sex but, well, sucks LOL
Thanks for the giveaway!
-Dawn aka dawnmomoffour
thedoyle6@rogers.com

Kati said...

I am currently grappling with this same issue as I am plotting out my books. I strongly suspect any sex may wait till much later just because of complications and development.

That being said, I waver between wanting to know if any romance will be consummated... but then I do love the build up of tension, the "will they or won't they?" aspect. In fact, I went ahead and downloaded the sample of your book! Looking forward to it! :)

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