Reblogged from 2/22/2015
Monster Erotica, Really? – It’s a Thing
by Dee Blake
While some people don’t like to admit it, many have read some form of erotica in their lifetime. Sometimes it’s racy modern BSDM, other times it’s historical bodice-rippers, or maybe even madame ” tell-alls”. But you’ll also find cross-genre offerings of this type as well: fantasy, paranormal or horror erotica in a variety of themes and formats. Erotica is for everyone who happens to be interested – including those who prefer speculative fiction.
Amongst novels and anthologies of this nature, there’s a niche sub-genre that appeals to those who like their sexy scary and scaly or hairy, an interesting domain known as cryptozoological or monster erotica. What exactly is this and where might you find it? Read on and I’ll elaborate.
We’ve all heard legends of vampires, demons or certain fairy creatures getting down and dirty with the common man or woman. They are the seducers of lore, luring potential prey in with their magical charms, bewitching their victims with their sexy wiles. That’s the traditional monster erotica fare that you’d expect to find in trendy paranormal romance. But monster erotica also involves something of the unexpected as well.
My first introduction to this type of erotica was via the tamer folk tales of fairy intruders making nightly visits to human lovers and the dark fantasy of Tanith Lee’s Flat Earth Series which delves into the realm of demon lovers. It does have glimpses of demon passion, but the story is more fantasy than erotica (recommended reading).
I also encountered the occasional monster tale in the Hot Blood horror erotica anthology series, but the stories in those books are not exclusively monster-themed. They are, however, a lot of fun.
Beyond that, I discovered the monster-exclusive erotica books out there, dedicated to naughty close encounters of a different kind – and apparently, they sell like hotcakes (see the i09 article and Goodreads has a list dedicated to it) And writers don’t stick to the traditional legendary seducers either. You’ll find a diverse offering of creatures, from well-endowed yeti to shape-shifting dragons, from melancholy mermen to monsters under the bed (I mean, if they’re hanging out there, why not invite them up? Right?)
Despite its apparent popularity, the sub-genre has not been without its controversy. There are those out there who see it as odd, disturbing or questionable to some degree, and Amazon has played hardball with authors, questioning whether or not their content was in violation of Amazon content guidelines. That may have slowed production down somewhat, but it certainly hasn’t stopped it. It’s a matter of demand and supply, after all.
Obstacles aside, I believe monster erotica is here to stay. Silly or serious, it offers a novel form of escapism that is both titillating and a little terrifying. As long as readers keep asking for it, I think writers will be willing to provide.
I mean, if you’re going to fantasize, why not go all the way?
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Dee Blake is an emerging erotica writer whose work has been published on breatlessnights.com and in Apokrupha’s Fur and Fang anthology. She aspires to be the next Anais Nin.
Featuring work by:
HorrorAddicts.net 