Rough Draft Confessions

A non-fiction collection of inside insights about writing dirty, the power of words, taboo language, the freedoms and limitations of genres, fulfilling your creative drive, and the business of writing, this behind-the-scenes companion piece to the author's erotica and romance novels takes readers inside the process of writing and selling flirty-dirty stories. Part coming out story, part creative manifesto, all subversive, RDC connects readers to creative resources in off-the-wall ways, examines the absurdities of publishing convention, and will leave you vibrating with the desire to fall in love, have out-of-this-world sex on a mountaintop, and write a smutty story or two of your own. FROM THE INTRODUCTION: "Managing Expectations: I'm writing for you, but I'm a liar" This collection of essays-confessions began as a gift to my amazing beta readers-you-who wanted to know the story behind the story-and whether it was true that the most contentious negotiating point in my first publishing contract really centred on the word 'cunt.' ... Along the way, what was supposed to be an honest-(mostly)-but-amusing story of how a (dirty) novel gets published and sold in this Brave New World morphed into a coming out story of sorts and then a personal-and-professional manifesto about why I want to write filthy, dirty books, and, by extension, why you should read them… or, better yet, write a few of your own. You're welcome. As you're reading, there's one thing you need to keep in mind. Everything a writer gives you to read-even if she claims it's non-fiction, memoir, and nothing-but-the-truth-everything she gives you to read is a crafted narrative. A performance. (Never forget that.) ...I want you to treat this story as a dialogue. I wrote it for you, after all, and I'm telling it to you-just to you. If you have a question-if you need a clarification-ask me, and I'll do my best to answer. And I promise to lie only when it's absolutely necessary. Because I am trying to be truthful-you have no idea how hard that is for a fiction writer-most of the chapters are structured as Confessions. But there are a lot of interruptions. Questions. Interjections. Every single one of them is your fault, by the way. But we'll get to that. Ready? Let's manufacture a beginning to the story, shall we? Note: Originally published as CUNT versus PUSSY: an incomplete confession in rough draft, this edition omits the fiction teasers, and comes with a title and cover that won't offend your in-laws & children.