Erotica

Erotica focuses heavily on the sexual relationships between the characters. While erotica often features a romance at the core of the novel, today's erotica also pushes boundaries including multiple partners (sometimes simultaneously) and kinky situations. Language can be graphic and sexual fantasies -- often not considered politically correct in today's romance novels are enacted.

As with all romance genres, erotica appeals to a wide readership base. For a variety of reasons, erotica is especially popular in e-book format. Ellora's Cave Publishing, who trademarked the term Romantica to describe the erotic works they publish, started out as a purely online publishing venture, but soon expanded into bookstores -- a switch from the traditional publishing model.

Most major publishing houses now feature erotica imprints. These include Kensington's Aphrodisia and Avon Red imprints. The British imprint Black Lace has been publishing "erotic fiction by women for women" since the early 1990s.

Erotica Publishers

• Alice Street Editions (Lesbian)
• Alyson Publications (GLBT)
• Bella Books (Lesbian)
• Black Lace (Erotica For Women By Women)
• Blue Moon Books
• Booker Girl Publications
• Chimera (BDSM)
• Circlet Press (Erotic Sci Fi, Fantasy)
• Cleis Press (GLBT)
• EAA Signature Series Books
• Ellora's Cave Publishing
• Haworth Press (GLBT)
• Magic Carpet Books (Erotica and Erotic Romance)
• Nexus (BDSM)
• Olympia Press (BDSM)
• Pretty Things Press
• STARbooks (Gay Male)
• Suspect Thoughts Press

Erotica Authors

• Black, Mychael
• Buchanan, James
• Da Costa, Portia
• Derwydd, Kay
• Gray, Nathalie
• Lane, Jourdan
• Peterson, Dusk

Erotica Organizations

• Erotic Authors Association
• Romance Writers of America special interest chapter Passionate Ink