Erotica
As with all romance genres, erotica appeals to a wide readership base. 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.
There is some debate about whether erotica should be considered a sub-genre of romance, and what such books should be called. Erotic content can be found in books categorized as "Erotic Romance" and as "Erotica." Ellora's Cave Publishing trademarked the term "Romantica" to describe the erotic works it publishes, and the company's authors doggedly attack anyone who does not treat the term as if it had been copyrighted instead of merely trademarked.
For a variety of reasons, erotica is especially popular in e-book format. Ellora's Cave Publishing 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 and is widely credited with having developed the market for literate and yet explicit sexually driven stories.
Erotica Publishers
This is a list of erotica publishers. See also category:Erotica Publishers and Erotic Romance for other lists of publishers.
- Alice Street Editions (Lesbian)
- Alyson Publications (GLBT)
- Bella Books (Lesbian)
- Black Lace (Erotica For Women By Women)
- Blue Moon Books
- Booker Girl Publications
- Changeling Press(Erotic Sci Fi, Fantasy, Paranormal, BDSM)
- Chimera (BDSM)
- Circlet Press (Erotic Sci Fi, Fantasy)
- Cleis Press (GLBT)
- EAA Signature Series Books
- Ellora's Cave Publishing
- Haworth Press (GLBT)
- Loose Id LLC
- Magic Carpet Books (Erotica and Erotic Romance)
- Nexus (BDSM)
- Olympia Press (BDSM)
- Pretty Things Press
- Red Sage Publishing
- STARbooks (Gay Male)
- Suspect Thoughts Press
Erotica Authors
See also Erotic Romance for another list of authors.
- Black, Mychael
- Bradley, Shelley
- Buchanan, James
- Burns, Juliet
- Da Costa, Portia
- Derwydd, Kay
- George, Renee
- Gilmore, Sheri
- Gray, Nathalie
- Green, Amber
- Hawke, Morgan
- Jacobs, Ann
- Lane, Jourdan
- Liu, Marjorie
- Moore, Natasha
- Peterson, Dusk
- Reed, Shelby
- Gael, Chevon
- Rainey, Anne
Erotica Organizations
- Erotic Authors Association
- Romance Writers of America special interest chapter Passionate Ink