I know it’s not a new topic and I know others who have written about it have surely stated their opinions more eloquently than I can, but at the moment, it’s a topic that’s nagging me like a sore thumb.

I can’t help it. Really.  Writing is a part of who I am. I cannot turn my imagination off. It’s a part of me that is always there and it’s looking for an opportunity to break free and go wild. I truly can’t turn it off.

But I can focus it. I can often choose which topic to feed it and then to an extent guide the stories I’m given. It surprises me all the time and stories never go exactly the way I expect them to, but those surprises are part of the fun.

You know what? If I choose to focus my imagination, then, damn it all, I’m going to pick something I enjoy. And you guessed it. I like “smut”.

But it’s so much more than Smut. No question, I’m guilty of throwing that word around. A lot. I’m guilty of using it as a preemptive strike against criticism I assume is coming when someone asks, “What do you write?”

“Smut.” And they smile and change the subject or maybe I have to answer a couple of quick questions about publishing or whatever, but soon enough the subject is changed. Easy peasy. This routine is getting old. And frustrating.

I write romance and yes, I write erotic romance because I can choose what to focus my imagination on. What better subject to focus on could there be than people falling in love and finding their Happily Ever After? And yes, I’m not ashamed to admit that I write erotic romance. I enjoy writing stories where people explore their selves and each other through both emotional and physical intimacy. I enjoy it so much, that I’m not going to quit writing or make apologies for it. Ever.

I don’t care if I sell one book, a thousand or millions.