We accept submissions in all the sub-genres: romance, sensual romance, YA, BDSM, G/L/B, interracial, African/American, Alternate Lifestyles, Science Fiction, Gay/Lesbian, and any and all combinations thereof. We embrace the unusual and original, and are interested in all heat levels. If it’s outside the box, feel free to send it.
Approximate required word count:
- Sizzlers 12,000 – words and up
- Novellas – 20,000 – words and up
- Full novels/anthologies – 50,000 words and up
We offer 40% of list price for eXtasy releases and 40% of net received from 3rd party sellers. We require worldwide rights and the contract is for 3 years.
We look for solid plots, well-developed settings and characters that are fully three-dimensional. We want originality and professional-level storytelling. History should be well-researched and totally fictional worlds in fantasy and science fiction must be visualized clearly. Get your facts straight.
What we don’t want are erotic stories that are essentially a thin plot stringing sex scenes together or characters whose motivations and personalities are shallow and stereotypical. While the purpose of all erotica is to arouse the reader, eXtasy books provide excellent entertainment for the reader as well. In other words, the sexuality is an asset to the book, not the other way around. Sensuality is vital–we expect your characters to use all five of their senses. There not only has to be a reason for the sex…we want to know how they feel about it as well. And there’s no need to keep a tally in your head; the amount of sex should be appropriate to the story. We don’t require so many scenes per story. We’d rather a lot of tension and one big scene than sex for sex’s sake.
We also aren’t interested in works that are little more than new versions of old stories. A novella in the spirit of The Story of O is one thing; a novella that’s little more than a thinly disguised rewrite is another, and won’t make it past the first read. Creativity is not only desired, but required.
Extensive use of vocabulary is a must, and reliance on standard romance clichés is discouraged. You needn’t use raw Anglo-Saxon to describe the sexual organs but substitutions should evoke a sexual frisson, not a giggle. Graphic descriptions of genitalia should also be avoided. Remember, the most important sexual organ is the brain, so keep the focus on characters’ feelings, thoughts and sensations. Make the language appropriate to the setting. Show, don’t tell.
Keep the sex original and different. Nothing loses a reader’s interest faster than having characters do the same thing over and over with only minor variations. Nor, contrary to popular belief, need all sex scenes end in a climax. Interruptions can lead to anticipation, and in the case of erotica, waiting can be half the fun. Sexual tension is perfectly acceptable.
FAQ and submission details at:
www.extasybooks.com/index.php?route=information/information&information_id=9
