Oh, yes, I confess, I’m one of those newbie authors who checks her book’s Amazon page daily, looking for that ego stroke of a new five-star review. Today, I happened to look beyond the stars, to discover that Amazon, that know-it-all conglomerate, has classified my debut novel, So Happy Together, as “Historical Erotica.”
First, let’s start with the “Historical” part, which I find kind of hysterical. My book is set in the 1960’s– when, coincidently, I came of age—and the 1980’s, when, also coincidently, I hit mid-life. When I was pitching the manuscript to literary agents, one very, very young one told me she liked the story, but didn’t represent authors of “historical fiction” (we’ll get to the “erotica” in a minute, don’t worry). That brought me up short, because I have an image of this genre as being set sometme in the 1800’s, preferably in the English countryside and probably written by sisters with the last name of Brontë or with the first name of Jane, or having a title containing the first name Jane. But, anyway, I ain’t dead yet, and I’ve made a kind of uneasy peace with “Historical.”
Not so with “Erotica.” Apparently that designation is based on a snippet of a description on the back cover of my book: “Set in the sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll ‘60s…”
So, is there sex–and drugs and rock ‘n’ roll—between the covers of So Happy Together? Yes, a good bit of each—this was, after all, the ‘60s (see “Historical,” above), but all of it is organic to the story, not gratuitous, not written to arouse.
To those of you who’ve purchased my book solely because of the Amazon designation, expecting perhaps something akin to: Submitting to the Marquis; Disciplining the Dutchess; Taken by the Duke; Her Husband’s Harlot or Miss Handicock’s School for Young Ladies—yes, these are all real titles from Listopia’s rundown of “Steamy Historical Erotica”—I apologize: You’re going to be sorely disappointed.
As for the rest of you, who are you going to trust, an honest, smart, kind, funny, grandmotherly first-time author, or a giant multi-gazillion-dollar-corporation? This is not a bodice ripper.
I rest my case.
So, if you’d like to read a book that reviewers have called “page-turning,” “compulsively readable,” “compelling,” “completely engaging,” “humorous,” “touching,” “captivating,” and “a truly satisfying read,” look no further than your local indie bookstore for So Happy Together by Deborah K. Shepherd.
You can also purchase it online at you-know-where.