You know I think it's time to set something straight when it comes to sex in romance novels. Those of us that write erotic romance or even the lesser graphic sensual romance know that sex plays a big part in our stories, although generally speaking it is not the only focal point. I've gotten into more than one discussion with friends and relatives about what the difference between pornography and what I and other writers write which we consider to be romance. It's usually the ones who have never read both that can't delineate the difference erotic and even sensual romance is not pornography nor as a close friend calls them "spank books."

Here is how I tell the difference, and trust me as a person who has been reading and reviewing books for over a year I know what I'm talking about. A romance might have sex, but it will also have a plot, and there are emotions expressed between partners so it is not just someone writing sex scenes, such as tab a goes into tab b. Pornography is someone writing about sex, but there does not necessarily have to be a plot and often there are no love or caring emotions expressed. This would be say a relationship where a couple were to put it bluntly "fuck buddies." Now, a couple might start out that way in a romance novel particularly in an erotic romance novel, but it is usually not long before the dynamic changes, and a good author will be able to do that well by utilizing the emotions of his/her characters.

Above all romances have a story to tell that is seperate from the the characters and their love interests. When there is no story that is seperate and no love or caring emotions expressed with relation to sex and the relationship, then what you have my friends is pornography. That's the difference. Enough said.