Straightlaced and Erotic

About fifteen years ago, a creative writing instructor and friend sent me some material to give me an idea of how to write erotic fiction, primarily stories for men’s magazines. He also passed along some editors’ names for me to contact. Until then, I’d been selling the occasional story to semi-pro magazines, both online and print, for several years. I had scored acceptances in genres from YA Christian fiction to fantasy to even several poetry magazines--even a rejection letter from Marion Zimmer Bradley herself that was full of so much praise I framed it. However, I had yet to make my first really BIG fiction sale; that one sale that arrives in a pristine white envelope and, when you open it, there’s a contract and a lovely business check with two zeros or more before the decimal.

Well, I took my friend’s advice and wrote a story that followed his guidelines and suggestions. Two weeks later, I sold my first story for big bucks to a well-known sex magazine: Gent, Home of the “D” Cups. This led to four years of a semi-steady paycheck with Gent, plus repeat sales to other erotic fiction markets.

When I opened that envelope and withdrew the letter and contract, discovering my first check that fell out of it, I nearly fainted. Actually, thinking back, I sat down and cried.

But a very sobering thought struck me: What would my father think? For those of you who don’t know, I grew up as a minister’s daughter in the very straight-laced, Church of Christ. Still, I was a grown woman with children, so why should I worry about what my dad thought about my lucrative sale?

The answer was a no-brainer. One, I respected my parents and didn’t want them to think poorly of me, and two, for years I’d had a specific mindset drilled into my head by the church people. As a result, it created a lot of internal turmoil within me, so that’s how Feathers of Silver was written—exorcising personal demons and a bit of hostility. Check it out because the book will surprise you!

I fretted about the sale. I worried about Dad’s response to my sexually oriented story—and a quite graphic one at that! My mother is more liberal, so she was ecstatic about my fiction sale.

“But what will Dad say?” I asked her.

“I think you underestimate your dad,” Mom replied.

When I mentioned my sale to my dad, I warned him that the story had some sex scenes. He didn’t say much—so I worried that was a bad sign—but he asked if I made any money this time. I told him the amount I earned, and he smiled.

“Good,” Dad said. “It’s about time someone recognized your talent as a writer.”

Heh. Correction: my talent as an erotic fiction writer.

However, his reaction stunned me. It also taught me a lot about my dad. He didn’t possess as strict of a mindset as I thought.

One day, my dad noticed a glossy, sexy magazine sitting on a shelf. He took it down, quietly eyeing a nearly nude and very buxom woman on the cover.

“What’s this?” Dad asked.

Dread pooled in my stomach. I said, “It’s the magazine that published my story.”

He pulled out a chair and sat down. “What’s it called?”

I told him the title and the page number.

“Who’s Molly Diamond?” he asked without looking up.

“That’s my pen name.”

Minutes later, Dad handed the magazine to me. “Although very graphic, it’s a great story. And writing this stuff pays well, right? So you’re supporting your family.” He grinned, crossing his arms. “Good job.”

In shock, I put the magazine away, wondering who was sitting at my kitchen table because it couldn’t be my father.

Now, sseveral years later, my dad is one of my most devoted fans.

Yeah, even for the sexy stuff—oh my!

And my Mom? Well, she reads all my material, even the scorching-lava stuff such as Ruby, the White King and Marilyn Monroe and my Molly Diamond and Azura Ice titles. I’ve been blessed with incredibly special parents and I love them with all my heart.

Lace, Lightning & Multiple Orgasms