How Hot Should You Trot?

By A.J. Llewellyn

One of the questions new authors often write to me about is their sex scenes.It is obvious from my books that I am pretty comfortable writing the 'hot stuff' and as I always say, sex sells. But how hot SHOULD you trot?
In short my response is as hot as you can make it, but it HAS to make sense - AND it must be alluring.
Write what you know is the old cliche for authors and it is a cliche for a reason. It's true. We're writing fiction so this gives us a whole world to explore and titillate our readers.
However...
I'm seeing a disturbing trend in er...alleged M/M romance books that have scenes that are just grim. There is no other word for them.
I had to stop reading a book that had had an extensive scene with a coffee enema in it as a rousing sexual practice.
Eeeww~
Look, I am sure there are people out there who like 'brown sports' but most of your readers won't like it. And most publishers won't take it.I was surprised this one was published for that reason but I have since heard this scene was removed from an updated, renamed version of the book.
In other words, it was repackaged to actually sell...
So if you can't write what you know, know what you write.
So at least do some research and find out if gay men really enjoy doing this and if your straight female readers will get their romantic highs reading it.
It's easy to ask your friends on FB, Yahoo,Twitter, whatever...a plain old Google search also works...
Similarly, I stopped reading a book written by a prolific author in which her virgin male lead is fisted without any preparation, no lube and, improbably sitting on the roof of a car on an open road.
Hello? Is this hot?
NOT!
Plausible? Oh, hell no.
I think fiction is a safe place to explore your fantasies, good, bad, bold, whatever...but do a little homework first.
D/s relationships still seem to have a healthy fan base but the few I've read make no sense. Yes, it's fiction, but it takes me out of the book and makes me laugh my ass off when your sub is ordered to go to the supermarket dressed in his dungeon wear of puppy ass dildo (you know, the ones with the wiggling tail), leather g-string and a dog collar.
Judging by the extensive torture this clueless sub had just received it's apparent that blood is on his nipples and chest - all those needles, you know.
I mean, come on. Seriously?
Wouldn't you call the police if you saw a guy sniffing around the produce section looking like a torture camp survivor?
No, in this book, he shops and returns to his Dom, and more painful torture ensues.
Hot, or not?
Not to me.
Now, how about you?
I am curious about the weirdest, funniest, un-hottest scenes you read. Please don't name names, just give us the SCOOP.
Let me know what you think - I really want to know!

Aloha oe,

AJ