Goodreads Authors/Readers discussion

Goodreads Authors/Readers,

I'm excited to bring you this interview I did with Random House romance author Claire Kent! My questions and Claire's answers are below:

1) At what age were you introduced to romance books, and why did you start writing them?

I was turning all kinds of books into romances in my mind by the time I was eight or nine years old, putting couples together and imagining how those stories would play out. Then, when I was about twelve, I started to read a few different series of light romances for young adults, and I think that’s when I really got into them. As soon as I started writing fiction (at about twelve years old), I was writing books that were primarily romances. It’s always been my favorite genre!

2) What is the difference among romance, erotic romance, erotic genres?

I think people have different criteria for distinguishing between the genres. Obviously, erotic romance and erotic fiction both have very heavy sexual content with blunter language than a lot of mainstream romances, and erotic romance has to follow the basic romance storyline (ending with the couple in a hopeful relationship), while erotic fiction doesn’t. But other than those basics, I think there’s a lot of blurry lines between the genres, and some writers will classify their work as mainstream romance even when it has similar sexual content and language as books that other writers call erotic romance.

3) How do you feel about modern day sexual relationships? Do you feel that online dating sites and hook-up aps are beneficial or superficial?

I think a lot of the more modern methods people use to find relationships are tools that can be helpful to meet people, but once you’ve met people (however you’ve met them), you end up in the same situation that people have always faced in forming relationships—that is, it’s really hard, and it takes communication, work, and commitment for relationships to be successful. Sometimes technology can fool us into thinking relationships are quick and easy, and in that way they can lead to superficiality, but if it’s just an extra tool, then I don’t think it has to lead to superficiality.

4) Do you believe a person has just one soul mate, or do you think more exist?

I don’t believe in soul mates, in the same way I don’t believe in insta-love. While it’s a romantic idea, I don’t think it’s really true to human experience. Many people have had more than one deeply fulfilling and meaningful romantic relationship in their lives (a spouse dies and they get remarried, for instance), so if you claim one is a soul mate, then what does that make the other one? I actually think it’s just as romantic and more true to life to see love as something two people commit to no matter what.

5) What is your most recent book about, and what advice can you give new writers?

I just finished a male stripper book that’s a lot of fun. In terms of advice, I’d say to write the stories you have in you, whether or not they fit all the most popular formulas and trends. I wrote for fifteen years and got nothing but rejections because my books were never the right “fit” before I was finally able to find an audience. There are ways to make the stories of our hearts a better fit for the market, and that’s a better strategy than trying to write books we don’t want to write, just because we think they’ll have a better chance to sell.


Thank you, Claire Kent!