Cherie Feather | The Freedom of Erotica

I’ve been reading romance novels for over twenty years and writing them for over ten years. They are a significant part of my life. I’ve watched trends come and go, and I’ve been part of some of those trends.

But one thing remains constant: The heroes and heroines fall in fall. Romance novels are about romance.

The Art of Desire is an erotic romance. It’s a wildly passionate book where the characters fall crazy in love while having crazy, heart-thrilling sex.

I was accurately quoted in Candy’s June Inside Books column (thanks, Candy!) about how my books used to get censored, and I’d like to expound on that quote, posting it in its entirety.

In the old days, I used to get censored by my editors because my love scenes were too graphic, so when the erotica subgenre exploded on the scene, it seemed inevitable that I become part of it. Even my readers kept asking, “When are you going to write an erotica?”

So I did it! The Art of Desire is my first really, really sexy book. No censorship. No holds barred. But in spite of the sensuality, I wanted it to be highly romantic and deeply emotional, too. I created a contemporary story with a historical twist, with a hundred-year-old journal as an integral part of the plot. The historical portions gave me the opportunity to write a classic romance with tragic elements. The contemporary portions gave me the chance to spread my naughty wings and write in my most erotic voice.

The result has been rewarded. So far, The Art of Desire has garnered exceptional reviews, including a Top Pick from Romantic Times. I couldn’t be more thrilled.

While I was writing The Art of Desire, I debated if I should keep my name (Sheri WhiteFeather) or change it. Yes, lots of my readers wanted me to pen an erotica, but what about the rest of them? Would they prefer that I keep my identities separate, so they would know what to expect? Would writing naughty books under my Harlequin name confuse them?

I decided to become Cherie Feather, which flowed naturally from Sheri WhiteFeather. I let readers know that Cherie is Sheri, but that my Cheri’s books are much, much, edgier.

If you’re curious about The Art of Desire, here’s the back cover blurb:

Museum director Mandy Cooper has always been obsessed with nineteenth-century artist Catherine Burke—and the artist’s erotically charged relationship with Atacar, her enthralling American Indian lover. But Mandy’s link to the legendary couple runs deeper than she knows. She’s having a heated affair herself—with Jared Cabrillo, Atacar’s perilously handsome great-great nephew. And the consuming passion Atacar once used to seduce Catherine is now being engaged by Jared. He knows precisely what it takes to move a woman…

He’s in possession of Catherine’s wildly explicit journal. He knows every intimate detail of what she wanted and needed. But he also knows how desperately Catherine had loved Atacar and how dangerously he’d loved her. The journal is timeless and tragic, and the secrets contained within its pages can bring Mandy and Jared together, or just as surely destroy them both—desire by shocking desire.

If that piqued your interest, watch the book trailer.



If you’d like to read an excerpt, click here.

In July, I have a WhiteFeather release called Killer Passion. It’s part of a Silhouette Romantic Suspense miniseries called Seduction Summer with authors Nina Bruhns and Cindy Dees. Nina, Cindy and I were asked to write hot, suspenseful stories, and we had a blast creating romances set in Fiji with a serial killer stalking lovers on the beach.

Enter my ONE DAY ONLY blog contest for a chance to win One of SIX books I am giving away today.

For more contests, read my blog and see pictures of my gorgeous grown kids, visits my websites at www.cheriefeather.com/ and www.sheriwhitefeather.com/

Hugs and Happy Reading!

Cherie Feather (aka Sheri WhiteFeather)