Today’s post has two parts: the hook/blurb I’m using in query letters for Sirens Go Off and a quick note about something I’m considering doing with my books. I’d love feedback on either/both!

First, the blurb:

What if the Sirens were just misunderstood?

Cursed by the gods and banished to a remote island after a series of very unfortunate events, the Sirens are just trying to live out their eternal punishment in peace. And really, it’s not so bad: they get to spend their days singing together, tending to the beautiful flowers on their island, and enjoying the occasional booty call from Hermes and the sea-goddess Amatheia. But one day they make a startling discovery: it’s not the island’s treacherous conditions causing corpses to wash up on their shores; it’s their song. What’s more, the gods think that the sisters are luring people to their deaths on purpose…and they are not happy about it. Soon the sisters learn that, like it or not, their own existence is intertwined with the stories of heroes like Jason and Odysseus, and they must decide whether they’re going to accept their fate calmly or do it with their middle fingers aimed at the heavens. Spoiler alert: they choose the middle fingers.

Sirens Go Off weaves together the various traditions about the Sirens – their creation, their involvement in various heroes’ stories, and their eventual end – into a cheeky, rollicking romp in the world of Greek myth. With a colorful cast of characters that includes the sassiest Sirens you’ve ever met, Sirens Go Off will have you rethinking – and laughing about – one of the oldest stories in the world.

Second, my idea:

Explicit sex scenes have become an increasingly common feature in popular books, especially those marketed toward women. To quote a bookmark I saw recently (and that I desperately need), “I don’t watch porn. I read it like a fucking lady.” Personally, I love reading and writing these scenes, but I’ve seen quite a few people in various online communities who (understandably) prefer “closed-door” romance, where detailed descriptions of sex are left out.

Some people actively seek out “spicy” or “smutty” books; some people avoid them. So, given that I’m self-publishing these suckers anyway…why not do both? Why not have two editions available, one “spicy” and one not? This wouldn’t apply to Sirens (as it’s already only mildly sexy) but it would certainly apply to Her Undying Thirst, which has several explicitly erotic scenes. While I adore these scenes (and I hope people who seek out “spice” will like them, too), it would be easy enough to create another version of the book where the erotic element is more implicit.

Now the question is: how do I differentiate these two editions? “Her Undying Thirst (closed-door edition)” vs. “Her Undying Thirst (open-door edition)”? “Explicit” vs. “implicit” editions? “Spicy” vs. “bland”/”mild” editions? I don’t actually want to call the non-spicy one “bland” or “mild,” as I don’t want to sound judgy about people’s preferences (AND the rest of the story absolutely does not qualify as bland or mild). But I do feel like both editions would need to be labeled in order to avoid confusion…

What do you think? Feel free to comment below. And, of course, you can subscribe if you want to be kept abreast of my biweekly posts.

In Proximum, Regina Vestra