With a week after the publishing of Labor of Love, I thought I would add more insights to the novella! This story was quite literally a labor of love in my life, and I would love to share a little bit more behind the scenes.

Vanessa wants nothing more than to become a programmer at her job, Binary Brains. But instead of losing herself in coding, she diligently works as an assistant under her boss, Jeanie, an accomplished woman well-respected in the tech industry. Despite her demanding role as Jeanie’s assistant, Vanessa is determined to break into programming. Her dedication to getting her dream job is relentless, often working late hours and tackling projects outside her assistant duties. However, her efforts haven’t worked, and Vanessa is prepared to change her strategy – which may have unforeseen consequences.
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Jeanie has it all: respect, power, money. Yet something missing has been in her life: connection. For a long time, she semi-contentedly moved from one relationship to another, and she was successful in stifling down the need for a deeper connection. But she may not ignore what she truly desires any longer. And when the flirting between her and her assistant heats up, this time it may be much more complicated than just moving onto the next partner, and the repercussions of being romantic with her assistant could profoundly affect aspects in her life.

Why write Labor of Love?

This story was both a challenge and a great joy for me. When I sat down to begin writing, I knew two things for certain: I wanted my third novella longer than my previous two, and it should include a workplace liaison. After that, I decided to try the “pantsing” method (writing at the seat of your pants, or writing without or little prep), and I let the words flow.

It was a slow process. Life had it’s own twists and turns, and I would often have only a few moments to spare a day to write a paragraph, or tweak a few sentences. But it turned out to be a blessing in disguise! I came to realize that if you had dreams to accomplish, nothing should stand in your way to achieve what you desire.

And that became the forefront message of Labor of Love.

Who knew smutty erotica would have it’s valuable life lessons?

It’s all about the dynamics…

I have read plenty of boss/assistant romance and erotica books in the past (and they are certainly some of my favorites to read!), and I felt very inspired to write my own. But the more I worked on it, I quickly realized that it’s much more than two people working together.

Power dynamics are often the forefront of these kinds of tropes, and I wanted to implement a more complex relationship. For Jeanie, our powerful boss, taking interest in her assistant, Vanessa, represents everything she’s tried to avoid—vulnerability, letting go of control, and the fear of complicating her perfectly organized world. And for Vanessa, balancing her ambition and goals with the realization that her heart is pulling her in a completely different direction is both thrilling and terrifying.

Perhaps you may have had a workplace romance in the past? Or currently in one right now? It’s not easy. Sometimes you have to choose between the two, and that always complicates things, especially if you’re still colleagues.

But what if it does work out? Office spaces are typically bustling with people, and finding those moments alone together in dark, forbidden corners can be quite the challenge.

“Pantsing” Project

Sometimes, stories have a way of running away from us, even midway through writing it.

Originally, I intended the story to be entirely different. I had wanted Jeanie, our favorite #LadyBoss to be the one to take control in all aspects of the story. But as I wrote, with my cats by my side and a glass of wine easily in arms reach, I found that they had much more to express.

So when I sat down, fingers at my keyboard, I thought, “Okay, ladies. What do you need to say?” and let the words flow.

Okay, it wasn’t that easy. The first draft of the story was a mess. But, revision after revision later, the story became clearer and more concise. Something that I became much more proud of.

So, what’s next?

More spicy eroticas, of course! I actually have multiple stories plotted out, and I can’t write them fast enough. With every story published, it adds more fuel to my creative fire, filling me with such life and passion.

If you’d love to know more about the specific stories that I’m currently writing, as well as other goodies, please consider signing up for my newsletter!

Until then!

Odette Hall