Adult Romance Novellas Aren’t Just for the Spicy Scenes…

You wake up, make your coffee and scramble to get the kids ready for school. You might be running late to work, cursing the traffic preventing you from getting there. The dull hours tick by slowly at your desk, and you count the moments down when lunch approaches, then to the end of day. Traffic becomes worse, you listen to the same music, and you’re met with family obligations.

The next day, you wake up. And once again, the coffee is made, and your daily ritual has turned into a thankless, ceaseless grind. The ocean waves that beats away the rocky Earth.

I get it. I lived the life of burnout and overstimulation and the grind. The endless todo list and overwhelming obligations take a toll on the peace of mind. And in this economy, long and relaxing vacations to ease your toils are few and far between.

Whether or not you’re able to make large changes in your life, one thing remains clear: you still need to have rest, stay hydrated, and read spicy shorts.

Okay, I can already hear some of the responses. How can reading a short, sexually packed novella actually help my life?

I understand. I’m just an adult romance author with no doctorate of any kind and no insight of any life but my own. But luckily, there has been many studies that involved reading, and how they can help with stress, cognitive processing, and even help build empathy.

Imagine the Life Of…

In a world full of uncertainties, one thing is for certain: hobbies, free moments, and even rest are a commodity. Your time and energy is precious, and shouldn’t be wasted.

Long novels and series are incredibly rewarding. But sometimes, we just don’t have enough time in the day or enough energy to fully commit to yet another large task. It becomes easier to doom scroll for ten minutes than to pick up a large epic. I’m even guilty of this myself (rest in peace to my very large To Be Read list).

That’s where spicy shorts and novellas come in. You have that immediate tension and hook, the payoff of the release, then the resolution that binds the story together.

Years ago, I had worked a grueling, labor intensive job, with brutal hours and deadlines. I could barely cook and do laundry, let alone start a well renowned high fantasy series of epics. Finding respite with shorter (and spicier) works during times of minimal rest has absolutely preserved my sanity and well being.

What if…?

What if I had a sexy, controlling boss? Lived the life of a duchess that caught the king’s eye? Had become a dragon’s wife? Spent the night with my best friend?

There are so many scenarios that poke the walls of our curiosity. Everyone has different desires, whether it’s testing power dynamics, using toys, or experimenting with the same/other gender. And reading about can be healthy!

There have been many studies on the benefits of reading. In fact, reading literary fiction improves emotional understanding and theory of mind (Kidd & Castano (2013), Science). The study explains how we can safely explore our identity and desires with reading, which engages the reader to not only understand our own complex social relationships, but with others as well. In other words: empathy.

When the Quickening of the Heart Should be a Good Thing

In a culture of disconnection, over-productivity and scare-tactic news, your own self can often be suppressed and ignored. Desires are diminished, and wants are forgotten. An anxious mind is overloaded with worry, uncertainty, and exhaustion.

A large, looming project quickly approaches a deadline at work. You’ve been meaning to make that dentist’s appointment, and that mountainous pile of laundry is beginning its own ecosystem. The todo list is ever growing, and that anxiety is multiplying. That stress has taken shape, a squatter that finds a home in your peace of mind.

But that anxiety is no longer welcome. Being content becomes your priority. That’s why reading is important.

Loosing yourself in a story you’re passionate about provides just enough escapism that you may need, according to a University of Sussex study in 2009. The study continues, saying that, “Reading also engages the imagination and stimulates creativity, which engage the brain’s prefrontal cortex areas that house the “anxiety brake,” an important part of the brain that shuts off the emergency response.”

It can reawaken sensations, restore imaginations, validate wants and allow safe indulgences and exploration. It allows space for emotional processing through storytelling, and can even provide closure in some cases.

The dopamine and emotional engagement you get from reading isn’t just fiction! It’s a healthy way to recenter yourself.

Why Readers Love Spicy Romance

Have you found yourself listening to the same music? Unwinding after a long day, putting on a movie you’ve seen hundreds of times? Personally, I can quote The Mummy (1999) from beginning to end and still find value every time I press “play”.

In a world full of unpredictability, having some predictability returned to you feels safe, and gives a sense of control. And if for those who have anxiety, constantly revisiting familiar media is common. It gives our brains the opportunity to relax with lower cognitive loads, providing a sense of comfort of something recognizable and knowing what will happen by words THE END.

But let me divulge the romance & erotica industry secret: there must always be a happily ever after.

For some, that screams spoiler alert! But for others, that just may be the siren’s call you needed to hear. After one of those days, something new and complicated may not be what you need to relax. Maybe just enough familiarity is needed to help you survive.

Once Upon a Time

A well written spicy short should respect your time, attention, and today’s modern reading habits as well. They are intentional, diverse, and direct.

This is why I write the way I do, and it is my hope that I provide a safe space for readers to discover, to relax, and to flourish.

Love,

Odette