The More the Merrier! Spicing Up Romances with Ménage

By Kelli A. Wilkins

Hi everyone,

As most people know, I write romances in nearly every genre – historical, gay, contemporary, and paranormal – and each book varies in heat level from mild to super-spicy. My erotic historical/fantasy trilogy (Midsummer Night’s Delights, Midwinter Night’s Delights, and Ultimate Night’s Delights) contains very intense ménage encounters.

When I got the idea for the Naughty Nobles trilogy I didn’t let the historical setting deter me from creating scorching-hot love scenes. Throughout history, people have loved and lusted after each other, regardless of social, political, or so-called “moral” rules. Forbidden romances and “kinky” behaviors aren’t anything new. Long ago, there were plenty of “sordid” affairs going on behind closed doors. People were having sex (in all sorts of combinations), but it wasn’t mentioned openly or discussed in proper social circles.

I thought about this and decided to write a romance (Midsummer Night’s Delights) that addressed that “taboo” and eventually became the theme to the trilogy. (Basically, a respectable man in high society is running an invitation-only sex club for swingers.) These novellas gave readers who considered historical romances boring a real shock!

Midsummer Night’s Delights started out with a shy newlywed couple (Julian and Annabelle) exploring their hidden desires and soon blossomed into same-sex and ménage encounters. Why? They were ready to indulge in their wild fantasies. Over the course of the books, Julian and Annabelle get to experiment, be naughty, and break from the norm without any guilt or worries. The threesomes liberate the characters and everyone leaves satisfied. Of course, as the trilogy continues, things get complicated.

My ménage scenes are as varied as my characters. I write M/F/F, M/F/M, F/M/F, or any combination I can think of. The most common threesome I include is M/F/M. I often write these scenes from the female character’s point of view and show how she’s enjoying herself while being “taken” by two lovers. But everyone gets equal time in my books. Sometimes a hero wants to be dominated and ravaged by two eager ladies, or a man and a woman, or… you get the idea.

As a writer, I can use ménage to explore my characters’ thoughts and motivations. A threesome can bring the hero and heroine closer together if it’s something they share as a couple (invite a friend over to “play”, or a wife gives her husband the gift of a threesome for his birthday). It can also give a single character a chance to break out of his or her shell and indulge in a secret fantasy, whether it’s a one-time thing or an ongoing activity.

It’s important that writers understand why the ménage is in the story and not just drop it in there for a shocking effect. (Two young women are at home in their lingerie one night and the cute and horny pizza man shows up…) Why do the characters do it? For fun? To have crazy sex? Rebellion? Revenge? Or is their reasoning deeper? Maybe they have the urge to control or be controlled. Or maybe it’s something else…

Ménage can also be used as a plot device. Suppose a character becomes jealous after a ménage encounter. What if he (or she) starts stalking a member of the threesome? Maybe one partner loved the experience and wants to do it again, but the other one has regrets or guilt. What if someone is being blackmailed? (I incorporated that idea into Ultimate Night’s Delights, book three of my trilogy.) Is the hero or heroine hiding a “shameful” threesome experience from a current lover who wouldn’t understand? Complications can arise, and authors can use ménage (whether it happened recently or in a character’s past) to add conflict and drama to the story.

Ménage adds a bit of spice and can heat up a love scene with something unexpected, but keep in mind that not every reader is willing to “go there” with the author and the characters. Some readers are completely turned off by the idea of threesomes, others may only read certain ménage combinations, and then there are those who read super-hot books and delight in the ménage when it comes along.

Whatever your preference is, enjoy!

Happy Reading,

Kelli A. Wilkins

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kelli A. Wilkins is an award-winning author who has published more than 100 short stories, 19 romance novels, and 5 non-fiction books. Her romances span many genres and heat levels.

Her trilogy of erotic romance novellas, Midsummer Night’s Delights, Midwinter Night’s Delights, and Ultimate Night’s Delights was released in spring 2017.

Loving a Wild Stranger was published in January 2017. This historical/pioneer romance is set in the wilds of the Michigan Territory and blends tender romance with adventure.

Kelli's third Medallion Press romance, Lies, Love & Redemption was released in September 2016. This spicy historical western is set on the Nebraska prairie in 1877.

Her writing book, You Can Write—Really! A Beginner’s Guide to Writing Fiction is a fun and informative guide filled with writing exercises and helpful tips all authors can use.

Kelli posts on her Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKelliWilkins and Twitter: www.Twitter.com/KWilkinsauthor.

She also writes a weekly blog: http://kelliwilkinsauthor.blogspot.com/.

Visit her website, www.KelliWilkins.com to learn more about all of her writings, read book excerpts, reviews, and more. Readers can sign up for her newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/HVQqb.