Explore The Indie Romance Sphere With “Naughty Books”
Press Release
“Sex sells…until it doesn’t
Naughty Books is a feature-length documentary about the boom of self-published romance novels in the wake of Fifty Shades of Grey. It follows three authors who became millionaires in under a year using pen names to sell erotica online for $1.99. Along the way, they upended the book industry, challenged ideas of female sexuality, and re-imagined the American Dream for the 21st century.
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In 2011, British television producer E.L. James published the erotic novel Fifty Shades of Grey. It became a cultural phenomenon, selling 100 million copies worldwide and taking erotica mainstream. Once a genre consumed in secret, explicit romances were now being read on the subway, by the pool, and on the treadmill.
As it turned out, women weren’t only reading erotica in large numbers; they were also writing it. Thanks to Amazon’s Kindle store, which allowed writers to upload directly to the marketplace, women were able to publish independently, bypassing traditional gatekeepers like agents and editors. Readers were hungry for books like Fifty Shades, but the major publishers responded slowly. Self-published authors filled the void, flooding the market with $1.99 books about innocent women and bad-boy billionaires falling in love and having steamy sex. Readers devoured them. The authors became a force, challenging conventional feminist ideas and disrupting publishing.
Naughty Books follows three writers who experienced overnight success, gaining tens of thousands of fans and securing lucrative deals with major publishers.
As more people saw erotic romance as an easy path to success, though, the market became saturated with hundreds of novels every month. Our authors’ paths diverged. One broke into the mainstream, with books in Walmart. Another crumbled under the weight of expectations and was paralyzed with writer’s block for two years. A third saw each book sell worse than the previous one and worked desperately to win back her readership.
In a world where #MeToo dominates the headlines and predatory behavior is pervasive, this film celebrates women reclaiming their sexuality on their own terms.”
My Review
When I sat down to observe the documentary “Naughty Books,” I discovered a lot about the world of self-published romance authors. Some have discovered unbelievable success in a style that’s typically misunderstood and underestimated.
This documentary is directed by Austen Rachlis, and the movie affords an intimate look into the lives of three distinguished authors—Kelli Maine, Kristen Proby, and CJ Roberts—who’ve used self-publishing platforms to not solely share their tales with the world but in addition to problem societal norms and push the boundaries of what romance novels might be.
The Authors and Their Journeys
Kelli Maine (Jamie Blair) began writing as a technique to unwind, however her passion shortly become one thing a lot larger. Her debut novel, “Taken,” took off, touchdown her able the place she might go away her day job behind. Kelli’s story is a type of wonderful “pinch-me” moments all of us dream about—going from juggling a full-time job and household obligations to writing full-time, all because of the facility of self-publishing.
Then there’s Kristen Proby, whose “With Me in Seattle” collection grew to become an enormous hit. Kristen didn’t simply write these books for others; she wrote them for herself, as a technique to escape and categorical herself. And it resonated. She talks concerning the freedom that got here along with her success—freedom to go away her day job and give attention to what she loves most: writing robust, unbiased heroines that replicate her perception within the empowering nature of romance novels. She additionally speaks of her emotionally abusive ex-husband and the way, due to her success, she was in a position to go away him. We should defend Kristen Proby in any respect prices!
CJ Roberts brings a darker, extra complicated taste to the desk. She’s finest recognized for her “Dark Duet” collection, which dives into some fairly intense themes. CJ’s work isn’t your typical romance—it’s gritty, psychological, and sometimes challenges what folks suppose romance needs to be. Her success exhibits that there’s room within the style for all types of tales, even those that push boundaries and make us slightly uncomfortable.
Feminism and Female Empowerment
One of the issues I cherished most about “Naughty Books” is the way it doesn’t simply inform these ladies’s tales—it additionally makes you concentrate on the larger image. Romance novels, particularly erotic ones, have been disregarded by the literary world for a lot too lengthy, typically dismissed as “trashy” or “lesser” literature. But this documentary turns that concept on its head.
The movie exhibits that these books are about a lot extra than simply romance—they’re about empowerment. When these ladies selected to self-publish, they took management of their tales and their careers. That’s a feminist act in itself. They didn’t look forward to another person to provide them permission to share their work with the world; they only did it. And in doing so, they’ve empowered numerous readers to embrace their needs, their fantasies, and their price.
Naughty Books additionally tackles the subject of feminine sexuality head-on. These authors write about ladies’s needs in a manner that’s open, unapologetic, and centered on feminine pleasure. In a world the place ladies’s sexual company is usually nonetheless taboo, these tales provide a protected house for exploration and expression.
And let’s not overlook the monetary independence facet. By self-publishing, Kelli, Kristen, and CJ haven’t solely discovered inventive freedom but in addition monetary stability. They’ve confirmed you could make a dwelling doing what you like, in your phrases, with out having to depend on the standard publishing business’s approval.
Where to Watch Naughty Books
If you’re as intrigued as I used to be, you may watch “Naughty Books” on a couple of completely different platforms:
- In the United States: It’s obtainable without cost with advertisements on The Roku Channel, VUDU Free, and Crackle. You may also lease or purchase it on Apple TV and Amazon Video.
- In Canada: You can lease or purchase it on Apple TV.
This documentary is a must-watch for anybody who loves romance novels, feminist narratives, or only a good story about ladies taking management of their destinies. It’s a reminder that romance is highly effective, essential, and, sure, slightly bit naughty—in all the very best methods.
