It's the fantasy of first love. If you've been married for 400 years, as I have, it's nice to experience first love again and you can vicariously through a book. And it is such a fantasy. It takes you away from doing the dishes and the laundry. I think of this as a contemporary romance rather than erotic fiction.

God forbid that women have fantasies.

People are talking about sex. They're talking about sex with their husbands. They're talking about sex with their girlfriends. They're talking about sex with their partners. And because of all of this communication, women are having much more intimate relationships, which is fantastic.

I think virgins are far more interesting to write about. If we've been around the block a few times, we know what to expect. Not so with virgins.

So you've just slept with him, given him your virginity, a man who doesn't love you. In fact, he has odd ideas about you, wants to make you some sort of kinky sex slave.

If you've been married for 400 years, as I have, it's nice to experience first love again and you can vicariously through a book.

It's much easier to wear your pain on the outside.