To Eroticize or not

Is eroticize even a word? Honestly, I’m not sure, but I’m running with it. Here’s the thing—I happen to enjoy writing scenes with a bit of seduction and, yes, even sex. Why? Because sex is part of life. It’s one of those universal human experiences that brings immense joy, deep intimacy, and, let’s be honest, an impressive amount of drama and heartbreak. Whether you’re Christian or not, sex is tangled into the human condition in a way few things are.
Now, don’t get me wrong—I enjoy a sweet Christian romance as much as anyone. The kind where two chaste souls exchange longing glances across a sunlit meadow, maybe brush hands by candlelight, and—at most—share a single, gentle kiss at the altar. It’s wholesome, it’s pure, and… it’s also, let’s face it, more fantasy than the dragons I write about.
Because in my stories—paranormal fantasy filled with angels, demons, magic, and even dragons—I like to keep things as grounded in reality as possible. Well, as grounded as one can be when writing about celestial beings and fire-breathing creatures.
Dragons and Seraphs (Yes, Really)Speaking of dragons, did you know some scholars argue that dragons in the Bible might actually be seraphs? Oh yes, fiery celestial beings described as burning, winged creatures. A rabbi once wrote an excellent article about this, and let me tell you, it lit my imagination on fire (pun very much intended). But I digress—we’re supposed to be talking about seduction, aren’t we?
Sex, Faith, and the Messy TruthWhen I first opened my counseling practice, I was floored by how many Christians—men and women—were tangled up in affairs, struggling with sexual sin, or navigating unconventional relationships. Polyamory, premarital sex, secret rendezvous—it was all there, behind closed doors and whispered confessions.
And yet, in Christian fiction, publishers often won’t allow a whiff of that reality to grace their pristine pages. No sex outside marriage. No messy moral dilemmas. Just pure, unblemished love stories where the characters follow a straight path to the altar without so much as a sideways glance at temptation.
But life… well, life isn’t like that, is it?
Have these publishers never read Song of Solomon? Because let me tell you, that book isn’t shy about sensuality. Those verses aren’t about holding hands in the fellowship hall—they’re about deep, passionate, physical love. God didn’t shy away from writing about it, so why should we?
Philippians vs. Song of SolomonAs one writer said, “Some readers will cite Bible verses like Philippians 4:8 and the need to think on things that are pure. Other readers will point to a book of the Bible like Song of Songs and the sexual references as God-given and something to delight in.”
And therein lies the tension. What’s too much? What crosses the line? The truth is, readers will never agree on where that line is. Some want their fiction squeaky clean; others want it raw, real, and tangled up in the messy consequences of human choices.
But what frustrates me most is how often Christian fiction seems to ignore King David. Here’s a man after God’s own heart—a hero of the faith—and yet, his story is stained with adultery, deception, and even murder. And yet, David repented. He turned back to God with a broken spirit and was forgiven.
That, my friends, is the crux of it all.
The Redemption Arc That MattersIt’s not about pretending humans don’t stumble. It’s not about erasing temptation or glossing over the realities of love, lust, and sin. It’s about showing what happens after. It’s about repentance. It’s about redemption. It’s about the extraordinary, reckless grace of God that meets us in our mess and offers us a way back.
In my stories, some characters find that way back. Others don’t. Some choose the light; others fall into darkness. Because fiction—at least the kind I want to write—should reflect life. And in life, not everyone gets a happy ending.
Call It Smut, Call It Real, Call It MineSo yes, I’ll keep writing my stories—the ones some might dismiss as “smut” or “too worldly.” I’ll write about seduction and sin, about angels and demons, about heroes who fall and villains who might just rise again.
Because life isn’t always tidy, and neither are the stories worth telling.
At the end of the day, if one reader sees themselves in one of my flawed, struggling characters and feels a spark of hope—feels like maybe redemption isn’t beyond their reach—then every word was worth it.
So here’s to messy stories, raw truths, and a God whose grace knows no limits.
And yes, I’ll see you later—or, rather, you’ll read me later. Ha!