Storytelling and copulation....

“Storytelling and copulation are the two chief forms of amusement in the South. They are inexpensive and easy to procure.”–Robert Penn Warren

So recently I found myself in a real reading slump. You all know what I mean. You keep picking up books and reading 20 pages and putting them down. Nothing catches your interest.  As someone who reads constantly, I find this sort of dry spell to be really disconcerting. Oh, I know I'll get my groove back, but since reading is my main form of entertainment I want it back NOW. Usually the key to kickstarting the reading desire is to turn to an old favorite and revisit a story and characters that i know I will love. The pressure is off. I don't have to worry that the story will eventually fizzle out and leave me frustrated, because these books are my tried and true. 

To end this recent bout of reader's slump, I turned to one of my very favorite old friends, Linda Howard's Shades of Twilight.  Now anyone who reads this blog knows that I love me some Linda Howard and this is one of her best!  After revisiting this twisted and sultry tale of the lives and loves of a powerful and dysfunctional southern family, I mentioned my love for this title on Facebook, calling it a prime example of "slightly skeevy southern gothic hotness."  Turns out that this sort of book intrigues a lot of folks, many of them FB friends of mine.  We decided that this should be an official sub-genre or rating system, at the very least.  So what exactly makes a book a purveyor of sssgh?  Lots of things, but here are a few elements that it must have:

• Strong sense of place and that place must be in the South!
• Heat.  Both in terms of sexual chemistry and the weather.
• Gothic elements.  A big old manor house is good.  A deserted plantation house is good.  A shack in the bayou is fine too. Fill any of these homes with an assortment of odd relatives and you're on your way.
• Insanity or at the very least, some crazy.  Whether it be an elderly aunt who is slightly doddering or a villain who is completely nuts, you've got to have a bit of crazy action in a good sssgh.
• Relationships that carefully tread the fine line between skeevy inappropriate and skeevy hot. 

Now those of you who share my love for the sssgh, are probably already thinking of your faves!  Like any good genre reader, you've recognized the type of book to which I'm referring and you're most likely always on the lookout for a new one.  I know I am.  So without further ado, a few of my favorite sssgh classics:

Shades of Twilight - Linda Howard
This one has it all!  It's a sultry, sweaty, slightly skeevy tale of an old south family who knows how to put the fun in dysfunctional!  Hot as hell in every way that matters in a  good sssgh.

After the Night - Linda Howard
Oh yeah, another Howard classic!  The meaner her crazy creole hero, Gray Rouillard gets, the more we all want him.  Nobody does sssgh better than LH!

Best Kept Secrets - Sandra Brown
This classic example of sssgh from Sandra Brown finds her young heroine returning to a small Texas town to solve the mystery of who murdered her mother.  While hot on the trail of a murderer, she finds herself being wooed by two sexy guys.  Which one should she choose?  Probably the one that isn't her father.  IJS.

Slow Heat in Heaven - Sandra Brown
Another good example of a fine sssgh from Ms. Brown.  A twisted southern family tale, set in super sultry Louisiana.  With a  crazy hot hero named Cash Boudreaux, can there be any doubt that this one belongs on the list?

Now lest you think that every great sssgh is written either by Linda Howard or Sandra Brown, here are a few more titles that, while not reaching the level of sssgh greatness of those listed above, will surely provide you with an entertaining read.

One Summer - Karen Robards
Carnal Innocence - Nora Roberts
Lucky's Lady - Tami Hoag
The Sweetgum Tree - Katherine Allred
The Stone Flower Garden - Deborah Smith

So, what do you all think we should use as the rating symbol of the sssgh?  A sultry summer night, a gator, a mint julep?  I'm happy to entertain any and all suggestions.  oh and PLEASE leave your favorites titles as well.  As any proper southern belle would tell you, it's the polite thing to do...