Yesterday I spoke with a writer who specializes in erotic fiction (thank you Raffaella!). I kindly asked her to give me a return regarding a "spicy" scene in the second volume of The Labyrinth of Hope.

Since I am not a reader of modern erotic fiction, I did not know where I stood, on a scale of 1 to 10.

I grew up with Manara, and those who know me know that verbal elegance is a hallmark of my poetics.

Without too much surprise, I realized that the warmth of the scene ranked around a 5-6.

With the generous advice to "dare more."

But actually - and this is where the typicality of my writer's profile kicks in - 5-6 is just fine with me!

You know it: "The Labyrinth of Hope" is a psychological thriller, a dark romance, it has a paranormal flavor, but it is modern fiction, with philosophy, learned quotations and characters that change and transform deeply.

And there are thorny scenes ("not very explicit," and I'm okay with that 🙌).

In short, my sagas, just like The Ring of Saturn, are cocktails of genres.

They are mojitos, strawberry daiquiris, pina coladas, gin and tonics.

I'm not a purist, I don't pour whiskey without ice or 36-month barreled rum in a crystal glass straight from a barrel in Cuba.

No.

I make books for everyone, that can appeal to a variety of people, each with their own key.

It is my strength, and also my weakness.

This choice of mine-derived both from my personal artistic-psychological profile and from my wanting to do business-is not without risk.

The first risk, the preponderant one waiting in the wings for me, is that no one will like me.

Let me explain.

The reader looking for the thriller immediately wants the scene of the corpse being pulled away at night in the forest by a harried man.
Those who want the erotic demand thornier descriptions.
Those who seek in-depth psychology perhaps disdain romance, et cetera...

A cocktail is likely to displease everyone.

But those who choose me do so because they are looking for something they cannot find elsewhere: a cocktail artfully made, with wisdom, balance and sensitivity, can be something truly explosive.

And ambitious.

For it is precisely by fusing genres together, combining them into one great new flavor, that a new flavor can be produced: indistinct, smooth, unique, intense and varied, leaving one wanting more.

"Saturn's Ring" is an early embryonic example of this, of my quest.

I fused romance and fantasy, with a touch of philosophy, archaeology, adventure and thriller.

I think the future of fiction is right there, in this avenue of blending.

It's no coincidence that there are already words that do the crasis of genres (romance).

And why not create new ones, and go in search of new flavors?

Here I am, I'm ready.

Step up to the bar, and I will serve you a new cocktail.

If you haven't already tried me, there are both The Divine Adventure (fantasy, science fiction, spiritual, adventure) and The Ring of Saturn (romance, fantasy, adventure, archaeology) waiting for you, waiting for you to end up in my labyrinth.