Letting people know you write m/m erotic romance can be a challenge

Last weekend while at work I was discussing having just finished the second draft of my newest romance, OUT THERE IN THE NIGHT. It's a 58,000 plus word novel with a little twist, being published by Loose Id. The part that makes it different to me is that I use the Native American myth about werewolves, or skinwalkers, as they call them, as the basis for my hero being a werewolf. He is a kind, masterfully powerful, half native-half German trapper from the early 1900's. His heritage is based on actual Alaskan history and people who lived there. Being a werewolf is a blessing to the natives, and they are guardians of the earth by night, not mindless, vicious beasts that terrorize and mutilate without reason or regard to human life. They are the good guys.

Anyway, I was talking about it at work and one of the male staff was listening. Suddenly he picked up the cover art I had made for some new cd giveaways I'm putting together for readers that will have excerpts of all my books on them. The cover has a lusiously naked man from the hips up, lying on his chest, smiling at the camera, my name scrolling over the dip and arch of his back and hips, and the words MAN LOVE in big print under a pair of tasty red lips. The concept I write m/m romance is pretty plain from the art work.

He freaked.

He's been listening to me chat about my writing for over a year and never once grabbed onto the idea that some of it, that part that sells, was m/m erotic romance. He was stunned, he blushed , he laughed nervously, he stuttered. He mentioned it ALL night long! I'll probably never get any peace from this day on from him.

You just never know how people will react. I thought he was cute, defensive and silly. I'm going to write him into a book just to see him blush crimson again.