Simplest way to make your sex life better? Read romance novels.

A recent post by Laura Vivanco at the fabulous blog Teach Me Tonight, a site for academics who study romance, summarized the extant research on romance readers and their sex lives. The post assembles such titbits as:

"Older readers reported having sexual intercourse twice as much as did nonreaders and, indeed, more frequently than the national average for all women [...]. In addition, housewife readers reported being more satisfied with sex than nonreaders."

and

"Most of the study participants (75.5%) reported that reading romance novels has had an impact on their sex lives. This occurred in several ways, including making participants more likely to engage in sexual activity and by making them more likely to try new sexual activities."

While you may still have in your head a picture of the old-fashioned bodice ripper of decades ago, one of the true advantages of modern romance is the wealth of types available for every taste. Not only are they not all about "alpha males" but there are romances specifically designed for older women, for gay and lesbian readers, for sex-shy Christians and for the kinkiest of BDSM folks. In short, they run the gamut.

And more people all the time are admitting that reading about attraction can be fun. Laura Clawson came out in the Daily Kos as an unashamed reader of romances. Busting up many of the myths about romances, Clawson throws down the casual contempt widely held for the genre. It's an easy target because in this supposedly advanced and futuristic century the one group of people you can get away with disparaging without any fear of repercussion is women.

Oh, and bankers.

Clawson writes, "A great deal could be said about how fiction by and for women is rated in relation to more masculinist fiction" and indeed it's true. What are Bond films and novels but escapist romance for male audiences? Look at the popularity of gritty gang/drug dealer/mercenary novels—mostly read by soft, white-collar commuter drones on the way to and from their office jobs.

At least with the romance novels, the heroines are often much like the readers: smart, independent, attractive because they have spunk and a mind of their own—not because they're silicone-injected male fantasies.

These are empowering narratives, but it's also a largely empowering business. Unlike many publishers, romance publishers are looking for new writers and will accept proposals from unagented writers—yes, even that tower of power, Harlequin/Mills & Boon. Many of their latest discoveries are long-time readers who decide, "I can write these!"—and do.

Contests do well, too, such as the Dorchester Publishing "Best Cellar" contest which is down to its last two contestants this week:

How to Lose a Demon in 10 Days by Saranna DeWylde

Vampire Vacation by C.J. Ellison

Tossing the Gloves by Christy Finn

Confessions of the World's Oldest Shotgun Bride by Gail Hart

Courting Demons by Kerri Nelson

So don't be surprised if I reveal myself to be a writer of super-steamy romances once that tenure decision gets announced.

Image via Jane Austen's World