Sexy turn-up for the books

THEY say it’s the quiet ones you have to watch out for – and in Pauline Andersen’s case, that’s definitely true.
Once a shy and retiring Catholic schoolgirl, she now writes raunchy stories, and even runs her own erotica publishing company.

Erotica is becoming available in high street shops, says Pauline Andersen

The 41-year-old took over Fareham-based Collective Publishing with her husband, Jon, last October and they are now about to publish the first book under their ownership.
Pauline, a mother-of-three, smiles: ‘I was really quiet at school and I’m not sure anyone would have guessed this is what I would have ended up doing.
‘But I think it’s great. I have an interest in all aspects of the business, from writing to publishing and design, so the whole process of producing a book keeps me busy.’

Mainstream
She believes erotica is now becoming more mainstream, with books available in high street shops and more and more women buying copies.
Pauline, who lives in Fareham, says: ‘People don’t like to admit they read it, but a lot more do than you’d think, and our books sell well
‘I think girls today are much more liberal and open than we were at their age. My daughters are now 19 and 21 (she also has a two-year-old son), but I remember looking at their teenage magazines when they were younger and being shocked at how sexually-orientated they were.
‘I never knew any of the things my girls were reading about when I was their age. I think because girls grow up reading these magazines, they’re more open to reading erotic books as women.’

Liberal
Pauline, who writes under a pseudonym, first began composing saucy stories for a friend when she was younger.
She says: ‘I’m not sure how it all started, but I think a few of us were talking. We were all quite liberal about what we spoke about, and the idea of writing came from one of those conversations.
‘I wrote a short story for a friend and she then wrote one for me and it all just went from there with us exchanging stories.
Pauline adds: ‘I was in my early 20s then. I wasn’t sure if I could write, but the stories seemed to be received quite well, so I carried on.’

Sneaked
Pauline’s interest in erotic fiction stems from when she first sneaked a peak at an erotic book when she was around 16.
She says: ‘I wasn’t sure what to expect when I read it, but since then I’ve always had a fascination with this type of writing.
‘My inspiration just comes from looking at people on the street and things I’ve read or seen. I’ll see something that will give me the germ of a story idea and then it goes from there.
‘Sometimes the story is based about something that’s happened in mine or a friend’s life, but you always change it to make it different.’