Piggybacking On Maya
Written by: Larissa on April 30, 2008Er…on her post from yesterday. *g*
First, let me start off by saying I’m grumpy. I had a root canal yesterday, and now my face hurts. Throbs. (And I puked on the dentist during the procedure — that was fun.) I’m also waiting for the property manager to come do an inspection. So I’m not in the best of moods.
Then I saw Maya’s post. I replied. Here’s what I said:
This is something that has been bothering me since I read that first letter in the RWR. It ASTOUNDS me that people get upset about REAL LIFE. In real life, people have sex. Yet, somehow it’s not okay to write about the natural process of people enjoying themselves — our bodies were MADE to enjoy sex. But sheesh, write about it in the context of a loving relationship, and get burned at the stake. However, write about a murder, and that’s perfectly okay.
In real life, people cuss. Not everyone does, I get that. But I live in a world where people around me do that. A lot. Hellooooo…military. Again, not everyone in the military cusses, but I know more who do than don’t.
My first demon book is FULL of cussing. Why? The heroine grew up on the streets — for her NOT to cuss would just be unrealistic. And, um…the book is full of demons. I’m thinking they cuss. And do bad things.
Even in my contemporaries, I don’t shy away from the real world. It’s gritty, people cuss, and they have sex. I’m not going to pretend it doesn’t happen.
ARGH! Seriously, this annoys me to no end. If you don’t want to read about cussing and sex, you don’t have to. Why insult those who do? Why insult authors who write it?
I have a friend who is ultra-conservative, hates reading sex in romances, and is terribly offended by the f-word. She reads my books, but pretty much only because she’s my friend. But she has stopped reading authors, even favorite authors, who have begun to add cussing and explicit sex to their books. She wants the fantasy world where life is all sweet and not messy.
That’s fine. There are books for everyone.
Me? I want to read the good and the bad, the sweet AND the grit. I want my vamps, SEALs, and demons to cuss if doing so fits their characters, and I want the bedroom door left open. Sex is a natural part of the world, and a LOT of relationship-building and character-revealing happens during the physical part of a relationship. The sexual part of a couple’s relationship adds yet another dimension to their partnership, and I want to see it. I want to feel it. I don’t think there is anything wrong with it.
Yes, I’ve read very satisfying, very wonderful books in which the bedroom door was shut. But for the most part, I prefer the door open. That’s what I like to read, and that’s what I like to write.
I admit, there is some erotic romance I don’t like — in fact, I’d go so far as to say that it kind of bothers me. But you know what? I just don’t read it. And I would never say it shouldn’t be published. The world needs variety.
Okay, off the soapbox. I really need to pop a pain pill…
April 30th, 2008 at 9:45 am
Hey, I agree with you completely. Sorry to hear your face is hurting, hope the pain pills help. I’ve got to go into work (on my day off- doesn’t that just suck?) but I’ll be around if you want to chat. :ninja:
April 30th, 2008 at 10:08 am
(((hugs))) Larissa…….I hope you are feeling better soon!!
I totally agree with you!! I hate to read negative chatter about books……IMHO if you don’t like a book or an author, don’t buy their stuff again. Making ugly comments is just mean!
April 30th, 2008 at 11:32 am
*sending good thoughts* I hope you feel better soonest, Larissa.
April 30th, 2008 at 11:59 am
I actually blogged about this at NAS a few months ago….so I’m just going to repeat myself….Some folks are just gonna be haters no matter what anyone does or says. You can’t change folks’ minds and I’m not here to try…honest. But I have something to say (And I can only speak for myself).
It’s not about the sex.
Really, it’s not. Granted I write about sex because I LIKE writing about sex…And even though maybe I don’t always succeed, I do my damnedest to write about strong heroines who are comfortable with their sexuality no matter where it takes them. If you can’t see past the racy covers, if you can’t see past words like cum, pussy, cock and…cunt to the heart of the matter, to the fact that it’s okay for a woman to explore and YES Celebrate her Sexuality, then you’re not my target audience anyway.
April 30th, 2008 at 3:39 pm
I agree completely. If you don’t like sex and cuss words, don’t buy the book. Me, I prefer a slice of real life, where sex and cuss words abound.
April 30th, 2008 at 4:35 pm
I agree also, I want to read realistic stuff. I love shape shifters I know not everyone does so they don’t have to read it but it isn’t going to influence me to stop. If it didn’t sell if it wasn’t compelling people wouldn’t read it, right.
I hope your face feels better
April 30th, 2008 at 5:43 pm
((((Larissa)))) I hope you feel better soon and the drugs kick in.
I’m with you and Sha/Maya - if you don’t like it don’t buy it.
You guys keep doing what you’re doing. We’ll keep enjoying the books! The rest can go stuff it.
Valerie
April 30th, 2008 at 6:09 pm
Larissa and Maya, Exactly what you both said. This is my pet peeve. I hate to say it (NOT!) most of those people are hyprocrites. Like they never close the door and get a little nookey.
:hearts: Give me love and romance every time. :hearts:
April 30th, 2008 at 6:11 pm
oops! That’s HYPOCRITES. Got on a little rant myself. :oldlaugh:
May 1st, 2008 at 12:57 am
Hugs on the root canal.
I agree with you and Maya. If you don’t like it, don’t read it. Nuff Said.
May 5th, 2008 at 4:05 pm
You guys have been around so do any of you remember the outrage about chick lit or women’s fiction? Specifically remember when there were letters from people who hated it soooooo very much? “No heart, no real romance,” the letters said. And what was happening when people wrote about the evil of chick lit? It was selling a lot of books.
It was TAKING OUR MONEEEZ!
It’s not about the morals; it’s about the money. Whatever sub-genre threatens to be on top (and we’re not writing ourselves) is a bad, evil sub-genre. Threatened by the money going into erotic romance, we declared it the enemy of all that is good and pure and . . . hey, listen, it’s taking OUR MONEEEEZZZZZ
May 5th, 2008 at 4:07 pm
Now I remember: Shallow. That’s what chicklit was. Only now that it’s not taking food from our kids’ mouths, it’s not so bad any more.
