Remember when romance novels were taboo? You'd hide them behind some other book or rip off the covers so no one would know what you were reading; after all, they were "bodice rippers" and heaven forbid you be caught dead reading one. I personally don't remember those times, but I know people who do. LOL
Over the last 20 years or so, extremely talented authors have worked very hard to change the image of romantic fiction so as not to be viewed as smut or bodice rippers, but alas, I feel tis all in vain. (Don't you love drama?) However, I proudly read the romance novels I buy right in front of anyone because I buy true romance and have no need for embarrassment or shame.
My point? I'm getting to it.
I have a peeve to discuss here. It has to do with the February edition of RWR, page 6, to be precise. There's an advertisement that just blew me away. Seriously, I was offended.
Here comes a confession... I am one of those people that has HUGE opinions. I know, you had noooo idea that was part of my personality. Anyway, it is my Huge Opinion that this ad shouldn't be in the RWR. It's pornography. Plain and simple.
Go ahead, dig out your February edition, now turn to page 6, yeah, that's the one. Disgusting. Absolutely no need for it. I guess I'm one of those "old fashioned" kinda romance readers that like some things left to the imagination.
I admit it. I don't understand what's so appealing about "erotic romance". I've read exactly ONE erotic romance. I hated it. I felt icky after reading it. I read it because it was recommended by a friend and I wanted to have a somewhat informed opinion about this type of writing. Personally, I don't see where it fits in the genre of true romance. It's really just about eroticism and that, my dear readers, is not romance, it's gratuitous non-intimate sex.
Now erotic sex with your spouse is wonderful and should be embraced as long as you're both equally up to it; and intimate sex, meaning, sex that is all things loving and kind, can mix with erotic sex when you have that close marital bond, too. But it's totally not love or intimate when you have down and dirty erotic sex with someone you hardly know. Nope, in my opinion that's not love, it's lust, and I have a problem with that being part of the romance genre.
So now that I've opened up this topic, you may expostulate me to your hearts content. But my opinion on this genre will never change. Flay away! :)
7 comments:
Piper--
I love a gutsy broad!
Alice
I don't like erotica. I read one. It was back when they first came out and there wasn't a plot to the thing and sex every five pages!
I'm not into those books. I believe making love is just that Making Love. You don't hop into bed with someone if you don't have deep feelings for them. My love scenes can get detailed, BUT I also give a reason for everything they do. A loving caress, a need to see his hands splayed across her skin - the intimacy of the moment.
And I too see the erotica lines as giving romance across the board a bad name.
No, seriously, Piper, I would never berate you for your opinion, it's yours and it's valid. I'm not a big erotica fan, either, though if they throw in enough murder and mayhem and a strong plot line, I can be bought.
I looked at the ad you mentioned and I thought it was kind of tastefully done. I couldn't tell from the titles and pictures if these people had long term relationships or not. The one on the bottom looked as though the man and the woman knew each other well and were having fun.
So, don't read it, don't write it, don't care if other people do one or both. As long as there's no sexual violence paraded around for titillating pleasure, no children, no farm animals, I guess I don't care. That's my iron-cast stand on this issue!!!
That said, like I said before, I love a gutsy broad who takes a stand! Good for you.
Now you can flay me!
Alice (again)
Piper, I'm with you. Erotica is not my idea of romance, but for a lot of women it is. To each her own. I like a sexy scene, though, as long as it isn't too graphic and as long as no vulgar language is used.
The popular erotic stuff coming from new ebook publishers is riddled with vulgar language; lots of "c" words. Eww. Makes love-making appear dirty, IMO. I've read a few excerpts out of curiousity and it just confirms for me how yucky some of these stories are. Well, they're not really "stories" because there's no plot, characters are 2-dimensional, and the narrative is flat. The writing I've seen in these examples is usually poor as well.
Explicit love scenes are wonderful when done well. It's the pornographic stuff that puts me off. Yet it sells like crazy and lots of authors are making a living writing it. Makes me wonder about who's buying it. Also makes me curious about the literacy of prison inmates, a definite target market.
I belong to a yahoo group called "Sweeter Romantic Notions" which is comprised of readers and writers of sweet romance stories. It's for those of us offended by erotic fiction. At least I know the excerpts I read from this group won't make me queasy.
Karen
First of all, Piper, I'm glad to see you're still blogging with us. ;) Your posts are always so much fun!
Okay, I'm going to step out on a limb here. I didn't get the title Evil Blog Overlord for nothing (wink, wink).
I'm with Alice (see how I dragged her with me?). The bottom cover on pg 6 of the RWR didn't offend me at all. Looks like two people having fun. The one on the left - the blindfold - didn't offend me either - that could be fun as well. The one of the naked woman? Well, that one just didn't do a thing for me. Considering it's marketed to women though, I'm surprised by the cover shot. Most of the erotic romance books I've seen lately have a naked man in some form on the cover.
The limb? Oh, yeah, right. I was going somewhere with this...
I like sexy books. Lisa and I were chatting with Cindy Gerard this past summer at the RWA Literacy signing, and I mentioned the same thing. I told Lisa she'd like Cindy's books because they're steamy. And I like a good steamy book. Cindy smiled and said, "But only if the characters are in love or on their way." And she's right. The steamy books I like have depth and character development that makes me want to keep reading.
I've read some erotic romance - mostly erotic RS - and overall I haven't been impressed. I'm not opposed to it, but my biggest peeve with the genre is that there doesn't seem to be the depth of character development that I like in straight RS or other romance genres. A lot seems to be glossed over in favor of the titillation factor. The one I just finished (by an author I met at Nationals) only had 2-3 sex scenes in the book, but I never felt like I "knew" the characters enough to care about what happened to them because their internal thoughts and focus were always on how sexy the other person looked or the thrumming in their body. It detracted from the story.
I don't have a problem with direct language in a book so long as it fits the character. For example, the hero in my last book would never have thought of the heroine's derriere as her "backside". More blunt language was necessary because he was a blunt guy. So long as the internal thoughts fit the character, I'm okay with strong language in certain situations. But not all the time and not just for shock value.
I've watched a lot of authors sell to NY in the last year - ones I've met or seen on loops and blogs who weren't selling before - and all are selling in the erotic genre. Some were okay writers, some weren't. Makes me wonder if the standard is lowered because that's what's hot and what's selling right now. In Atlanta, I heard over and over that "sexy and hot" books are in, and that's clear from what's on the shelves. I don't know if erotica detracts from the romance genre as a whole, but I do know, so far I haven't been overly impressed with it.
Can I be the lone detractor here? I read and really like well-done erotica. Sasha White, The Bad Boys Anthologies, Erin McCarthy, Shannon McKenna--I really enjoy this genre and am happy to see it getting more talented authors. Like any genre, there's the really good, the medicore (those who jumped on the nearest bandwagon or two), and the truly terrible. I read other genres too--so it's not like I NEED the smut--but it's got an appeal all it's own.
If it's not your cup of tea, Piper then that's cool. And RWR should probably be a little bit more aware of the readers/writers who don't care for the genre. I enjoyed the ad in question, but I can see where you might find it a bit tacky. With more authors pushing the envelope, it's important that others don't find themselves pushed out!
Alice-- Thanks, rofl! I love that title, "gutsy broad". I've been called lots of things, but I like that one a lot! :)
Blogsters, Blogettes, Bloggies--
That ad wasn't really the main point of my blog, it was the simply the catalyst for my remarks about erotica being smut. Well, smut in my opinion. LOL
The pic of the man and woman taking pictures, (to me), was offensive because that should be something that's done in the privacy of ones own "space" and not presented for anyone else. Take pictures of each other all you want, have a blast with it! With a couple in love and with a strong, trusting relationship it can be lots of fun for both of you, but keep the pictures to yourself. We don't need them on the internet like the Hollywood idiots and I don't want to see it on book covers either. Why do I want to see someone's naked body? Know what I mean? It's pornography to me. The blind folded one was fine, no big deal. The naked butt, totally not necessary to sell a book, only there for shock value and to prompt the consumer's curiosity. Lazy marketing, again, my opinion.
I totally agree with all of you about the need for a strong plot, depth and great characters. That's crucial to any story. And Paty's right on about making love is just that, LOVE! The chat Eli and Lisa had with Cindy Gerard about the characters needed to be in love or on their way is paramount.
Karen, I agree with you about the language factor even though my personal language is "colorful". And I hate the c word too. Eli's books have colorful language, but, it's always tastefully done and used correctly. It's never just thrown in for shock or laziness, there's a purpose to it and for it.
Sexy books and sexy scenes are different than erotica. I love a good, sexy read, be it historical or contemporary, but to me, erotica goes over that line and it turns me off.
Wavy-- Like I said, I've only read one and it was enough. You're lucky to have found some decent ones, I guess. LOL
I read books for the love and romance that the characters find together. The "happily ever after" ending is very important, but, so is getting there. And like most of you pointed out, the storyline needs to be strong and ever present. Gratuitous sex scenes are a waste of paper, ink, money and time.
I appreciate all of your comments and see that basically we do all have very similar opinions on the whole thing, and like Karen said... Who the heck is reading this crap? Loved the inmate remark, scary, but funny. LOL
I know the market is "hot" right now for this genre, but really, I wonder, would it be if it weren't being pushed so hard? Do you really think that consumers make the market what it is, or marketers and corporations push a product so hard that the consumers "consume" and it makes it look as if that's what's hot? Something to think about anyway.
Thanks again for all your great opinions girls! I really enjoyed exploring this topic with ya'll.
Post a Comment