tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30931389.post2438518691068029002..comments2023-09-06T05:48:05.398-06:00Comments on Terry's Place: What's in a Definition?Terry Odellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11610682530545306687noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30931389.post-34205187433152532352009-08-11T19:32:34.554-06:002009-08-11T19:32:34.554-06:00What great input from one of my favorite authors. ...What great input from one of my favorite authors. Thanks, Nancy!<br /><br />My best source of inspiration is on-site research. Sometimes I find research in the simplest places--listening to passers-by on the beach, the post office. Once, I was almost sat-upon by a woman three times my size in a chiropractor's office because we disagreed on a "heated" topic. Hey, when you read that scene in one of my next books, you'll know where I got the inspiration!<br /><br />Kathleen PickeringAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17696306353263284650noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30931389.post-8157028196739779952009-08-11T07:19:56.176-06:002009-08-11T07:19:56.176-06:00I work in the "adult products" industry....I work in the "adult products" industry. We don't call it porn. Don't know why. The definition of "pornography" is (thanks, Mirriam-Webster) "material (as books or a photograph) that depicts erotic behavior and is intended to cause sexual excitement."<br /><br />What's wrong with that?<br /><br />For me, I'd prefer that books agree on a labeling system for books (any genre). We're talking about letting buyers know if what they're purchasing has nothing beyond a chaste kiss vs every chapter having three sex scenes. As a reader, I'd find it gratifying to not buy books that turned me off within the first ten pages. (Afraid I don't like erotica at all. I get enough of that at work, thanks.)<br /><br />Such a ratings system would help this particular reviewer, who obviously isn't that well-versed in romance much less romantica (insert trademark symbol here).<br /><br />Lots of other reviewers in the sea. Hope you find a bunch that suit you!Carol A. Stricklandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08144748925453952984noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30931389.post-28270966308138955462009-08-10T15:20:06.070-06:002009-08-10T15:20:06.070-06:00It's all in the word.
Thank goodness no one in...It's all in the word.<br />Thank goodness no one in my family reads my blogs. I'd be in big trouble. Bad Mary, Bad.<br /><br />Looking forward to Nancy's blog tomorrow!Mary Ricksenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12676306822821614446noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30931389.post-6545826714071676652009-08-10T13:14:14.327-06:002009-08-10T13:14:14.327-06:00Mona, Sheila, Lisa -
Thanks for dropping buy. I ce...Mona, Sheila, Lisa -<br />Thanks for dropping buy. I certainly don't object to book content; I agree with Sheila that a review site listing categories of books it reviews ought to understand what they mean. <br /><br />Labels are tough -- but I'm not sure it's wise to make up your own, given they're used to help guide readers to what they're looking for. Ah, but that's an entirely different topic!Terry Odellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11610682530545306687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30931389.post-26661399308734946862009-08-10T12:59:37.357-06:002009-08-10T12:59:37.357-06:00It's interesting how many people will judge a ...It's interesting how many people will judge a book based on how much explicit (evil, wicked, pornographic) sex it contains. I've raised quite a few brows in the past, in my assertion that among my genres I write "literary smut". ;-)<br /><br /><i>Heaven forbid.</i> Such ugly words, right?<br /><br />I also love to write erotic horror and pulp sci-fi; I would hope that my erotic romances might be judged on the positive merits that go into those works, as well (such as theme, alliteration, and use of character).<br /><br />And I hope the sex is hot, hot, HOT!Leigh M. Lanehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04419221093398839195noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30931389.post-47725497144020206822009-08-10T10:50:09.238-06:002009-08-10T10:50:09.238-06:00I like your definition. I'm fairly new to the ...I like your definition. I'm fairly new to the romance genre, and I've finally worked out what the phrase "sweet romance" means. But it does sound like a place doing reviews should have worked it out, and learned to use it, before me. Love the soy sauce analogy!Sheila Deethhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13465615546936319164noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30931389.post-58030816679377603492009-08-10T09:33:56.427-06:002009-08-10T09:33:56.427-06:00Terry,
Maybe that review site should specify they...Terry,<br /><br />Maybe that review site should specify they want inspirational or sweet romances only? My books contain a few sex scenes and yet never qualified to be erotica by Ellora's Cave standards and by erotica authors who explained that writing erotica is very different from writing romance with sexual element.Mona Riskhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14923883333893160794noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30931389.post-6438697000238127232009-08-10T08:14:44.118-06:002009-08-10T08:14:44.118-06:00Cate, thanks for the comment. I'm still not re...Cate, thanks for the comment. I'm still not ready for Twitter. Barely managing Facebook (but why does everyone feed Tweets to Facebook? I get dozens of private conversations there. Bad enough I know what someone has for breakfast, but why do I need to know what they're telling their friends.)<br /><br />There is such a continuum along the romance genre, but I think some basic definitions ought to be standard.Terry Odellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11610682530545306687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30931389.post-33097114687252340242009-08-10T08:10:37.722-06:002009-08-10T08:10:37.722-06:00I love that cartoon. I'm on Twitter and there&...I love that cartoon. I'm on Twitter and there's much garbage, but also some great info and links. Another way to connect with readers/other writers/other great people. <br />Your post is great and very timely for me - my first walk on the wild side, Wilderness Girl, is about to be released. My family has been mum about it, but when I came across the definition of erotic romance (versus simple erotica) it fit my story well. So I'm glad to hear other authors make the distinction too.Cate Mastershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01371792447604980848noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30931389.post-77043864535523122442009-08-10T08:02:07.531-06:002009-08-10T08:02:07.531-06:00Wait...there's sex scenes in your books?! I m...Wait...there's sex scenes in your books?! I must block those out... ;)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05165761097480556798noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30931389.post-31280039770709605302009-08-10T07:31:59.423-06:002009-08-10T07:31:59.423-06:00JA - I would have had no trouble if that review si...JA - I would have had no trouble if that review site said, 'we don't review erotica' - it was the way they lumped all romance with sex on the page into that category that bugged me.<br /><br />I can remember when books with any sex at all were banned (or were sent out with plain brown wrappers.)Terry Odellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11610682530545306687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30931389.post-16480727733474691642009-08-10T07:28:55.699-06:002009-08-10T07:28:55.699-06:00Margaret, my mom gives my books as gifts to her fr...Margaret, my mom gives my books as gifts to her friends (and I'm a bunch of years older than you, so you can imagine what age category HER friends inhabit). One of them even wrote me a letter saying how impressed she was with Finding Sarah.Terry Odellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11610682530545306687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30931389.post-22666003320221802172009-08-10T07:21:12.454-06:002009-08-10T07:21:12.454-06:00Hey Terry,
I had a very interesting (and long win...Hey Terry,<br /><br />I had a very interesting (and long winded) conversation about this with a family member that reads and enjoys romance. We both mentioned how differently the material is now versus ten or fifteen years ago when sex was implied instead of shown. What was once about romance and love has become little more than white hot sex and shock value.<br /><br />I do find it odd that someone said "romance but no erotica" but think that in today's market, anything given the classification of "romance" is automatically clumped as a "sex" book, for lack of a better expression. <br /><br />I like books that are sweet and sensual. I also like books that have me blushing and peering over my shoulder to make sure someone isn't reading over it! <br /><br />I did want to say that in my writing (especially erotica), I strive to have a strong emotional bond between the characters. Some don't do this, and that's fine. But I do think you can have both.<br /><br />Love the blog!<br />JaimeJ.A. Saare / Aline Hunterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14838678236100016515noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30931389.post-38290378515700584392009-08-10T07:19:11.798-06:002009-08-10T07:19:11.798-06:00Great post. I agree that the true test was your mo...Great post. I agree that the true test was your mom recommending the books to her friends. LOL. My mom scolds me for using the occasional "bad word" in a blog. Did I mention I'm 44 years old? :-DMargaret Reyes Dempseyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08441932846057969720noreply@blogger.com