Is Erotic Romance being surpressed really a problem? Let me tell you a story...
Johnny lives with his elderly father and works for a bank downtown, across from the High School. Every day he stands by his office window to watch the sweet, young school teacher scurry inside moments before the bell tolled.
One day he decides to attend her Religious Studies class and the musical tone of her voice lulls him as she reads from the bible, "Howbeit, otherwise also she is truly my sister, the daughter of my father, and not the daughter of my mother, and I took her to wife. And after God brought me out of my father’s house, I said to her: Thou shalt do me this kindness: In every place, to which we shall come, thou shalt say that I am thy brother."
Sorry, I forgot. I write erotic romance. Must not mention those things. Hmm…let me think…
Ah! I got it!
Sergeant Brady slumped into his chair and stared at the photo in front of him. The mangled body, all that remained of the sweet, 18 year old girl, lay half submerged in the swamp, legs spread wide as though her murderer wanted to show off how brutally he'd raped her.
Hmm…how about…
Nancy stretched her paws and barked back at her mate eager to shift so she could take him in her arms. But as he sank his teeth into the fur at her nape and mounted her, she realized she didn't want to wait.
Gah! All right. One last one?
Ted tucked his tow-headed toddler into bed and smiled at his wife as she slipped up to his side.
I'm not going to rant about what's going on or why, so many others have said it all better than I ever could. But I will say this. I am an author and I write stories. Maybe, one day, all that will be sold at certain vendors is watered-down versions of erotica with no substance. Erotic romance will become 'acceptable' by coloring careful between pre-approved lines. Maybe my books will be out there with a different label on them, shunned by polite society.
Doesn't matter one way or another. They will be out there.
My favorite books are those books that make me care about the characters, that make me afraid for them, angry at them, happy, sad, and yes, sometimes aroused. Without a story, it's just endless slapping of flesh on flesh, probably in missionary so it doesn't break any new rules. I couldn't care less that these two random people are boinking! Any more than I would care if that detective solves the case, or the rebels win the war, without some kind of investment in the characters. If a author can't take me away to an imaginary place where these people are real, I have no interest in reading their books.
And I have no interest in writing books where I avoid certain topics because of what someone else considers right or wrong. I also won't put up with people deciding there's something wrong with my readers because they're reading 'icky' and 'horrible' material.
So what am I trying to say here? Well, my muse won't start inspiring me to write about fluffy bunnies. Unless they're were-bunnies. Doing it in a BDSM club in fluffy form. The lady bunny has a gag in her mouth, and she's crying while the man bunny holds her down and screws the cotton ball tail off her. Consensual? Who knows. But them's some kinky bunnies!
Some people are afraid we'll cave to censorship, but I just want to assure you all that we deviant authors aren't going anywhere. So could Paypal's new stance be a problem?
Long term? Nope. This is just a road bump. Maybe that bump took the air out of a few tires and we've got to drive around on a spare for awhile, but that's about it. ;)
Excellent post, Bianca, thank you! And you're right, we erotic romance authors will still be here, and will still find a way to share our stories with those who want to read us.
ReplyDeleteSooner or later all these women who are afraid to say 'pussy' and all the men who fear the same word will realize that, just like Hitler, book banning is NOT good for society, or for the soul.
And I hope to stand by your side when everyone comes back to their senses and decides that our books are worth the e-ink they're written in! Booyah! Take a stand, authors! NO censorship is welcome.
This sums up the problem very neatly. The obvious ridiculousness of painting arbitrary lines can only lead to more egregious abuses of our civil liberties in the future. As Ricky Gervais said, "Just because you're offended doesn't mean you're right."
ReplyDeleteWell stated. I agree that this is merely a bump in the road, and probably says more about the powers that be than it says about the authors of erotica. I find it funny, though. Stephen King can terrify you, and that's fine. Thomas Harris can horrify you, and that's all right. Stephenie Meyer can nauseate you, and that's acceptable. But if I arouse you, that's a bad thing?
ReplyDelete*holds out switchblade for the PP tires*. "Bunny Bondage" Buahahahaha!
ReplyDeleteGreat post Bianca! Great post. :)
R. Renee Vickers
I don't think it's just Paypal. The religious right is feeling powerful now that they've taken over the Republican party in this year of primaries. They don't represent the moderate Republicans, and they certainly don't represent the country as a whole. But the success they're having at the moment has induced them to flex their muscle and impose their views on everyone they can. They're noisy, attracting a lot of attention, bullying where they can and since they have enormous money behind them, some are paying attention and falling in line. I think it will pass, that after the general election, they'll be licking their wounds and going back to their temples to gloat about their superiority and their certainty of a special place in the afterlife.
ReplyDeleteThank you for an awesome post...I signed a petition against such censorship...as a reader I do not like having my freedom of choice under attack and yes I like reading erotic stories...When you take it to the core of what such censorship means it is removing our freedoms in the name of morality..label the books if you must but do not dectate what can be published or read....the only exception I might make is when it is dealing with under age children such as under the age of 21..but even then there has to be a way of protecting the innocent and the rights of choice for adults...by the way I luvd those kinky bunnies...:D
ReplyDeleteOK. Once you get past all the other stuff on your plate, I really want to read story of the kinky bunnies. :) Great post!
ReplyDeleteGreat post that says it so well. How ridiculous that the bible has incest and by that rule, and their own Terms of Service, paypal should refuse to allow it being bought via Paypal. And people who have sex don't have children? And all those 'real' paperback or hardcover books out there with serial murderers killing children left right and center and raping (are printed and saleable), but we cant even mention an under 18 year old in an erotic story even if they are nowhere near the sex scenes and in NO way involved,if it's an ebook. So strange.
ReplyDeleteIf the bible were just being published, as a new book, only people 18 years or older would be allowed to buy it. It would get an XXX rating.
ReplyDeleteWell stated, Bianca, and it's a slippery slope as to who PayPal and the PTBs will go after next. (And then they came for me. Ring any bells?)
ReplyDeleteI don't know if my books will be acceptable at ARe or Smashwords because of the rule about no minors in erotic books (mine aren't in sex scenes, but one couple has a 7-year-old daughter and another is expecting a baby in June). I also may be in violation of their TOS in regards to mentions of incest in my books. I have a character who is an incest survivor and there will be flashbacks and backstory issues relating to that. I won't remove it in order to meet those rigid TOS guidelines. I'd rather have the books removed from their shelves than to do that.
But I don't see Amazon or B&N caving to this kind of censorship--and I make 94% of my sales at those two places. I hope everyone else does equally well there and doesn't miss the loss of the smaller vendors. It's a shame they may become obsolete if they get too strict with their guidelines, but that's their business decision to make. My decision is to keep writing compelling, emotional stories about characters who have been to hell and back--and who are going to find their happily ever after endings come hell or high water.
Hang in there, everyone!
Kally