tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post5972974712838654897..comments2024-03-29T08:22:54.756-04:00Comments on Jungle Red Writers: Some Like it Hot.Jungle Red Writershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16646429819267618412noreply@blogger.comBlogger25125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-57525725141384126242012-08-12T20:24:37.446-04:002012-08-12T20:24:37.446-04:00There's nothing more hideous than a story that...There's nothing more hideous than a story that leaves out the juicy parts. Life is messy; an author that tries to clean it up is denying reality. I don't need pages of gratuitous sex in any genre, but to go from 'a kiss' to 'the morning after' is damn disappointing. You don't need to put it all out there, but throw me a bone as a reader. That would be a bone with a little meat still left on it. I'll make a steak out of it if I like your writing.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04616654747461942024noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-31971841153572148482012-08-11T02:54:28.825-04:002012-08-11T02:54:28.825-04:00Echoing what everyone said upstream about Julia be...Echoing what everyone said upstream about Julia being the MASTER of sex-in-mysteries! Not only was I powerless to resist buying the next and the next and the next, when I was wrestling with how much sex to put in Nightshade, I went back and studied how expertly she seduced readers into caring so much about her characters. If I ever write a sex scene as good as hers, I can bite the dust happy.<br /><br />And on the less-is-more point, don't you think that one of the most erotic moments in literature is the chapter in Cold Mountain where Inman grabs Ada's FOOT?Jonelle Patrickhttp://jonellepatrick.me/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-88529809072593376482012-08-07T08:44:45.343-04:002012-08-07T08:44:45.343-04:00Sorry I'm late to this party. (And what a par...Sorry I'm late to this party. (And what a party!)<br /><br />Personally, I prefer for any sexual activity to be hinted at rather than blatant. I adore the way you JR authors cover that. (That scene when Russ picks up Clare from her deployment - in the truck - umm, pretty hot!)<br /><br />But as for Georgie and Darcy? I'm rooting for them to "get it on" and soon. LOL But that would remove the tension and the fun, right? I can't read fast enough when they're together.<br /><br />I tend to skip over any explicit sex scenes. So much of that adds nothing to the story and I'd rather imagine than have it spelled out for me.Marianne in Mainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-52654150339934026682012-08-07T06:07:25.187-04:002012-08-07T06:07:25.187-04:00Simple quesiton: Does it work in the overall conte...Simple quesiton: Does it work in the overall context, and flavor, of the story?<br /><br />If so, sex away.MysterLynchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06885108255773793665noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-62335877006817200492012-08-06T20:39:36.109-04:002012-08-06T20:39:36.109-04:00What I love to do is throw in clues while my chara...What I love to do is throw in clues while my characters are fooling around/pillow talking. My critique partners are either distracted by the romance and miss the clues or skip the scene because she is afraid they will have sex.Melissa Robbinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11660227475140255088noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-28795291034518931412012-08-06T20:15:24.642-04:002012-08-06T20:15:24.642-04:00Lora, I'm going to snickering for the rest of ...Lora, I'm going to snickering for the rest of the night... "Throbbing man-root" indeed. That's hysterical!!! And a good example of why one shouldn't write graphic sex scenes unless one is very, very good at it.Debhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11519514786198185277noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-41039050635959290882012-08-06T17:48:07.795-04:002012-08-06T17:48:07.795-04:00AND THE WINNERS of the welcome KAYE BARLEY contest...AND THE WINNERS of the welcome KAYE BARLEY contest are ARE: Sandee Barrowclough and Lil GLuckstern! Please contact HANK to choose the Red book of your choice! (Email me at h ryan at whdh dot com )<br /><br />hurray!Hank Phillippi Ryanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17420701704169428286noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-80363625980966808412012-08-06T15:07:50.035-04:002012-08-06T15:07:50.035-04:00Oh boy. Where to start? Where to end? Let's ju...Oh boy. Where to start? Where to end? Let's just say I don't want to hear anything about "a throbbing manroot," as enjoyable as one might be any place other than the mystery I'm reading.Maureen Harringtonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03499876353651763590noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-85682964242498009432012-08-06T14:31:54.272-04:002012-08-06T14:31:54.272-04:00Ramona: LOVE it!
I agree, Julia does tasteful l...Ramona: LOVE it! <br />I agree, Julia does tasteful love scenes...even when they are hot. <br />When they are appropriate, love scenes are great. And when they are not too graphic. Too much detail isTMI.<br /><br />Although I do have a funny to share. My hubby is not the reader I am. But one year, for Christmas, he bought what he believed to be a mystery to stuff in my stocking. It was one of the mystery-around-gratuitous-sex scenes book. And the author's favorite phrase? "Throbbing man-root" ! For heaven's sake, sometimes you just have to call a penis a penis!Lorahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02833218449658357107noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-41190293211569312672012-08-06T13:57:19.615-04:002012-08-06T13:57:19.615-04:00Ro, I love you. And here I've been trying so...Ro, I love you. And here I've been trying so hard to watch my language.Kaye Wilkinson Barley - Meanderings and Museshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07486129009717476920noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-42506202147364320062012-08-06T13:45:56.636-04:002012-08-06T13:45:56.636-04:00I was not a huge fan of Dragon Tattoo - partly bec...I was not a huge fan of Dragon Tattoo - partly because I felt every time the story lagged there was a flashback to a gruesome rape (Okay...time to revisit the rape again!)<br /><br />OTOH nothing wrong with a little nookie if it isn't just stuck in to prop up a flagging middle (did that come out right?)Rosemary Harrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08033747422699443024noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-56449915904206504182012-08-06T13:06:39.902-04:002012-08-06T13:06:39.902-04:00I agree, Julia does what she does brilliantly. So...I agree, Julia does what she does brilliantly. So many aren't able to write sex scenes as well and in trying, seem to keep the scenes going longer than necessary and then it just becomes a little embarrassing. I generally prefer my mysteries to have some romance, yes. And some sexual tension, yes. A hint of sex to come is, to me, fun and sexy and that's all I really need in a mystery.Kaye Wilkinson Barley - Meanderings and Museshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07486129009717476920noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-21175014523404883102012-08-06T11:25:10.119-04:002012-08-06T11:25:10.119-04:00Sex can have a place in mystery. It can be what dr...Sex can have a place in mystery. It can be what drives the culprit to break the law. It can be a break from the case for the detective. That said, a mystery would focus largely on mystery-solving. Erotica would focus on sex. A mystery wouldn't be awash in sex unless the sex trade, adult entertainment, etc. was a key factor in the mystery.Gerald Sohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03571407711439433431noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-39786179391269103092012-08-06T11:14:03.167-04:002012-08-06T11:14:03.167-04:00Ramona, I love that story! "Sex, sex, sex.&qu...Ramona, I love that story! "Sex, sex, sex." :-)<br /><br />Rhys, this is a topic that I've been thinking about a lot. In my Skeet Bannion books there's not really any sex per se. There are a couple of guys who'd like to take Skeet to bed or have a relationship with her, but one of Skeet's big problems that she's working on all through the series is that she's commitment-shy--and not just sexually. That, of course, is probably the real reason the guys want her. Based on my observation of men.<br /><br />I'm working on a mystery that's not part of this series with two protagonists who were high-school sweethearts in the distant past. The pain they caused each other then changed their lives, and they've had nothing to do with each other since but have kept up on each other's lives because their families are connected. Now, one is involved in a murder and the other is the homicide detective investigating the case.<br /><br />The unfinished romantic business between them has to be a part of the book and the sexual tension, as well as the determination to never be hurt the same way again. It's important to how the mystery is investigated for the ways it hurts and helps the investigation. I don't see any actual sex scenes in this book, but tons of sexual tension that's actually important to the plot.<br /><br />I'm not a huge fan of long, explicit sex scenes in anything. Like Hank, I think sex is a part of everything, even if it's no sex (which is often the sexiest). Still, lots of mechanics or flowery (or crude) language for sex and body parts turns me off. Show what's absolutely needed for character or story development, hint at the rest, and move on with the story. Debs does it extremely well, and of course, Julia is the queen of sexual tension.Linda Rodriguezhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11913741596693442469noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-80989290199736451782012-08-06T11:08:48.439-04:002012-08-06T11:08:48.439-04:00Ramona, LOL!!! Very interesting observations, all....Ramona, LOL!!! Very interesting observations, all. I wonder if readers are more excepting of sex in other genres? And not just straight romance. I'm thinking of Diana Gabaldon, and Deb Harkness, and Charlaine Harris in the Sookie books (not straight mystery).<br /><br />I went to a birthday dinner for a friend the other night, and several younger women there were big readers, and all the books they loved had lots of SEX.Debhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11519514786198185277noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-4216703940953058432012-08-06T10:56:45.363-04:002012-08-06T10:56:45.363-04:00Ramona,
I love that story!
And Karen, I think t...Ramona, <br />I love that story! <br /><br />And Karen, I think the STephanie Plum stories are really romances disguised as crime fiction, but maybe that's why I really like them. <br /><br />I think it's all about the story, am not a fan of really graphic sex scenes, and while I could have done with a little less violence, they were a key part of Dragon Tattoo series.Jan Broganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11323983086318138814noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-15679570082935518932012-08-06T10:45:52.754-04:002012-08-06T10:45:52.754-04:00This comment has been removed by the author.Gerald Sohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03571407711439433431noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-43881227366330131602012-08-06T10:33:53.371-04:002012-08-06T10:33:53.371-04:00Ramona, I love that story. =)
I seem to fall in t...Ramona, I love that story. =)<br /><br />I seem to fall in the same camp as a lot of you. I don't mind romance, or even sex, in a mystery IF it either furthers the story or furthers the character development. But just to shoe horn it in for extra "spice" or "steam"? No, thanks.<br /><br />I've actually been reading romances lately, something I avoided for years, to learn how those types of scenes are used effectively (or not).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-87117490644876115372012-08-06T10:07:24.292-04:002012-08-06T10:07:24.292-04:00Gee, Sandi, whichever series can you mean, with th...Gee, Sandi, whichever series can you mean, with the heroine vacillating between suitors? LOLKaren in Ohionoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-29293375403227085722012-08-06T09:53:57.880-04:002012-08-06T09:53:57.880-04:00True story: One of my critique partners gave his m...True story: One of my critique partners gave his mother a Kindle for Christmas. She is 91. He checks in on her every day. One day, he came in to find her reading an e-book.<br /><br />Friend: So Mom, are you enjoying the Kindle?<br /><br />Mom: I love it. I'm reading that 50 Shades of Gray book. It's sexy.<br /><br />Friend: *sputters* because his mother said the "S" word<br /><br />Mom: Russell, you are 64 years old, stop acting like a little boy. Sex, sex, sex.<br /><br />The End.Ramonahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00627775403015684868noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-80041571520392421372012-08-06T09:09:48.561-04:002012-08-06T09:09:48.561-04:00I like sex scenes... in books about sex scenes. (G...I like sex scenes... in books about sex scenes. (Gasp! Did I just say that?) However, a graphic sex scene stuck in the middle of a "serious" mystery novel for no reason other than titillation turns me off of that writer. But you know what else I hate? Series that go on and on with the heroine vacillating between two suitors, or not proceeding in some way with the obvious hero. If you're going to write a relationship into a book, even if it's a mystery, write the damn relationship! Readers are like dogs - reward us occasionally and we'll keep doing what you want because of the possibility of a reward. But let it go too long without an actual reward and we're over it. Eventually we figure out we're getting tricked. I've given up on more than one series because of this.Sandinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-87507040722596048022012-08-06T08:57:13.541-04:002012-08-06T08:57:13.541-04:00I would never write a sex scene in a mystery -- un...I would never write a sex scene in a mystery -- unless one participant killed the other during or immediately thereafter. I think of it as the Praying Mantis Principle.Earl Staggshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13349667172813175960noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-88560109492311576332012-08-06T08:27:29.397-04:002012-08-06T08:27:29.397-04:00Yeah, if the stories are about real people, there&...Yeah, if the stories are about real people, there's going to have to be sex. As I said, even "no sex" is sex..and even sexier sometimes, because of the desire and the lust and the need.<br /><br />But long pages of explicit stuff...hardly ever--ever?--works. For me.Hank Phillippi Ryanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17420701704169428286noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-75523481014437644702012-08-06T08:14:30.036-04:002012-08-06T08:14:30.036-04:00Aren't the Stephanie Plum stories mysteries? H...Aren't the Stephanie Plum stories mysteries? Having sex in them sure hasn't hurt that series at all. And there's plenty of sex. Isn't there sex in the Sookie Stackhouse series? <br /><br />To say there's no place for sex in a mystery, well, that seems pretty odd to me. Mysteries are as much about human foibles as anything else, and you can hardly be human without some kind of sexual shading. To just ban any reference at all, just because the story is a mystery seems very silly to me.Karen in Ohionoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-52127444260766368182012-08-06T07:28:44.801-04:002012-08-06T07:28:44.801-04:00Stuffing gratuitous/overly graphic sex into the my...Stuffing gratuitous/overly graphic sex into the mystery? Not so much a fan . . . as a reader, I’m skipping it and probably not looking fondly on reading more of that author’s work. However, if the sex in the mystery [just like any other scene] is integral to the storytelling, is believable for the characters, and is not something randomly thrown into the mix purely for the sake of including a sex scene, then it has a place in the telling of the story. I do think it needs to be done thoughtfully, however . . . I want the scene to be real in the characters’ lives but I don’t want to feel like a voyeur.Joan Emersonnoreply@blogger.com