Lately I’ve been wondering how much boffing is too much boffing for traditional fantasy. Because right now my WIP seems to need a cold shower.
I’ve always had a bit here and a bit there in everything I write, but really, I’m not writing erotic fantasy. I may even have erred on the side of caution in some of my books for fear of bringing too much sparkly-girldom into my fantasy, because heaven forfend my future fans upset the status quo at sf/f cons by having, you know, vaginas.
And yet even as romantic vampires are supposedly ruining conventions all across America, we have columnists like Ginia Bellafante in her recent review of HBO’s Game of Thrones telling us no self-respecting woman could possibly enjoy traditional fantasy, and that if we like it it’s because it’s been “sexed up” and we ren-faire losers are too stupid to notice we’re being fed pablum to keep the boys happy.
Meanwhile, self-hating-woman columnist Liz-something of the Daily Mail tells all of us stupid boorish sex-positive feminists that women pretty much hate sex and only do it to get a man to take care of us. So really, HBO can’t possibly be engaged in imaginary sexing-up of George R.R. Martin’s writing to get women to watch, cuz we’re all frigid. (Welcome to somewhere in an orange and avocado polyester jumpsuit in 1972, and grab yourself a valium and a vodka tonic because the last 40 years were all in your head.)
It all has me a little confused. Do I dance around the sex to avoid being accused of (gasp!) writing for women readers or do I sex it up for the hordes of Lifetime watchers I might be able to lure into the genre?
The problem is, I keep doing this silly little thing where I write what I enjoy reading. And right now in The Palace of Wisdom, all of my characters are going at it like they’re at a South of Market sex club in San Francisco on a Saturday night.
But maybe it’s okay, because Jacqueline Carey has a fabulous anal scene in Kushiel’s Justice. Whether it’s because women writers and readers are tarnishing fantasy’s good name or not, it looks like the sex kitten is out of the bag.
And now as bonus post-script eye candy, and apropos of nothing, Maroon 5’s Adam Levine seems to have a little something Belphagorian going on:
Thanks to the lovely ladies at Cup o’ Porn for turning me on to this yumminess. ;)
Comments
16 responses to “Flesh for fantasy”
It seems to always come back to the Madonna/whore complex. We’re either frigid, or we’re wanton little sex-kittens with no brains. Blech.
I think your plan to write what you would want to read is a good one. :-)
“Wanton Little Sex-Kittens” sounds like a great title. I’d read that. ;) (Probably a bit different from one of my favorite stories as a child that it reminds me of. LOL)
Bravo!
*sputter* *choke* self respecting women, WHAT?!!?
Well, I’m glad that I’m on THIS side of the fence – lovin’ me my fantasy, lovin’ me my sex and lovin’ me my vagina. I have two degrees in women’s studies from Northwestern University, so lovin’ me my BRAIN too!
One more reason I love my Jane Kindred novels. I repeat – you GO girl!
XO
Sara
I think you just won Best. Comment. Ever. ;) I’m so glad you love my novels ~beams~…and I’m so very glad you love your vagina. :D
I agree!! Sex is a part of life- a fun, exciting part! I think it’s very incorrect for that Liz person to say women hate it and only do it the please our man and keep a roof over our heads. I don’t appreciate basically being called a prostitute…”will have sex for roof”.
I love to read and write romantic fiction and love, lust, desire…it’s all a part of life…not just a part of romantic fiction.
Every time I think about that article I get really steamed up in all the wrong ways. And that she stated it as a “cold, hard fact” was infuriating. The only thing cold and hard about it appeared to be herself.
On a totally random side note about the eye candy, I must add that Belphagor would *never* have a woman’s hands on him like that. (Unless they were a wicked fairy queen’s hands and she was controlling his “element” against his will. But he certainly wouldn’t be smiling.) Just sayin’.
I think every book is different. I write fantasy/romance and I’ve written stuff where the characters never touch each other, wait until they are married, are sex-buddies, one night stands, some mildly kinky stuff, and everything in between. It’s what your characters would do. If your characters want to go at it let them go at it. I think there is a point where some people just put in sex to fill out a book, which is another issue all together, but sex in fantasy isn’t misplaced.
And what is this about no “self-respecting” women liking traditional fantasy? That’s insane! *clutches Tolkein to chest.* Equally insane is the idea that all women are frigid man lassoing opportunist prostitutes. Why is it always two steps forward 40 steps back? :(
And yes, write what you like. If you like reading sex scenes in books put them in your books. Great post BTW.
Thanks. :) The first books in the series are fairly mild, but something happened with this book right out of the gate. I just keep watching them all, going, “wow, *what* are you characters *on*?” LOL. One might argue that I should be more in control of my characters. But I might laugh really hard if one were to do so. ;)
*goes back to reread article because I can’t look away from that picture* Hawt. Love the Cup o’ porn site, lol.
Anyhoo, I say write what you want to write for your characters. I wrote a category length romance targeted for Harlequin Blaze before I wrote my erotic romance. I wrote it a bit scared because I didn’t want to trip over into the erotic romance zone and not be appropriate for the line. Well guess what, they loved the book but want me to revise before considering again.
The main editorial note? Add more sex and make it dirtier. Ha! Well, thank you Ms. Editor, I believe I can do that. So I should’ve trusted my instinct and wrote the sex I wanted to write. :)
*goes back to picture*
So many things in life can be improved with “add more sex and make it dirtier.” ;)
Hear, hear!
I’m here because Tiffany said I had to… :P
It’s more than just that article. Every night on TV there’s some poor housewife complaining about how her husband wants too much sex! Even many talk shows have women rolling their eyes over what a chore sex is.
Too much sex? What? Just because I’m married and 40 and have 2 kids, I’m supposed to be disinterested?
That is NOT me!
There’s a line in “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” where the mother is explaining to her daughter that, although Greek women cook and clean and raise babies “We are a TIGRESS in the bedroom!”
Although this over-share prompts an “Ew” from the bride, it was great to see an acknowledgement that women can be mothers and wives and still want some hot and steamy sex. I know I do.
I like Adam’s tattoos! Love the arm sleeves.
(No, that was not the first thing I noticed.)
(The first thing I noticed was his smirk. Pervs.)
I have this mixed relationship with labels and gender and gender-bending and gender-pandering. On the one hand, my love affair with languages and my belief about the importance of language to humanity means that I recognize the influence/necessity of labels on an existential level. (Yeah, I went there. *Existentialism.*)
On the other hand, I mostly want to give a big fat finger to the folks who try to tell me what the hell I’m supposed to think or how I’m supposed to interpret things because I’ve got boobs and a vagina. I consider myself a feminist. I read romance novels, wear pink, hate make-up, love high heels, and swear like it’s going out of style with folks I’m comfortable around.
So I think I’m gonna say
1) yes, your methodology for dealing with this dichotomy (geez self, used enough silly words today?) is FANTABULOUS: I too will write and read what makes me happy regardless of if it adheres to traditional gender roles, bends them, or performs the hula while frolicking under the sea.
2) I will continue to use such labels and arguments/discussions about labels as proof that humans are continuously evolving creatures, and the assumption that labels and language can (or should) be static would fundamentally constrain that aspect of our nature.
#end semi-philosophical treatise
3) What about: http://www.d-addicts.com/forumfiles/gong_yu1_380.jpg
See, I did a couple of women’s courses at university as well, and what our professor used to say was that, biologically, men and women are equipped to enjoy sex equally. All these “women are frigid” and “women only have sex for money/security/emotional reasons” are arguments constructed in a male-dominated society, without a true female POV.
The most unfortunate thing of all is that these arguments are mostly used by women nowadays. Frankly, I think men are a little scared to use them anymore.
I will not comment on Ms Bellafante’s comment about women and high fantasy. I will frown and look at the two fantasy novels currently sitting on my nightstand. Does Ms Bellafante mean that I am not a woman? (I am definitely a fantasy literature fan!)
As a writer, I try to do whatever feels right for the characters. If it feels right for them to get hot and steamy, I’ll do my best to write it. If they are a little bit more timid and prefer to keep me out of their bed, I respect that.
Every time I tried to steer a character away from what felt right and natural, I failed, so I try to avoid that.
Now as a reader, I find myself frequently baffled as to why, when the sexual tension is so palpable in the characters’ interactions, there is no ultimate climax anywhere in the book. (Forgive the pun.)
Sex is a part of live. Some may argue that is is a big part of live. It should be a part of literature as well, no matter what the genre.
Jane, thank you for this wonderful post and I apologise if my long-winded comment has taken advantage of your hospitality.
ps: Adam is definitely fantasy-worthy. Yum!
LOL…no word limit on comments. I’m just glad people are reading and talking about it. :)
I pretty much let my characters run around like over-sugared toddlers and do whatever they like. I’ve found that whenever I try to rein them in, I’m headed for trouble. ;) Of course, there are always consequences when their behavior gets out of control, so I can’t wait to see how this is all going to shake out.