Thursday, November 12, 2009

Throwing the Book at the Wall

Get ready for a semi-frank discussion of genitalia. If you think this is not something you want to read, click here for a sea monkey rerun.

I was reading a book yesterday, shocker, I know. It was by a NY Times best selling author, or so the cover declared. I was enjoying it, not totally engrossed, but it was a pretty good read. Then I came to the first sex scene. There were some of the typical formulaic things that the main players must be endowed with, but I could still buy it. Then the hero said something in mid coitus that made me snap the book shut, and I haven't picked it up again.

There are certain things that can jar me out of a book, especially during the hot and heavy scenes. I write pretty steamy, some erotic romance, some just higher heat levels. I'm also the first to admit that I am not the best writer in the world. But there are certain words that I just can't get behind. And it's probably not the ones you would think. I am a fan of the c word as used to describe female anatomy and have used it in my writing. But if I see the word mons, I will, nine times out of ten, stop reading right there.

Describing genital areas as furry or fur covered will also stop me dead in my tracks. I'm just not down with that image.

Repeating why the hero and heroine can't get together over and over throughout the story will get me to stop reading, too.

So, are there any standard phrases, words or situations that will get you to close the book? Do tell!

4 comments:

Susan Gourley/Kelley said...

I won't read anything where the conflict between the main protagonists could be resolved by a simple two minute honest conversation. I also put down any book where the heroine is weak and dependent on the big strong hero.
And furry??? LOL Not sure I ever encountered that description but it sounds a little too beastie for me.

M.J. Fifield said...

Books that use an overly extended metaphor in a sex scene always get me shaking and/or scratching my head. There was one book I read that was so bad I wasn't sure if they were having sex or taking a nature walk. I love metaphor and use it frequently but there have to be limits.

Ava Quinn said...

I'm right there with you, Sue. Those types of books definitely are not for me.

And can I tell you, the SEVERAL times I came across those furred descriptions, they were not paranormal romances. They were contemporary. Crazy.

Ava Quinn said...

Yeah. The purple prose is definitely not for me either, Melissa. It can get down right humorous if it's taken too far. And everyone wants to laugh through a sex scene, right?

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