Tuesday, September 2, 2008

What would you do...

We've had posts on this blog talking about writing sex and violence, and the possible impact this has on the way people you know view you after they've read your work. So . . . how would you feel if your son (or daughter) read your sex scenes?

What about if your offspring filmed themselves read your naughty bits, and then posted the video on YouTube?

I still haven't decided whether the video is funny or pathetic. Personally, I'm laid-back enough (and so is my son) that I'd be amused - but only if this sort of thing happened seven or eight years in the future (since my son is twelve right now). But I know quite a few people who would be absolutely mortified if this happened to them.

How about you? If you were in this author's shoes, how would you feel?

3 comments:

Aaron Paul Lazar said...

Oh, God. I wonder how his mom feels about this? But it seems like she actually MARKED the segments for him ahead of time??? Strange way to push your novels, but... maybe it will sell some, right? I have always been hamstrung by the thought of my daughters reading my books, and constantly keep that thought in the background when I'm creating. But since over the past few years they haven't followed my stuff too closely (you know, that "in my own backyard" syndrome? It's just...Dad), I've gotten a bit bolder in my sensual scenes. LOL. Maybe someday it will come back to haunt me, who knows???

Erica Hayes said...

Oh, my. I'm not sure whether this is a kid's sad attempt at humiliating his mum, or some bizarre marketing stunt.

Either way, I'm not sure it works. Any passage can be made to sound strange if read out of context.

I don't have kids, so oddly it's the thought of my mum reading my sex scenes that sometimes gives me pause. But hey -- parents have sex too ;) or so I've heard.

(I enjoy your blog, btw. I've come here from AbD originally -- I'm ezra, though I don't get there much any more.)

Anonymous said...

WHen I was first writing, I'd be so excited at my creations, I'd rush over to mo mother's to read them to her. If there was any kind of sex scene (and I don't write 'erotica' at all), she'd get very quiet and afterwards she'd ask timidly, "Is that you and Chris?" It was funny, but I do keep in mind when I write about husbands and wives that my family has to be proud of my writing. So nothing gratuituous, only much deserved. (Laughing).