tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10897259.post111722786040951400..comments2024-03-29T04:23:11.822-04:00Comments on Ramblings on Romance Etcetera. Etcetera: A ramble - Why is it?Kristie (J)http://www.blogger.com/profile/15743921647882733738noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10897259.post-1117663860692801202005-06-01T18:11:00.000-04:002005-06-01T18:11:00.000-04:00oh see I am completely different as far as rl goes...oh see I am completely different as far as rl goes. I could careless how many people a person as slept with. And honestly don't think it is wise to marry anyone you haven't had sex with, forever is a long time.<BR/><BR/>But historical romance novels... different story. Although I still have to say I wouldn't write a book off for having a sexual heroine nor do I need VIRGINITY to be a character in the novel.sybilhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11342302708116383329noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10897259.post-1117636865612113822005-06-01T10:41:00.000-04:002005-06-01T10:41:00.000-04:00I think that the way we view heroines in books are...I think that the way we view heroines in books are reflective of how we view other women in real society. <BR/><BR/>How many of us judge other women negatively if we know that they've slept around? I'm as guilty as anyone for thinking that women that sleep around are a little slutty, but to be honest, men that sleep around get me mad as hell too, but more often than not, men's promiscuity is rarely portrayed negatively.<BR/><BR/>As a rule, we seem to judge our own sex a lot more harshly. Talk about double standards.<BR/><BR/>Sisterhood? What sisterhood?Karen Scotthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08873003367159718118noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10897259.post-1117546400587615642005-05-31T09:33:00.000-04:002005-05-31T09:33:00.000-04:00Loved this post! So well said!Loved this post! So well said!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10897259.post-1117319560992476512005-05-28T18:32:00.000-04:002005-05-28T18:32:00.000-04:00I don't usually have an issue with virgin heroines...I don't usually have an issue with virgin heroines in historical romances, unless they're widows. Contemporary heroines who are virgins are much harder for me to buy into, especially if the heroine is older than 22. And it's just that they're virgins--they're usually extra-virginal. They've never masturbated, never fooled around, never even kissed somebody. It irritates me because it reinforces the sexual double-standard. Not only that, it commodifies the heroine's purity and oftentimes makes it seem as if that makes her morally superior somehow--this is especially irritating when there's a villainess in the book and she's unapologetic about her sexuality.<BR/><BR/>That, for what it's worth, is why I can get very, very irritated with certain varieties of virgin heroine (mind you, not all, just some kinds), and why I find myself agreeing with Mrs. Giggles more often than not on the issue of virgins in romance novels. Plus Maili is right--there are SO DAMN MANY of them, even in contemporaries.<BR/><BR/>Not saying I can't ever buy into a virgin widow or whatever, but the author had better make the reason really compelling and different.<BR/><BR/>Now, blasting a heroine for having a past and calling her a whore or a skeet or whatever simply because she DARE have an orgasm without the hero present--THAT bugs me a lot, because romance novel heroes are some of the sluttiest men in fiction, and the whole sexual double-standard thing is a big, big pet peeve of mine.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10897259.post-1117299193039491512005-05-28T12:53:00.000-04:002005-05-28T12:53:00.000-04:00CW! Hee I had forgotten about that urban dictiona...CW! Hee I had forgotten about that urban dictionary. And sadly lil john is who I thought of when I saw the word skeet.<BR/><BR/>heeeee someone should go post that.<BR/><BR/>KJ:<BR/>I hope you didn't think I was being ugly. It is a vaild rant, and even if it wasn't it is your blog ;). I can understand why people are getting pissy about sookie but really the misuse of skeet is unforgivable *g*<BR/><BR/>The challenge to everyone is to use skeet in a sentence this week ;).sybilhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11342302708116383329noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10897259.post-1117280298777862172005-05-28T07:38:00.000-04:002005-05-28T07:38:00.000-04:00I'm not saying we shouldn't have our favourite typ...I'm not saying we shouldn't have our favourite type of character, we would prefer to have a heroine with/without sexual experience but it's the intensity some readers display for the type they don't like that baffles me. I had a good friend once who would sleep with anything in pants where I was the exact opposite. I didn't/wouldn't want her lifestyle but still she was my friend (long since moved away and we lost touch). To myself I sometimes thought her choices were wrong, but she was a good person and I didn't judge her for it - well not enough to affect our friendship anyway.<BR/>Of course we have our opinions, what would we be without them. If a reader doesn't want to read a book with a certain type of heroine fine, but why get all prissy and condeming about it? And why is it mostly concentrated on the heroine?Kristie (J)https://www.blogger.com/profile/15743921647882733738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10897259.post-1117252718943659422005-05-27T23:58:00.000-04:002005-05-27T23:58:00.000-04:00Amen, Kristie! I truly detest those horrid labels ...Amen, Kristie! I truly detest those horrid labels ['Skanky ho' is my least favourite]. It's fine if it's said with humour, but as a casual/contempous reference? No thanks. <BR/><BR/>I think the reason why some dislike virgin heroines is there are so many virgin heroines [a friend once found that 49 out of 58 books in her TBR pile have virgin heroines]. In some cases that's all to them. As in making virginity a - sometimes her only - character trait. <BR/><BR/>The way I see it - if authors decide to make the heroine's virginity an issue, then how could readers not make an issue out of the heroine's virginity as well? It works both ways, really. <BR/><BR/>Actually, that applies to "loose" heroines as well. Some authors DO make an issue out of heroines' sexual experience [or lack of]. So it's no wonder why readers take stand on this issue. If it's not that important, authors wouldn't make it part of a storyline, would they?losthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08442753250306506463noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10897259.post-1117237291995703052005-05-27T19:41:00.000-04:002005-05-27T19:41:00.000-04:00Well I think if you don't like a plot element, the...Well I think if you don't like a plot element, the choice to read it or not is up to you and that is all fine and dandy.<BR/><BR/>Will a person miss a great book? Maybe. But what makes a great book for me might not make a great book for them so I can't make that call.<BR/><BR/>Is sookie turning into a whore or a anitawannabe? Maybe. I haven't read DAAD yet. But I do have it. <BR/><BR/>Will it upset me if she starts screwing everything in sight? Yes, because her series is already too close to anita blake so why take her down that same path. As a reader that pisses me off because I expect more from Harris and more from sookie. That being said - I like LKH and enjoy her books. And god knows anita screws just about anything that doesn't have a pulse or gets furry ;).<BR/><BR/>I like virgin romance novels. But don't believe in waiting in rl. Go figure. Maybe it is the fantasy of it all. Would I read a book if the chicka was a ho/shank/whore/skeet? it would depend on the book. The sex lives of the characters don't generally decide if I am going to read a book or not.<BR/><BR/>Although I am still out on The Marriage Bed... I might get it new or I might buy it used. But I will read it at some point just because it pissed so many people off before it was even out.<BR/><BR/>Of course I think people need to understand if a person dislikes a plot or a book it doesn't mean they hate the author or people that do love/like the book. They are different animals - sez I. Oh I just wrote a book in your blog. Sorry....sybilhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11342302708116383329noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10897259.post-1117234123830632422005-05-27T18:48:00.000-04:002005-05-27T18:48:00.000-04:00Can you hear me clapping from upstate New York??We...Can you hear me clapping from upstate New York??<BR/><BR/>Well put. "Skeet" is a new one for me too.<BR/><BR/>Why can't the sexual experience fit the character and the story line and go from there?Tara Mariehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15963704767440694312noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10897259.post-1117229747523476232005-05-27T17:35:00.000-04:002005-05-27T17:35:00.000-04:00Skeet? Heh. That makes two of us cuz I've never he...Skeet? Heh. That makes two of us cuz I've never heard that expression used either. Anyhoo, I find it really curious and a little sad that women tend to be harder on other women about sexual history whether it be in books or in real life. I mean I've never heard a guy using a word like skank but I must have heard it a million times from other women, including myself. But I believe in equality so I use it to refer to men too. Yeah dudes can be skanky. Witness Britney Spears husband. A male skank if there ever was one :)<BR/><BR/>Giselle (feeling very chatty cathy today)Gigihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14714304209968060379noreply@blogger.com