A Pretty Cover and an Ugly, No-Spirit-Of-The-Season-HERE Rant
Looky! It's a cover!Fortune's Fool, an anthology of erotic fiction based on the theme of psychic phenomena, is set for release by Phaze in Spring of 2007. Contributing authors include Bianca D'Arc, Eva Gale, Cassidy Kent and ME!! And...AND...it's likely going into print and will be carried by at least some Borders and maybe a couple of other chains, as well as a few indie bookstores.
Pardon me whilst I sqeeeeeee at a frequency only dogs can hear.
My contribution is titled "Flesh and Bone." It's a trés dark and violent little tale of an eeeeeevil Dominatrix with Daddy Issues, and what happens when an undercover police detective and an English professor find themselves caught in her scary-ass web.
One of my crit partners* has suggested that I might get into some trouble with BDSM community over my portrayal of violence and murder as part of the "lifestyle." My initial reaction to that was...huh? It's fiction. Readers are smart enough to understand that the creating of fictional characters and fictional worlds isn't an automatic indictment of how real people live their lives, no matter how they choose express their sexuality or affection or WHATEVER.
But then I thought about it. And I saw how some folks could get bent out of shape over seeing people who practice their lifestyle made out to be villains. So I'm going to include a disclaimer at the start of my novella -- editor willing -- that says the following:
"The people depicted in this work of fiction are not real. Any resemblance to real life is entirely coincidental. Furthermore, the vast majority of people who live and play within the BDSM lifestyle are not insane, violent or murderous. This story just happens to be about some who are."
There's a part of me that rebels at including this disclaimer. Because where will it end?
"This is fiction. The vast majority of people who: are of Italian descent/ are of Irish descent/ are of *fill in the blank* descent, and/or are cops/ are doctors/ are hedge fund organizers, and/or have: blond/brunette/red/black hair, blue/green/gray/brown eyes, live in apartments/townhouses/ranch-style duplexes/mansions/huts/caves... are not bad guys. Because remember? This is fiction."
Hello?
While I'm all for being sensitive, inclusive and even politically correct if it avoids hurt feelings, I'll be damned if I'll write bland, faceless, identity-free villains just to keep people from losing their shit over something so inane.
Ahem. Pass the @#$$%^& eggnog.
*Have I mentioned my crit partners? I LOVE my crit partners. ADORE. WORSHIP. Would not get SHIT-ALL done if it weren't for knowing how I'd disappoint them** if I chucked it all in to become a Girl Scout Leader and President of the local PTA.
**Psssst. Don't tell anybody, but I don't fear their disappointment nearly as much as I do their wrath. Seriously. You don't want to piss these people off. Barbara in particular. The girl doesn't make idle threats. And Eva? She has fruitcake and is not afraid to use it. The less said about Don, the better. Scaaaaary dude. Really. You can't possibly even imagine. Or you might, if you read his books -- particularly ADVENT, which is the darkest of dark thrillers and is set in the month of December. Ho-Ho-Run! Hide! That sound you hear isn't sleighbells.It's the Angel of Death and he's coming for YOU! *cowers*
2Comments:
You are absolutely right about the fact that it is fiction and no one should get their knickers in a twist, but I've watched bloodbaths for the use of the "c" word. So. Just say'n.
Please pass the eggnog.
Whereas I'm all pfft it's FICTION, people, about the whole thing.
Then again, I look at our current administration and realize just how blurry the line between fiction and reality is for some folks. But I'm probably not one you want to be listening to today, given that I've been all Ranty McRantypants myself.
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