Content Preference

[C James]

Do you think of Brandon and Chase as having sex?

 

Do you think of Helen and Barbra as having sex?

 

The reason I ask is that because CJ frequently makes mention of Brandon and Chase's sex life, or otherwise eludes to it, even if he doesn't describe it graphically. On the other hand I can't remember any explicit references to Helen and Barbra's sex life, despite the fact that I'm assuming it exists. Has this impacted your perception of the characters and their relationship, especially their sex lives?

 

One of the reasons that I really like sex scenes in a story is because it drives home the point that they are having sex, I being to think of them as a sexual, more complete couple, and even if at other points their sex life is merely eluded to and not explicitly described I still have something to visualize. I do like at least a few good sex scenes between serious couples in a story simply for this reason; to me it's an important part of character development with regards to the relationship.

 

Of course the next best thing is to mention that they were in fact (or are about to be) having sex. At least then it's explicitly said and brought to mind that, yes, this is a romantic couple and they're doing all the 'romantic couple' things. It's thus more tangible than not mentioning it at all, but it's a little bit less 'real' than if it had been described.

 

I'm not saying a story 'needs' sex to be a good romantic story. For example many romantic stories are primarily about the couples 'getting together' in the literal, we're-now-dating sense of the phrase. Of course these stories are okay without sex because the point of the story is for them to be shown 'falling in love' and overcoming obstacles to be together versus being in love and conducting their relationship on a day-to-day basis.

 

LTMP works fine without sex because the story isn't about Brandon and Chase's relationship: that's just a side story. However, I do have a very strong preference for serious romantic stories about couples during their relationship to include at least a few sex scenes. It may sound 'pervy', but to be a good romantic story about a couple I would similarly expect to see a few scenes of the characters comforting each other, sharing joy, making compromises, arguing in a healthy way, etc. For such a story, to me, completely omitting sex scenes would be the equivalent of the writer simply glossing over an argument or bonding moment with narration instead of allowing the characters to flesh it out in dialogue and/or inside their heads. As I said, LTMP works well with this style of approach to romance because romance is not it's primary focus. We similarly haven't seen a huge number arguments, compromises, or 'relationship work'. In this case that's fine and the tech details are probably more relevant to the story because they're more in line with the story's focus. I'm working on a story which has some medical/technical aspects, but I don't feel bad about minimizing the amount of details so long as the story is realistic and believable. These details are simply a plot device and not at all the point of the story, so glossing over them to some extent feels acceptable.

 

Anyway, I guess what I'm getting at with all of this is that the type of story should probably dictate the type of scenes expounded on within the story (go figure ).

 

Take care and have an awesome day all!

Kevin

 

Great questions!!!

 

I tend to allude to sex (though there are a couple of sex scenes in the posted chapters of LTMP and FTL) becuase I find them damnably hard to write. Its hard for me to make them unique, and I also (more recently) try and avoid graphic anatomical words becuase, to me, that makes it read like porn (and I hate porn).

 

For Barbra and Helen, although I say they are lovers, you're right, I haven't really even alluded to sex between them. I feel I should have alluded to it, it would have made it more realistic. I guess the reason i didn't is I have zero interest in lesbian sex, but I could have at least alluded to it. Thanks for pointing that out; I hadn't realized it myself.

 

You're right; LTMP is not, primarily, a relationship story, so I tend not to focus on relationship issues. Brandon and Chase haven't been shown having a major argument, or any of the other travials that are part of real relationships. I think there could have been a little more of that, and I'll try and to keep it in mind for the next one.

However, there will be some things coming up in LTMP that will fit some of what you mention.

 

On the top-bottom issue, I was vague there for a reason; I prefer to leave it to the reader's imaginations. My own personal opinion would be that they are like Chris and Steve in FTL: they do a number of things in bed, and are versitile in many ways. However,l that's just my opinion; any other opinion is equally valid.

[GaryK]

Isn't stating that Barbara and Helen are lovers enough to allude to the fact they're having sex? What more do you need to write about that subject? To me anything more would border on graphic sex and that's just not your style. Yours is a style I appreciate because you assume your readers are intelligent and I like to think we are. To extend that a bit, we can even imagine that Chase and Brandon do have arguments occasionally. It's not really relevant to the story though because ultimately, as you stated, this is not a relationship-based story. That's just the hook to keep us interested in the real story, that of The Scar.

[C James]

Isn't stating that Barbara and Helen are lovers enough to allude to the fact they're having sex? What more do you need to write about that subject? To me anything more would border on graphic sex and that's just not your style. Yours is a style I appreciate because you assume your readers are intelligent and I like to think we are. To extend that a bit, we can even imagine that Chase and Brandon do have arguments occasionally. It's not really relevant to the story though because ultimately, as you stated, this is not a relationship-based story. That's just the hook to keep us interested in the real story, that of The Scar.

 

Thanks.

 

What I had in mind for Helen and barbra wasn't graphic, more of a single line like "Hand in hand, Barbra and Helen retreated to the bedroom, anticipating the pleasures to come."

 

You're right; graphic sex isn't my style, either as a reader or a writer. That doesn't mean I never write it, just that it's rare and if its there it has a very specific reason to be there.

[GaryK]

I don't see Helen as someone who would display affection like that with her girlfriend in public. Maybe it's just my irrational dislike of Helen that makes me feel that way. Whatever it is, that's how I feel.

[Tiger]

Thanks.

 

What I had in mind for Helen and barbra wasn't graphic, more of a single line like "Hand in hand, Barbra and Helen retreated to the bedroom, anticipating the pleasures to come."

 

You're right; graphic sex isn't my style, either as a reader or a writer. That doesn't mean I never write it, just that it's rare and if its there it has a very specific reason to be there.

I'm the same way. However, I do tend to have it more often than some. It usually means something really good or something really bad. Once I even foreshadowed death in a twisted way. I happen to prefer authors who do not just have gratuitous sex in their stories. I like it to be tasteful.

[AFriendlyFace]

You're right; LTMP is not, primarily, a relationship story, so I tend not to focus on relationship issues. Brandon and Chase haven't been shown having a major argument, or any of the other travials that are part of real relationships. I think there could have been a little more of that, and I'll try and to keep it in mind for the next one.

However, there will be some things coming up in LTMP that will fit some of what you mention.

 

Thanks.

 

What I had in mind for Helen and barbra wasn't graphic, more of a single line like "Hand in hand, Barbra and Helen retreated to the bedroom, anticipating the pleasures to come."

 

You're right; graphic sex isn't my style, either as a reader or a writer. That doesn't mean I never write it, just that it's rare and if its there it has a very specific reason to be there.

LOL, if you want to make it just a bit more provocative you could always swap pronouns and substitute the participial form of "come"

 

"Hand in hand, Barbra and Helen retreated to the bedroom, anticipating the pleasures of coming"

 

 

I'm the same way. However, I do tend to have it more often than some. It usually means something really good or something really bad. Once I even foreshadowed death in a twisted way. I happen to prefer authors who do not just have gratuitous sex in their stories. I like it to be tasteful.

Hehehe, you must be careful how you phrase things, Tim. But either way, good for you

 

 

Take care all

Kevin

[Tiger]

Hehehe, you must be careful how you phrase things, Tim. But either way, good for you

I wish that were the case, but it is not. I live in the boonies, so there don't seem to be available men around here, at least none that are out in the open.