The ultimate compliment?

mirrorkisses · Oct 7, 2007

I usually let my mom read chapters after I finish and she'll critique them (she used to write, herself). Well the other day she read a chapter in which my hero and heroine finally have physical contact. I asked her if I'd done the scene right or if it felt like it was just stuck in there, and she said, "No, the guy is really hot."
I got quiet and didn't say anything for a couple seconds, then said, "I wasn't really wanting to hear that my writing turned my mom on."
She replied, "Well, it was a little uncomfortable admitting it!"

ZannaPerry · Oct 7, 2007

My mom also critiques my work....sometimes....but she will never under any circumstances, read my love scenes. She's read so many love scenes from so many authors because romance is all she really reads, but it is just so darn uncomfortable for her to read mine, something that came out of my head. It's nerve-wrecking. And she already tells me she wouldn't want to read my love scene, and I am okay with that.

So, you have a lot of guts, mirrorkisses.

clara bow · Oct 7, 2007

wow, that's really cool! go mom!

Ziljon · Oct 7, 2007

So I guess the next step is for you and your mom to go out to a bar...

mirrorkisses · Oct 7, 2007

Probably the funniest part (I thought, at least) is that he's supposed to be 23 and my mom is 61!

Khazarkhum · Oct 7, 2007

So, your mom is a cougar? Woot!

mirrorkisses · Oct 7, 2007

heh, not really. She's married, too. to my dad.

musilian · Oct 8, 2007

oh gross! but awesome.

johnnysannie · Oct 8, 2007

mirrorkisses said:
Probably the funniest part (I thought, at least) is that he's supposed to be 23 and my mom is 61!

Awesome but not amusing!

As a college professor - a man about 60 when I was 21 - once said, just because there is snow on the rooftop doesn't mean there isn't a fire in the furnance.

I'm 46 but I can find men much younger than myself attractive and even hot. Those kind of feelings don't vanish with age!

melaniehoo · Oct 8, 2007

That's great! Now I don't feel so bad showing my mom my stuff. Same thing - she reads books with steamy scenes but it's weird having her know I think these things too!

qdsb · Oct 8, 2007

LOL! Way to go, mom! And I guess you can really trust that this chapter works!

Jersey Chick · Oct 8, 2007

Cool - I'm not the only dork who squirms at the thought of her mom reading her love scenes. I want to rip out those scenes to keep her and my MIL from reading them... ;D

Chumplet · Oct 8, 2007

My (ahem) dad reads my stuff. He hasn't directly critiqued the love scenes, but I know he read 'em.

Jersey Chick · Oct 8, 2007

**squee**

I just hate it and it makes me feel like a little kid again. But I don't want either them or my in-laws reading any of my love scenes (they tend to be a little **ahem** steamy)... it's tough to look them in the eye when I know they've read one of my books (and, like good, supportive family-type people, they've read each one.)

Robin Bayne · Oct 8, 2007

I now write inspirationals and "sweet" romances, but my mom still tells me her favorite of all my books was my very first--the time travel romance with steamy love scenes.

We don't talk about *why* that's her favorite.

Sonarbabe · Oct 8, 2007

My mom is a diehard romance reader. So, I let her read my stuff and she doesn't have a problem reading my love scenes. It bugged me at first, but when I told her I was nervous about it, she said, "Oh quit being such a sissy and let me see it." After she was done, she cleared her throat and muttered, "Wow. That's better than the one I'm reading right now."
Did I mention that Mama Sonarbabe is blunt? :ROFL:

Khazarkhum · Oct 8, 2007

Sonarbabe said:
My mom is a diehard romance reader. So, I let her read my stuff and she doesn't have a problem reading my love scenes. It bugged me at first, but when I told her I was nervous about it, she said, "Oh quit being such a sissy and let me see it." After she was done, she cleared her throat and muttered, "Wow. That's better than the one I'm reading right now."
Did I mention that Mama Sonarbabe is blunt?

I love it! My mom loved murder mysteries, so she never really read my stuff--at least, not that I know of. Now that I think about it, she probably did.

Of course, that fact that she liked books about people being slaughtered in various ways probably spoke volumes about her feelings for people!

Jersey Chick · Oct 8, 2007

My mom's also a mystery lover - but since I'm her daughter and I write romance, she's kinda stuck.

Of course, on the flip side, she thinks everything I write is brilliant and that the big names should look out.

She wouldn't be a little biased, now, right??

mirrorkisses · Oct 8, 2007

johnnysannie said:
Awesome but not amusing!

As a college professor - a man about 60 when I was 21 - once said, just because there is snow on the rooftop doesn't mean there isn't a fire in the furnance.

I'm 46 but I can find men much younger than myself attractive and even hot. Those kind of feelings don't vanish with age!

my mom isn't into younger guys (she's said this to me).

mirrorkisses · Oct 8, 2007

Jersey Chick said:
My mom's also a mystery lover - but since I'm her daughter and I write romance, she's kinda stuck. Of course, on the flip side, she thinks everything I write is brilliant and that the big names should look out.

She wouldn't be a little biased, now, right??

my mom tries to remain unbiased. But I'm still her daughter THE WRITER.

Jersey Chick · Oct 8, 2007

Yeah - she tries - she'll tell me if she likes this or that, or doesn't, and why. But if anyone asks well. that's a whole 'nother ball game right there.

Sonarbabe · Oct 8, 2007

Khazarkhum said:
Of course, that fact that she liked books about people being slaughtered in various ways probably spoke volumes about her feelings for people!

ROFL! That very well could be the case. I always told my boyfriends that it wasn't my dad they had to worry about...it was my mom! 5'1" of pure scariness. *shivers* God, I love that woman...

Khazarkhum · Oct 8, 2007

Sonarbabe said:
ROFL! That very well could be the case. I always told my boyfriends that it wasn't my dad they had to worry about...it was my mom! 5'1" of pure scariness. *shivers* God, I love that woman...

Really sounds like my Mom! 4'10" tall, big dark ryrs...she got people to help her because she looked so helpless. She was about as helpless as a cobra!

johnnysannie · Oct 9, 2007

mirrorkisses said:
my mom isn't into younger guys (she's said this to me).

I'm not "into" younger guys either. I am married but if I wasn't - and when I wasn't - I didn't normally date younger guys. It's not about being into younger guys - it's about being a woman who can appreciate males of any age. Romance is about love but also about the fantasy of love. Reading - or watching - a younger than myself hero makes me feel ageless and not limited by my age. If I'm reading a book about a hero who is twenty-five, I don't think "Oh, I'm old enough to be his mom so I can't get into this story"...I read as a woman, not as a 46 year old (which technically I'm not for two more weeks).

If you're writing for your mom, fine, but if you're writing for a broader audience, then you need to keep in mind that there are other tastes and preferences out there. That's true for writing romance and for writing in general.

Cathy C · Oct 9, 2007

Yeah, that's one of those squishy topics. Siblings, family members (and let's not consider our KIDS getting turned on by what we write. Yikes!

)

Still, congrats on a job well done.

The ultimate compliment?

mirrorkisses

ZannaPerry

^ Just Me & a Sharpie

clara bow

Li'l Rug Bug

Ziljon

Tortilla di Patate

mirrorkisses

Khazarkhum

mirrorkisses

musilian

johnnysannie

melaniehoo

And thus we begin the edits

qdsb

Cynical Idealist

Jersey Chick

Up all night to get Loki

Chumplet

This hat is getting too hot

Jersey Chick

Up all night to get Loki

Robin Bayne

~writes for Him~

Sonarbabe

Working In A Coal Mine...

Khazarkhum

Jersey Chick

Up all night to get Loki

mirrorkisses

mirrorkisses

Jersey Chick

Up all night to get Loki

Sonarbabe

Working In A Coal Mine...

Khazarkhum

johnnysannie

Cathy C

Ooo! Shiny new cover!