Interesting question, huh? As an erotica romance writer, I'm always faced with, "Will my characters use a condom?" Yes, as funny as this may seem, it is a serious question in the writing field of romance. If you've read any of my books, and I sure hope you have, you'll know that several of my leading ladies have gotten pregnant. That doesn't ncessarily mean that the hero and heroine didn't use a condom. As adults, we understand that condoms break. You'll just have to read all of my books and find out who wore one and who didn't.
If I don't "use" condoms, my editor always leaves a side comment asking "where is the condom?" Some editors have been more stringent than others. Of course I'm not "forced" to have my hero oblige. Usually, my hero and heroine unwrap the foil package and roll one on. Does it take away from the heat that we so want to infuse into our erotica tales? I don't think it does. Just like any conflict in writing, we can make about anything look pretty and juicy. That's our job.
It should be a personl choice whether or not a writer decides to use a condom. Truth is, there are some situations where whipping out the condom just doesn't fit or isn't suitable. If I must skip a hot, sexy love scene because I can't write in a condom, well, let's just say that skipping a great scene will never happen. And, please keep in mind, in most romance stories (at least in all of mine), the heroine and hero are only sleeping with one another and will have the romantic ending of happily ever after. In real life, I advocate protecting oneself in whatever manner one chooses. However, if I wrote real life you'd be bored. Unless you live an erotic tale everyday...
So, to use a condom or not. It's all in the hands of the writer.
If I don't "use" condoms, my editor always leaves a side comment asking "where is the condom?" Some editors have been more stringent than others. Of course I'm not "forced" to have my hero oblige. Usually, my hero and heroine unwrap the foil package and roll one on. Does it take away from the heat that we so want to infuse into our erotica tales? I don't think it does. Just like any conflict in writing, we can make about anything look pretty and juicy. That's our job.
It should be a personl choice whether or not a writer decides to use a condom. Truth is, there are some situations where whipping out the condom just doesn't fit or isn't suitable. If I must skip a hot, sexy love scene because I can't write in a condom, well, let's just say that skipping a great scene will never happen. And, please keep in mind, in most romance stories (at least in all of mine), the heroine and hero are only sleeping with one another and will have the romantic ending of happily ever after. In real life, I advocate protecting oneself in whatever manner one chooses. However, if I wrote real life you'd be bored. Unless you live an erotic tale everyday...
So, to use a condom or not. It's all in the hands of the writer.
I'm in total agreement, Rhonda, safety first. Fiction is fiction, but I can't tell you how many times I get the "where's the condom?" note. Once, I wrote back, he's a jerk, what can I say?
ReplyDeleteNobody was amused. (besides me)