DECEMBER AND EMAIL RESPONSES TO ARTICLE ON SELF-CENSORSHIP
That partial quotation from Edgar A. Poe’s, The Raven, may not be exact, because it’s from my memory, which is hardly ironclad, especially about something which I read 25 years ago! Nevertheless, it is that time of year, when the days are at their shortest, and the weather is at its bleakest. So, like those Druids and others of old, we celebrate! As my fellow columnist, Kevin, mentioned in one of his fascinating articles about the origin of Christmas trees, let’s hang some “glistening” entrails on the evergreens to shimmer in the moonlight! And party down!
Actually, I have every reason to celebrate, because I’ve had some darn good news of late. One of my short stories, Soap Bubbles, has made it to the final reading pool of Dark Recesses. I have a story, Serpent Caravan, coming out this year with Dark Wisdom, and a novella (or very long short story -- whichever), entitled, Avenger of The People, appearing in hardcover, in Aberrant Dreams’ first annual anthology. And, in the signed limited edition will also be a reprint of my Bradbury County, as well. And right now, I have my short story, Dreamtime, out with Jim Baen’s Universe Magazine. So, I can’t complain! Or can I????
Oh, and then there is a Regency Romance novel I wrote in just 40 days last month (no; it’s not entitled “Forty Days and Forty Nights”), and it has been contracted for publication in 2009. The title is, Veracity in Truth. And get this; the publisher liked it so much, they’ve asked for the sequel already! I only sent it in two weeks ago! And, I have another publisher that’s requested a Regency Romance as well. So that’s THREE, going now. Gee, I wish my lips were longer so I could kiss myself, but that would be another whole kind of romance, and too bizarre a one for me to write!!!
Surprised I write romances? Don’t be, because even the darkest of us has a little romance at heart. Look at Anne Rice and her Interview with a Vampire. Definitely a little on the lovey-dovey side there! My entry into romances started with a time travel romance novel of mine, Lost Echoes, and has evolved from there. And don’t kid yourself; romances can be a real challenge, too! And, they can pay very well!
But now (drum roll please), the real reason for this particular blog is to start showcasing responses to my article at AlienSkin Magazine, of course. Bet you thought I’d never get around to that, right? The article I wrote was on author self-censorship, its inherent dangers, and I promised I’d put as many of them on this site as possible, pro or con my own article, and so I will. I will keep adding them to the bottom of this blog as they arrive, for as many as will fit here. I may eventually have to delete the first ones to make room for newer ones, but I’ll leave as many as I can, for as long as I can. Okay?
Now just a reminder for you, if you’ve read my article on self-censorship, you’ll see that I am totally opposed, in principle, to much of what Mr. Watson says in his email. But, because I do happen to personally oppose censorship to a large degree, I am reprinting it here, just as I promised, in its entirety.
And remember now, as the article clearly stated, I showcase your responses here, so don’t write me if you don’t want it in this blog – okay? If you send me an email, you have by that very act agreed to allow me to reprint it here. Also, any typos, spellos, or odd spellings are the letter writer’s and not mine. This has been reproduced as faithfully as we could from a non-html format. Any mistakes on our part, I will gladly correct if brought to my attention.
ALL LETTERS REPRINTED HERE ARE STRICTLY THE PRODUCT OF THE PERSON WHO SENT THEM. ALIENSKIN MAGAZINE DOES NOT ENDORSE OR IN ANY WAY CONDONE OR AGREE, EITHER IMPLICITLY, OR EXPLICTLY, WITH THE CONTENT OF ANY OF THESE LETTERS. THEY DO NOT REPRESENT IN ANY WAY THE OPINIONS OF ALIENSKIN MAGAZINE, BUT ARE SOLELY THE LETTER WRITER’S OWN THOUGHTS AND OPINIONS ON THE SUBJECT. WE TAKE NO RESPONSIBILITY OF ANY KIND FOR THEIR CONTENT. AND WITH REGARD TO CONTENT, ALIENSKIN MAGAZINE RESERVES THE RIGHT TO WITHHOLD THE PUBLICATION OF ANY RESPONSE WE FEEL, IN OUR OWN JUDGMENT, IS OVERTLY INFLAMMATORY OR WHICH CONTAINS EXCESSIVE VULGARITY.
So, here is Eric’s reply to my article (PLEASE REMEMBER, I DON’T HAPPEN TO AGREE WITH MOST OF THIS! BUT, EVERYONE HAS A RIGHT TO HAVE THEIR SAY, WHETHER I AGREE WITH IT OR NOT. THAT WAS THE WHOLE POINT OF MY ARTICLE.):
ERIC’S LETTER:
“It is truly my regret to inform you that many of the writers which were persecuted for indoctrinating the people in Marxist ideology were in fact guilty of it. Sorry about that.
[The "greenies" could use a little persecution IMO. So many good stories lost in a morass of environmental histrionics.]
Self Censorship:
Some don't do enough of it; some do way too much. Let's be real though. I'm a reader, been a reader for many years now. The last two pieces of work which really wowed me were the "Young Miles" stories from Bujold and "Snowcrash" by Stephenson. Oh, and the retelling of the Hornblower Saga, the "Honor Harrington" series.
Funny, I don't remember either one of those stories having explicit sex in them--the stories based upon Miles growing older did have sex; and it was to the detriment of the story in my opinion. I don't read for sex. If I want sex, I'll go out and get some--or do porn and not waste my time with extra stuff (Particularly the twisted perversions and odd stuff that has been added to fiction lately by some of the newer writers.) I don't want
angst, I have angst enough of my own. Frankly, I don't care about gay angst or gay
porn or the desire for "rough sex". I don't need that stuff in my head.
I lived through the soft-porn of the late 60s and 70s; it really pisses me off to have to slog through that sh*t again (remember "Horseclans"?)
I want to know the players in the play; to like them, to hate them, to wonder if they have hidden depths which I will discover later or a myriad of other aspects of character. I want the stage upon which the players present the story to be well defined; with consistency in the rules so that I may eventually perceive them. The backdrop may be presented with incredible clarity (because it is a major element of the story) or be sparse, and filled in with brush-strokes and glimpses until it is complete (The latter being used by the masters to give a familiarity--then to twist it into a complete surprise.)
And, of course, I want a story dammit!
"1632" and "Young Miles" are not new plots or stories by any stretch of the imagination. The "voice" of the storyteller and the presentation of the story made hackneyed plots new again. "The Stainless Steel Rat" wasn't a new plot--if you had read the "Raffles" stories (and others) you were quite familiar with it. The "voice" of the character, the tempo of the story and the twists in the background made them enjoyable and rejuvenated.
I have no illusions as to my own talents--I don't have any. I wrote several books along the way and burned them. They were unreadable. I did not have a unique "voice" and I had nothing of merit to say--A shrill voice boorishly cutting into someone else's conversation; wanting desperately to be a part of it, but having nothing to add to it. The end result is an awkward silence.
I want optimism back in science fiction.
I want clear role-playing back in fiction: You do something "bad" in the beginning of the story and you will pay heavily for it by the end. There may be hard-won redemption for a flawed hero, but the "bad guy" is going to die--horribly. THAT'S WHY IT'S FICTION.
In "real life" the bad guy gets to blame someone else, or worse yet is rewarded for his behavior. When I read, I want that f*cker to die, slowly and agonizingly if possible. [Or, if it is written from the POV of the bad guy, I want the "good guy" to be a sanctimonious puke so I can enjoy his horrible demise.]
The last things I want shoehorned into a story are: moral relativism, rabid environmentalism, attacks upon Christians/Jews, vegetarianism, twisted S&M, the ghey, or for God's own sake--bodice-heaving Frikking romance with male characters being named after pointy-things like Lance and Dirk. I especially don't want Lance and Dirk having the Frikking romance! JEEZE!
Let me give you a message to pass on, GHEY ROMANCE will not make me more accommodating to gay people. It makes me want to find the nearest screaming Queen and slap it. Close the bedroom door.
Present the characters as PEOPLE; their sexuality is none of my business unless it is used to further the plot--and the plot had better be worth my putting up with creepy behavior. Case in point: Elizabeth Bear's "Carnival". Teh Ghey was used as bludgeon throughout the entire story.
It's all I remember about the book. I also remember being very angry because there was a story buried underneath all of the propaganda. Had the orientation (and bullsh*t over-emoting-drama-queen-ing) of the characters been a minor detail or perspective, there would have been a good story there. Maybe not. I was really pissed over the $8.00 I misspent on the book.
Biologically Gay people should not have to put up with "breeder porn" either. The story should be important. The Characters and their development should be important. If sexuality of the character is more than a tiny detail there is something horribly wrong with the writer, they need help--or need to finish puberty before they attempt to write again.
Eric J. Watson”
And there you have it; Mr. Watson’s contribution. We thank him for the time and effort to respond to the article. If you wish to respond and/or send me an email with your own thoughts on the subject of self-censorship, please go to AlienSkin Magazine’s home page at:
I’ll be glad to consider all letters. But for the sake of all our readers, do try to keep them reasonably tasteful. Hmm… maybe I am for some self-censorship at that!
HAPPY HOLIDAYS ALL!
Sgt. Shelsky
