About two months ago, I decided to write a Young Adult short story targeted at The Wild Rose Press new line of YA, Climbing Rose. My daughter was so excited that she'd finally be able to read something I wrote, so she sat with me at the computer as I worked. She helped me with plot points, added dialog. Soon, she was fully involved in the process, a co-writer, as it was. When I submitted the story, I listed her as the co-author. Well, the story was accepted. Poor Me will be about 25 pages and is really a cute story with a little bit of a moral. My daughter, a new author at 13 is beside herself.
But she still wants to read my other works. "Not a chance," I told her over dinner the other night. "When then?" she asked. "When you're thirty," I responded.
"My God, Mom. What are you writing?"
I got a good laugh out of this one. But it got me thinking. Why is it that it's easy to put my work out there for countless strangers to read, but not my own kids. I have an eighteen-year-old son and I'd die if he read my stuff. It was really hard knowing my Dad would read sex scenes I'd written, but I have to believe he glosses over that stuff. Please, don't tell me otherwise!
What about you? Are you comfortable with your adult kids reading your sex scenes? What about your parents reading them?
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Oh -- after the Daphne's my mom asked if my 11 year old niece could read my writing.
"ABOSOLUTELY NOT!"
Then mom said, "Well, you should write something more appropriate -- something she can read."
Maybe someday, but for every movie, tv show, or book I've ever loved, I've loved them most because the guy gets the girl and there is a significant romantic element. So, you have to write to your own voice. Of course, this means that for now, I'm concentrating on romance.
But, yep, my 15 year-old can't read my books, either, not until she's 30!
Macy
Let me put it to you this way - I had some pretty grim stuff in my fourth year film, which I showed to my mom, aunt and uncle with the pre-warning, "This contains adult content." I figure if they were savvy enough to end up with my cousins, my sister and me, they can handle it.
I don't have any kids, but if they wanted to read adult content I'd written, I'd tell them I would want them to be 18 first, then assume they'd get their hands on it anyway, read it and not tell me. And then they'd be so impressed with how sizzlin' I was.
LOL -- I'd like to do exactly what you have done... my boys so want me to write something they could read and I would like to do that as well. Cool job on doing it with your daughter!
Cole
Congrats on the story!
I don't have kids, but I doubt I'd be comfortable with them reading my stuff. However, I started reading pretty juicy stuff at a very young age. But my mom did not write it. And, there's probably no way in hell I could avoid my mother reading my stuff after it's published so I'll just deal with it when the time comes. But yuck.
Macy; I'm with you. Even my 18 year old son isn't allowed!
Julia; Whem ny kids were little, 18 sounded good for all kinds of things. Now that they're older, 18 is sounding young again!
Cole; Thanks - you may have to start a new genre for your boys!
Julie; Thanks. My first trashy novels were Sydney Sheldon's, read by flashlight at camp!
LOL! Congrats on the story getting accepted!
I think it's the thought they will look at you different, maybe even say, "SHE thinks about THAT?" Let's face it, most kids don't want to think of their parents and the word sex in the same sentence. LOL! And most parents feel the same way!! :o)
Cos its like letting someone watch you have sex. It is for me, anyway. The scenes I write are pretty much out of my life, or could be - so I dont really want my mother or anyone else peeking into my bedroom!
First of all that is so cool for your daughter and congrats on the new contract!!
Well, I dont have adult children so I'm not sure how I'd react but I get really embarassed when my mom read what I wrote. I felt like I was 16 years old and got caught doing something I shouldn't.
Hi, Thanks for stopping by my blog. I don't know if there is a way to put a guestbook on here. There should be instructions LOL!
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