tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-334971464359338872.post859626058752137120..comments2023-09-10T06:13:15.389-04:00Comments on Nine Naughty Novelists: Put a Raincoat On That Soldier!kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13865842550376328393noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-334971464359338872.post-6385098784691987102012-01-26T23:27:26.606-05:002012-01-26T23:27:26.606-05:00In my book, the hero was a little older,and the he...In my book, the hero was a little older,and the heroine was a virgin - at least until she met him! I wrote it into the story that he tells her she makes him feel like a kid again because he hasn't had to carry a condom with him in years. And then she makes an appointment to get on BC pills. Of course, just being on the pill doesn't protect from STD's but I didn't want to spend too much of the story talking about wrapping his Johnson. I made the point and then moved on, letting the reader just assume they were using birth control consistently.Joan Chandlerhttp://joanchandler.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-334971464359338872.post-35812569230467347832012-01-26T16:51:30.245-05:002012-01-26T16:51:30.245-05:00Very good point, Robin. And Leah, you're right...Very good point, Robin. And Leah, you're right. We've all done this so much it's hard to do it without falling into cliche.Meg Benjaminhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01081153466394828760noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-334971464359338872.post-13350856719903917472012-01-26T10:35:36.588-05:002012-01-26T10:35:36.588-05:00You know, even if the woman is on the Pill, men sh...You know, even if the woman is on the Pill, men should still protect themselves and their partners. The Pill protects against pregnancy. A condom protects against STDs. Of course, nobody wants to think that the H or h have STDs, but isn't it better to be safe than sorry?<br /><br />Personally, I get squicked out if there's no talk of protection. And when I hear the female say "Oh, I'm on the Pill," like that solves all the problems, I mentally roll my eyes. If it's PNR, it's different because that's fantasy anyway. But if it's a contemporary, wrap that rascal!Heather in FLhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02831134396724341486noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-334971464359338872.post-46444330346206804112012-01-26T09:51:13.665-05:002012-01-26T09:51:13.665-05:00gah -- make that "nor does it prevent pregnan...gah -- make that "nor does it prevent pregnancy 100%"Leah Braemelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05926632511671914080noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-334971464359338872.post-43238829832524881242012-01-26T09:49:33.646-05:002012-01-26T09:49:33.646-05:00Putting on my "mom of boys" hat here -- ...Putting on my "mom of boys" hat here -- I always told my sons that being on the pill did not prevent you from getting STDs, not did it prevent pregnancy 100%. Especially if the woman was on antibiotics which can interfere with pill's efficacy. Plus not all women can take the pill and are forced to rely on other methods. (I actually deal with that issue in one of my stories.) <br /><br />As a writer and a reader, it annoys me sometimes to have to write/see that mention of the condom wrapper or applying the condom because I like to assume they're intelligent and doing the right thing, and the aforementioned crinkling wrapper or application becomes cliched. I'd love to say I write fiction in a perfect world where people can have threesomes with no repercussions (most times.) I'd love to say my readers are intelligent enough to "get" that my characters are taking the protection, but apparently we are required to write PSAs in our novels too. <br /><br />But, as Robin said, it can make a touching moment, or a funny one on occasion.Leah Braemelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05926632511671914080noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-334971464359338872.post-57765255560829144392012-01-26T09:13:59.001-05:002012-01-26T09:13:59.001-05:00I always try to have my h/h deal with condom use, ...I always try to have my h/h deal with condom use, or lack thereof, in a way that's consistent with their characters. For instance, I find it endearing for a man who was married for years and hasn't had to deal with condoms much to fumble with them a bit, or for a heroine who hasn't had a lot of experience to watch with fascination, or maybe withdraw and let some doubts creep in, while he pauses to put one on. Done right, condom use is just one more way to deepen characterization.<br /><br />But no matter what the era or world, failure to somehow address the issue of protection, either during sex or after in an "Oh, crap!" moment, always yanks me out of the story because it's just not realistic--at least for halfway intelligent, responsible adult characters. Sex makes babies and potential STDs, and any character who doesn't even think about the possible consequences probably isn't a character I want to read about.Robin L. Rothamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17553282341899660240noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-334971464359338872.post-55677214175029149012012-01-26T04:47:17.249-05:002012-01-26T04:47:17.249-05:00Ugh, I find this so hard (no pun intended). I usua...Ugh, I find this so hard (no pun intended). I usually have my heroine put it on the hero, but actually getting it from jeans/drawer is the most clunky part.Jasmine Ahernehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13376570340209670366noreply@blogger.com