Carly's Ramblings Blog - Style

Fifty Shades... & Reading A Little Of Everything

Today's blogs...

Superstition – Stevie Wonder


I Robot (movie version)


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I,_Robot
Linking the movie I, Robot with Issac Asimov – his science fiction short stories of the 1940 and 1950s. I had not realized this... but I am not overly surprised, many science fiction writers have foretold things that have come into being.

A taste of the movie....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eT1QV6IY_8c

Blog City – Day 368

Every media source has covered this but us... Let's talk about E.L James and 50 Shades of Grey. Do you think it is erotic romance or pornography? Do you think this will encourage more openness about sex? I wasn't surprised to see the influx of copy cat books. What about you? Keep in mind, we have a variety of age levels among us.

I resisted reading this book for the longest time... and at this point I have only read the first book. Tonight I went to see the opening of The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel movie (which was good by the way – I took my mother for her birthday) and the two ladies behind me were chatting about 50 Shades - which is still at the theater. They had both read the books, but were not really thrilled about seeing the movie. I turned around, and in my usual join any conversation, commented that I figured my own imagination could do better than any movie. The ladies agreed and said that men would probably like it because the girl spent a lot of time naked.

As for whether we are dealing with erotic romance or pornography... it is walking a fine line. The fact that the girl walks away because she wants something more keeps it from being complete sexual gratification. If they can make this more than his purely sexual domination, then erotic romance wins out.

I am not sure about the more openness about sex... I have heard that hardware stores have been selling more ropes and such to couples... so maybe sexual exploration is on the rise - in some circles. I will admit to reading other erotic romances... some of which are better in their writing ability than 50 Fades, but it only works for me if both members of the relationship are equally matched and satisfied with their relationship.

For my own writing... I have taken the Romantic workshop here on Writing.com and I enjoyed the experience. For me the emotional relationship is paramount... anything that happens physically comes from that... there must be respect, love and admiration. Friendship and fun is also part of the package... not everything centers on the sex. Just like a good relationship.... there is more that just gratuitous sex.

Prompt: Reading old texts like the Greek and Roman literature and works up to a century ago versus the present-day works: Which one do you think is better for the improvement of a writer's craft?

All I can say is..... huh?

Now that that is out of the way... I will admit to enjoying reading Jane Austen, Charlotte and Emily Bronte. But I also see the importance of reading current contemporary authors to give you a well rounded 'education'. You will write what you read... and what you read must be prolific in classics and contemporary. You get a sense of what you like and don't like and also learn how published authors - of any time period - made their writing work.

Perhaps one day I will read something of the more classic bent of Greek or Roman literature but... for now. I am happy with any reading I challenge myself with as well as any I read for enjoyment.