A PG Girl in an R-rated World

Excuse me, but I feel the need to rant! I know I’m in the minority here, but I’m so tired of reading the “f” word in books that are supposed to be romances. IMO, there is nothing remotely romantic or sexy or appealing about THAT word!!!! I don’t know why authors feel the need to use it and I don’t understand why readers (and I’m speaking as a reader here, not a writer) don’t complain. Has the use of profanity become so commonplace that we just accept it?

I don’t know about you, but none of the people I see on a daily basis use that word in conversation. I’m pretty sure my sons probably say it when they’re angry, but not in my presence or within the hearing of their wives and kids.

And that word isn’t just polluting books. It’s in practically every movie out there except for those rated G, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it showed up there, too.

Spare me the argument that THAT word makes the story more realistic. I don’t know anyone who reads a romance because they’re realistic. I mean, come on!!!! We read romances for ESCAPE. The real world is filled with ugliness, cruelty, profanity, and a million other forms of sleaze and perversion. I don’t want to read it in my books.

Lately, I’ve stopped buying a number of my favorite authors because the love scenes are disgusting and the language, in some cases, has gone beyond the “f” word. Personally, I am not entertained by graphic violence, love scenes, or profanity.

I was talking to a group of authors the other day and one of them expressed her dismay when she read the “f” word in a book written by one of her favorite authors - an author who hadn’t used that word before. I could only nod because I knew exactly how she felt.

End of rant.

Madeline
www.madelinebaker.net