I write mostly erotica, which doesn’t seem particularly risky these days. I appreciate David’s comments about exploring the fringe of erotic writing by dealing with nonconsensual sex. Real life and real sex deals with real conflict. How twisted that the nonconsensual act of being murdered is fine to write about in detail and from the murderer’s point of view even, but nonconsensual sex is not.

Still, I have the most respect for YA writers these days. Imogen’s post was well-stated. I wouldn’t even try it! I’ve made my own criticisms of YA stories with bad messages–like anything in the Twilight series–but literary criticism shouldn’t mean authors avoid writing what speaks to them.

As David intimates in his post, readers need to be critical thinkers (be aware, for example, of the “unreliable narrator”). As I told my nephews who loved the series, Twilight readers need to understand the world presented by the author is not Truth but her own idea of women’s power & role (which I hated), and readers are free to accept or reject that world-view.