While I was away

Hope readers haven't completely given up on me. I've been largely MIA because of health issues and a bout of anger/depression. The short of it: I allowed some relative stranger's behaviour get to me. Allowed would be the right word because if you don't allow jerks to get to you, they can't get to you. Anyway, this particular person basically asked what I wrote and I answered honestly "erotica", there was a follow up request for an example. In response, I sent a link for a free ebook and then received the response that really set me off: He said he wasn't going to read such crap.

Why ask for an example if you're not going to read it? And why slam something as crap when you haven't even read it?

I think what angered me was the fact that I specifically advise writers I work with at my day job that the best thing to do is ignore such people. I stopped the conversation cold right there. The upshot? The other party is apparently a writer himself.

Message to fellow writers and readers out there:

It's your prerogative to read what you like and avoid what you don't. You're also entitled to your opinion after you've actually read something. What you're not entitled to is the right to dismiss a certain genre as crap, particularly when you haven't even read a sample.

I chose to write erotica. Not because I couldn't write anything else. It's precisely because I've done almost every type (articles, opinion pieces etc) and genre of writing out there that I tried this frontier. If readers genuinely dislike the genre, I respect their opinion and their choice of another genre or source. What I ask is simple: Just as I respect others' opinions, I hope they show similar respect my choices and what I write.

Moving away from that, I'm in the middle of three separate storylines, one being an updated Othello, another a sci-fi short and a third a LW original. When I say three story lines, I'm not dismissing the others which are constant WIP. Still, if anything happens to me, I'm hoping some friends of mine will take care of the rest of my stories. I thank them in advance here!

Having said that, I'm not planning to check out of earthly life anytime soon. Check this space soon!