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| This one would be okay, since it's non-erotic. But wait, he's shirtless & you can see his undies. Abort! Abort! |
But I digress.
Things were going swimmingly and I was encouraged that maybe my books could be part of my local library system. Then I asked about the raciness aspect. The library director put her hand down on the counter and said, "At one end of the spectrum we have those Harlequins your grandmother would read, and at the other end of the spectrum we have Fifty Shades of Grey," and moved her hand to the other side of the counter.
My head exploded. Here was my thought process as I tried to recover. "Oh my God, she thinks FSOG is at the END of the spectrum? And she's a library director?!?"
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| The blow job scene w/in the first 10 pages would've caused a swoon, I'm sure. |
I managed to tell her I had books from about the middle of the road (I do publish some non-erotic titles) to the Fifty Shades side. I chose not to mention just how far past the FSOG line some of my work was. Here's how she responded. She pursed her lips - I don't think I've ever seen someone actually do that, and wrinkled her nose like she'd smelled something bad. Then she said, "Oh, I don't allow books with THAT KIND OF CONTENT."
Seriously? Who made you judge and jury about what types of work readers should have access to? I thought this was 2013. We can't handle a little sex with our love stories?
Apparently not. Censorship is alive and well.
But I know when to fight the battle and when to retreat, so I retreated. I'm going to contact the central library acquisition department to see if their policy reflects the archaic attitude of that library director. I hope not. I can't say I have much confidence, though.
-- Cassandra
To see more about me and my books with THAT KIND OF CONTENT, check out my website at http://www.booksbycassandracarr.com.
I am EXTREMELY dissatisfied with our library system. When I contacted them a while back about adding my print book to their catalog, I was told I had to send them the book and it would be evaluated. There was no guarantee it would make it in. And then I'd be out my book. No thanks. I asked about digital and they said they didn't accept digital book donations from local authors.
ReplyDeleteI think what she did to you is completely ridiculous. And they wonder why the library is short funding.
This is why I don't use our local library system. A friend was at our library with her daughter and had checked out a few Harlequins and found one a slight bit racier but didn't get it at that time. When she went back it was no longer in the library. It had been removed from the shelves. They "accidentally" added that book and got a complaint then removed it in response. She is now looking at getting an ereader and canceling her library card.
ReplyDeleteDo you know how long it's been since I have actually set foot in a library for this exact reason? The books I wanted to read weren't really there. Thanks, but I'll stick to buying you guys straight from Amazon or whichever online store tickles my fancy.
ReplyDeleteSHE doesn't allow? I had no idea a library's collection was the sole property of one misguided person. #sarcasm
ReplyDeleteAnd this is the reason that I no longer go to my local public libraries. The one in the town I currently live in (I am getting ready to move), doesn't even carry many romances at all.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comments, everybody! I was pretty disappointed, and I don't use the library for the same reasons you all have mentioned. I think libraries provide a crucial service, just not to me. I do bring DD there to get books.
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