In Other News, Cinemax Will No Longer Show Soft-Core Porn

My Paduan Learner Booksquare reports on the Romance Writers Of America decision to disallow links to sites with objectionable language and graphics. Or as Ms. Square says:

The RWA board has, in its infinite wisdom, decided that the national organization and its chapters must adhere to a new, bizarre set of rules regarding linking to objectional sites. We say bizarre because it’s pretty clear the Board has never once, in their entire lives, taken a gander at the average romance novel cover. If so, they’d realize they have just eliminated 99.9% of all covers.

The RWA says this would constitute the following:

With respect to all RWA programs and services, the following shall not be depicted or represented: exposed male and female genitalia, exposed female nipples, cunnilingus and fellatio, hands or mouth covering naked female breasts, naked or g-string-clad buttocks, and beastiality. The following words: cock, cocksucker, cunt, fuck, motherfucker, shit, and tit, will not be displayed.

And their President goes on to say:

". . .if we wish to retain our charter with RWA, we will no longer be able to show jacket covers that don’t meet the standard and we can’t even link to the websites of those authors who might show their own covers, have excerpts that include certain language, or lead to the publisher’s website.”

When they say "author's showing their own covers," they might mean these two in particular:

And why are those the ones I picked? Well, the author, Linda Howard, is on RWA's Board of Directors and I see some pretty clear cut violations...and the covers aren't appropriate, either. (Thanks, thanks, I'll be in the Bali Lounge all week...)

Personally, I don't think their ban goes far enough. Here are some other book covers by board members that should be seriously evaluated:

They don't look related to me.

A clear and concise violation of the "No 80s Hair" rule first instituted by RWA in 2000. This rule also applies to author's themselves, specifically board members.

The presumption of vigorous dry humping is quite clear here. The man is naked. The woman is wearing a flowing dress and is nowhere near undressed. And Ms. Wilson is the President-elect of RWA! I am aghast!

Not a lot of people know about this, but losing an eye is incredibly painful. Even more painful, and more difficult to talk about, is how many women get sucked up into the sordid fetish world of Men With Eye Patches. This book cover glamorizes this fetish and I, for one, won't stand for it, President Wilson.

Comments

[Jim Winter]

Next up, the MWA will ban books depicting violence on their covers, because murder is a civilized undertaking after all.

How ever, I do agree with the SFWA's ban on alien nipple licking on covers. Human nipple licking is OK, but alien nipple licking? Do you know what they use those nipples for? I mean come on! We have to draw lines somewhere.

Unless we blindly follow our leaders, we can never truly be free.*

*Yes, I know I lifted that from somewhere. Extra points if you know where from.

[adam]

'Asshole,' I'm relieved to see, is still okay.

[Tex Lebeauf]

Perhaps I should re-evaluate the title before I turn in my new Harlequin, "Her Shit on his Dick."

[Gendy Alimurung]

See? Once again, the PeeInUrButt girl is ahead of her time.

[James C. Hess]

I don't know why but these rules remind me of little girls and pretend tea parties, which tend to erode into the hostess screaming, 'DON'T PEE IN THE TEA! DON'T PEA IN THE TEA! MOMEEE! THEY'RE PEEING IN THE TEA!'

[kitty]

Is it HOT in here or is it just me?

[JDRhoades]

Okay, y'all really need to see this:

http://www.worldoflongmire.com/features/romance_novels/

[kitty]

Lucianne featured that site one time. What a hoot!

[Not saying who]

Actaully... Gayle Wilson's cover... the guy IS wearing pants. Blue Pants...

[Tod Goldberg]

Why, you're correct NSW. Being red-green color blind, they sort of drifted off on me, but now, upon second look, I also see the knee boots. Of course, that opens up a larger question as it relates to fetish...but my dry humping assertion remains.

[gena showalter]

I bet the angels where singing when I decided to title my book The Stone Prince instead of The Stone Erection.

[kate]

awwww Gena, that was in the running and you decided against it? Damn!

[adam]

Your 'recent comment' list is pretty interesting, Tod:

"If anybody reads this and lives in the Marina del Rey vicinity go to see Dr. William Ginzburg (a nice Jewish boy who works on Saturdays) for all your dental needs ..." is followed by pantyhose pussy pissing's post: "http://viewpoint.dedok-kok.com/1767106/ shiny pantyhose legs fatpantyhosesex"

Pantyhose pussy pissing? The internet: where my kinkiest sexual fantasies are revealed as pure vanilla blandness.

[anne]

and my boyfriend wonders why i can't sleep...

-_-