tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529128955266044151.post1179647960989292588..comments2023-10-31T10:59:03.023-04:00Comments on INKSPOT Crime Fiction Blog | A Place for Mystery, Mayhem, Writing and Life: YOU CAN'T SAY THAT IN A COZY!Linda O. Johnstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01512430135042480450noreply@blogger.comBlogger26125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529128955266044151.post-81321124223035400062013-02-13T13:37:11.462-05:002013-02-13T13:37:11.462-05:00I like "clean" books, especially cozies....I like "clean" books, especially cozies. Some damns or hells might be okay, but not the F, S, or P words. Agatha Christie didn't use those words. You can get your point across w/o cussing.<br /><br />I also don't like the fact that most T.V. shows made for movie channels and FX are rated mature. Guess they don't want to appeal to everyone and definitely not families.<br /><br />25 of the S word? Too much for me.Michelle Fidlerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10285519745590239008noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529128955266044151.post-84444252519818514722013-02-08T19:29:06.936-05:002013-02-08T19:29:06.936-05:00I've gotten a few comments about the language ...I've gotten a few comments about the language in my Chloe Ellefson mysteries. Roelke McKenna is a cop, and when things really hit the fan, he speaks accordingly (although I only use F*** once per book, I think.) Kathleen Ernsthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07009876100214388898noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529128955266044151.post-53029105949425423502013-02-07T13:48:18.490-05:002013-02-07T13:48:18.490-05:00Thanks, Polly. I've given up trying to underst...Thanks, Polly. I've given up trying to understand what motivates some reviewers to post what they do. I had a reviewer on Amazon give me 3 stars recently, stating that she'd just started reading the book, and so far it was good. Aren't you supposed to wait until you finish a book before posting a review? Lois Winstonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01866423986250423199noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529128955266044151.post-65673624887443136462013-02-07T09:08:26.256-05:002013-02-07T09:08:26.256-05:00Important post, Lois. Brava! I don't write coz...Important post, Lois. Brava! I don't write cozies, and it's clear from the descriptions of my books. However, I have one reader who's read three of my books and in her reviews on Amazon puts a WARNING: on each one to let people know there's sex in the mystery, and she doesn't like that. She gives me three stars each time. Lady, if you read one book of mine and the contents don't suit you, why read the second? And if you read two books, why are you surprised to find the same things that bother you in the first two. I finally made a comment.<br /><br />I agree that the writer must let her characters act, well, in character, or else they come off phoney. I have a lot of problems with genre formulas, but this was an excellent post dealing with one of them. Polly Iyerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05729656119287702191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529128955266044151.post-63719714042894205662013-02-06T22:57:46.918-05:002013-02-06T22:57:46.918-05:00Thanks, Barbara and mjdresselbooks!
Pat, sounds t...Thanks, Barbara and mjdresselbooks!<br /><br />Pat, sounds to me like that word should stay right where it is. Plenty of amateur sleuth books use the word "damn," and really, that's such a mild expletive these days. Don't second guess yourself!Lois Winstonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01866423986250423199noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529128955266044151.post-70068097447902116982013-02-06T21:24:43.395-05:002013-02-06T21:24:43.395-05:00Lois, what an interesting and timely post. I'v...Lois, what an interesting and timely post. I've read some good books that are so full of profanity I can't review them, but otherwise they made my "favorites" list.<br /><br />I'm struggling with my own WIP. The opening line since the beginning has been "Damn, it's cold." The scene is set in an abandoned cemetery during a dense fog Christmas week, and damn, it really is cold, cold enough to freeze your bone. I hate that "damn" is the first word in my amateur sleuth novel-in-progress, but it fits so perfectly I hate to take it out.<br /><br />Thanks for an interesting blog!<br /><br />Pat Browning<br />Pat Browninghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09827344209588183175noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529128955266044151.post-91051105098502121482013-02-06T19:26:20.537-05:002013-02-06T19:26:20.537-05:00I don't mind reading foul language, or writing...I don't mind reading foul language, or writing it, if it fits the scene or character. Now, I have to go do a word count. :-) I like this down-to-earth-tell-it-like-it-is post.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529128955266044151.post-28628122542102990422013-02-06T18:53:19.887-05:002013-02-06T18:53:19.887-05:00What a fun post. I don't mind bad language as ...What a fun post. I don't mind bad language as long as it seems appropriate to the characters. I prefer bad language to obvious substitutions... but that may be because I have to control my own potty mouth at times.Barbara Monajemhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06740868750916582900noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529128955266044151.post-76874883387544021862013-02-06T15:51:57.500-05:002013-02-06T15:51:57.500-05:00This is what happens when you have two Google acco...This is what happens when you have two Google accounts. I just posted a comment under my character's name! That's the deleted comment.<br /><br />Sally, I've found that you can never please everyone. What offends one person won't bother another. So I write the way I believe my characters should be written. Some of my characters are foul-mouthed, but I use their foul words judiciously. When a character who normally wouldn't use a foul word uses such a word, it's shocking, and that's what I'm going for. <br /><br />I'm certainly not writing for The Sopranos, but in real life people sometimes use certain words they might not otherwise use. When they do use them, they have a lot more impact than if they used them all the time, and I believe substituting a euphemism at these times or saying the character cursed wouldn't have the impact I want. I want to shock people to make them realize the seriousness of the character's situation or state of mind at the time.Lois Winstonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01866423986250423199noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529128955266044151.post-45180510323745942272013-02-06T15:40:36.537-05:002013-02-06T15:40:36.537-05:00This comment has been removed by the author.ANASTASIA POLLACKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03160162455676799133noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529128955266044151.post-60259989457529900742013-02-06T15:28:15.924-05:002013-02-06T15:28:15.924-05:00Regarding "realistic" language, many peo...Regarding "realistic" language, many people don't use potty language in public, so "realisticly" an author doesn't need to feel she must use profanity constantly. "Realistically" some of my characters would swear more than I write them, but I feel the raw languague detracts from the story and why alientate an section of the audience that doesn't want to read such language? In my books I use some mild profanity but certain words I never use. I get around that by writing "She threw a lewd comment back at him." <br />Sally Carpenterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00068827626295000653noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529128955266044151.post-12133005160083061832013-02-06T14:37:39.602-05:002013-02-06T14:37:39.602-05:00Debra, I'm surprised Harlequin allowed it. The...Debra, I'm surprised Harlequin allowed it. They have pretty strict rules about that sort of thing. Must have slipped past the editor.Lois Winstonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01866423986250423199noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529128955266044151.post-12939827966156287342013-02-06T14:15:20.562-05:002013-02-06T14:15:20.562-05:00My very first Superromance contained the f-word. A...My very first Superromance contained the f-word. An angry teen expressing her anger--seemed to fit. I got raked over the coals by several readers, who seemed on the verge of using it themselves. <br />I agree that the language should fit the character. My new work reflects that.<br />I LOVED Deadwood, too.<br />Debrahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00092173878115644405noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529128955266044151.post-37084853427708403462013-02-06T13:53:56.897-05:002013-02-06T13:53:56.897-05:00Thank you all for stopping by to comment. This is ...Thank you all for stopping by to comment. This is definitely one of those topics that pushes a lot of buttons, isn't it?Lois Winstonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01866423986250423199noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529128955266044151.post-37777170642691835922013-02-06T13:04:11.154-05:002013-02-06T13:04:11.154-05:00I have to admit that I go to great lengths to avoi...I have to admit that I go to great lengths to avoid the use of the "F" bomb. However, there are plenty of others that I'll use. I like your comment, Lois, about the character voice needing to be true. McKenna, the main character in my funny Hawaiian mystery, PHOTO FINISH, does let a few good ones fly, but I've never done a count. I might be surprised at the results!Terry Ambrosehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14859532145979982213noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529128955266044151.post-11599187490285708002013-02-06T12:35:42.450-05:002013-02-06T12:35:42.450-05:00Interesting blog, Lois. I have to admit, when I re...Interesting blog, Lois. I have to admit, when I read your books the four-letter words never particularly jumped out at me, so they must have felt appropriate for the characters and situations. I'm presently working on a cozy that includes rock musicians and, toward the end, one very seedy bad guy. I use some medium-bad words throughout, but in the climactic scenes with the bad guy, my heroine--who is recalling it all first-person--jokes that she is censoring things a bit. So we get "freaking" and a few other substitutes. I think it conveys the idea that the dialogue was really a lot saltier, and also adds a bit of humor (I hope!). E. F. Watkinshttp://www.efwatkins.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529128955266044151.post-1893309767327079592013-02-06T12:20:09.078-05:002013-02-06T12:20:09.078-05:00First I want to say that people/characters that in...First I want to say that people/characters that indulged in a lot of curses do so because they do not have the vocabulary to accurately describe the situation.<br /><br />Now my protag in my mysteries set in the horse world is a Polish horse trainer that smokes, drinks and swears.<br /><br />I really did not want to have his curse words littering the book so I researched and found a kinda one size fits all POLISH curse word that couldn't possibly offen readers because 99.5% wouldn't have any idea what it means. I identify "Kurwa" as a Polish cuss word a couple of times early on and leave it at that. When my man needs to swear, he does not offend.<br /><br />My two cents Patti Brooks Patti Brookshttp://www.pattibrooksbooks.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529128955266044151.post-50271367357194712722013-02-06T12:13:36.474-05:002013-02-06T12:13:36.474-05:00Yes, that PBS song was falling down funny. I agree...Yes, that PBS song was falling down funny. I agree with your stand. If you are writing realistic stories, then they really aren't cozy in the traditional sense of the word. I sometime review cozies in which i have to modify the adjective, so readers will be warned. Labels are alway problematical.carl brookinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16400731716746662544noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529128955266044151.post-69303597948357729732013-02-06T11:50:01.074-05:002013-02-06T11:50:01.074-05:00Interesting post and I love that you've counte...Interesting post and I love that you've counted those 'offensive' words. My books are peppered with the f-word, simply because the characters have to sound realistic. In one of my books, I had 2 teenage boys (dragged up by a criminal stepfather and a waste of space of a mother) cursing frequently and my publisher made me remove the f-words. Those boys never sounded convincing.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05938431508430656253noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529128955266044151.post-24184120991187459812013-02-06T11:19:21.878-05:002013-02-06T11:19:21.878-05:00Well, with my Harlequin Intrigues, we have to keep...Well, with my Harlequin Intrigues, we have to keep it squeaky clean. I often resort to, "He cursed under his breath." I abide by the rules for Intrigue, but in my single title and indie books, I use whatever words seem appropriate for the character and the situation.Rebecca Yorkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07753481166716036608noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529128955266044151.post-58894222378818760512013-02-06T11:13:26.704-05:002013-02-06T11:13:26.704-05:00Terry, I agree that some books use too many 4-lett...Terry, I agree that some books use too many 4-letter words. Hence, my reference to Alex Foley. It seemed like every other word in Beverly Hills Cops was the F-word, and it not only grew tiresome quickly, it took away the impact the word would have had if used judiciously and sparingly.<br /><br />Mareva, I read somewhere that there was a huge scandal over Rhett Butler saying "damn" in Gone With the Wind. I just don't think "drat" or "darn" would have have worked as well.Lois Winstonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01866423986250423199noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529128955266044151.post-24565254726580186892013-02-06T10:58:23.993-05:002013-02-06T10:58:23.993-05:00Love the Schlitz.....I know Miss Marple was proper...Love the Schlitz.....I know Miss Marple was proper, but then again saying "drat" somehow just make you feel better, does it?Lili Northehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06949347446353287769noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529128955266044151.post-85381347496354948912013-02-06T10:13:58.456-05:002013-02-06T10:13:58.456-05:00It totally depends on the situation. I've read...It totally depends on the situation. I've read books that had too much of it. I felt that the author could get the point across without using so much. On the other hand, some of it was so appropriate that using something else would have seemed silly.<br /><br />I had a YA book that my publisher wouldn't even allow Jeez. Really? Okay, gee whillikers then. Give me a break. LOLTerry Spearhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14788961423817944896noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529128955266044151.post-90522793866828750762013-02-06T10:12:07.544-05:002013-02-06T10:12:07.544-05:00Shannon, what I find interesting is that words I d...Shannon, what I find interesting is that words I don't deem as falling into the potty mouth realm are definite no-no's for some people. So you're *darned* if you do, and *darned* if you don't sometimes. :-)<br /><br />Kristopher, I totally agree, and that's why I will continue to use words appropriate to my characters.Lois Winstonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01866423986250423199noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3529128955266044151.post-51455334124201031612013-02-06T08:52:58.734-05:002013-02-06T08:52:58.734-05:00I think that sometimes this is why cozies feel &qu...I think that sometimes this is why cozies feel "false". I think that if a character dictates who they are, they should do the same for how they sound. <br /><br />I don't care one way or the other as long as it feels realistic. It's got to be REAL, gosh darn it. Kristopherhttp://www.bolobooks.comnoreply@blogger.com