Vanessa’s Comments (group member since Jul 26, 2011)

Vanessa’s comments from the Q&A with Amelia James group.

I think the stigma will go away. Publishing used to be a very closed world. It is opening up. I am finding some very interesting writers in the online self-published community. Readers can make their own decisions and in the end it's what readers want that matters, not what publishers decide to publish. By the way I'm also finding that a lot of Kindle books produced by the mainstream publishers like Penguin are not produced to the same high technical standard as those uploaded by self-published authors. I think mainstream publishers are too slow to adapt to the new technology, don't understand it properly and have no idea as yet how to adjust their marketing techniques. The new wave of self-published authors will prove to be much more literate, ingenious and innovative than they could ever imagine.

I think you would find a way to make vanilla more interesting.

1. Do you judge a book by its cover?

2. Do you get men in kilts in Colorado?

3. Is 'vanilla' good or bad?

I was reading a story recently and one of the characters used a condom. It was skilfully integrated into the scene and didn't detract from the erotic tension. Condoms are a fact of life, why not mention them? I write explicit sex scenes and sometimes I mention the use of a condom but not always. Some characters don't use them. It is part of the characterization. A woman who has many partners but doesn't use a condom is reckless and naive. A man who doesn't use one with a woman he has just met is a beast. But a condom could be used and not mentioned. Sometimes it can happen that the woman doesn't even know if a condom has been used. It is all part of the drama.

I like books that take my breath away. My favourite book is Fortress Besieged by Qian Zhongshu. I like literary fiction but I also enjoy romance, chick lit, fantasy, historical novels and erotica. For me it's very important to have a good story and nuanced characters. Sensitivity in the writing is more important than genre.

Hello Amelia, I am Vanessa, I live in London but I'm from China. I have not been on Goodreads long (a few weeks) but I have met some very friendly people here. I love your Q&A idea. Thanks for inviting me.