Vaginal Fantasy Book Club discussion

So, I'm about a quarter of the way through the book, so I definitely have a ways to go, but I have to say that some of the stories are leaving me feeling a bit frustrated. It seems as though the first several stories have just started rolling, and then come to an abrupt end. I'm not familiar with Lovecraft's writing yet, so maybe this is a throwback to his style, but to me the stories seem more unfinished than deliberately brief. I know the editor/creator is reading these posts, so please don't think I'm meaning any disrespect, I'm just curious about the style.
Did anyone else notice this?

Yes. I think they are meant to be cliff hangers but some of them are not well done. I thought "c-word" was far too abrupt. From what I've seen so far these stories are primarily about the character's introduction to the lovecraftian abyss and most of them have ended at the point where the character is pushed over the edge and begin to fall into that deep dark pit of madness. I've only read a few so far but I hope some of the stories show a more drawn out descent instead of just a glimpse.

I'm about a third of the way through and I feel the same way. Just when the stories are getting interesting, they end!

There was at least one that I had to keep flipping my Kindle back to make sure I hadn't double tapped the forward button. I can't recall the title at the moment though.

I agree, but this is generally the problem I have with short stories. I find they often end "too soon."

I don't mind if stories are short as long as they have a beginning, middle, and end.

Many of these seem to have a beginning, midd.......



(and you're left high and dry)

I completely agree. I'm still enjoying the book, but I'm definitely left with a feeling of "awww, it was just getting good..." as most of the stories end.

To me, the stories are still enjoyable, but perhaps, not as memorable as if they followed through to a real conclusion.

I will add that I'm also not familiar with Lovecraft at all, so I'm not sure if this is a standard Lovecraftian tactic or what...

I've never been a huge fan of short stories for this exact reason. You get to a point where something interesting is finally happening... and they end.

While the stories don't get any longer as the book goes on, the ones at the beginning have more of that feeling of ending before the whole story is told. They have more potential, more future, that we don't see. As the book progresses the stories get more resolution, more of an end for that character.

I thought I wasn't getting the stories because I don't know anything about Lovecraft but after reading the comments so far it isn't my lack of knowledge. Most of the stories just miss the mark. Way too much hype in the introduction with the stories not living up to it.

This is my first attempt at reading one of the vagina ladies recommendations and I think I chose the wrong one to start with.

I'm liking the stories, but can't help but get frustrated that just as they are about to get good (and nasty) they end!

I suppose in a way it is fun if you want to continue a particular story and take it where your tentacle lovin' mind will go. But I would rather continue on the journey that the authors have started.

I will continue to read on, but I'm not as engrossed (or grossed out) as I hoped I would be.

I'm around a third of the way into it, and I'm getting really frustrated for this reason. Daddy's Girl was the biggest frustration so far, as I felt like the story ended in the middle of a chapter! The writing was great, and I felt like I really wanted to know what was going to happen, but nope, sorry that's the end. I suppose I'll go ahead and finish, especially since Carrie says they offer more resolution toward the end of the book.

I too had to double check whether I'd accidentally clicked too far forward on my Kindle due to some of the stories ending so abruptly.

It feels as though as soon the scene has been set, and the characters have all been introduced, the story ends and I'm left feeling a bit deflated. I'm thoroughly enjoying the build up in each of the stories, but I'm wondering why they have to end just as they're about to get really good!

Like a few others, I'm not all that familiar with Lovecraft's work, so this may be a common format he follows but for me I wish more of the tales felt like complete stories, as in The Cry in the Darkness and Infernal Attractors, which both had fantastically dark and creepy endings.

Agree! In the past I have read full length erotic novels. These short stories leave me unsatisified. In this case, size (length) does matter.

Becca wrote: "There was at least one that I had to keep flipping my Kindle back to make sure I hadn't double tapped the forward button. I can't recall the title at the moment though."

I have done this quite a few times and I'm not that far along.

I don't (yet) have much experience with Lovecraft, but in the past, many short stories seem to written this way. In one of my writing classes, we were even encouraged to write our stories without a definite end. My professor explained is as a small window into a life, just a snippet of a potentially unending story. Sometimes it's frustrating, but at the same time, if an author packed an entire life story (or even just a sexual adventure) into a short story, we'd then probably be upset that it wasn't detailed enough and we couldn't really relate to the characters or plot.

While I find myself frustrated when the ones I really like a lot end when it is really getting interesting, I am finding some positive in this. For one, it shows that I really like what the writer is doing, so maybe I can seek out more of what they do. Also, from a writer's stand point, it has been a source of inspiration. What happens next? Well...I guess I have to decide.

Also, for the more squeamish out there, maybe it's better that it doesn't go deeper. Some of the continuations could be incredibly grotesque and disturbing. The short story format almost protects the reader from horrors unseen.

I read a lot of short stories and have read a lot of lovecraft and don't have a problem with the story style here.. rather liking it. I do see what the less satisfied among you mean, though

I felt the same way about a lot of these stories. It was especially frustrating after recently having read some good short stories.
If you're interested in some good ones, Kelly Link's Stranger Things HappenStranger Things Happen and Angela Carter's The Bloody Chamber The Bloody Chamber and Other Stories
both have a sci-fi/fantasy/urban fantasy bent to them, and are much better short stories. Not a lot of smut though.

After I let it simmer in my mind for a few days, I realized I actually really like the playfulness of the too-soon endings. The first story, in particular, has really grown on me.

I'm starting to think that I just can't do short stories. This is the second or third collection I've tried to read, and I almost always feel like the endings are way too abrupt. It's as if the author decided, "Oh, I've reached my word count! Time to stop!" It's sort of a let-down after the third or fourth or tenth time. :/

I did really love the first story. That was an acceptable abrupt ending, because at least you knew where it was going. Some of the other ones though ("Optional on the Beach at the Festival of Shug Niggurath") were like ... seriously? Actually, maybe that one is a bad example because the whole story felt sort of pointless.