From: Mekerr13_at_aol.com <Mekerr13>
Date: Wed, 22 Jun 2005 17:38:49 EDT

A lot of the attraction of vulgarisms like poop and fart is that most
"grownups" frown on them. If they become common, are we to expect next will be books called The Shitting Cat, The Pissing Dog etc. etc. But back to YA and books like The Rainbow Party. I was told by a writer of this sort of thing that the editorial excuse for a book about a party centered around oral sex is that the party never takes place. OK to describe what you know will tantalize your audience so long as plot does not allow it to happen...It seems so far from all I learned from editors like Ursula Nordstrom and Charlotte Zolotow. What I have always tried to do is to make important things interesting. I hate the thought of publishers scheming to trick the reader into thinking they're getting a risque story. A story should come from the writer's heart, not the publisher's cash register.

M.E. Kerr
Received on Wed 22 Jun 2005 04:38:49 PM CDT