Today's Topic:
Threesomes
Love 'em or hate 'em, threesome themes are prolific in the world of romance. Some menage scenes are temporary, one night stands, and some are the makings of a happily-ever-after. Which do you prefer, the brief fling or the forever angle? If neither, why?
8 comments:
I think it depends upon the characters and the relationships. I've written and read threesomes that work and then I've had issues with possessiveness rear its head in the middle of writing a menage. It all centers around the reasons for the menage and the relationship shared by the particiapants.
But that's just my opinion. A great example of Threesomes (or more) that really work is in Jen Cole's A Delicious Taboo--the relationship of the five people involved is just that, a relationship, not just a sexual playground/experiment.
Like Qwillia, I think it depends on how the relationship is handled but I like HEA's. I've written a few menages and I struggle with how to make them "work" for forever. I've read ones that work and others not so much and maybe should have been a brief fling. It all depends on how you work it out.
Okay, I'm going to come in at an angle here. I'm picky about menages. I'm not picky about too much in reading, but menages really bother me when it's one woman and two 'straight' men or one woman and several straight men. Now, it wasn't always this way. I used to love menages like this, 'but I kind of see it as unfair now. I can't see it as an equal partnership if a woman can have the choice between Bill and Bob and all the guys have is Tina. Furthermore, if there is, say, three men or more--well then, how is that fair? Now, I'm not coming down on writers of this type of fiction or those who enjoy it. To each his own I say. My idea of fair is a triangle. All the members of the menage should be equal, not circular with one in the middle.(yes, I'm talking bi for the nice fellas) *g*
As for the second part of the question: 'one night stands' whether menage or not just don't do it for me either. I'm the sappy HEA type of gal. I guess my outlook on a brief fling is that sex gives something to a person which you can never take back.It is very personal. To think that you would give yourself to someone for a night when you have a partner who means forever,well, that just doesn't sit right with me. So, yeah, done yapping. Equal. And Longterm. That's me.
I think menage's can be hot, for sure. I've written a few. However, I'm also a very realistic person, and I find it hard to believe, with human nature all that it is, that three or more people can sustain a lasting relationship where everyone loves everyone else equally.
Sort of reminds me of the traveling salesman who has a wife and family in several cities...and swears he loves them both the same and can't choose.
Jealousy and possessiveness seem to not exist in these stories, or the ones I've read, don't seem to deal with that issue at all.
So, short term, fling, with willing partners, yeah, I can see that and think the sex is hot.
But long term, no, it doesn't work for me.
For me there has to be some form of possessiveness or jealousy in the story even if it's just a small part. No matter how much you love your best friend or brother, it still has to sting a little seeing the woman you love kiss him.
For me, i can go with either when I read, but I prefer to write the HEA.
I never used to be a fan of menage because I thought it wasn't realistic. However, after reading quite a few stories and even writing some with menage scenes in them I have a new respect for them. If done correctly you can still have a hot sex scene AND get your HEA!
I am a sucker for forever M/F/M like Samantha Kane's Brother in Arms books. I agree with qwillia about it has to center around the relationships and why they are sharing.
For me to read and enjoy such a book, I think all three need to be in love and each has an equal standing in the relationship. While the very idea of any type of ménage may disgust many in principle, no one can deny that ménages do exist in reality and work for some. What I may read or write has nothing to do with what I want in my real life for me in my relationship. I think sometimes people confuse the two things. Whether I approve in reality doesn't dictate what I read or write and for those in such relationships, I regard it as none of my business. As for whether it works in a story, that really depends on a reader finding the right author for them.
Post a Comment