Sunday, December 14, 2014

Sunday Story - alcohol & sex

NB This is not about books set in the wine industry, like Lily Malone's great stories.

I've been on a reading binge again - different romance genres, some a few years old, some recent - and I read four books in a row which at different stages made me go, "What? As if?" The first time I thought I was being odd, the second time I thought I was getting weirder, the third time I had to consult with Mr E, the fourth time I sat down to write this post!

One book had the hero and heroine have a huge day. It made a point of saying how early she had got up and how busy her day was, and how tired she was. Then she meets up with the hero. He needs a waitress, so she works the night with him until the bar closes. Okay, so I'm thinking it's after midnight, she's probably been up 18 or more hours, she's pretty stuffed. Then, they had a relax drink after work. And I'm fine with this, but they knocked back 2 bottles of wine and a bottle of vodka...then proceeded to have sex multiple times before dawn, got a few hours sleep, then he drove her home.

Right?

Well, I can knock back a bottle of wine and half a bottle of vodka, but I'd not be feeling well, especially when I was tired to start with. And then multiples times of sex? Hell, I'd be asleep before we got horizontal...and if we did it standing, it sure wouldn't be the best sex of my life, like this girl's. Wow!

And...thinking about drinking, I reckon I could consume that alcohol over a few hours while I'm chatting. Although they did do quick shots, but still, I'd be saying it's at least 3 am before they're screwing. Given recovery time and a few hours sleep, that's a lot of sex in the 3 hours before dawn, and since they'd managed a couple of hours sleep... that wouldn't be mind blowing sex for me. We're talking a couple of sex acts, in less than an hour!? I'd be liking my mind-blowing sex a little more drawn out, thanks. I know there's a time for fast and furious, but I call that fast and furious - not mind blowing.

And then we drive...after that much alcohol and that little sleep. Not a great message.

Another book had the heroine knock back a bottle of wine most nights, sometimes two, while she was alone. Am I the only one who thinks, 'on the way to being an alcoholic'?

So why does this annoy me? Because I think it's sending out the wrong message to readers.

Drunk sex in my experience has never been mind-blowing, it's drunk sex - sloppy, messy and forgettable usually. It can be mind-blowing if you're drunk and you finally get the guy of your dreams...but it's the getting not the sex that's blown my mind then.

Drinking is so very easy to write, so easy to do in real life, and yet so much trouble can happen from excess drinking. Should we be encouraging excessive drinking by not thinking as we write?

Am I being a total prude about this? Am I over-thinking what I read? Do you think this is an excessive amount of drinking?

2 comments:

  1. You make me laugh. First things first: "yes, you over think things!!!"
    Second BIG question: "Did they wear a condom? In all this drunkeness, I bloody well hope they had safe sex or there will be a whole other post coming on..."
    Third: I'd be asleep before my head hit the pillow. The vodka alone would have me comatose, not to mention the 2 bottles of wine. And I'd vomit... but you knew that didn't you.

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    Replies
    1. LOL!!!!

      Somehow, I knew you'd be a vomitter :) I'd be keeping wya clear of you in case I was joining in!

      No condoms were mentioned, but I overlooked that in this post!

      You make me laugh, Lily! Thank you. I'll try to stop thinking!

      Cate xo

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