Mark Twain once said, "The man who does not read good books has no advantage over the man who can't read them."

I absolutely believe this to be true. I am an avid reader as well as being a compulsive writer. And since I am now writing romance/erotica I am reading the hot titles to keep myself in touch with what is out there and let me tell you, I am shocked how bad some of the stuff is!

The best book I've read recently was Ashes to Ashes by the wonderful Logan M. Whyte (Dark Eden Press). Well written, sexy, evocative, great research involved, great depth etc. READ IT AND WEEP!!!!

Now I happened to get my hands on a bunch of brand new soft cover books of company which I know are hot reads and one of them - I won't say which book or which author, but the book involves a god who seduces a human woman and a fight for possession of her soul ensues.

I was swept along like any red-blooded male when the scene involved a threesome (a male fantasy, yah) and anyway this god suddenly shouts at the devil: "Get your hands off of her!"

Would a god have such appalling command of the English language?

Surely the editor should have gently excised the word "of" here? For me it took me out of the fantasy realm created up until this moment. The bad habits of our generation's slang-speak thrust me back into cold hard reality with a not particularly satisfying bang.

Not how I like my bangs...er...that didn't come out right, but you know what I mean. We should write to please ourselves, the reader and also write and read and re-read and catch these glitches...it's like watching a movie and catching a glimpse of the boom guy in a window or a mirror.

Now I must get back to see how this god and his best friends teach a mortal woman the art of respect. I think I have an idea but I must know for sure....heh heh...

Aloha oe,

A.J.