In her book, Resisting Nudities: A Study in the Aesthetics of Eroticism, Florence Dee Boodakian points out that when it comes to cultural restrictions on nudity, apparent modesties quite often tend to draw attention to what is being ‘hidden'(13). The thong bikini is a case in point: where tiny pieces of cloth actually serve to call attention … Continue Reading
Category Archives: Hea Studies
Erotic Romance Readers: Would you help me with my research?
I am exploring how Erotic Romance readers experience the books they read. Specifically, in the case of this study, I’m interested in finding out whether you feel ‘suspense’ while reading erotic romance novels, even though you know that one of the inviolable genre conventions is that the story will end with an HEA (happily ever … Continue Reading
The Paradox of Suspense Continued
If you are interested in reading more about the Paradox of Suspense, there is a fabulous multi-part online article by A.R. Duckworth at The Motley View: The Paradox of Suspense I – Introduction The Paradox of Suspense II – The Problem The Paradox of Suspense III – The Problem Cont. The Paradox of Suspense IV … Continue Reading
Stanley Fish: Why Knowing the Ending Doesn’t Spoil it For Us
Great NY Times post by Stanley Fish on why spoilers don’t really spoil anything. A look into the arguments put forward by Robert J. Yanal and Richard J. Gerrig on what suspense really is and how, even if you know the ending, you still get thrilled by the ride: I am persuaded by Gerrig’s account … Continue Reading
Jonathan Gottschall on Why Fiction is Good For You
There’s an interesting article by Jonathan Gottschall, originally published in the Boston Globe, on the results of research on fiction and its effects on us: Until recently, we’ve only been able to guess about the actual psychological effects of fiction on individuals and society. But new research in psychology and broad-based literary analysis is finally … Continue Reading
Big Red: On Happy Endings
Mardi McConnochie, over at Big Red posted an interesting blog on happy endings, how they are perceived and the author’s decision to write one. Sometimes I fantasise about republishing Fivestar with a different ending. It would be quite simple to do, and I know exactly how I’d do it. (I’ve spent quite a lot of … Continue Reading
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