So, I got a really funny comment on my blog over the weekend...

Here it is, unedited:

Read your book Mating Season, first book I have read by you and the last, I don't think you shouldput your politics in your books by bashing Pres. Brush and his Cabinet which shows your liberal views which we can do without.

Where to begin?

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Ever so slightly intriguing description! And hardly a "cookie cutter" character.
Thing is, although my own views tend to "liberal", some of my favourite characters through my reading life have been upright, slightly to the right, hard-headed individualist types who pull themselves up and don't follow the crowd. I just like the implicit integrity of that kind of character somehow. Actually, I enjoy all kinds of characters, so long as they are part of a good story and they are well-developed. I think it comes down to keeping the mind open, to accepting that of the billions of co-residents of this planet, no two come at issues from exactly the same angle.

Me, I love to live in peace. In my personal life, I like to keep a minimum of drama. That makes it hard for me to reach to that dramatic level in my characters, but I'm-a trying! Gotta go for the gusto, and write the character that is screaming to get out.
I'd be proud to get such a message from one of Pres. Brush's fans. The wingnut's good with punctuation, too. The only surprise is that s/he could read a book.

Kris
My favorite part was the inference that s/he'd read the the whole thing. Sort of tantamount to a preacher researching sin in a strip club. That's my favorite part, or John's tags...
Yeah--I wonder what he/she thought of the lesbian sex scene. And the dreaded dildo room. And the many references to strap-on love.
"preacher researching sin" -- I love it! Ah well, I'm a little envious of Jon. Such success! To PO the fanatic fringe so thoroughly!
I'm a liberal and I've never bashed President Brush (whoever he is).
I had this happen when I was running an online magazine. I led the woman on for months poking at her obvious biases. It was hilarious to say the least. Though my wife found it cruel.
"Brush" has indeed contributed to our linguistic culture Chris! After all, who can ever forget the touching photo of Pres. Brush reading to the schoolchidren from a book whose cover had obviously been attached upside down! What other explanation could there be?

Personally though, I don't think "Brush" was nearly as stupid as he let on (how could he be?). I suspect there was a lot of deliberate pandering to the educationally-challenged masses in certain well-populated segments of American society -- the so called "dummying down" of American Culture that we witnessed during his administration.

Let's hope that the West will now lift its head and aspire once again to present a less-embarrasing face to the world!
When I was a reporter, I'd be accused of being too liberal or too conservative or too whatever. These accusations were usually sparked by the same article!

People will draw conclusions depending on their beliefs. Maybe you have liberal views that slip by unconsciously, and this person is more prone to noticing differences to his conservative viewpoint.

In the end, like journalism, it's better to keep your readers guessing your actual beliefs. I'd rather not know, it ruins the story.
There's something to your approach, Benjamin. I know a lot of successful writers would agree with you, and I expecially agree that a work of fiction should always avoid "preachiness". Back when I was watching "M*A*S*H*" (yes, I am that old) and loving it, I distinctly remember the point when my hero Hawkeye suddenly became just a little too sanctimonious! Totally put me right off the show, even though I happened to agree with his views.

On the other hand, in my experience, these characters of our are living beathing entities, and if they have something to say, who are we to put gags on them?

It's a fine line, methinks......
What the reader in question doesn't get (or one thing he/she doesn't get, at least) is that the political opinions expressed in my books are the opinions of my characters, who live in what's probably the most liberal enclave on the east coast. They also happen to be the opinions held by something like 3/4 of the U.S. population at the time the book was written: i.e., Bush and Cheney were idiots and crooks who wrecked the country and should have been tarred, feathered and ridden out of the White House on a rail. What the reader doesn't mention are the book's graphic sex scenes between unmarried persons--sometimes of the same gender--frequent use of foul language, occasional moments of graphic violence, and general sympathy for the gay community--all of which are likely to be "offensive" to social conservatives, and all of which are important, in my view, to the integrity of the series as I understand it. Those who are easily offended should probably not read my books. Somehow I'll muddle on without them.

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