But I’m getting into the weeds here! I apologize.

For instance, if I’m reading Moshfegh, I know what I’m getting into. Same if I’m reading Becky Chambers. The problem is when I’m reading a novel that feels like Moshfegh and halfway through it morphs into Chambers (or vice versa!). Can that shift work? Sometimes. But usually it makes me grumpy.

Yes, the author/reader contract is rough because it goes both ways. To clarify, most of the time when I’ve felt that “betrayal,” it’s been the fault of the marketing copy giving me a false impression of the story. Usually, I know whether a story will be “for me” within the first 3000 words.

Yes, for sure. Just as I don’t need to know a character’s favorite pizza toppings, if it isn’t serving a purpose it can be omitted. And there are times when I do want the door to stay closed. It’s so subjective and related to managing reader expectations.

Some people say, “Give them their privacy!” Nah. I wouldn’t intrude on a real person in the bathroom, but characters aren’t people. They’re vessels. I’m experiencing the world vicariously through their eyes. So I want all the verisimilitude that entails, as long as it’s interesting.

For me, sex scenes are less about titillation (though there’s an aspect of that) and more about how the character behaves in this specific intimate instance. Like characters, I want it to be interesting. I’ve zoned out of many generic sex scenes that felt like they could’ve happened to anyone.

This is interesting, because I’m the exact opposite. If I’m in a character’s head, and I’m invested and attached to them, I want to follow them everywhere. And I feel something akin to betrayal when the author slams the door in my face.

Fair! I tried to come up with the most unappetizing vegetable someone would pass off as “hummus.”

“Do you want to try my beet hummus?”

“I am an open-minded person, so I will try your beet paste, but do not blaspheme in my presence again.”

“a punk-rock murder ballad tackling labor issues and radical empowerment against the relentless grind of capitalism” aaaand I just found my next read. THANK YOU.

I get rationally angry when I see anything without chickpeas advertised as hummus. Congrats, you made paste. And chickpeas without tahini is chickpea paste.

Why is sex-as-punishment or sex-as-suffering elevated as art, but as soon as you see characters having sex for the pure pleasure of it, it's immediately dismissed? Why do we have so many graphic depictions of sexual assault and sexual trauma and so very few of sexual fulfillment? Rly makes u think

What I’m seeking:
-high heat queer romance where the sex is secondary to characterization and plot (example of perfect balance: I Keep My Exoskeletons to Myself)
-Not cozy
-Not YA
-No “it was all a misunderstanding” bullshit.
-Bonus points for literary style
-Bonus points for science fiction

Marketing copy: “it’s [beloved IP], but queer!”
Actual novel: literally less sexual tension than [beloved IP].
Goodreads reviews: “they made the subtext text! Five stars!”