The Oral History Podcast » podcast

Episode 14:  This is a companion piece to our episode on Masculinity, where we discuss femininity and some of its trappings as we’ve experienced them throughout our lives: lingerie, fake nails, cheerleaders, fathers and daughters, make-up, the meanings behind gendered concepts, the gender binary and the ritual of “getting ready.”

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SHOW NOTES

Our Current Reads

Christa:

“The Dead” in Dubliners by James Joyce

Carrie

The Highwayman by Kerrigan Byrne

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References

Against Our Will, by Susan Brownmiller

Recommended Reads (listed in the order in which they were discussed)

Exit, Pursued by a Bear, by EK Johnston

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Episode 13: We discuss Sex Without Romance (something that is very difficult to find in young adult fiction, as it turns out) and some of our adolescent adventures with respect to romance-free sex, as well as a few YA titles that touch on it.

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SHOW NOTES

Our Current Reads

Carrie:

Lost Paradise: From Mutiny on the Bounty to a Modern-Day Legacy of Sexual Mayhem, the Dark Secrets of Pitcairn Island Revealed by Kathy Marks

Christa:

The Boy Most Likely To by Huntley Fitzpatrick

                   “What I imagine when Christa describes ‘The Pit'” – Carrie

References

“Sex Without Love” by Sharon Olds

Recommended Reads (listed in the order in which they were discussed)

Sex Without Romance: girl POV

Sex Without Romance: boy POV

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Episode 12:  We discuss traditional cultural lessons regarding masculinity and YA titles that address masculinity in fascinating ways.

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SHOW NOTES

Our Current Reads

Christa

“As an underclassman who suddenly has to be the quarterback while taking care of my grandmother and having no parents, I’m here to say being a man is complicated.”

References

“Sure I get the ladies but I basically have no education or idea of what to do with my life post-football. So, yeah.”

Recommended Reads

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Episode 11:  We discuss some of the books that helped shape our own sexual education and thinking over the years.

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Our Current Reads

Carrie

“everything you’re saying is so resonant and deep and important; never stop talking…”

References

“wow, yr both really turning me around on a lot of topics here”

Recommended Reads 

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Episode 10:  We discuss illicit relationships where there is a power differential between the people involved, as well as legal and social restrictions.

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Our Current Reads

Christa

the power & control wheel

References

Recommended Reads

Tell us what you think! Leave a comment or send us an email: feedback AT theoralhistorypodcast DOT com

Episode 9:  We discuss body image, in our own lives, and in the context of sexual content in YA books.

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Our Current Reads

Carrie

References

Recommended Reads

“IS THIS TMI?”

Looking for an example? Here is Christa’s “Accidental Threesome” story to get an idea. Send your true tales & fake stories to feedback AT theoralhistorypodcast DOT com

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Episode 8:  We discuss cheating, in our own lives, and as portrayed in YA fiction.

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SHOW NOTES

Our Current Reads

References

The Dept. of Speculation by Jenny Offill

Recommended Reads

We’re proud to be sponsored by The Booklist Reader, a blog offering opinion, news, and lists from the friendly bookgeeks at Booklist magazine and Booklist Online. If you’re an aspiring author, check out their Publishing U series, which offers excellent advice from a wide variety of industry pros. You’ll find that and more at  booklistreader.com, or follow them on Twitter @BooklistReader.

Devastatingly brilliant episode, right? Tell us how we broke your brain! Leave a comment or send an email to:  feedback AT theoralhistorypodcast DOT com

Episode #7:  We discuss writing about sex from a fiction craft perspective.

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Current Reads

CORE BELIEFS ON WRITING SEX <———–*cue angelic music*

1) There is no trick and there are no rules. Writing sex doesn’t involve a kind of how-to recipe & moral authority holding a giant book of rules. The only rules that matter are the ones that govern the story you want to tell and the people you are depicting.

2) If you aren’t comfortable writing about sex, then don’t do it. YA doesn’t require sex in it. If you don’t want to write about that aspect of adolescence, that is okay. But if you write about romance, realize that there has been an historic imbalance in YA of swoon versus physicality, which is sort of disingenuous in lots of ways.

3) Sex scenes are some of the most closely-read prose ever produced. Kids who like to read and who are curious about sex will PORE over your sex scenes. They matter. 

4) Good sex writing comes directly from good character development. You must be solid in the latter for success in the former.  When asking, ‘what can I do in my YA book?’ you need to kick back the question to the character: “what does this character do?”

5) Writing sex scenes for teenagers is much different than writing them for adults.  Adults have completely different motivations, constraints & expectations for their sexual lives than adolescents. A lot of adolescents don’t even know what they want or need or like.

6) Whether or not teens are having sex should not dictate if books should include it or not. Emerging sexuality is part of adolescent development and lopping it off for political reasons is like removing religion (or lack of religion) from a character’s personality. Which is to say that understanding a teen character’s feelings about their own sexuality makes for more richly developed characters.

7) The biggest problem I’ve seen with sex scenes in YA books is the absolute unevenness of them with respect to other elements of the book. Authors will spend ten pages describing the inside of a castle but won’t spend ten words on what it feels like to have someone’s fingers inside them. In the romance world, you often see the opposite problem. There’s wall to wall sex details but so little plot or other dressing that it can feel like full-on porn.

References & Books

Some Interesting Links on Writing Sex by Steve Almond:

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Episode #6:  We discuss that most taboo sex act, the Greatest Love of All, masturbation.

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Current Reads

References

A Few Other Smart Women Who Write About Sex

On Euphemisms & Masturbation 

Books Mentioned

YA Books That Feature Masturbation

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Episode 5:  In this episode, we discuss kissing in all its fabulous and delightful iterations. 

https://theoralhistorypodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/oh5c_sample.mp3

Show Notes

Recommended Books

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