If you're going to run for a post in Texas it behooves you to know that there are a lot of romance readers and writers there. In fact the base of
RWA, the national organization for romance writers,is in Texas. I know of at least ten outraged Texan romance writers who were completely indifferent to the race. Until recently. Whoops.
Also if you're going to post the same note from "anonymous/concerned citizen" over and over, next time you might want to make sure you don't misspell abstinence and you don't go to a bunch of blogs in the rather tight-knit community of romance writers. They'll figure out that you're spam.
The woman running against Fred, Susan Combs, wrote a Kismet romance in 1990. And now Fred has a
steamy page of her book up on his site. She might be guilty of the sin of purple-nitude, but it's nothing much hotter than you'll find in most Wal-marts.
Fred, Fred, you're dissing almost 40% of the reading public's choice (according to the RWA, anyway. You can see the stats on that page I listed above). I can only hope it'll come back to bite you on the butt.
The romance community (and there most definitely is one) is snorting and roaring about the fact that he's using this book against Susan Combs. And when a bunch of writers have something to say, they'll to right ahead and rant about it on their blogs. Fred noticed. Or one of his supporters did.
Here's the note someone posted in at least five romance writers' blogs last night:
think everyone is missing the bigger picture, Susan
Combs wrote a book with sex and then Susan Combs took a public position during debate on a sex education (ABSENCE ONLY) bill while she served as a State Representative. The point, Susan Combs is a hypocrite.
Fred Head is clearly stating the facts.
Please debate how you can write a book of this nature and then took a public position of sex education (ABSENCE ONLY) bill. Can't have it both ways.
After all that work, there are quite a few blogs where you can read the absence note. At last count, there were six notes out there. One writer is keeping track and I'd put in her name, but naw, she might not like it.
Heh. He does have a point--no doubt absence really is the best way to keep those kids in check.
Too bad the romance industry standard is to not allow anyone under the age of 18 to go at it in the books. Would have made his argument stronger. There's some line in one of his previous rants about how sex is anti-family. Yeah? Wonder how you're supposed to make a family without it?
Check out this blog and this one--that's where I first noticed the trend. But if you want a Romance Rioter/Reader take on Fred, you have to read the bitches. They're the ones who raised heck to begin with.