I need a ruling

[Kojak01]

Hello, I'm not trying to pull a fast one and include under-age sex in a story. All characters in the story are over 18. I need to be able to blackmail the bad guy.

Here's what i have - A computer expert finds kiddie porn on a criminal's computer.

^^^

He said, “This guy has some sick stuff on his computer. He’s got tons of naked photos of prepubescent girls.”

“The bastard likes little girls?” Luna asked.

“Not little little girls. More like ten to twelve-year-olds.”

^^^
Later in the story, the good guy takes the bad guy's computer and threatens to give it to the police if anything happens to his family.

Do you think this is over the line? Thanks, r

^^^

He said, “This guy has some sick, illegal stuff on his computer.”

“Like what?” Luna asked.

“Let's just say he's obviously a paedophile.”

^^^

While I think what you wrote does not in any way promote or condone underage sex, I've written an option which is probably safer.

On a personal note: If I read a story where a paedo is getting away lightly, I'd downvote it...

 

[gordo12]

He’s got tons of naked photos of prepubescent girls.”

That's the line that does it for me. It creates a visual picture. I think that's where you go too far. But as others have pointed out it's Laurel's decision. JMO

 

[Blind_Justice]

I don't get the hubbub. At all. First, it's one line. There's nothing titilating about it. I know that it's a skewed comparison, but many mainstream thrillers go way past that line and get away with it. Have a gander at any J.D. Robb book - the number of times Eve Dallas remembers vividly how her father raped her underage self is mind-numbing. I know, mainstream vs. Lit are two different pair of shoes but still. One line explaining what's on the computer is not promoting anything underage. It only speaks volumes about the bad guy.

The easiest way to see if this part would fly with Laurel is simply to write her a PM and ask about it.

 

[Vix_Giovanni]

This is 50 words in a 10,00 word story. it is not a main focus of the story. I can't imagine anyone thinking it was salacious or a turn on. the context was the good guy is tracing an email, gets into a computer, and finds files. He makes a comment about kiddie porn being on the computer. He takes the computer when he goes to the bad guy's house and goes off to do something else.

Later, he tells the bad guy 'I know about the underage pics. If anything happens to my family. Your computer will be sent to the police." That doesn't happen. the threat works.

^^^

On a personal note: If I read a story where a paedo is getting away lightly, I'd downvote it...

I think you’ve put your finger on the distastefulness of the problem, Kojak; I think the reason these 50-ish words raise so many red flags as-is is that they are part of a story arch where
1) the k*ddie p*rn is detailed (“not ten year old, like twelve year old”... that may not turn you on, but it’s enough detail in context of an erotic story to be considered titilating/exciting/prurient),
2) a character is, ultimately, going to get away with paedophilia, and
3) the k*ddie p*rn is going to be leveraged by the protagonist rather than reported to authorities.

It’s a dark plot twist that might fly, as written, in a mainstream (i.e., not erotic) novel. But since this is an amateur, and privately owned, erotica site, everything Laurel allows published is presumed to have an intent to titilate/excite that outweighs any literary merit. A different standard applies to erotic writing at large, and Laurel has specific rules for her site. I highly suspect that you’re more likely to pass inspection by rewriting to tone this all down.

Should be easy enough to imply, surely. One of those, “you shoulda seen what the guy had on his computer” moments. Just leave it there. All but the thickest readers will know what you mean, and even those can figure out from context that the guy’s done SOMETHING troublesome.

If, as you say, it’s not a major plot point? Just alter it. Have him look at granny porn instead.

Ditto. Your readers will get the insinuation.

 

[Zeb_Carter]

Nope, nope, nope, nope. And nope.

 

[KeithD]

I don't get the hubbub. At all. First, it's one line. There's nothing titilating about it. I know that it's a skewed comparison, but many mainstream thrillers go way past that line and get away with it. Have a gander at any J.D. Robb book - the number of times Eve Dallas remembers vividly how her father raped her underage self is mind-numbing. I know, mainstream vs. Lit are two different pair of shoes but still. One line explaining what's on the computer is not promoting anything underage. It only speaks volumes about the bad guy.

The easiest way to see if this part would fly with Laurel is simply to write her a PM and ask about it.

The hubbub is about what will pass at Literotica, not what passes in the mainstream. It's what passes Laurel's muster, which is quite restrictive on underage issues--thus the understandable hubbub. The advice to contact Laurel directly is good and has been given ad nauseum on this thread already, but the hubbub is Literotica specific and is understandable and quite easy to see, really. We see threads on it a couple of times a week on the discussion board.

 

[regularguy13]

Thanks for the comments. I am going to change it. I don't think I've crossed the line, but there's no need to be close to the line, to look at the line, or be in the same zip code.

We've got stories here where Dad is fucking his daughter in the ass and mothers are gagging on their son's cock. There's no reason to bring additional scrutiny down on our heads because of a reference to kiddie porn.

Bramblethorn, I may steal the lines you suggested.

I just needed to get from "A" to "B" and want to do so in a believable manner. Maybe the good guy finds evidence that the bad guy was skimming money? Threatening to let the head of the criminal organization know that he'd been stealing would be a threat he'd respect.

r

 

[where_is_RUTH]

Understood, but it doesn't have to be explicit. What was in the suitcase in Pulp Fiction?

Something radioactive. And glowing.

Radioactive Gold. Everyone knows that one.


Oh and OP.

Just no. Don't. A good editor would tell you it's just not necessary.

 

[RandyD1369]

Thanks for the comments. I am going to change it. I don't think I've crossed the line, but there's no need to be close to the line, to look at the line, or be in the same zip code.

We've got stories here where Dad is fucking his daughter in the ass and mothers are gagging on their son's cock. There's no reason to bring additional scrutiny down on our heads because of a reference to kiddie porn.

Bramblethorn, I may steal the lines you suggested.

I just needed to get from "A" to "B" and want to do so in a believable manner. Maybe the good guy finds evidence that the bad guy was skimming money? Threatening to let the head of the criminal organization know that he'd been stealing would be a threat he'd respect.

r

Ambiguity can be your friend. It's a lot easier to imply a problem without going into specifics than to go into specifics and then try to justify it. Use that to your advantage without visibly approaching any dangerous lines. Readers will accept that.
Keep in mind that "mainstream literature" can be--and is--a lot more flexible than a site INTENDED specifically for erotica. King's "It" and Conroy's "Prince of Tides" would've been rejected out of hand at any of the "erotic" magazines of their time, but the novels both sold millions of copies as mainstream literature.

 

[Kojak01]

Something radioactive. And glowing.

Radioactive Gold. Everyone knows that one.

Sorry to go off-topic but it's obviously Marcellus Wallace's soul he stole back from the devil.
That's why he has a band-aid in his neck in his first scene, that's why Jules and Vincent don't get hit by the bullets, and don't forget that the code to open is 666...

 

[where_is_RUTH]

Sorry to go off-topic but it's obviously Marcellus Wallace's soul he stole back from the devil.
That's why he has a band-aid in his neck in his first scene, that's why Jules and Vincent don't get hit by the bullets, and don't forget that the code to open is 666...

That like all those other shit movies... The devil wasn't in the film, but right at the end you introduce, hey folks here's a character you've not seen in the film, but it wos they wot done it

Fight the devil and all that's wrong is a band aid? Na.

))

 

[TxRad]

That like all those other shit movies... The devil wasn't in the film, but right at the end you introduce, hey folks here's a character you've not seen in the film, but it wos they wot done it

Fight the devil and all that's wrong is a band aid? Na.

))

Obviously, you've never read my story, A Dance with the Devil

 

[jaF0]

Something radioactive. And glowing.

Sounds more like Repo Man.