Money...

The value of the dollar and cent,

Minimum wage increases

To match the ever rising inflation.

Everything “free” comes at a price

Whether or not there's fine print

In little black letters at the bottom of the page.

The only comfort for the family

After the funeral of your loved one is over

Is the mercenary thought of the inheritance –

Whatever's left of it after probate court, anyway.

It just might be enough to pay off the mortgage

On that house the children grew up in,

Which they'll inherit when it's your turn to go.

You know that machines are becoming

Pickier than people about taking money

When one spits out the cash you offered

Just because the corner was crumpled.

How much more honest can you get than a Lincoln?

Technology is supposed to save us time

But filing isn't any faster

When both computers and taxes

Are getting more complicated.

The Robin Hood that gets you a return from the government

Is now HR Block or Turbo Tax.

Ironic, but these times of uncertain change

Produce the most job security;

Particularly for psychiatrists and psychologists,

Police officers and the prisons.

They will always have work.

Consumables are another constant.

Unfortunately those who need the most

Can least afford to pay it.

It's hard to go shopping when you're hungry

And see everything on the shelves you can't afford.

Suicide is not allowed

But survival is living death for a lot of individuals.

You need education or experience –

Sometimes both – to get work.

What happens when education isn't enough?

You can't work because you need experience

But you can't get experience because you can't work.

College graduates let go by the company

Are flipping fast-food like those with the GED.

Poverty is the great leveler.

Yet most of us are rich peasants –

Falling below the Federal Poverty Level

But earning more than we could in third world countries.

“Poor” is comparative.

You'd be a better employee if you could enjoy your work –

In occupation is found so much identity –

But you can no longer do what you love for a living

Because it just doesn't pay.

Art and music programs are the first to disappear

When the school board faces budget cuts.

Job stands for Just Over Broke

When employers reduce expenses

By hiring an increased number of people,

But fewer than forty hours a week each.

It becomes impossible to work two such jobs at once

Since the schedules of both are always shifting.

People live paycheck to paycheck.

What used to be set aside for retirement

Today is put into a Social Security fund –

Now mandatory instead of an option –

The benefits of which they'll never see

Because there aren't enough births

To support the previous generation.

(Having children eats through your income

Like they would a peanut butter jelly sandwich).

Cost prohibits convenience and choices.

If you don't have finances for formula

You have to breastfeed.

Whether it's better for your baby or not

Is a question only those with money consider.

Most people have to choose between money or time.

With kids out of the house and work days over,

Older folks come the closest to finally having both –

Only to discover that age limits their activity.

Life is unfair.

Prose is by far my favorite, but here's a list of the other websites I use the most when it comes to writing. One of them is how I actually found Prose. Thought I'd share them with you. (Note: most of these websites let you use Submittable to send them your writing, which is helpful).

(1)

http://www.scribophile.com/

Similar to Prose in some ways, except the main focus of the site is critiquing each other's work. They use a karma point system to promote this. (You critique someone's work, which earns you points. Then you use those points to either enter one of their competitions - Prose's are far better in my opinion - or to post your work, which gets critiqued). Never really use this site, but I am a member.

(2)

http://www.altpublish.com/blog-post/words-to-just-stop-using-please/

This is funny and true.

(3)

https://writeshop.com/how-to-describe-a-person-descriptive-words/

This is a great reference to go to when you need to describe your character.

(4)

http://thereviewreview.net/publishing-tips/your-perfect-cover-letter

Sometimes a site will ask for a cover letter, not just an author bio. (I hate writing cover letters! Found this helpful).

(5)

http://www.shunn.net/format/story.html

Excellent example of how to format your writing. This helped me learn.

(6)

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ZTk-pH_fba4XJLSnRcdduVtSDuqZ76gK7OzZHlzyHbk/edit#gid=0

Most comprehensive list I ever found for literary journals, their requirements, and what they pay. Some of the info is out of date, but most of it is accurate. I only hate the fact it loads pretty slow.

(7-10):

https://thewritelife.com/writing-contests/ (This website is how I found Prose!)

http://www.newpages.com/classifieds/calls-for-submissions

http://www.pw.org/grants?order=Deadline&fee=No+entry+fee&filter1=All&&perpage=50

https://winningwriters.com/the-best-free-literary-contests/contests-to-avoid

These are the websites I check for lists of writing competitions. Some are more helpful than others, I've tried to list them in that order.

(11-12):

http://www.creativewritingink.co.uk/writing-competitions/

http://compsandcalls.com/wp/

I use these websites too for lists of writing competitions. Listed these separately because some of them are only for the uk, (particularly on creativewritingink), but Cathy's Comps and Calls is awesome!

Contains Christian Content

I believe there are other people out there like me who will agree, even though we may not be the majority. I am not going to tag anyone for this post, because this is an explanation - not an attack or a "Fellow haters of erotica, watch out for these Prosers" or a "So and so, you really need this post so read it."

To me, the reason not to read or write erotica is not a matter of personal preference or taste, it is a matter of belief. And I realize not everyone, even in the religion portal, will believe the same way. I don't expect them to. This post is an explanation of my belief for those who want that explanation, not an attempt to convert you to my beliefs. It's also written for others who feel the same way and need the support of knowing they're not alone (I don't believe I'm the only person on this site who sees reading or writing most erotica as wrong). So skip this post if you're offended or if you disagree. But for those of you who are curious as to my previous postings or want to see if/where we share common ground on this, read on.

To begin with, I'm a born again Christian, a follower of Jesus Christ. All of the viewpoints I will present stem from that. I won't even get into the effects of erotica on society, or my opinion that erotica is to women what porn is to men. (And by the way, there are women who watch porn and men who read erotica). If I believe something is wrong, where I get those beliefs from far outweighs the value of my opinions.

I get my beliefs from the Bible that writing or reading most erotica is wrong. By the way, if you are a Christian/believer of the Bible who writes erotica for whatever reason, I am not writing this post to question the validity of your faith or how you practice it. I am writing about my stance on the subject and what I believe the Bible says about it.

Even if you belong to another religion, depending on what it is, you might agree with me on my no-erotica stance. I know a lot of other faiths have a similar rule. Even though you wouldn't use the Bible verses I will to explain why I believe that, you could give the rules of your religion or quotes from your sacred books.

If you've made it this far and disagreed with me since the beginning you might be thinking, "Good grief! This woman must be one of those goodie-goodies who think's she's a holier-than-thou and believes sex is only about having children!" Actually, no. Although my husband and I do have a child. And I do believe that sex should only be between 1 man and 1 woman who are married to each other. But I read a lot of sex info/improvement books, use sex position apps that are non-graphic, and write erotica, though only about my husband and myself. And I enjoy all this probably as much if not more than the rest of the world enjoys whatever they do. I don't post any of the erotica I write, for the obvious reasons it's personal. But I'm not perfect. There has been one time I did write something and submit it to a contest (not on Prose), that had an erotic theme not related to my spouse or I, and immediately regretted it.

Here are my beliefs on erotica:

What erotica is: While the tolerance levels regarding erotica are subjective, the definition of it is not. Merriam-Webster defines it as the following:

(1) of, devoted to, or tending to arouse sexual love or desire

(2) strongly marked or affected by sexual desire

In essence, erotica is the description (often graphic, or containing imagery-whether merely written or "enhanced" with photographs) of sexual acts or body parts, for the excitement of the reader or to portray the excitement of the person involved.

Writing can still contain sexual terms or references that don't fit the definition of erotica, simply because sex is part of life. You can usually tell early on when starting to read something. The motive/agenda of the writer determines whether the piece is erotic or not, no matter how much sex it contains. For instance, a self-help book on recovering from a partner's affair would not be considered erotic although it would contain many references to sex. Neither would the account written by the victim of sexual abuse or date rape fit this category. They may give the same details, but I guarantee you they will not present them the same way or for the same purpose.

When erotica is wrong: I believe if a man and woman are married to each other, whatever they want to do sexually together or about each other is allowed. Hebrews 13:4 a states "Marriage is honorable in all, and the bed undefiled:" I believe anything outside of that is wrong.

Here's why:

I believe marriage is only between one man and one woman. Genesis 2:24 says, “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.” (This was the first marriage, between the first people created. If God also endorsed the idea of polygamy or lesbian/gay marriages, He would have made sure to add that and tell us so. He didn't).

I believe anything sexual before marriage is wrong. 1 Thessalonians 4:3 - "For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:" Fornication is the old word for immorality.

I believe adultery is wrong, whether emotional physical or both. Exodus 20:14 - "Thou shalt not commit adultery." We all know adultery is a relationship with someone not your spouse that violates the agreement between the two of you.

I believe that erotica fits the definition of lust, and that lust is wrong. Romans 13:14 says “...make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.” Webster-Marriam defines lust as:

1 - obsolete

a : pleasure, delight

b : personal inclination : wish

2 - usually intense or unbridled sexual desire : lasciviousness

3

a : an intense longing : craving

b : enthusiasm, eagerness

So, in short, I believe from what the Bible teaches that erotica used outside of a marriage opposite sex relationship is wrong, and that any erotica within marriage is to be only about one or both of the people within that marriage relationship. I call this the "Just Us" filter.

These rules might seem pretty restrictive to some. I didn't come up with these rules, Jesus Christ did. And no one's forcing you to believe in Him or the Bible. Everyone has the right to choose their own beliefs, as long as they assume responsibility for whatever the results of that choice are. Whatever beliefs they choose they should be true to, if they say they're a follower of that faith. So if you don't share these beliefs, I don't judge or expect you to follow them.

If you do share these beliefs and you're struggling with no erotica before marriage, know that it's difficult but it can be done.  I didn't incorporate these guidelines into my life only after I was conveniently married. These were my beliefs before I ever met my husband, and I (albeit imperfectly) followed them. Not that I wanted to. But my relationship with Jesus is real to me, and if these were the rules, I figured He had a good reason for them since He's God. I decided since I was going to follow Him, it would be with all my heart, however hard that was.

If you are married and share the belief of no erotica regarding anyone outside your relationship, but you find that difficult some days, I do too. You'd think having a spouse to write about would be sufficient. But "the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence" - till we get there.  That's just the nature of temptation. Yes, it's not easy to go against the grain. As a writer, giving the world what it wants doesn't seem like such a bad idea sometimes - sex sells. But following what we believe is worth it.

So this is why I believe most erotica is wrong. Thanks for reading this. I would say good luck with your writing, except I don't believe in luck (but that's another post!)

Note: All of the verses were from the KJV to avoid copyright issues, not because "it's the only Bible to use." And I picked the Webster-Merriam dictionary at random to get my definitions from. Any other dictionary would be just as fine.

Warning: Contains Christian Content

Okay, if the title hasn't turned you off already (no pun intended) then I suppose you will all be posting comments, and if there were a dislike button it would be used a million times. But I believe there are other people out there like me who will agree, even though we may not be the majority. I am not going to tag anyone for this post, as I did for my previous two posts on this subject, because this is an explanation - not an attack or a "Fellow haters of erotica, watch out for these Prosers" or a "So and so, you really need this post so read it."

To me, the reason not to read or write erotica is not a matter of personal preference or taste, it is a matter of belief. And I realize most of you will not believe the same way. This post, my last on the subject, is an explanation of my belief for those who want that explanation, not an attempt to convert you to my beliefs. It's also written for others who feel the same way and need the support of knowing they're not alone (I don't believe I'm the only person on this site who sees reading or writing most erotica as wrong). So skip this post if you're offended or if you disagree. Fine. You can block or unfollow me, if you'd like. Fine. But for those of you who are curious as to my previous postings or want to see if/where we share common ground on this, read on.

A lot of people who commented on my previous posts said "Let's keep Prose an open place, welcome to everybody for whatever they want to write." Well, since it's such an open place, I have as much right to post this as you would to post all the reasons why you believe writing erotica is okay. Maybe what you were really trying to say is that we shouldn't stir up the water or disagree with anybody, that we should live and let live, that we should all get along, that right and wrong don't exist anymore. Yep, everybody these days wants to do what's right in their own eyes, just like before the Flood. I feel it's fair to make this comment because if you don't believe it then it won't bother you. And if you do believe it, you'll agree.

If you write erotica, I am not against you. In fact I might read some of your other work. A lot of commenters to my previous posts are those who write erotica occasionally or often. I still follow some of them on Prose. Even though I do not and will not endorse their writing of erotica, I still respect them as a person, and they write much else that I enjoy. Those who focus wholly on writing erotica or have it as the main theme of their posts, I simply do not follow. It's not an attack on you personally. I recognize your worth as an individual, and believe there is quality of writing to be found in erotica just like in any other type. I just won't be the one to read it. Which is fine. I'm not the only reader on Prose and you're not the only writer. We have a variety in our audience, authors, and genres.

I don't believe Prose should censor our work or require us to. But I don't see why anyone should feel that rating a piece voluntarily or out of consideration for someone's request is a censor. Most movies and video games and cds are rated. It's not just about keeping people from taking offense, it's also about helping people who want to read that stuff find it (and a lot of people on Prose want to). Other writing sites do this. They recognize that most things in life come with labels for identification purposes. That said, if you don't flag it I won't complain. I may not like what you write, but I will defend your right to write it (just as you will defend my right to write this post).

So here's my explanation of why I believe it's wrong to write most erotica. To begin with, I'm a born again Christian, a follower of Jesus Christ. All of the viewpoints I will present stem from that. I won't even get into the effects of erotica on society, or my opinion that erotica is to women what porn is to men. (And by the way, there are women who watch porn and men who read erotica). If I believe something is wrong, where I get those beliefs from far outweighs the value of my opinions.

I get my beliefs from the Bible that most erotica is wrong. By the way, if you are a Christian/believer of the Bible who writes erotica for whatever reason, I am not writing this post to question the validity of your faith or how you practice it. I am writing about my stance on the subject and what I believe the Bible says about it.

Even if you belong to another religion, depending on what it is, you might agree with me on my no-erotica stance. I know a lot of other faiths have a similar rule. Even though you wouldn't use the Bible verses I will to explain why I believe that, you could give the rules of your religion or quotes from your sacred books.

If you've made it this far and disagreed with me since the beginning you might be thinking, "Good grief! This woman must be one of those goodie-goodies who think's she's a holier-than-thou and believes sex is only about having children!" Actually, no. Although my husband and I do have a child. And I do believe that sex should only be between 1 man and 1 woman who are married to each other. But I read a lot of sex info/improvement books, use sex position apps that are non-graphic, and write erotica, though only about my husband and myself. And I enjoy all this probably as much if not more than the rest of the world enjoys whatever they do. I don't post any of the erotica I write, for the obvious reasons it's personal. But I'm not perfect. There has been one time I did write something and submit it to a contest (not on Prose), that had an erotic theme not related to my spouse or I, and immediately regretted it.

Here are my beliefs on erotica:

What erotica is: While the tolerance levels regarding erotica are subjective, the definition of it is not. Merriam-Webster defines it as the following:

(1) of, devoted to, or tending to arouse sexual love or desire

(2) strongly marked or affected by sexual desire

In essence, erotica is the description (often graphic, or containing imagery-whether merely written or "enhanced" with photographs) of sexual acts or body parts, for the excitement of the reader or to portray the excitement of the person involved.

Writing can still contain sexual terms or references that don't fit the definition of erotica, simply because sex is part of life.  You can usually tell early on when starting to read something. The motive/agenda of the writer determines whether the piece is erotic or not, no matter how much sex it contains. For instance, a self-help book on recovering from a partner's affair would not be considered erotic although it would contain many references to sex. Neither would the account written by the victim of sexual abuse or date rape fit this category. They may give the same details, but I guarantee you they will not present them the same way or for the same purpose.

When erotica is wrong: I believe if a man and woman are married to each other, whatever they want to do sexually together or about each other is allowed. Hebrews 13:4 a states "Marriage is honorable in all, and the bed undefiled:" I believe anything outside of that is wrong. 

Here's why:

I believe marriage is only between one man and one woman for one lifetime. Genesis 2:24 -“Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.” (This was the first marriage, between the first people created. If God also endorsed the idea of polygamy or lesbian/gay marriages, He would have made sure to add that and tell us so).

I believe anything sexual before marriage is wrong. 1 Thessalonians 4:3 - "For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:" Fornication is the old word for immorality.

I believe adultery is wrong, whether emotional physical or both. Exodus 20:14 - "Thou shalt not commit adultery." We all know adultery is a relationship with someone not your spouse that violates the agreement between the two of you.

I believe that erotica fits the definition of lust, and that lust is wrong. Romans 13:14 says “...make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.” Webster-Marriam defines lust as:

1 - obsolete

a : pleasure, delight

b : personal inclination : wish

2 - usually intense or unbridled sexual desire : lasciviousness

3

a : an intense longing : craving

b : enthusiasm, eagerness

This is why I believe erotica is wrong. I could give many more supporting Bible verses if you felt these weren't sufficient, but if you don't believe the Bible to begin with they wouldn't make a difference to you.

So, in short, I believe from what the Bible teaches that erotica used outside of a marriage opposite sex relationship is wrong, and that the erotica is to be only about one or both of the people within that marriage relationship. I call this the "Just Us" filter. 

"But even if I wanted to follow this (which I would never) it's so restrictive!" you complain.  I didn't come up with these rules, Jesus Christ did. And no one's forcing you to believe in Him or the Bible. No one forced me to. I chose to believe it and follow what it says, unpopular as it may be. And I didn't incorporate these guidelines into my life only after I was conveniently married, either.  These were my beliefs before I ever met my husband. It's difficult, but it can be done. Not that I wanted to. But my relationship with Jesus is real to me, and if these were the rules, I figured He had a good reason for them since He's God. I decided since I was going to follow Him, it would be with all my heart, however hard that was.

So this is why I believe most erotica is wrong. Thanks for reading this. I would say good luck with your writing except I don't believe in luck (but that's another post). I could say "God bless"  but if you don't believe in God you probably wouldn't want it.  And if you're writing erotica, you already know from this post that I don't think He endorses it. So I think I'll stop here.

Note: All of the verses were from the KJV to avoid copyright issues, not because "it's the only Bible to use." And I picked the Webster-Merriam dictionary at random to get my definitions from. Any other dictionary would be just as fine.

There's something that is closed to you,

And nothing better's within view

But wait with courage, look beyond now

Though you don't know when or how.

When it's slammed shut in your face

And you're stuck between a rock and a hard place

Don't wish that you were dead

Glimpse the light that's just ahead.

You think your choices would be more

If life let you walk through every door

But don't settle for everything you see

Or you'll miss out on better opportunity.

First, for everyone on here who thinks I'm out to criticize them for writing erotica, I do so myself. [Ok, it's only about my husband and I - but I enjoy writing it]. I've never posted any, for the obvious reasons it's personal.

So if I write erotica why do I not write any that's not personal and post it? There's more than one reason, but even if my beliefs allowed it, I was raised in an extremely strict environment by most standards, and would forever be the black sheep of the family if my relatives ever came across it (they know my pen name and that I write on Prose). And the attachment to my family (we are writing about rejection for this week's Prose Challenge, after all) would be stronger than my willingness to write and post erotica. That said, I am not against anyone on here who writes it.

My concern regarding erotica is not even just about minors, for those who want to argue that point. (I agree with sandflea68, they know a lot more than we do these days. With sex ed in school, we're not exposing them to a whole lot if any they haven't been taught already or figured out. And yes, if they see something labeled erotica, most will probably read it anyway, as HazardRabbit put it).

A lot of people out there on Prose have been molested or raped. Some have OCD which means these sexual themes are more disturbing to them than the ordinary person would think twice about. Still others have been through other traumatic experiences such as recovery from their partner's affair, which triggers a host of painful memories when they accidentally come across something like this. It is for these people as well I started this discussion.

I usually do scan something before I read it to someone else. A lot of commenters to my last post, Regarding Erotica on Prose, have said I should. Thank you for your advice – but that's not been an ongoing mistake. (The few times you don't you quickly learn from).

A couple of people commented they've seen graphic images attached to erotica outside of the designated portal. This has never happened in my experience. It would be appropriate of others to refrain from attaching graphic images to posts outside the designated erotica portal. (It's one thing to read a few lines and see where the piece is going and skip it, it's totally another to see an image). Prose is about writing, after all, as HazardRabbit mentioned.

If anyone is going to post an erotic post to a challenge outside the designated erotic portal (which they absolutely should be able to), it would be considerate of them to flag it erotica, unless the challenge specifically mentions “sexy haiku” etc. For anyone posting to a love poem challenge, obviously they should expect to see some erotica. It is hard to know where to draw the line.

For those of you who forget to mark it or flag it, understandable – no hurt feelings. We're all human. I appreciate the efforts so many of you have made. The few times you haven't didn't register with me. For those of you who've not felt the need or been asked to mark it before, that's something I'm asking you to be willing to consider. If you consider it too much of an inconvenience, don't. Everyone on here has equal rights and freedoms and should be able to exercise them. The beauty of Prose is being able to do that. The difficulty is knowing how to each use our liberties without overlapping them to the offense of someone else.

Prose is an open and welcoming community of writers. It is because of my belief in diversity I knew I could post this even though I understood other people would disagree. And I'm all for that – I expected it. I knew we could say what we thought and felt in a respectful and friendly manner, as we have. So I wanted to open this up to discussion for everybody and see where it would lead. We have people on here of all beliefs and preferences and I want to know if others feel this is even an issue; if so, if they feel the solution I've suggested is sufficient or overboard or something they'd be willing to consider; if they don't like it, what they would do to fix it; and how to work together to achieve that without trampling on anyone's rights or feelings.

I do not believe Prose should censor our work for us or require it. However, I think it would be considerate if others labeled or flagged their work as containing erotic/mature content if it is outside the designated erotic portal. If you forget, no big deal. We're human. If you don't know how (and Broken-Toe, I'm with you on learning all this social media stuff and how the site works), then fine. (Perhaps you could indicate sexual content by the title or early on in the piece?) If you don't feel you should have to just for the sake of someone else, don't bother.

However, if you feel labeling/flagging your work is just for the sake of someone else and that interferes with your rights, consider the fact that everything is labeled in life for our convenience and that of others. Movies and video games, for example. Ok, so maybe you're one of those people who doesn't care what's in it, just bring it on! But the majority of people – and you do want your work to be read by others, or you wouldn't post it – like to know what's in something before they read it or watch it or play it.

Even going to the grocery store. We like to know whether it's aspirin or tylenol. Labels help us figure that out. If you feel you shouldn't have to label it, consider the fact you're not just warning people who don't want to read it – you're letting people who do want to that it's out there. It's easier to find erotica outside its designated portal if it's marked. If you still don't feel like flagging it or know how, maybe try letting readers know by the title or within the first paragraph.

Ruby Pond mentioned it would be easier if we could control who sees our work. Monitoring who you follow as Soulhearts mentioned would be a limited way to do that. I don't think that will be a possibility due to the widespread nature of digital content. Even with books marked through traditional publishers, you can't control whether a sixteen year old in Walmart is going to pick up a copy of your latest romance novel or not.

TheTallOne had a good comment when he mentioned that labeling/flagging a work as erotica when submitting it to the Prose Challenge would probably turn people away before they even gave the piece a chance. Everyone has their own tolerance level. If you felt obligated to flag your piece but it only contained a brief mention or more of sex, a lot of people might not read it when they would have liked it otherwise. If it contained heavy erotic content, people offended by that would probably never like or repost your piece, even if it hadn't been flagged before they read it. Again, where do you draw the line?

Maybe a solution would be, if submitting it to a Prose Challenge or “paying challenge,” ie so many coins or dollars to the winner, to indicate by the title or early on in the piece whether it contains erotic content. (After all, if that's what the piece is mainly about or heavily saturated with, why not?) On the other hand, if it only contains a minor theme of sex, don't worry about flagging or labeling it. If, however, you're submitting an erotic piece to a challenge outside the designated erotic portal and the challenge is not paying or marked erotic/sexy haiku/love poem etc, then you could do everyone a favor and label it.

The Tall One had another good comment regarding violence. Where do you draw the line there? Personally sexual content bothers me when it's not flagged more than violence does, so that's why I didn't include it. (See how long this discussion comments and post on erotic writing is already?) But I'm sure there are people out there who object to that as well. And there are people who'd prefer you didn't talk about the Democrats. And there are people who are against hunting. I'm not one of those, so I didn't post it. But to be fair, if we label erotica should we label everything else?

That kind of takes all the fun out of writing and leaves us with a bunch of rules, in my opinion. Plus, there's no portals just for hunting pieces, so it's not like they have a designated place to go, like erotica does. Maybe they'd have to fit in the violence category? We could get so legalistic over this Prose wouldn't be the place for us it all currently is. Just hear everyone's side out, and try to be considerate in the ways suggested if you write it, and not too offended if you come across it and it's not marked, I suppose.

A lot of content that contains sexual themes is not necessarily erotic in nature. Erotica, in my opinion, includes the describing of sexual acts or events, for the excitement of the reader and/or to portray the excitement of the one involved in the acts. A lot of pieces contain sexual references or mention without going into detail, simply because sex is part of life. I'm not worried about pieces that mention it in brief or passing as a fact of life rather than for the reasons I gave that in my opinion define erotica.

In the end, the responsibility does come down to the reader. I agree with all commenters on that. But it would be nice for everyone to take responsibility for what they write. Please remember we can't unread something.

Soulhearts has presented great strategies in her comments under my original post, Regarding Erotica on Prose. RubyPond has presented a great solution in her comments under this post. Please see both of these and my response.

Thank you everyone for your thoughts and comments. Feel free to add anything else below, or to see my original post, Regarding Erotica on Prose, if you missed it.

Hi everybody. I would like to suggest that any and every time someone writes a piece containing erotica or mature themes that they label it as such. As our fellow writer Mrjdhyde put in his piece "How it works on prose." there is no censorship of content.

A lot of you do mark your pieces for the Romance & Erotica portal or put a warning at the top. I appreciate that. But I've noticed many people tend not to for one reason or another when they post something that contains erotica for the weekly Prose Challenge.

I mentioned this in the survey Prose sent out, but there is no reason we cannot implement this ourselves without their request we do so. After all, we are the partners and writers on Prose, providing the content. Let's save the hardworking Prose team some trouble.

I believe in free speech and am not in any way against writers or readers of erotica. But I'm also a mother to a young son. Anyone else started to read what you thought was an age-appropriate piece out loud to your kids or young audience, only to have to stop partway through and they ask why? Awkward!

We all know what chemistry between two people is. It's important, or you wouldn't be here to read this and I wouldn't be writing it, obviously. I'm not saying we should ignore that.

All I'm asking is that it be labeled. Why? (1) So people who aren't looking for it won't come across it and be unnecessarily inconvenienced or offended and (2) So people who are looking for it will find it.

If we did this, I feel parents would be more comfortable with Prose/letting their kids use it. And why should we not make it that way? The younger generation is our future, and literacy is more important than ever in the soundbite world we inhabit. This would make Prose more user friendly by more people.

Prose is a great place. Let's make it a great place for everyone.

Please tag me in the comments (or send me a message should that make you feel more comfortable) if you agree/disagree with this, have a different viewpoint you'd like to present, or want to contribute any thoughts in general regarding it. I'd love to know how you fellow writers feel about this topic and get some feedback.

I'd give acceptance to those who need it most.

No matter their education, money, or birth

They'd have equal welcome and worth.

Longing for the love they never had,

Those who've got a father, but not a dad.

Their need to belong I'd try to fulfill...

It's hard to substitute - to skip harder still.

I stared down at the casket – purple with gilt silver edges. She was beautiful, even in death. But it couldn't bring her back. My grandmother was gone. I felt as hollow as the body that once housed her vibrant spirit. I brushed away the tears, trying to be brave.

“Artema.” A light touch on my shoulder told me it was Mother standing there. “Come,” she whispered.

I took a final look and slipped out of the viewing room where the other women had gathered to say their goodbyes. I followed Mother down a long hall to a side room. She opened the door noiselessly and we entered.

“Sit down.”

I did so. With Grandmother no longer reigning, Mother was heir to the throne of our colony. My parent – and queen. If obedience was in order as a child, even more so now.

“Listen. Grandmother is not dead.”

“Grandmother is not – ” I stared at her as if she'd gone insane. Hadn't she just been in the room with the body? “Your Majesty,” I began respectfully.

“Shh,” Mother warned. “It's a replica. She's been screen printed with 3D technology. Don't ask me how I know. There's not enough time to explain.”

“Then where is Grandmother?”

“She's held captive, with the others.”

“The others? Then all those recent deaths weren't real?”

Mother nodded.

“But why?”

She glanced around the room. When she spoke, her voice sank even lower than before. “Zeus,” she whispered. “He is jealous. He is taking them to a higher planet for some unknown purpose.”

“When?”

“When his quota is complete. You are the last one left on the list.”

“No!!”

“Shh,” she warned. “You must leave and reunite the kingdoms.”

I sank back in my chair. “That's not going to be easy."

I knew the story. When I was no bigger than a rosebud, there had been a terrible battle of the sexes. It started out between the King and Grandmother. It escalated until all the men and women in the realm were at war with each other. Husbands and wives, brothers and sisters, daughters and dads, sons and mothers, boys and girls.

Life became impossible for all of them. They couldn't coexist as before. Men banished women from the colleges. Women exiled them in turn from the workplace. The divorce courts weren't able to handle all the cases. So Zeus made a decree. The men and women would be segregated – forever. The men kept the country and gave the women the wealth. Grandmother and the rest were then exiled to the planet we now inhabited. Femlandia had been our home ever since.

“It's not that we need men,” Mother stated. “This isn't about who of us is weaker.” She spoke the truth, but I thought I detected just a hint of longing in that statement.

“You miss Dad,” I suggested.

“I don't.”

“You do.”

“I don't.”

“You – ”

“Stop,” Mother commanded.

And I remembered who she was. “Your Majesty,” I began, realizing what I had done.

“No. It's not that. It's just that the god is accomplishing his purpose. Not only did he cause fighting amongst men and women, but now we're arguing with each other. That split between the King and your grandmother – it was started intentionally by Zeus. He wanted a divided nation. I realized that when these mysterious deaths began occurring. He wasn't satisfied just to separate men and women. He wants to force us apart too.

“Our genetic technology is advanced enough to grow our numbers alone. We don't need men to exist. And we will rescue Grandmother and the other women. Our army is the best. But none of our techniques can defeat his original design. The royal courier has brought me news that the other kingdom is being treated the same. You must find the men.”