Using Children in Adult Themes: Guest Post by Stephen Tremp
Writing for children is a huge responsibility. However, children often play a part in adult books, as well. Today, Stephen Tremp is here to discuss a pretty important topic: using children in adult-themed books. His guest post demonstrates that we all have limits in our writing--those things we absolutely will never do as a matter of principle. Be sure to stick around after the guest post to learn all about his awesome new scary book, Salem's Daughters--the perfect book for October!
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Using Children in Adult Themes
by Stephen Tremp
Using kids in books. No Problem. Simple, right? Straight forward? Whoa, slow down a bit. It’s not as easy as it looks. Some of the most successful writers such as Stephen King, Dean Koontz, James Patterson and many others have no problems doing all kinds of crazy things to kids. But the material, some of which is so far over the top, I’ve had to ask, why? Was that really necessary? I know, I know, they’re merely writing about the world we live in. Okay, fine. It’s a free country.
There are three things I never put in my books:
• I do not use God’s name in vain.
• I do not use F-bombs.
• I do not kill or exploit children in order to make the bad guy badder or progress the plot.
If other writers want to, go nuts. I’m not here to judge or criticize. There are many books and movies I have no problem with foul language: Good Fellas, Casino, and Training Day. But for me, it’s hard to stomach some of the terrible things that happen to children in books and movies.
That being said, I have a lot of kids as minor characters in Salem’s Daughters. The first family to arrive at the bed and breakfast are Eugene and Beatrice Barnett.
Bob looked at the rust around all four wheels. One of the doors was a different color than the rest of the car. The hood was held down with a bungee cord. Red duct tape covered one of the broken rear parking lights.
Bob watched as three children piled out. Triplets. Red haired, freckled faced, pasty-skinned boys all under the age of ten. Their energy demonstrated they’d been cooped up in the truck for a long time.
They ran past him before Debbie could say ‘hi’ and into Murcat Manor. Within seconds the sound of screaming cats filled the air. Something glass broke.
The cats, terrorized by kids, have met their match. And not just the red-headed triplets of terror. Each new wave of guests bring at least a few kids who can’t resist pulling the cats’ tails and doing other mean things to them.
“I really hate kids now,” Jacqueline said as she walked to the large arch that led to the kitchen and peered in.
“The Barnett triplets were the worse,” Chloe said. “The ones here aren’t so bad. But that freckled faced girl at the end of the table pulled my tail again last night. I almost lost it and levitated her right out her second story bedroom window.”
Annie spoke. “I considered speeding up the synaptic transmissions in her brain receptors to the point she’d take in every piece of information her five senses detected. Give the little brat a case of sensory overload that would drive her and her parents crazy.”
“Too bad Rebecca’s not here,” Scarlett said. “She’d catch that kid’s pony tails on fire.”
“I can short circuit the thoughts of that brother and sister,” Helen said. “Make them think they’re each other. And if we see those Barnett triplets here again, I’ll rewire their brains so every month they’ll think they’re one of the other brothers. Their parents will never be able to tell which one is which ever again.”
In my opinion, there are ways to use kids to further the plot through dark humor rather than torturing and killing them in all kinds of weird and grotesque ways.
What’s your take on using kids in mature books and movies?
Bio:
Stephen Tremp writes Speculative Fiction and embraces science and the supernatural to help explain the universe, our place in it, and write one of a kind thrillers. You can read a full synopsis and download Salem’s Daughters by Clicking Here.
Contact info:
Website | Amazon Buy | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads
-----------------------------------------------------------
Using Children in Adult Themes
by Stephen Tremp
Using kids in books. No Problem. Simple, right? Straight forward? Whoa, slow down a bit. It’s not as easy as it looks. Some of the most successful writers such as Stephen King, Dean Koontz, James Patterson and many others have no problems doing all kinds of crazy things to kids. But the material, some of which is so far over the top, I’ve had to ask, why? Was that really necessary? I know, I know, they’re merely writing about the world we live in. Okay, fine. It’s a free country.
There are three things I never put in my books:
• I do not use God’s name in vain.
• I do not use F-bombs.
• I do not kill or exploit children in order to make the bad guy badder or progress the plot.
If other writers want to, go nuts. I’m not here to judge or criticize. There are many books and movies I have no problem with foul language: Good Fellas, Casino, and Training Day. But for me, it’s hard to stomach some of the terrible things that happen to children in books and movies.
That being said, I have a lot of kids as minor characters in Salem’s Daughters. The first family to arrive at the bed and breakfast are Eugene and Beatrice Barnett.
Bob looked at the rust around all four wheels. One of the doors was a different color than the rest of the car. The hood was held down with a bungee cord. Red duct tape covered one of the broken rear parking lights.
Bob watched as three children piled out. Triplets. Red haired, freckled faced, pasty-skinned boys all under the age of ten. Their energy demonstrated they’d been cooped up in the truck for a long time.
They ran past him before Debbie could say ‘hi’ and into Murcat Manor. Within seconds the sound of screaming cats filled the air. Something glass broke.
The cats, terrorized by kids, have met their match. And not just the red-headed triplets of terror. Each new wave of guests bring at least a few kids who can’t resist pulling the cats’ tails and doing other mean things to them.
“I really hate kids now,” Jacqueline said as she walked to the large arch that led to the kitchen and peered in.
“The Barnett triplets were the worse,” Chloe said. “The ones here aren’t so bad. But that freckled faced girl at the end of the table pulled my tail again last night. I almost lost it and levitated her right out her second story bedroom window.”
Annie spoke. “I considered speeding up the synaptic transmissions in her brain receptors to the point she’d take in every piece of information her five senses detected. Give the little brat a case of sensory overload that would drive her and her parents crazy.”
“Too bad Rebecca’s not here,” Scarlett said. “She’d catch that kid’s pony tails on fire.”
“I can short circuit the thoughts of that brother and sister,” Helen said. “Make them think they’re each other. And if we see those Barnett triplets here again, I’ll rewire their brains so every month they’ll think they’re one of the other brothers. Their parents will never be able to tell which one is which ever again.”
In my opinion, there are ways to use kids to further the plot through dark humor rather than torturing and killing them in all kinds of weird and grotesque ways.
What’s your take on using kids in mature books and movies?
Bio:
Stephen Tremp writes Speculative Fiction and embraces science and the supernatural to help explain the universe, our place in it, and write one of a kind thrillers. You can read a full synopsis and download Salem’s Daughters by Clicking Here.
Contact info:
Website | Amazon Buy | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads
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