Sex Scenes in the Novel

Before publication I asked a few friends to read my medical mystery novel Fathers and Sons. One of them had an interesting question: why are there no sex scenes in your novel?

Well, I didn’t have a good answer.

But John Grisham did. During one of the conferences, he was asked the same question. Here is my take of his answer.

As you know, my wife is the first reader and critiquer of my works. The best beta reader one can have. She is an English major and obviously well qualified and, well, she is my wife too. In one of the novels, I dared to put an intimate sex scene in. She was working in a next room and I gave the manuscript to read. I was waiting for her reaction with trepidation. Then suddenly I heard a burst of laughing, and she came to my room with my manuscript in her hand.

She didn’t have to say anything.

I never did it again.

There is always something to learn from the masters.