story fodder

So my brother has developed an interest in ghosthunting. I've been involved in that since the 1980's. He insisted I read a book by Zak Bagans from Ghost Adventures. Honestly I find him to be a jackass but this is the first thing my brother and I have had in common in our adult lives so I read it and was reminded of Poveglia Island.

Bagans's hyperbole aside (and the fact I doubt the island is 50% human ash) I was very interested in what could be proven of the local legends. The English Wiki had shockingly little. The link above was far more interesting (I also have an interest in the dangerous hobby of urban exploring). I'm wondering what sort of story I could set here. I wish I could read some of the articles in Italian but let's face it, my Italian is barely existent. I spoke it to my great grandmother but she died in the 70's. She was illiterate so I never learned to read it. Sigh. Maybe one day.


And on a totally different and mildly controversial topic that's relevant in my field, what to call the private parts in a sex scene. Maybe I'm old fashioned but the less silly-ass names you call it the better. I'm reading a novel now and the sex scenes are decidedly less sexy and more humorous when we keep getting terms like 'tube steak' 'cudgel, and 'big as bull's balls' (really? I grew up in farm country and well...) I have no problems with characters using terms like that in dialogue but in the exposition, I spend more time eye rolling than reading. Shaft, cock, member these I'm fine with. Heck I don't even find penis or vagina too clinical (don't get me started on the term cunt). It's when we start waving our tube steaks around that I begin to lose it.