I enjoy writing, but...

[Deleted member 57675]

There is this story one of them read and wouldn't shut up about, that is about a woman who got a spell put on her (this is not in a fantasy setting) by a gypsie woman and her boyfriend dumped her just as she was pregnant. Then, going forward, again, because of the spell, she lost her second boyfriend (this one died), again, while pregnant. She started drinking and, finally, become a nun. Leaving her two daughters up for adoption. And that is one of the milder stories they read...
PS: Who believes in spells, even?

Guess they like to read dark genre stuff. Latter question -some people still do.

But wasn't asking what they like to read...what you stated sounds more like just attacking what they are interested in. In the same way, isn't that how you felt when they talked about your interests?

What one was asking was if they always bring up your story writing. If it's a one-time thing, forget about their words. Some people don't know how insensitive or ignorant their words sound anyways. You got two choices - correct them, or ignore them.

If its on a repetitive scale, just tell them from now on you would like to focus on work-related talks.

Or, you can correct them - it takes multiple rejections before getting a manuscript accepted by a publisher going by one method, and in another its a huge gamble how you self-market yourself with your story and if it becomes successful.

If correcting them doesn't work, just move on and ignore their opinions. Tell 'em let's keep it professional talks only and be done with it. Their opinions don't matter in personal stuff, what matters is the work.