Musings,  Writer's moments

Awesomeness Abounds…

…and I’m completely jacked up! Lucy March has set up a CafePress store with Bettyverse gear! Items include t-shirts, mugs, tote bags, messenger bags, and best of all, for me at least, jammies! Woot! I ordered them immediately and am picturing myself hanging out in Bettyverse pink plaid flannel pants and a cute tee while I create brilliant works of romantic fiction. I’m fairly certain anything Bettyverse-related will have magical properties and thus, set my creative juices flowing.

In case you don’t know, this is out-of-character. Generally, I object to wearing anything at all that has words emblazoned across my considerable ta-tas, but hey, it’s the Bettyverse! For the Betties, I make the same exception that I made for “Stanford Mom” and “Purdue Boilermakers”–about the only two articles of clothing I currently own that have something written on them. Sometimes in life you have to go against your grain, and frankly, at the moment, I’m in a going-against-my-own-grain mood.

Or maybe…I’m finally going with my grain. Lately, I’ve not only been surprising myself, but other people as well–like my friend who emailed to chide me gently for using the “f” word in my last Bettyverse post. I appreciated his concern, but frankly, I like that word. Sometimes it’s just the right word in a given situation. So I told him I was sorry if he was offended and reminded him that it was only a word and that words rarely offended me unless they were used to hurt someone–now that offends me. Otherwise, just another fascinating aspect of language.

Others are surprised when they hear that my novels have sex in them–real sex, not a kiss on a beach and fade to black. Sex scenes are a blast to write…they stretch my creative muscles because I want to be sensual and sexy without resorting to gynecology. My critique partner and my beta readers seem to think I’ve accomplished that. I think I have too, and after I wrote my first, rather explicit sexy scene, I was sorta surprised and very pleased that it turned out as well as it did.

I’ve surprised myself and friends and family with how bold I’m becoming–growing my editing business, writing, getting an agent, trying to sell my work, finishing a third novel (one more chapter!!),  blogging, and even taking off to new and different places all alone. Sometimes I think I may be channeling my mom–a woman who discovered her own adventurous spirit later in her life. But mostly, I think I’m just working at finding Nan.

Blogging at the Bettyverse is another part of that journey and the friends I’ve made there are among my special blessings. At an age when many folks’ universes begin to shrink, mine is expanding. Awesome!!

6 Comments

  • Carol

    Good for you writing sex scenes. I’ve not attempted the big sex scene…yet. And the merchandise, how cool. I’m thinking about the jammies too, only in black. Great post as usual.

    • Nan

      Thanks for coming by, Fokker, Karen, and Robena–I love hearing from you!!

      @Karen, you’re right, an empty nest definitely makes you stop and reconsider your life and your journey. Hang int there! Your time is coming.

      @Robena, I usually read my books aloud to my own hubs, but not the sex scenes…not sure why, it just makes me uncomfortable. It’ll be interesting to see what happens when I get published (when, not if!!)–how people who think they know me react…could even be fun!

      @Fokker–thanks!! It’s a great word, isn’t it?

  • Karen (Betty Bear)

    I think for many women, usually after the kids leave home, they enter a new stage of life, which is exploring who they are without the responsibilities that kept them in a certain role. It sounds like that is where you are and you are brilliantly taking hold of that new stage. I’m feeling the itch of that stage without the ability since I still have young’uns at home.

  • robena grant

    I love this post, Nan. I also ordered the awesome t-shirts and mugs. One set for me, one for my daughter. : )
    My latest manuscript is with my beta readers (who also belong to the same bookclub that I do) and I was hesitant about them reading my sex scenes. Reason being, last time I handed off an ms. there was a beta whose hubby was sick with the flu, and she was not feeling well and they lay in bed that weekend and she read aloud to him MY sex scene because she thought it was awesome. Yikes! Everytime I’d run into them after that, I was certain her hubs was looking at me differently. Ha ha.