Oh My, Mrs. B!
My first book “ AND SO IT IS,” was modeled after a lovely place here in Moseley Virginia. It is a catering place that is used for weddings, birthdays, group events and business meetings. It’s a lovely old house and barn, on a large tract of land. The original house constructed in 1850 has been modernized and revised over all these years. The charm though, has been maintained. Originally it was a 350 acre farm.
It was with this house in mind, that I conjured up the story of Melinda. In the book, which has hints about certain people and their behaviors, is purely fictional. What came as a surprise to me was the reaction from almost everyone I know that I had parts of it that were “raunchy.” It actually shocked some people that I knew about such things. It amused me, after all, I didn’t live my whole life under a rock. What I hadn’t experienced myself, was readily available information from everything I have ever read myself!
That first book, led to subsequent books, that also contain hot and steamy ideas about sex! (Oh my, Mrs. B. really!)
A year ago I had to have a consultation with a doctor about my kidney. I had never met this man before and he trying to calm me down, just started a regular conversation. He asked me what I did since I retired. I told him I wrote novels. He asked what kind of novels, and I answered, “Steamy love stories.” It was definitely not what he was expecting, and he broke into laughter. I guess he didn’t believe me and asked me about a book title and if he could get one. I told him the title of the first, “And So It Is” and yes, he could find it on Amazon. He took out his phone and looked it up. I don’t know if he was trying to find out if I was delusional or a liar.
He was satisfied I guess, so we continued with the reason why I was there. It’s odd, he definitely looks at me differently. Maybe he is afraid to become a character in one of my stories?
I heard more comments as the second book, “THE RELUCTANT GENIUS,” was released.
I started to become self conscious. Of course I want people to read my books and of course I want them to like them, but I didn’t want them to think this was all my biography! On the opposite end of the spectrum, I also talk about different historical events, or time periods, but no body thinks I partook in these events or lived through those times.
I have become more guarded, no , not in my writing, but in my effort to promote what I’ve written. The next book, is due to be released fairly soon, it’s called,
“THE HIDING PLACE.” Like the other books, I refer to places I know, to situations I have both observed or to historical events that I was not a part of. The story however, is purely fictional.
The other day, once again in another doctor’s office, my doctor, who is warm and friendly asked me if I was still writing. I told him. “definitely.”
He told me that I said, he shouldn’t ever read my books because they were too raunchy. I corrected him and said, No, it wasn’t because the books were raunchy, is was because he would look at me differently for writing them. He too laughed, but I’m safe, he’ll never read them.
