Full Monty

Yup, there I am in the right hand corner. I know, I know – I look a bit "vanilla" to write erotica. But this is about full disclosure. I’m not hiding anymore.
The last six weeks have been full of the most exciting days of my life. From Julia Daniels’ email of a contract offer- to my story, The Heist, going live on Monday. And now it feels like the aftermath of a storm, or even the day after Christmas. There is calmness in my life that hasn’t been around for six weeks. I haven’t been checking my email every five minutes, I’m caught up on my social networking and now, I wait and reflect.

Although, I have swept my friends up in my mini tornado of excitement, I kept everything a secret from my family until recently. I wanted to tell those ties that bind what I have been up to, you know… writing erotica. But I was a little embarrassed. Mind you, I am very proud of what we do here, but seriously you wouldn’t sit down and read your work aloud to your parents, right?

So I came clean… sort of. I told them I wrote a romantic short story (and I use the word “romantic” loosely). They were so excited and wanted to immediately read my manuscript. They had all kinds of questions about the publishing process. So you can imagine how they felt when I told them they couldn’t read it! However, I have to say they took it pretty well when asked them not too and simply said, “It has too much sex in it for me to feel comfortable letting you read it.”
Although, I am pretty sure my mom has her minions searching the internet (because she doesn’t know how to use a computer). I’m through hiding. Everyone important to me now knows my passion for writing erotica.

Since I am shy by nature, social networking can be overwhelming to me at times. In the beginning I wasn’t sure how to handle the technical side of promotion. I was scared I might post in the wrong Yahoo group and look like a moron in front all of Noble’s seasoned writers. Maybe make a horrendous spelling mistake – it never fails – whenever I send an email to Jill Noble, I go back and read what I wrote and see at least one word misspelled or left out entirely. Jeez! I’m supposed to be a writer, right?

So again, this is about disclosure. My family now knows what I have been up to and now you all know my fear of looking like an idiot. I’m not hiding anymore. I am going to post in our group so often – you are going to be sick of me and wish I would go away. I’m going to pester you to visit my website and blog along with me. And if I make a spelling error, too bad, deal with it.
And in the end, we are human. We all make mistakes in front of people we want respect from. I felt the kindness and support from the moment I stepped through Noble’s virtual door. And I support you. I will be there for you too, just let me know when you need me.

Louisa Pare-Luigi