Unapologetically Feminine
And wonderfully multi-faceted.
What if we’re all secretly black cat heroines?
The type of heroine who can be unlikeable, especially at first. The one we describe as difficult, prickly, and closed off.
At our cores, I’m not sure any of us is the woman forever striving to please; contorting to fit the expectations of the various people in her life. The woman who survives her environment by soothing, smoothing over, nurturing, and supporting those around her so that they might meet their potential.
The woman locked in that role is limited to being a side character in someone else’s story.
That role, I learned early, was most important.
I also learned to hide the parts deemed less palatable, less socially acceptable.
Because I am also a wise woman and a wild woman.
Warrior, priestess, and comedian.
Maiden, siren, and, yes, mother.
We are not this or that, we are this and that and that and that, as well.
If we felt free to embrace all our facets, we would find inside each of us a wild, wise warrior.
A seeker of spirituality able to laugh with abandon.
A goddess at once pure(as in unadulterated), sexual, and nurturing.
When I wrote my first book, I gave it to my husband to read.
And he loved it.
Not being a reader, never mind a romance reader, he voiced one concern: Are you sure it’s okay to write so explicitly about sex?
I assured him there were romance novels far more explicit than mine.
Unconvinced, he continued. The story is so rich and beautiful, does it need the sex? If you don’t put so much detail, you might appeal to a wider audience.
I took in his words. Honestly, they deflated me more than a little. After sitting on them for a few days, I concluded that a huge part of my stories revolve around women taking back their lives and claiming space for all of themselves.
And that includes their sexuality.
A short while later, a dear friend of mine, who is a staunch Catholic and a great cheerleader, suggested I produce a G-rated version so women who did not like explicit sex in their literature could enjoy my books without feeling uncomfortable.
Again, I thought about it. And again, I came to the same conclusion.
You see, I don’t want to be complicit in tucking parts of women away in shadow. Keeping those things in the dark that have been used to shame us.
Sex.
Mental disability.
Body positivity.
The warped coping mechanisms we developed compliments of trauma.
My stories are not complete without the sexual awakening, re-awakening, or claiming of those aspects of self we’ve been taught to hide.
Or deny.
My stories are, first and foremost, about a woman poised on the brink of taking up the reins to her life.
Claiming those aspects of self for which she’s been shamed, those aspects of her past that wrestled the control of her destiny from her hands.
In the context of writing romance, the delicious unfolding of a loving, romantic relationship, that claiming of self includes a sexual awakening or re-awakening, and the exquisite delight of sexual intimacy.
The acceptance of woman as a sexual being.
The celebration of sex as a gift, a means of deepening intimacy, and promoting attachment.
A gift we should feel free to claim for ourselves.
So, my fellow black cat.
Which parts of yourself have you yet to claim?
If I might encourage you to prod a bit further, when were you first made to feel ashamed of your sexuality?
Are you ready to take it back?
Last week I got a bit ahead of myself and highlighted Stephanie Rose’s fabulous new release a few days early. But you know what? She deserved the preview!
And I promise, it is NOW AVAILABLE!
Author Spotlight: Stephanie Rose!
Stephanie Rose is an Amazon top 60 author. She's also a lifelong New Yorker, a wife, a mother, and a lover of all things chocolate. Her sweet spot is writing the nice guy who goes alpha for the woman he loves. In fact, the alpha cinnamon roll hero is her specialty.
She married her prom date and her biggest fan is her teenage son who tries to offer book ideas in exchange for video games and LEGO.
She spends her free time avoiding discarded LEGO and obsessing over what book to read or listen to next (audiobooks are her favorite!). Weight lifting is her happy place but she loves a good iced coffee or glass of wine and has never met a cookie that she didn’t like.
And I’ll add, if you fall in love with A Whole New Ball Game? Stephanie has a deliciously thick backlist you’ll adore.❤️
NOW AVAILABLE!
From bestselling author Stephanie Rose comes a swoon-worthy sports romance filled with sizzling chemistry, a heart-stealing hero who falls first, and an age-gap love story worth rooting for.
Rachel Manning has her hands full working a demanding job at a PR firm and raising her teenage sister. The only time she makes for romance is in the hours she carves out writing steamy novels. Until she collides with her very own meet cute…
Silas Jones, a recently retired baseball legend turned manager, is gorgeous, divorced, and carrying around enough regret to last a lifetime. One magical night with Rachel gives her a chance to forget her responsibilities while awakening something in him that he hasn’t felt in a long time… if ever.
When fate throws a curveball and brings them together again through work, he’s ready to play for keeps. But a strict no-fraternization clause in Rachel’s contract means being with Silas isn’t just risky—it’s forbidden. And she and her sister need every penny of that paycheck.
Falling in love was never part of the plan. But for a once in a lifetime love, is it worth risking it all?
The ENTIRE and COMPLETE Sage Ridge series is currently available to read free with Kindle KU.
The rest of my library is available to read free with Kobo Plus.
If you’re ready for a little emotional damage and a guaranteed HEA, and you want to see women in their 30s and 40s winning at love, claiming their lives, and celebrating their sexuality, click below!
That’s it for me.
My lovelies.
Live Messy, Love Madly!
Devin.