Gasp…I’m a Romance Writer

A male friend of mine recently asked me point blank how difficult was it for me to "reveal" I manage a dating blog and I write Chick Lit (aka Romance) novels to my dates.

My response was simple: This is not something I blurt out on a first date. (If I did….let's face facts, they would run for the hills.) Usually I tell my dates I'm a writer and write about woman and female subject matters…nothing they'd be into. If they prod me…I am proud of my honesty here…so let them in on my little secret, read it for all its glory. I am a published writer and well…I'm writing about dating…so are you a good kisser. Come closer….inspire me.

Believe me. When a date finds out I manage this blog, I set them straight with some facts:

1. When I'm dating someone, I do not write about them. I might incorporate a story they told me, but I will ask them first.
2. I do not recreationally date multiple people at once. (I am not swimming in tons of free time.) So I take my dating pretty serious. If I'm dating someone, I'm usually only dating them…not multiples. (However, there have been periods in my life where I've dated more than one person…and that's a future blog post…but I'm not proud of that either.)
3. I ask them to respect my subjects and not ask too many questions to figure out who I'm writing about. I usually change names of people I write about. (But I have named my sister and best friend…and I'm not sure they liked that…so from now on…they will be "friends" with random names.)
4. I usually try and explain what type or writing I do and explain it this way: Chick Lit writers tend to "fumble" in the bedroom. Can he figure out that I'm wearing a front closing bra? And Romance writers tend to write epic multiple orgasmic sex scenes. I am a Chick Lit writer. If I figure out my dates are turning on me before my eyes, I think to myself, "but let's have sex and maybe I'll be inspired to write a romance novel."
5. Yes…I worked for a celebrity. Big international superstar. I don't work there anymore. (For the record: my novel is NOT about my former boss or any experience I've ever had working there…because a novel is a work of fiction people!)
6. If you break my heart…I might be tempted to write about you somewhere down the line. So don't break my heart.

The funny thing I've learned is, usually my dates WANT me to write about them. (Funny huh?) I think it's some male ego thing to have their name in print, or that they bagged a chick from a dating blog. Whatever…I just find it amusing really.

The other thing I've learned is…men will read my blog once…and never go back. (So I don't think they are checking up on me.) In fact I recently saw a guy who I must have wrote 5 or 6 posts about…didn't have a clue. I told him… "You should really read my blog more often, you might find it interesting." –So we'll see if he calls me again.

Bottom line, I'm a writer… and damn proud of it. So keep reading, tell your friends and well. Laugh, cry and send me your dating stories. I'm all ears.

HC