Julia Barrett's World

My husband says so. Therefore, I find it necessary to elaborate upon my post of yesterday. In the world according to him, we are, each and every one of us, a combination of male and female characteristics. My husband has some personality traits that are traditionally considered feminine, i.e., nurturing, an ability to listen, sensitivity (but not like The Most Sensitive Man in the World as in the movie Bedazzled - when is that sun gonna set?). This is why he’s reading The Female Brain, by Louann Brizendine, and then he’s going to read the book related to my previous previous post, The Male Brain, i.e., the penis, by the same author - so he can potentially develop some additional insights into his own behavior. See…prime example - female brain…how many males seek insight? I mean, other than mystics and saints and Herman Hesse’s Siddhartha, a book and an author who, along with Martin Buber, set me on the right path back in the days when I searched for enlightenment.

I have to admit there is one male-brain thing my husband does and it involves the TV remote - it’s like this male obsessive compulsive disorder called: Point Remote and Switch from One Game to Another for Hours On End. Today the disease involves the NCAA Women’s Final Four - Stanford vs. Oklahoma, The Golden State Warriors, the Sharks (hockey), and a preseason Giants game. The male brain at it’s finest…

But I digress. I’m thinking of getting a Kindle. I read Jayne’s review of the Ipad on Dear Author: http://dearauthor.com/wordpress/ - please somebody change the name from Ipad so I don’t flash on Kotex every time I hear it - and she mentioned that as far as uploading or downloading ebooks, it’s no competition for the Kindle or the Nook. I love holding a book in my hand, but I’m not only starting to feel guilty about the waste of paper, I’m running out of storage space. Every single chest, bookcase, coffee table, kitchen chair, is piled high with books. And…I won’t feel as bad if I spend, say, $6 and hate a book than if I spend, say, $24 and hate a book. Yeah…thinking about it. Jayne’s post may have sealed the deal.

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There is a fascinating

discussion going on now over at Dear Author regarding society’s double standard about male vs. female sexuality and how it may be reflected in romance novels. It’s worth it to read the original post and then follow the comments.

On a personal note, my heroines are not virgins. They’ve had sex with one or more men in their lifetimes. Perhaps if I wrote historical romance, they would be inexperienced, because that would be appropriate according to the mores of the time period.

One of the comments, i.e., mine, has to do with experience vs. promiscuity. I understand sexual experience. I also understand promiscuity - this is my take on the matter, feel free to disagree. I equate the term promiscuity with risky sexual behavior - frequent unprotected sex with multiple partners IRL, not just in books. Having sexual encounters with complete strangers, the use of drugs with sex with complete strangers…sexual behavior that can actually endanger your life. Sexual experience does not necessarily equal risky behavior.

I encourage you to head over to Dear Author and check out this animated discussion.

http://dearauthor.com/wordpress/ The second post down.

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