How does this trashy writer spend her summer vacation?
With her mother. Dun, dun, daaaaa…. Eeek!
I’m packing up my husband and daughter and heading home to Wisconsin to visit my family. Some of them haven’t met Energizer Toddler yet. The last time we drove to WI was at Christmas three years ago, and we’ll never do it again. We drove through an ice storm—both ways. When we stopped at a gas station in Minnesota, our Jeep was covered with an inch-thick layer of ice. The driver next to us asked where we came from and when we told him Des Moines, he winced and said, “That’s where I’m going.” I hope he made it. We got to my mom’s house after our 18 hour drive turned into 24, and we found out my sisters, three and five hours away, couldn’t make it through the storm. On the way back, Interstate 80 closed at Omaha, NE, and the next morning we drove home on a sheet of ice while we watched semi-trailers and other SUVs slid off the road ahead of us. We swore never to make that trip in the winter again.
NW Wisconsin in July isn’t all that appealing either. There’s unbelievable humidity, relentless mosquitoes, and … my uptight mother. I love my mom, but in the words of my father, she needs to lighten up. I’ve been an erotic romance author for over a year and she still doesn’t know. (I hope.) I’d love to share my success with her, and I’m tempted to confess, but I’ve had enough judgment for one lifetime. I’d like to tell my sisters, but the youngest one tells our mom everything and my other sister is a tough call. She used to be pretty open-minded, but I’m not sure she is anymore. She likes women’s fiction (not that there’s anything wrong with that). The books she gives me every Christmas collect dust on my TBR shelf.
So I’ll spend my summer vacation hiding my trashy writer persona. Might be hard to do though. Amelia James is more me than the real me. Wrap your head around that one. I can’t. 
Will Trashy’s secret be revealed? Will her mother ever unclench? Find out next week! I’m sure you’re dying to hear about it. 
If a vacation is spent visiting family, is it still a vacation?
I really AM dying to hear! Bad enough that I write romance, and when the in-law-family ask “what’s your book about?” I get the glazed expression about four words into my description.
A glazed expression would be great, but I’m pretty sure I’d get horrified gasps and prayers for my soul.
May I make a suggestion? Talk to your dad? See what he thinks about you ‘coming out’ How supportive is your husband? Depending on what they think, why not confront your mom and sisters at an adult meeting not only are you a writer but what you write and why you write. Furthermore, people not only read your books but pay real money to read them just as much as tou like to write them. Michael
I’m sure my dad would’ve been supportive. He wouldn’t have wanted to hear about the subject matter, but he would’ve been proud that I’m doing something I love. My husband supports me 100%, especially when I get paid.
Someday I’ll have that meeting with my mom, but now is not the time.
I’m glad to hear you you had a nice visit.
If you decide to spill the beans, I hope your mom responds positively and is supportive. Good luck!
I didn’t tell her. Wasn’t even tempted much. We had a nice family visit, and I didn’t want to ruin that.