Woman’s Erotic Fantasies – A Runaway Best Seller

by Linda Franklin

Who knew that the woman who just wrote this year’s most popular erotic novel to be the shy type and yet writer E.L. James is modesty to the core.

Despite the explicit content of her bestselling book, Fifty Shades of Grey, the author is still reeling at the unprecedented success and still doubles up in embarrassed laughter talking about it.

During an interview in Paris, the cheerful but self-deprecating British author admitted that she finds it ‘excruciating’ to discuss the fine points of the novel and called the work her own personal ‘mid-life crisis.’ 

Talking to TODAY, the former television producer and suburban mother who wrote the Fifty Shades trilogy in two years, said she had no idea why it had sparked such a phenomenon as, as far as she can see, there is nothing revolutionary about it. 

 

Asked whether she knew it would be such a hit, Ms James laughed: ‘No, not at all. I was amazed. I am stunned by its popularity.’ But she admitted the process was all-consuming as over the course of two years she did nothing but write, composing notes on her phone when she was out and ‘beaming’ them onto her Mac when she got home.

Joking about her unorthodox work method she smiled cheekily when asked if wine helped the flow of raunchy ideas, and said: ‘I always need a couple of glasses of wine’.

The lurid tale of sexual submission has been a sensation among women everywhere. While women have admitted to squirming in their seat on reading the lurid tale of Anastasia Steele and her sadomasochistic millionaire boyfriend Christian Grey, Ms James is not so forthcoming with her feelings on the subject matter.

Though she does admit the book is her ‘midlife crisis in Technicolor. All my fantasies are out there. When it came to talking about real life however, the author opened up about what she feels women really want.

‘I think in real life you want someone very, very different. You want someone who does the dishes,’ she said before adding that the reason her hero is rich and domineering is because ‘that’s really attractive on paper.’

The book that sold a staggering two million copies in one month realizes the secret fantasy of the submissive sexual encounter, a longing that many women may indeed harbor.

Ms James agreed: ‘Once you’re in charge of your job, your house, your children, getting food on the table, doing all of this all of the time, it would be nice for someone else to just be in charge for a little while.

Now Lifetime is doing a talk show based on the book and a movie may be in the works as well.  Hmm  - maybe I should drop everything I’m doing and get all my sexual fantasies down on paper.  

The Real Cougar Woman is a 5-carat diamond who knows the importance of taking care of her health, beauty, relationships, finances and spirituality. Linda Franklin says,”there is no stopping a woman who has a strong belief system, passion and a dream. All things are possible”. Linda’s book, Don’t Ever Call Me Ma’am helps women of all ages tap into their power and live life to the fullest.

Cougars And Their Teenage Daughters

Cougar women with daughters have an awesome responsibility. They have to be the living, breathing role models for their daughters and show them how important it is for  today's woman to be smart, independent and confident.  How vital it is for them to be their own person and not be governed by what other people say.  I said it was an awesome responsibility.

This morning I was watching the Today Show and there was a segment on tween fashions.  It was hard to know whether the clothes being shown were for the mom or the daughters.  Truth is, they weren't really appropriate for either age group.  Young girls today are super creative and the last thing we want to do is stifle that creativity.  But, at the same time, it's up to the Mom to set a standard so their girls don't get off track and send out the wrong signals. 

It's funny how age is always a problem for women.  When we were younger we couldn't wait to be older, and now that we are older, being younger sounds pretty good.   Cougar women have been accused of doing anything to retain their youth,  Well that may be true for some, but most of us are opting for growing old gracefully.  That doesn't mean throwing your hands up in defeat, it means, taking care of your self in every way – health, beauty, love sex, financially and spiritually.  It's becoming that 5-carat diamond I talk about..

I don't have a teenage daughter, but that doesn't mean I don't see how painfully aware they are of their  mother's fears. Did you know that young adults under 20 are the largest users of Botox to correct their perceived flaws? One 16 year old girls says, "every time I wrinkle my forehead, my mother warns it leads to wrinkles".  Another young women says she engages in  "competitive dieting" with her mom,  even though she think her mother's obsession with fat is crazy.

There is a study out from the Girl Scouts of the USA telling us what we already know, which is that the fashion industry and its use of ultra-thin models is making teenage girls too obsessed with being skinny, and distorting their body image. In my more limited unscientific research, the mothers are as strong an influence. Going on shopping trips with mom, usually a bonding experience, became all about hearing moms moan about their fat and rolls. Or seeing your mother trying on something, look in the mirror and say, ""I look ugly."

Daughters need their moms to be more satisfied with their own bodies and the lives they have created.  So many women look at photos of themselves as teenagers and say, "hey, I was really cute and I never realized it."   Well ladies, it's not too late – realize it now.  You will be a lot happier and so will your teenage daughters.