Identity and Guest Blogger: Lee Ann Sontheimer Murthy

Today, I have two things to share with you, my dear friends. One is the very serious crime, Identity Theft. Identity Theft damages the lives and credits of millions of people a year. One good way to protect yourself against it is to never give out your personal information to anyone and not to write it down where many people could see it. The other day I was out at a store and noticed a few job applications laying around on the store’s information desk. The applications were clearly visible, along with the applicant’s personal information, such as social security numbers. All it takes is for one person to grab the application off the desk or to jot the information down. I told the store employee to put those away, and they showed them in a drawer instantly. However, how many store employees go into the drawer? Since the information should be shared only between the applicant and store manager, I think there are way too many eyes that could look at it and read your information. So please be careful about what information you share with strangers.




Now, on to today’s guest author. Lee Ann Sontheimer Murthy is a two time published author with Evernight Publishing, and she’s contracted for multiple books with several other publishers. Today, she will be telling you about shocking family and friends with the naughty things she writes. So, without further ado, please welcome Lee Ann.



Shocking Their Socks Off



Now that I am in transition from “just a writer” to an author, I find that many of the people who have known me for a very long time are, well, shocked. Some are surprised at what I have written – paranormal romance thus far with some erotic scenes. I think some may want to shake their finger at me and tell me I’m a very bad girl but no one has dared to do that – at least not yet. When my latest novel, Love Tattoo, came out in March from Evernight Publishing, my own brother, a grown-man, fully adult, all but blushed when he read some of the love scenes.

My mother seemed more than a little taken aback that my books include sex but she should have known I discovered the pleasures of the flesh a long time ago.

I have had people call my books everything from just romance to erotica and even porn which surprised me because I certainly don’t think that what I write could be classed as porn. I tend to think that I write sensual romance but not true erotica where sex is more the point than the story itself.

The one thing I don’t do is apologize for the adult content of my novels to anyone. Since I happen to be quite firm in my belief that sex between consenting adults of any gender or persuasion is a beautiful thing, there is no reason why I would. Maybe I should say consenting creatures since my heroes in my first two novels have been paranormal people but in my real world, I think sex is a free expression of love. No one else should try to dictate what that love involves or who it may be with.

Since I live in a small town with overall conservative values, my beliefs are not the average. Until my first novel debuted late last year I was best known for the weekly column I write for the local newspaper or the one I penned for the larger, regional daily before that. Local folks know about my essays that have shown up in several anthologies including the recent Chicken Soup For The Soul – Grandmothers and such. Some are even familiar with my fiction that found its’ way into nine different anthologies and even if most of that is somewhat speculative, if not downright horror, that seems to be more socially acceptable than writing about sex.

To be fair, however, there are also a number of local residents who are proud of my accomplishments and celebrate them with me, even the novels. They read the books and are proud to claim a friendship or acquaintance with me. I have an idea that even some of those who think of me as “that kooky lady who writes those dirty books about evil creatures” probably read my novels in secret. I hope so!

That brings me to the other way that I shock locals and those who have known me for a long time. People somehow don’t expect someone they know who drives a beat up older Buick to the grocery store, who wears mostly blue jeans, and sits out on the porch when the weather is fine just like they do to somehow become an author.

At the local discount store just today my husband ran into someone he knows from his job. He introduced me as his wife and mentioned that I’m an author. This very nice woman tossed back her head and laughed at what she thought was a joke. When she stopped, I smiled and offered her one of the cards I’ve had made up with my logo and motto. She stared at me and I mentioned that my novels are on Amazon. She stared some more and then it sunk in. She accepted the card with thanks and said she has a Kindle. We went from amusement to shock and awe in about three minutes.

I guess the bottom line is that I really don’t care if I shock people. As long as they buy the books, I don’t care what they think about me. And please, don’t judge the books by the cover (which are beautiful by the way)…read them and make up your mind.



Love Tattoo available at:
Evernight Publishing
Amazon
as well as many other online retail sites!