Yes, that's my size.

This is about sizes and I have a few (insert hysterical laughter here) things to say about this topic.

 

I'm a "curvy, spirited, cellulite carrying, stretchmark scarred mother who borders on the clinical term of being near obese." Those who know me will either confirm or deny this statement. Some of my friends have even seen me in my undies as I've gotten ready for the Renaissance Festival or trying on clothes in a dressing room. These ladies have seen the real me. This is the woman who had the roadmap of her 40+ years and carried her 5'5 stature with as much dinity as possible.

 

I'm 148 lbs. Yep, I said it. And on a medical scale, my BMI is borderline obese. I wear a size 11 in jeans and they always have to be tried on as manufacturers seem to think that an ample rear means you don't have a smaller waist. How wrong they are.  

 

Here's something some of you don't know. I used to be anorexic. I was 105 lbs when I met the man that I ended up marrying but before the wedding I had lost 20+ lbs. Honest. I stopped weighing myself at 85 lbs because I didn't want to acknowledge what the world was telling me. I didn't lose the weight because I thought that I was fat but putting it back on made me feel as if I would be fat.

 

As you can see, I love food again (a lot) and don't feel as guilty as I used to when I ate a huge plate at Thanksgiving. I do, however, have Body Dysmorphic Disorder as no matter what size that I am I now feel too big by the standards that I see in the mirror from 20+ years ago. It's that sad?

I'm by no means "too large" for a bathing suit or for skinny jeans....at least, not by my standards. My perception of "Large" may be what others call "fat", but that's how I am. I hate going by sizes in the stores and try to go for what fits my figure. That is an accomplishment because before I had my son, I hated touching anything that had a certain set of sizes on it. I've since trained myself that I need to grab the L or XL in certain stores, as they are what I like to wear plus that store has a distorted image of what the average women looks like.

 

I wanted a particular dress that was simple yet stylishly cut to work with my body type but they didn't understand that I couldn't see myself walking around in a sausage roll of a Medium when I clearly needed a L or XL (lovely and extra lovely, as I was told).

 

I've had women argue with me about what size I wear, even when I've shown them the tag that backs me up. It's freaking ridiculous. Yes, I have pants that are even 13/15, as they're slim cut and I am not. Don't yell at me that I'm just trying to make you feel better when I'm just wanting to cover all the acreage that God blessed me with. And don't fuss at me for thinking I need a large if you are more blessed than I am. I grew up with gorgeous, tall, blonde women who had huge breasts while I resembled a teenage boy with long hair.

 

What I'm getting at it is that this is my size, whether you agree with it or not. I know what it takes to zip up my jeans and I know what will shoot buttons off of my top when I sneeze. Don't jump to conclusions, argue, or even tell me I'm in the wrong part of the store. Yes, some of them said that as they knew that I was a mother with a teenager.

 

It's bad enough that I judge myself for every wrinkle, dimple, and pooch. Right? Do you really need to do the job better than I do? Aren't I my own worst critique? It's my body and if it offends you for me to be wearing a particular number then just go away. If I can snuggle up to these flaws every night then who cares? I was given a Coke bottle body with two legs and a sassy mouth so let me fill it or label it anyway that I care.  

 

I'm off my Large soap box. :-)

 

)))Corset Hugs(((

  

Ginny Lynn

Wench Writer

 

Success???

I've heard people asking about the definition of success. What is your picture of success, if you had to plan it out or describe it to someone you just met? Would you be able to formulate something that made a great picture or would you stammer for the words?

 

I was a witness to another of these discussions at last month's Georgia Romance Writers Meeting. I wanted to help the young lady who was being asked to define her visions of success. She seemed uncomfortable and I was, too. I wanted to put words in her mouth but then realized that I had no idea how to answer this if it had been me.

 

I've rolled it in my mind since then and tried to properly answer the questions when it comes to my writing career. How do you see success, for yourself? What would be the marker for you stating "Now, I'm a success"?

 

I consider myself to be Always Under Construction, like Hwy 285. In that, I see that success would be constantly reaching for the goals that I have given myself. This could be a bad thing as you never fulfill your goals but in my eyes I'd be putting energy into something new that would make me grow in some way.

 

I see success in my helping someone to reach their own goals, like a writer friend needing a big shove (with love) as I push her to pitch for the first time. Success would be shown in any person that can say that I helped them reach a milestone.

 

If I had to say what my ultimate goal was for the success I would have for my future, it would be me being retired from the medical field as I traveled while writing for a living. I may live as a nomad, but being able to survive off the income as I did what makes my soul happy, that is success for me.

 

Can you answer the question or do you need time to come up with something?

 

Share it with me when you have it figured out. I'd love to hear what you came up with.

 

)))Corset Hugs(((

 

Ginny Lynn

Wench Writer

 

Shiny Black A$$ Award

Here's my Top (Giggle) Ten for the Shiniest Black A$$ Award.

In 2008, Kate Beckinsale was given an award and her acceptance speech included the words "I think I just won an award for my shiny black a$$." I agree and I decided to give props to the women who inspired me to do squats again.

Charlize Theron: EON FLUX

Carrie Ann Moss: TRINITY

Kate Beckinsale: SELENE

Julie Newmar: CATWOMAN

Scarlet Johannson: BLACK WIDOW

Halle Berry: CATWOMAN

Fergie: as herself

Michelle Pfieffer: CATWOMAN

Jennifer Garner: ELEKTRA

Ann Hathaway: (my guys demanded this one was on the list) CATWOMAN

 Yes, I'm a fan of Catwoman. And no, I didn't dare put numbers on these ladies who dared the war of cellulite to crisco themselves into these pants. I applaud them, curves and all. Ladies, keep rocking the back so we (women) always stay in front. :-)

)))Corset Hugs(((

Ginny Lynn

Wench Writer

FREEBIE:

Me in leather at the Ga Renaissance Festival - The Pirate Ship (my first year working fulltime with the crew - 2012)

 ....look closer....

Spider versus the fly

Spider versus the fly. Do you wonder what I'm up to? The metaphor is simple and yet, can be overwhelmingly complex.

 

Fly:

 

Flies seem to be nothing but a nuisance to people as they buzz from one area to the other, handling their normal lives. Flies smell their food by using their antennas and will get by with what we would consider nothing but a useless crumb.

They're capable of somersaults as they take off and flap their two wings faster than a hummingbird. And yet, we spend so much of our time trying to get rid of the enterprising little insects. Disgustingly, they were maggots in their past lives and vomit before they eat.

 

Spider:

 

 

Spiders are feared by post people as they are predators who are after something. Sometimes they can be evasive or hide their very existences. They scurry around and love to appear in dark areas where the shadows hide what they're up to.

But spiders are very useful. They can take out the flies, mosquitoes, and even other (more dangerous) spiders. They make beautiful work (spider webs) that are intricate and lacelike. The beauty disguises and distracts from the purpose of the painstaking job. It is there to catch what is needed to survive.  

 

Think over these "bugs" in a way that they become people.

People are positive and negative, all at the same time. We're imperfect. The questions I have are these:

 

Are you a fly that makes do with what little they can find, buzzing happily through the people who find you annoying in your fast paced way of life? Do you revolve around a large group of others that are like you?

OR

Are you the one who hides as you work out a masterpiece that also feeds you? Do you scurry about as you go from safe place to safe place? Do you understand the fear that people have of your strange but alluring ways?

 

Is one better than the other? Are either totally understood? Which would you rather be?

 

)))Corset Hugs(((

 

Ginny Lynn

Wench Writer

 

http://www.amazingflygun.com/facts.asp

Firsts - Book Festival as an Author

My First Book Festival

Well, I was happy to be asked to help out at this year's AJC Decatur Book Festival. I was at booth 529 with Georgia Romance Writers and Read It Again Bookstore.

The ladies from Read It Again were amazing! They were congenial and wonderful company on a muggy afternoon.

 

And who placed us outside Starbucks? I'd like to thank and grumble at them all at the same time. I had driven to the event with one of my typical weather related migraines and was unable to partake of the mermaid madness that is Starbucks coffee.

Anyway :-) 

Jennifer McQuiston had this amazing idea and you may recognize the two ladies on the right. GRW's Nicki Salcedo and Sally Kilpatrick were among the folks to step into the book cover for a photo op. I think Sally (the last pic) is perfect. Yes, the other two were men with wonderful personalities. Bravo.

 

 

I was more anxious about driving there with my migraine than I was even figuring out what to bring or wear. I'm weird that way.

 

I was scheduled for two shifts on Saturday afternoon, so I took several print copies of Andromeda, my Wench Writer cards and pens. I sold four in the four hours that I was there and was asked to leave five more (signed, of course) for them to sell through Sunday. I was happy to comply.

 

The corset got me several comments (to my face, giggle) and lots of looks, but being a wench has me used to that sort of thing. I embrace my corsetness. (Yes, I made that word up. Mine!)

 

 

And look at this. Me with Jane Porter (http://www.janeporter.com/) and Jennifer McQuiston(http://www.jenmcquiston.com/) . These women are wonderful fictional role models. They write with passion as they deal with families, jobs, and their own unique humor. To see women like this, selling pieces of their souls to readers who flock to the tents - that's inspiration.  

 

And to the other authors who bust hump to enrich our fictional lives and the readers who starve for our works, I salute you.

 

)))Corset Hugs((

 

Ginny Lynn

Wench Writer