My mentor, the late novelist Michael Crawley, called me that because I write in several genres (mystery, time travel, fantasy.) Sometimes all at once in the same book. This girl gets around.
But these days - like everyone else - my publishers are turning me into a social media whore. (Whoops, did I say that on prime time? <blush>)
"Frolic on Facebook!" they say. "Tattle on Twitter!" they insist. "Get out there!"
I'm out there, all right. I'm so far out there, I may need mouth to mouth and a slug of scotch to crawl my way back. (Yes, what follows is the absolute truth.)
The Inciting Incident:
It started with the Berlin Brothel. Lord knows why a brothel in Berlin decided to follow me on Twitter. I don’t live in Berlin. I’ve never worked in a brothel. Don’t think I’ve even typed the word ‘brothel’ before now. I certainly haven’t said it out loud.
Then some wag from Crime Writers of Canada said: “Maybe they’ve read your first book Rowena Through the Wall. That’s it! You have a following in Germany. The girls who work there have to do something in their downtime.”
Let me do a cyberspace blush here. Okay, my first book is a little hot. “Hot and hilarious” as one industry reviewer put it. But it’s not x-rated. It’s not even R, according to my daughter. (Husband has yet to read it. We’ve hidden it well.)
Then friend Alison said: “It’s a brothel! Maybe your latest crime comedy, The Goddaughter’s Revenge, is required reading by the owners.”
But back to Berlin. I didn’t follow them back. Somehow, that didn’t matter. The word was out.
‘Amateurvids’ announced they were following me. Good, I thought. I like nature films. Take it from me, this outfit doesn’t film bunnies in the wild. Well, maybe a certain type of wild bunny.
I didn’t follow them back.
Then ‘Dick Amateur’ showed up, wanting to connect. Author friend Gloria read a few of his posts and said: “You at least deserve a Pro.”
So I didn’t follow him back.
Next, I got “Swingersconnect” following me. Swingers? I get sick on a tire hanging from a tree.
I didn’t follow them back.
‘Thepornfiles’ were next in line. I didn’t peek.
Then two days ago, an outfit specializing in ‘male penis enhancement’ turned up. Now, I ask you. Do I look like a male in my profile photo? Is Melodie a male name? And not to be pedantic, but isn’t ‘male’ in front of the p-word a bit redundant? Is there any other kind?
Which brings me to the tweet in my twitter-box today: “Hey sexy porn gerl!” (Yes, that’s girl with an e.) Let me state categorically that I am not now and have never been a “sexy porn gerl” (with an ‘e’ or any other vowel.)
You wouldn’t want me to be. No one would. For one thing, I can’t see two feet in front of me without glasses. Things that used to be perky now swing south. And my back hurts if I bend over to pick up a grape.
So I’m not following them back.
Melodie Campbell is an infant Sleuthsayer and this is her second column. She writes comedies, including The Goddaughter mob caper series and the notorious Rowena Through the Wall S&S series. (That was Sword and Sorcery, not S&M. For the record.)
