Sexual Harassment, Again...

The "pushing" process has its highs- connecting with authors, publishers, chance encounters with mentors, looking at life like, "Yes, one day all my hard work will be available at Borders, Barnes and Noble, etc., available on Amazon!!" Yes, those are the happy moments. Especially the moments when people read the summary and say, "Wow! I can actually see this!" I've heard those same words from different people. It is the most pleasurable shock I've ever felt...#pause.

Anywho, I'm just saying there are definitely highlights during this publishing journey. But with those come very low moments as well. They vary just like the happy times, but the one that I think hurts the most is Sexual Harassment.

Am I selling sex? No, I'm selling an idea, a novel- not myself in any inappropriate way. Sorry for any misunderstandings. But really only jerks think that me saying, "Hey, give me your info. I'd love to get your incite," or "You're an author? Cool! Can we have coffee some time? I have a million questions to ask if you don't mind," means I'm open for business. Yeah, NO!! #pointsfinger #rollsneck

Here's the latest incident: Chilling with my girls at a nice networking event. One of my girls made cupcakes so I helped her pass them out. I offered one to a gentleman that did not stand out at all, regular dude.

"Do you want a cupcake?"

He said, "No. I don't eat sweets" (or something like that)

I was fine with that answer and I moved on. Later on he caught up with me and introduced himself. I asked if he could repeat his name- his name sounded "stripperish." I won't say it, but yes, the man had a stripper name.

"I can't call you that. What is your real name?" I asked.

He told me his real name. First and last, aiight, now we're getting somewhere. Although due to the initial stripper name, there was no way that we'd be more than "friends"- instant non-dating category...

So anyway, I asked him why he had a name like that. He told me he was a published author and it was his pen name. Of course, I got excited!!! Connection!!! I asked him 50 million questions before he suggested we discuss it over dinner. I'm thinking "Ummmmm...something ain't right. Dinner is way more serious than coffee." Yet and still, I gave him my BBM PIN- I mean I can ask questions and eat at the same time. You know what I mean.

Needless to say, my BBM went off a lot in a short period of time with requests like asking me to come to his job (some store somewhere- never went) and asking me premature questions like, "Do you like kids because I have kids?" *enter confused BBM face*

The last question after only 4 days of knowing him was the straw the broke the camel's back...You (the reader) may not be phased by this but I'm a bit sensitive, and it bothered me to no end- shocked and appalled. Keep in mind, he's an author that I just wanted to ask writer questions to...OMG!!!

He had the NERVE to ask me if I could send him a full body picture of myself!!! Are you kidding me, Sir?!!! You did not just ask that, you nasty nasty nasty nasty man!!! *barf* *gag* *gross*

I had long forgotten the days when I used to interview artists after concerts in Tallahassee and they thought attractive female journalist equaled buck-wild groupie hoe until I left them after the interview was done. "Thanks for my interview. I don't get down like that!" I forgot that sexual harassment is still real even when you don't present yourself in that way. Ahhh well, the journey continues... :-)

Love,

Sam