The Isolation Sex Stories — Publishing in a Pandemic
How I came to write The Isolation Sex Stories
One fine spring day in the middle of March 2020, like millions of people the world over, I found I had time on my hands. Covid-19 arrived, tipping the earth on its axis. It hit me hard that I was living through a historic event, a major one. The truth was, I didn’t know if I would get to live through it or not. Time slowed down. I could now hear birds sing. The world had hushed from human activity. I didn’t have to look when I crossed the road. Suddenly, I felt like the city only existed for me. My emotions were mixed: fear, happiness, and, on occasion, panic.
Meditation helped. I hadn’t really explored it before in any depth, but it calmed me and began to help me focus on what I needed to do.
I started by writing a diary; it seemed the obvious thing to do given that we were experiencing a majorly historic event. It is amazing how much happens in a day, even when the world has shut down. It probably helped that two days before the UK went into lock down, I moved into a new apartment. The apartment was a dream come true. For the first time in my life, I was going to be living alone. My apartment is bright, spacious, and riverside. It also happens to be a fifteen-minute walk from where my elderly mother lives. I suspended her care agency, taking over her care myself, afraid that multiple visitors might bring the virus to her door.
It was my mother who unwittingly inspired my idea for a short story book. “I wonder what people are doing about sex,” she said, quite out of the blue. I felt highly amused that my mother should even think about such a thing. This led me to imagine all sorts of scenarios going on behind closed doors. Couples locked away together, lovers separated, frustrated singletons, rule breakers… I started to write the stories for my own amusement more than anyone else’s.
I have never written about anything to do with sex before.
Ooh, is it like Fifty Shades of Grey?
Because I have never written about sex before, I didn’t really consider how my friends or family would react. When I gave the manuscript to my mother to read, she laughed out loud at the characters and scenarios, but became prudish at some of the language I had to use. “Mum, you can’t write about a prostitute and not expect her to use a certain kind of language.” All I got was a hard stare, and told that she wouldn’t buy such a book herself. It didn’t stop her sniggering and giggling all the way through it. Her main concern was that Aunty J didn’t get to hear about it. Perish the thought!
As restrictions eased, I went for a walk with a friend, a lady about the same age as me. I told her about the book and could see her getting tense. “I’m a bit of a prude,” she said. So, I asked her if she had ever watched the TV series Fleabag. She admitted she had and loved it. There are plenty of extreme sex scenarios in Fleabag, so in truth, she isn’t a prude. She was simply embarrassed at the thought of reading something written by a friend that included sex.
Other people became a little disappointed when I told them The Isolation Sex Stories in no way resembled Fifty Shades of Grey. It was amusing and interesting to receive that response!
My best friend loved it and totally identified with some of the characters, as did other friends and, later on, strangers.
My brother refuses to mention the book at all. I guess he is embarrassed. My sister loved it and was hugely supportive.
Writing about sex certainly divides opinion and reaction!
The Launch
I wanted to get my book out quickly while the pandemic was still a hot topic. Self-publishing isn’t new to me. In 2012, I entered the world of the Indie Author with two short story books: The Eight of Swords and The Putsi.
This time, I decided to design the cover myself, and a good friend of my boyfriend’s helped me with proof-reading, the launch, and promotion. And there it was, out in the world.
The launch took place live on Facebook, a nerve-racking experience, but after the initial freaking out at presenting my book, I started to enjoy reading aloud the first story. I have never been confident or comfortable with public speaking, so initially, it was a bit of an ordeal. Once I stopped the live recording, I took a breath, then read the comments. Typically, because the first story is set in an apartment block, people wondered if the story is based on my own experiences. I had to explain that it was born out of pure imagination. Close friends should know that I am nothing like the character in the story!
Of course, it’s always useful to know what your friends and family think, and I value that highly, but the real buzz comes when complete strangers start to comment.
It turned out that men were the most attracted to reading my book. This came as a bit of a surprise to me. I don’t know why. The humour seemed to resonate with them, perhaps more than with women.
It was fun to see the discussions the stories sparked between complete strangers, and it was also wonderful to see that my stories struck a chord.
A surprise when it came to advertising The Isolation Sex Stories
When I published The Eight of Swords, I only promoted it through social media. At the time, I was busy with my business and didn’t think of it as anything more than a hobby. This time, I decided to explore the world of Amazon Ads. And there it was: they would not entertain advertising a book with “sex” in the title. I did think about the title when I chose it, and for me, it was the only title that worked. I came up against the same wall on Facebook.
It seems obvious now, but I had reasoned that with “Sex and the City” being such a popular show, the title would be a great selling point, not a point-blank refusal. The old adage “sex sells” let me down at the starting block.
I wonder if Fifty Shades of Grey had been titled “Fifty Shades of Sex,” what would have happened? It is hard to know, but interesting to consider.
What I would do differently
If I could go back to when I started The Isolation Sex Stories, perhaps I would think harder about the title. But, even with a different title, Amazon and Facebook are still strict about what content they will advertise, and I wouldn’t be dishonest about that, simply to get the book advertised. Also, I can’t imagine it being called anything else. It works.
I enjoyed writing The Isolation Sex Stories, and I like to think it will continue to amuse readers, even though it is set in a time that was dark and painful. Making people laugh always feels good, but even more so when you know they have struggled through a pandemic.
