The Braver Blog

  • Good or Bad at Sex?

    I’ve been re-editing my Perry Harbor Series, and while I’m fixing/clarifying a few things, it’s been a pleasure to revisit these characters and their journeys facing challenges. The same challenges many of us face too. Your Two Lips (Book 1) centers around the idea of being enough.Finn is struggling to feel like he’s man enough: fill his father’s shoes on the family farm, build his own dream of a mountain bike resort, and find something real with a partner, not a fling.Emily is struggling to feel like she’s woman enough after her fiancé cheats to have better sex and she… read more

  • Don’t Give Up – Ask for What You Want

    At almost every big bookfair I attend, I have at least one patron tell me that they are “done with that part of my life.” Meaning sex, passion, partners, and/or intimate pleasure. And it makes my heart ache. The Bedroom Gap by Dr. Maria Sophocles (Greek philosopher relative? – I think so) is a much-needed game changer in the conversation about women’s experiences and sex lives in mid-life.  The book addresses topics like hormone replacement therapy, desire, pleasure, cultural expectations, the lack of medical research, sex education, and so much more in a comprehensive yet approachable way with the goal of improving sex… read more

  • Young Women Have Got This

    On a recent episode of Sex w/Emily, one of my favorite podcasts, Emily interviewed Chelsey Goodan, considered the “teenage girl whisperer” and the author of “Underestimated: The Wisdom and Power of Teenage Girls”. Chelsey was an academic tutor for years and within that professional relationship, she found many girls from all walks of life opened up about their lives and journeys today.  I was drawn to the episode because 1) I have a teenage girl, and 2) I’ve been reading a lot about college-age men and thought I should learn a bit more about today’s college-age women.  What hit me most was the power these women are… read more

  • Monsters Do It Better

    If you think you aren’t “into” Monster Romance, you may be wrong. The “monster” in monster romance can include the most out-there thing a person can imagine to mainstream werewolves and vampires. Are you into “Twilight”? Then you’re into monster romance, according to some experts.* So, why is Monster Romance such a big deal? Some people just like it. Enough said. For others who want to dig deeper, there are several theories … and they have to do with sex, fantasies, power, and even politics. Researchers found that 1 in 3 women were drawn to monster fantasies compared to 1… read more

  • Do Men NEED Sex?

    No, they don’t. (Easy for me to say. I’m a woman.) Due to my writing and interest in sex positive representation in the genre, I’ve been lucky to connect with many sex experts and therapists. Recently, I was talking with one and she said a lot of couples come into her office and the male partner claims he needs sex. “Sex is not a need. It’s a want,” she said. A need is something you must have to survive. Water, food, shelter. These are things that a human would die without. No one has ever died from lack of sex. That’s not to say that some, regardless of gender, feel… read more