This Author Talks Straight about Sex

Today, I interviewed Joan Price, author of "Better Than I Ever Expected: Straight Talk About Sex After Sixty." She talks about writing a ground-breaking book on an undercovered subject, building her platform on the web and how she sold a book targeting women over 60 when the market place seems almost to ignore anyone over 40!

Tell us a bit about yourself.
I'm a lively woman of 63, enthusiastically in love with my husband. I'm the author of six books and hundreds of magazine articles, a fitness professional, public speaker, and contemporary line-dance instructor. Since my book, Better Than I Ever Expected: Straight Talk about Sex After Sixty, came out and got widespread attention, I've become a spokesperson for senior sex, or, as I call myself, an advocate for ageless sexuality. (I've also been called a "wrinkly sex kitten" by one newspaper – I have to say I love that!)

Tell us about your book.
Better Than I Ever Expected: Straight Talk about Sex After Sixty is mainly my intensely up-front-and-personal story of hot sex with my 68-year old lover (who is now my 70-year-old husband), along with snippets of interviews with other sexually seasoned women about their experiences, and a hefty dose of tips from the experts. It's warm, sexy, candid, often funny, and very informative!

How did you come up with the topic/why did you feel there was a need for it?
At age 59, when I first envisioned the book, I was in a relationship with this amazing man of 66, and it was hot, really hot. We were like a couple of teenagers, yet with the wisdom of decades of relationship experience. Despite the sexual exhilaration, we were making love in older bodies, with new challenges. For example, I didn't lubricate enough for sexual comfort, and my arousal time took much longer. I went looking for books on the subject – and I didn't find any that reflected what I wanted: sexy, fun to read, and informative. They were either academic, or doom-and-gloom, or too young. See, there were tons of books for and about Boomers, but they addressed readers as if they just turned fifty—when actually, for many of us, fifty was a decade ago! There are books about sex after forty, after menopause, after fifty—but after sixty? It's as if "sixty" is the new dirty word.

Was it difficult finding an agent/publisher for what some might consider a controversial topic?
Actually, Seal Press was wildly enthusiastic about my topic! It was time!

Everyone seems to be geared toward the younger set - was it difficult to sell a book targeted at women over 60?
Seal Press realized that women over 60 were largely ignored by publishing (that's starting to change) and by the media (that's NOT changing yet). They were excited by my book and were behind me all the way.

What is one of the challenges for women who want to be sexually active after 60?
Just one challenge? Can I give you a list instead?
· Seeing our bodies as sexy despite wrinkles and sags and a youth-centered society
· Slower arousal
· More difficulty lubricating
· More difficulty reaching orgasm
· If single, attracting a partner
· If in long-term relationship, keeping sex spicy
· Health challenges: ours and our partners'

You created a blog based on the same topic. How do you decide what to blog about without giving away the contents of the book for free?
I wonder about that myself! I wonder if I should give more of the content of the book, or less. Do people read the blog and say, "I don't have to read the book now" when that's far from true! The blog is really a continuing discussion of topics raised by the book or topics that have come up since publication, and not a repetition of the book at all. The book has a glorious love story and tons of great information for women over 60 and those who love them.

Did you find it hard to draw readers to the blog, given that the Internet is considered a medium targeting the younger generations. How did you advertise it?
I put a lot of effort into letting people know about it by visiting other websites and blogs and offering comments, sometimes excerpts. Every email that goes out has a link to my blog. I contact other people working in the field and let them know what I'm doing. I don't find it difficult to attract readers, but they're shy about commenting. I'm not sure what to do about that.

I read on a writer's forum you had problems with some comments on the blog and had to start moderating them. Does this take a considerable amount of time from other writing?
Yccch. A couple of shock jocks decided to ridicule my blog, which they called "the old lady's sex blog," and they invited readers to trash my blog with vile comments. I should have been wise enough to moderate comments from the beginning. No, it doesn't take time from writing – I love it when people comment on my blog (please visit http://www.betterthanieverexpected.blogspot.com!) or email me directly with their views and stories.

I like comments on this blog as well. Remember - if you have a comment or a question for the author, please hit "comments" and I'll do my best to get them answered for you!
-Kerri