Seeds of a Story?

Starting a new novel isn't all anxiety and worry. Fortunately, my research is turning out to be a lot of fun. For example, I'm absolutely forced to read books like Bettie Page: The Life of a Pin-up Legend by Karen Essex and James L. Swanson. And yep, the pictures are the best part, although Bettie's life and her attitude toward sexuality, even in the erotic Siberia of the 1950s, are fascinating and inspiring.

My main topic of interest is Bettie's work in the photography clubs (although her "sweet" fetish work is pretty interesting, too). Thus it's no surprise that the ad above really captured my imagination. As I sat gazing at Bettie and her anonymous observer, I soon realized I was pondering the sorts of questions that signal this might possibly be the inspiration for a story. Sometimes the ideas simmer for years before I ladle them out, but I like to keep my stew pot of potential erotic tales full of luscious tidbits!

I'm old enough that "Draw at home from Famous N.Y. Artist Models" brings back memories of similar lures to wannabe artistes, especially that "Draw Sparky" and have your talent evaluated ad that seemed to promise a dazzling career.... However this one is much more provocative and probably appeared in the edgy (read semi-porn) art photography mags like Photo and Body. I mean, look at that guy's pipe. Can you say "phallic symbol"? Remember, though, he is an artist, not some guy out to buy dirty pictures for less lofty purposes than a study of the human form. And then, well, I just can help wonder what would happen if I sent a dollar to 15 Park Row now, as if this "art" picture distributor were still there, frozen in time, still dispensing his goodies in plain brown envelopes to desperate men throughout America. Indeed, what was it like to be a desperate man before the Internet, even before Playboy? And what about that simmering tension between art and sex? We still haven't worked that one out, have we?

The possibilities are rich. I could make this historical fiction about the guy with the pipe and his etchings and his other activities when the pipe gets a little too hot. Or maybe I'll go sci fi and have a woman send off her dollar in 2009 and actually get something back from 1952? Or...well who knows. But I definitely think I feel a story coming on!