Preface to “The Menopause Menu” (page 4):
Have you ever been asked to give an “elevator speech” to describe a project you are working on? It’s actually difficult to summarize something very complex in just a sentence or two, but, after many tries, I’ve got it down to a one-liner: “I’m writing my first book and it’s an adult coffee table giftbook on menopause and beyond.”
Self-doubt quickly creeps in. You’ve admitted out loud you’re writing your first book. Not just any book, but an adult book. Your elevator audience also needs to be of a certain age to actually know what a coffee table book is. Plus, the topic of menopause may be a turnoff for some. And the beyond part really begs the question, “What does beyond menopause mean?” Too late—the ride is over.
Now that I have dissected my own elevator speech, I feel much better. In fact, I am already reminiscing about the coffee table books of my childhood. My mother was an artist, and we always had a few large books on the walnut coffee table in our living room during the era when green shag carpets were en vogue. Georgia O’Keeffe, Emily Carr, the Group of Seven—I have forgotten many of the books now, but I recall their different sizes, heft, beautiful covers, and rich contents. You needed an empty lap to enjoy opening them up.
Today, all things electronic seem to crowd out old-fashioned paper. Or do they? A quick online (of course) foray reveals that books with paper pages are still more popular than e-books. Hurrah! My coffee table book idea is not for naught.
Coffee table books were meant to stimulate conversation, pass time when idle moments surfaced (between vacuuming and other household chores), and let the mind absorb beauty or become better informed.
But herein lies the challenge: This is most definitely a book for adults. If you are a parent of young kids, you likely don’t want your nine-year-old paging through the vaginal dryness and libido concerns chapters. In fact, you may be more focused on navigating upcoming puberty than you are on pondering menopause, because you are such a great parent.
So let’s just call this an adult bedside table book instead. Problem solved! You can still bring it out and place it on your coffee table, when desired. Empty nesters are free to place this book anywhere in the house.
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To read more about “The Menopause Menu” click here to go to the author/book website page, and click here to buy on Amazon.
