A G.G. Kind of Day, Guest Post by Lynda Allen

 Menopause. 

There, I said it. When I started going through perimenopause nine or ten years ago (who can remember?), no one wanted to talk about it. Seemingly out of nowhere I was a completely different person than I had been. I’d spent years developing a personal practice of meditation and peace. I was happy with the person I was. Then I began to transform into a grumpy, angry person I didn’t recognize. I didn’t know at first that it had anything to do with perimenopause. I hate to admit it, but I wasn’t even familiar with the word. All I knew was I had become a much grumpier version of myself, and I didn’t like this new me very much. 

 

Once I realized what triggered the mood swings, I tried talking to friends about it. Crickets. No one wanted to discuss it. Not even my doctor. In the end, I did two things that helped transform the perimenopause/menopause journey for me. First, I gave my moody personality a nickname, Grumpy Gal, or G.G. for short. Naming her gave me a way to bring some lightness and humor to the situation, and it also gave me a way to warn my husband about the kind of day I was having. I could just tell him, “I’m having a G.G. kinda day,” and he'd know what to expect, which meant mostly to stay out of my way. The second thing I did was write about my experience.

 

I’d been contemplating writing a mystery for some time, and while pondering story ideas, I had a menopause inspiration. I decided if I had to put up with hot flashes every day (which I still do) and put up with G.G. on a regular basis, I would make good use of them both. Rather than letting menopause drain away who I had worked hard to become along with my sanity, I decided to harness it with humor and honesty. I asked myself, “What if menopause gave a woman a superpower?” From this, the Liv Wilde Mysteries were born. 

 

While I wanted to write the kind of stories I love to read, I also wanted to find a way to provide a spark for conversations about menopause among women. So, I set out to do both. In the series, Liv experiences hot flash induced psychic visions which help her solve mysteries. Finally, a way to make hot flashes useful! They aren’t all that useful for Liv when they first begin, but with the input of her circle of women friends, she gradually learns to understand and interpret her visions to aid others and to solve mysteries. 

 

Each book in the series features a dinner party that Liv and her friends refer to as their “Monthly.” Their gatherings provide opportunities for them to address the menopause-related issues they are in various stages of facing. It was important to me for them to have a space to talk with honesty and humor about what women deal with as they get older. Plus, it’s such fun to write their conversations about the aging process. 

 

Now, menopause is (forgive me) a hot topic in the zeitgeist. I’m grateful we have reached a point where the topic is being discussed more openly. Perhaps Liv and her friends may even feel safe enough to talk about menopause outside of their Monthlies. For now, I hope the stories will entertain and provide fodder for conversation. 

 

Let’s kick off the conversation here with two questions. What would you nickname your perimenopause/menopause personality? What superpower do you wish menopause would give you?

 

Lynda Allen is the author of the Liv Wilde Mysteries in which menopause is a superpower.
Lynda proudly infuses her writing with her Jersey Girl sensibilities and aims to create stories imbued with heart and humor. She lives in Fredericksburg, VA, where her mysteries are set, with her husband, their cat, and the many incredible eagle friends who pay them frequent visits. When she’s not writing about hot flash-induced psychic visions, she also writes poetry and is an artist. 

 

Website: https://www.lyndaallenwrites.com

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