On Writing Lenswoman in Love – a Novel of the 1960s & ’70s 

By Kim R Gottlieb Walker

Lenswoman in Love – a novel of the 1960s & ’70s was inspired by my colorful career as a photographer in the underground press, for musicians and on movie sets during the most beloved and creative era of the 20th century.  Everyone who has seen my iconic photos (of everyone from Andy Warhol, Jimi Hendrix, and Bob Marley to the films of John Carpenter) told me I should write a book about my adventures. But I didn’t want to write a memoir —  so I reimagined my early career as a romance, which gave me the freedom to invent, elaborate, and add a little wish-fulfillment.

It was twenty-five years from first draft to publication – with four complete rewrites along the way.  I wrote the first draft from midnight to three AM, every night for a few months (the only time I had no other responsibilities) and then stuck it in a drawer for ten years. Then I reread it, to see if it was embarrassing or fun, and although I made every mistake a first-time writer can make, it had so much entertaining content, I decided to join a critique group from the National Women’s Book Association, and tackle the first and second rewrites.  At first, it was in omniscient third person, but after several rewrites, I turned it into a close first-person POV, which improved it tremendously. One publisher suggested it needed more “oomph” – and having originally written it as a traditional romance, I realized that keeping my heroine a virgin until three-quarters of the way through the book when she finally reunites with her hero, was simply not realistic for the period. So I rewrote it again, and added all the sex I’d left out (not necessarily happy encounters, but it does help her grow into a fully realized woman who knows what she wants).

My thirty-something daughter loved it, but was worried that it would be rejected by today’s readers because of current societal norms – “Mom! You can’t have a twenty-one year-old guy kiss a fifteen year-old! That would be considered child abuse!” So I added an author’s note at the beginning, noting that the book is historically accurate, and that dozens of songs were written and were major hits, about “younger girls” and how it was common for guys in their 20s to date teenagers then. I realized that the current generation cannot conceive of a time when there were no cell phones, no internet, no social media, so that also was included in my author’s note. I figured my cautionary “Warning: Sex, Drugs and Rock& Roll” on the back cover would warn away anyone who would be offended and would attract its prime audience!

The hero is based on every man I’ve ever loved and the book is dedicated to my husband of 52 years, whose sense of humor, extensive knowledge of music, and steadfast love are reflected in the manuscript.

www.Lenswoman.com is my photography overview website

www.KimGottliebWalker.com is my author website

and I love doing podcasts! (one of the best I’ve done:

Rock is Lit podcast: https://www.christyalexanderhallberg.com/rockislitpodcast/kimgottliebwalker)

The reviews have been very gratifying!

“It’s no surprise that Kim Gottlieb-Walker’s wonderful Lenswoman in Love is as soulful and true as her much-lauded work in photography. Gorgeous with detail and gloriously filled with heart and adventure, this is the literary equivalent of a great song with the kind of magic that lingers for days.”- Cameron Crowe, Film maker and Rock Journalist

“…a rich evocation of another time— the Sixties and Seventies, from the West Coast to Swinging London— seen through the eyes of a passionate and talented young photographer. Her camera takes her inside recording studios and onto film sets, and her heart takes her on a journey of soulful self-discovery… “- Steven Rea, author of The Hollywood Book Club

“What an entertaining book! I don’t normally read romances, but this one grabbed me from the beginning and kept me hooked until our heroine reached happily ever after. This is a perfect vehicle to escape into the most colorful decade of the 20th century. Ultimately, it is a story about needing to experience life before being ready to share your life with someone else. It would make a great summer read or gift for the holidays. A fast, fun read.” – Tony N Todaro, President, Greater Los Angeles Writers Society, Executive Director, West Coast Writers Conferences

“…Author Kim Gottlieb-Walker has a way of keeping a reader wanting to know what happens to her characters next…. Lenswoman in Love is a wonderful read by a gifted storyteller.”- Ina Hillebrandt, Board Member, Independent Writers of Southern California Board Member, Independent Publishers Association of America“

Kim Gottlieb-Walker has … created a work that captures the reality of the music business, the movie business, the business of living during the 1960s and 70s.… she gives us everything – her mistakes, her loves, her body, her combination of luck and talent… This is the way it really was.”  -Allen Levy, Director of Public Relations, United Artists Records, National Publicity Manager A&M Records, West Coast Director of Public Relations ASCAP, Assistant Professor, Media Studies, Chapman University

“Maddy experiences the excitement and adventure we all wish we could have had. Gottlieb-Walker lived it. The slow-burn romance with Jake—the boyfriend every girl dreams of having—it’s there, too. A sweet, sweet read.”- Robin Maxwell, bestselling author of Secret Diary of Anne Boleyn and Jane: The Woman Who Loved Tarzan

…This is a chance for the reader to experience the best of the 1960s and ‘70s through the eyes of Kim’s alter-ego, fearless photographer, Maddy Garfield. Her experiences in the alternative press, television and movie sets and around the world in London, Barcelona, Pakistan, Jamaica and Hollywood are fascinating, vivid, and authentic. Ultimately, it is a story about needing to experience life before being ready to share your life with someone else, and we root for Maddy and Jake to find each other, despite time, distance and circumstances. I don’t normally read romances, but this one grabbed me from the beginning and kept me turning the pages until they reach their happily ever after. A perfect vehicle for escaping back into the most colorful decade of the 20th century. Would make a great summer read, or bookclub choice. A fast, fun read. — Terry Erdmann, author and publicist

Lenswoman in Love: a novel of the 1960s & ’70s

Warning: Sex, Drugs and Rock & Roll!

Fearless young photographer Maddy Garfield shoots love-ins and police riots in the turbulent 1960s, and deals with bikers, rock stars, arrogant diplomats, egotistical actors, and enigmatic Rastas in the ’70s. But every time she encounters charismatic-but-elusive director Jake Morgenstern, who gave her a mind-blowing first kiss, her desire grows, fueling her unfulfilled fantasies. When she works on a Western Jake’s directing in Colorado, will she finally be reunited with her first love?

Lenswoman in Love provides an insider’s view of the most colorful and creative decades of the twentieth century. It will resonate deeply with those who experienced those vibrant times – and anyone who wishes they had.

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Tags: featured, women writers

Category: On Writing