Betty,

Thank you for all you have done. Your candor and talent has freed a lot of trapped souls, including my own. I know you must receive many emails with thank-you's for all you have done. You are talented and beautiful and I only wish I had found out about you and your work earlier on in my life.

My mother raised me and my sister as catholics. I have had problems with guilt and shame because of that. Unfortunately, just as my mother and I became friends and we began to share our problems about sex and masturbation, she died suddenly of a stroke at the age of 49. I wish I could have given her a copy of your book, as I know it would have freed her soul in so many ways.

My sister, who was so uptight she had problems just having sex with her husband, has been changed by your book in so many ways. She is like a beautiful butterfly investgating what life and sex have to offer her! She is still too shy to write you herself, so I will be her voice. She has even written to her congressman about the proposed ban on the RU-486 pill. I am proud of what she has accomplished for herself and her self-esteem.

Your work gave me the courage to love myself and leave a horrible marriage. I can never thank you enough Betty for what you have done for my sister and myself. We are strong, confident women our mother would have been very proud of. I give your book as birthday, christmas, and bridal presents. I am spreading the word and my little town is *BUZZING* with excitement!

Peace,
Talula

Dear Talula, Thanks for sharing my book with your friends. When the publisher originally bought the book in 1986, they thought it would be timely because of AIDS and masturbation was obviously safe sex. I don't think that's why people bought the book at all. It had more to do with the original purpose of the first version I wrote titled, Liberating Masturbation which was to give women more personal power by gaining some sexual self-knowledge. You and your sister are perfect examples of what I had in mind. Having independent orgasms led you both to having independent thoughts, which made you stronger and more confident. It's great to hear such good news from women who have claimed their personal power. Thanks for getting in touch. Betty