Just One of The Girls...with Sascha Illyvich

One of The Girls...with Sascha Illyvich


I'm a male romance writer; I've come to terms with making nobones about that! But I had a realization about not only my writing career butabout the friends in my life. As the old cliché goes, I tend to have morefemale friends (to my significant other's chagrin!) than male ones. Most menirritate me honestly and even though I'm quite the man's man (I can camp, cook,talk tech, money) I don't do cars much. A very Loved One of mine is into fixingcars, like my brother. Now she and I are also into guns and swords and thingslike that, and if a bunch of us went out partying one night, she'd be "one ofthe guys."

Sounds fine, right? No big deal.

Now turn the tables. Let's say I've been invited to go out with the girls andwe have a good time. Everything's above board, right? Conversation starts and Ihave a LOT to say, as I'm sure you can imagine.

Of course when it comes to guy things, I'm the "resident guy" obviously. Butthe thing is, I don't hold your average man's opinion. I'm a little moresympathetic in some cases, a lot less in others. And when in larger groups Itend to bond more with women.

The realization hit me that I might be "one of the girls."

Not every woman in my life knows I cross dress. In fact there are a few who aredownright frightened at how good I look in women's lingerie! That aside though(My handler at DragonCON has pictures!)the thought kind of unnerved me.

Mostly because I'm a man, I suppose. I never really thought about it. Mygirlfriends tell me I'm not as disgusting or cruel as typical men. I'll admitit; I'm actually a bit of a neat freak. I hate the fact that I have to let goof cleaning my studio once a week in favor of writing. It bugs me.

But I wear my facial hair neat. I shower daily. I don't burp or fart in publicfor the entire world to hear. I like to think that dressing nice is for me asmuch as it is for anyone I'm with. I tend to give advice to other women abouttheir male problems and my advice tends to usually make sense.

If that makes me "one of the girls" so be it, I suppose. Of course it alsomakes me privy to shit I don't always want to know. I don't think most womenneed me to explain that one…

I told my best friend of almost 18 years that I think I'm one of the girls andshe said "Dear, did you just figure this out?" I'm not kidding! I have the textmessage on my phone to prove it!

I'll admit, I am kind of obsessed over my hair. It's just above my hips but Iwant it longer and thicker and to not have split ends. That's not because I'mgirly, it's because I label myself a metalhead. And not one of those fru-fru1980's bullshit spandex pansies, either. (Fact is, my hair looks really goodand I LIKE it long!)  In fact, I justtrimmed it myself for the first time. Thankfully the red is still in (I'm a natural platinum blonde) so I cansee it better but I obsessed for two days, asking both my GF and my tobacconistif it looked okay!

I have a pension for female metal, my latest obsession is a band from Norwaycalled Sirenia. Before that, it was Tristania (actually the same band) but theyhave death/black metal elements in their symphonic/gothic styles that I dig. Istill intend to base a heroine off Angela Gascow from Arch Enemy. (Gotta lovethat death growl!) Before that, I was (and still am) obsessed with Cristinafrom Lacuna Coil. Her voice just makes me want to fuck…

See? That's a male response! I like to think of myself as very secure in who Iam. Even if I'm not sure that peach is my color…

So what say you, ladies? Any of your male friends involved in such a manner inyour lives that you could classify them as "one of the girls?" How do they feelabout it?   
Tonya:  Sascha, thank you so much for being my guest this week. We've had a blast and love that you'e One of The Girls, Hon! Muah! Readers, don't forget to leave a comment and your addy to be in the contest and now...let's chat about our guy friends who can easily be 'one of the girls'!