Friends Help Smooth Life’s Panty Lines
When it comes to smoothing panty lines, Hillcrest High School alum Becky Elder and her friends are well informed. Along with seven of her closest friends, Elder, class of 1974, has co-authored Red Thong Strong: Girlfriends’ Little Secrets to Smoothing Life’s Panty Lines.
The comrades met about 30 years ago in a Sunday school class in Bedford, where Elder and her husband lived. The women, all in their late 20s or early 30s, were in similar stages of life.
“We were all young, married, and … that became our social group,” she said. “We started … doing birthday parties for our kids, started traveling together, did graduation parties, and experienced a lot of life together.”
The many experiences they shared prompted the group to write a book together, which took 10 years to accomplish, said Elder, 60.
“We sat around a table with two laptops going,” she explained. “We threw out ideas and we hashed it all out together.”
The title comes from a tradition that started within the group around 20 years ago, when the women decided to gift red, lacy underwear to each other. The token served as their symbol and inspiration.
In 206 pages, the book, which became available to purchase on Amazon on May 6, contains beauty ideas, party planning suggestions, travel tips, and more.
“It’s our story about experiencing life together,” Elder said. “Part memoir, and then part inspirational, and then part how-to. It’s unique.”
One of Elder’s favorite anecdotes follows a group trip to Vegas for her 50th birthday, when the women bought tickets for Celine Dion. An hour before the performance, they learned the concert had been cancelled. Luckily, the trip wasn’t a wash. They soon learned the hotel concierge had made them reservations at a club in the Bellagio.
But not all the tales are pleasant, Elder said. The women share how they rallied around one of the authors as she learned to raise her special needs daughter. Another section discusses one lady’s battle with breast cancer.
While she doesn’t claim to be the sole author, the book helped Elder cross off a big life goal.
“I’ve always wanted to write a book,” she said. “I’m just excited that I can add author to my name. I’m an educator, mother, grandmother, and now I can add author.”
