The Wicked Ingénue

You may or may not be wondering at this point why I decided to name my blog “The Wicked Ingénue” (in fact, it was pointed out to me that some readers may not know what an ingénue is). In addition to making me sound cool and badass (even though I’m really quite the nerd), there’s actually a more poignant meaning behind the title.

Let’s start off by looking at the definitions of the key words:

Wicked*: In this case, I’m using wicked as a slang term: clever, trendsetting, innovative, hip, wise, etc.

Example: “You know that scene in ‘James Bond’ where Daniel Craig gets out of the water and he’s wearing those short, butt-hugging swim trunks? That was wicked!”

*I considered using “experienced”, “conditioned”, “worldly”, and “seasoned”, but those words sound way too academic essay-ish. Besides, I think there’s something sexy about the word “wicked”.

Ingénue*: The term “ingénue” is used in regard to writing and acting, and it refers to a character who’s wholesome, innocent, naive, and uncorrupted.

Example: Pretty much every female Disney character ever created.

*I love any excuse to use a word with a cool accent symbol. Woot!

Okay. With the technicalities out of the way, we can move on with the story.

So a couple weeks ago, I went to my writing mentor’s house (let’s call her The Mentor). We were discussing my memoir (tentatively titled The Vegas Diaries), and I was telling her about how I ended up in Vegas and what I did while I was there. The Mentor sort of marveled at everything I told her, then remarked:

“You know, it’s funny – you come across as being so wholesome, do-gooding, responsible, and conscientious, but your past (dropping out of high school, running away from home, becoming a showgirl, getting involved in various vices, putting up with an abusive relationship, etc.) seems to contradict all of those qualities”.

I’d never really thought about it before, but after considering what she said, I was like, “Sheyeah. Totally. I’m a living, breathing contradiction.”

And that’s how The Wicked Ingénue came into being. And they all lived hap—

Wait a minute. Hold up. It wasn’t as simple as that. There were some excruciating labor pains along the way, believe you me. No pain = no precious bundle of joy, after all.

My first idea was to call the blog – don’t laugh – “Life Is A Highway” (okay, go ahead). I was never happy with that title, though. To me, it was like one of those plastic babies they give you to practice on in Home Ec. You try to love, nurture, and tend to Plastic Baby, but your heart’s not in it because you know it’s not the real thing. For me, “Life Is a Highway” was the equivalent of Plastic Baby (not to mention I was sick of having that friggin song stuck in my head 24/7. Sorry, Rascal Flatts).

I’ve been anxious to launch this website for a while, and my unhappiness with the blog title was one of the main things holding me back. So I sat at my desk the other night and vowed not to get up until I settled on a name. I asked myself questions like, “How do I want to be perceived? What’s going to intrigue and excite my readers? What do I want out of this website? What do I want out of life? Who am I, anyway? What am I doing here? Do I really even exist? What’s my purpose? Are you there, God? It’s me, KB.”

Heh. I’ve actually never read about Margaret, but that’s neither here nor there.

Those self-directed questions would be difficult to answer, and I think that’s because, like The Mentor said, my qualities are contradictory. Extremely contradictory. I’m a walking, breathing contradiction. A walking, breathing contradiction. That’s it!

I am The Wicked Ingénue. Hear me roar.

—pily ever after.