Meet Lucie Novak, the woman in her 50s with 'no strings attached'

Lucie Novak, a woman from England maybe in her 50's, but that hasn't stopped her from exploring and experimenting sex. In fact, her sexual discovery started when her husband of 30 years left her for someone, making her feel old and unwanted.

Revealing her story in a fictionalized memoir, titled 'A Woman with (No) Strings Attached' under the pen name, Novak, a doctor by profession, says that after she met a new man, who encouraged the non-conformist, bold part of her personality unlike her husband, she had what she calls "private sexual revolution".

It was then she discovered that sex without love could be fun, and since knowing more about sex made her a better doctor, it was "a win-win situation," as coined by her American partner.

Talking about her first sexual encounter with a stranger, Novak says though she had mixed feelings, and thoughts like "Have I really done this? Is it still me?" kept popping in her head, she actually enjoyed it, and found it exciting, like fast skiing.

Admitting that her story could be considered controversial, though she was very much the character in her book, the doctor says there's more to her than that, and her experiences have defined her into the woman she is today, and hence she wanted to tell the story about being equal, both socially and sexually, sending a message that "life doesn't end after 50."

And to top that, she is blessed to have children, who have a non-judgmental and open mind, and have both read and liked her book.

Novak says she misses nothing about her old self, and though she used to worry that people would not like her if they knew what she was really like, she has now come "In line with my personality", and has many close friends.

The author said that her message to Indian women, who were starting to embrace single life, discarding the imposed necessity to be tied down to a partner, was to be bold and aware of their worth.

"You deserve a partner who loves and respects you, a man you can trust and who lets you be yourself. You need to do the same, of course, respect him and love him. If that happens it is magical.

But if it does not happen, or you are not ready for such a commitment, there is nothing wrong with friendly sexual relationships, as long as it is safe and you are not hurting anybody."

As she quoted Rainer Maria Rilke: "Love consists in leaving the loved one space to be themselves while providing the security within which that self may flourish."

Novak is now working on the book's sequel, which is almost complete and much more fictional than the original.