When Seein’ Ain’t Believin’ – Mysterious Librarian “OUTed”

MYSTERIOUS writes “Here’s A Funny One: To legions of internet geeks she’s the “International Librarian of Mystery”. Natalie is smart, sexy and cool. A librarian with a wild streak and toast of the net.

Log on to bizgirl and watch her pull down her hair and take off her glasses. Natalie Bizgirl is one of five Australasian nominees for the annual Bloggie awards, for web logs or “blogs”, and the only Kiwi. She writes about life in the library with the fearsome Mrs Darjeeling and others. She writes about her relationship with Josh, now ended, and takes you deep into the heart of the modern girl. Almost.

Recently Natalie was “dooced” – fired after writing something about her job on a web log – just before Christmas, and she was flat broke. But her fans gave a lot of sympathy. Over the years some have even sent her marriage proposals.

Voting has closed and next month Natalie will find out whether putting her life story on the web will be rewarded with a coveted Bloggie, the online equivalent of an Oscar.

There’s a hitch. Natalie Bizgirl is really James Guthrie, of Wellington, married with children and (last time we checked) a bloke. He created Natalie six years ago but his secret was exposed late last year after he won a local web award. “I was a bit worried there’d be a more hostile backlash from some of the more ardent male fans of the site, but that hasn’t happened at all,” he told Spike.”