The Book Bitches

Monday, June 12, 2006

The Book Bitches interview with Dakota Cassidy

Hullo, Dakota! *hugs* You know, I have to admit am very excited, because I have a feeling that this interview is going to be very interesting. *g* I mean, really, I finally got the chance to interview an erotic romance writer! That’s like asking tips from a sexpert for free! Yep. Definitely me likey. LOL

Hey, ladies! Thanks ever so much for having me and hugs right back :)

Now, please feel comfortable—oh, excuse me, let me take that whip from your seat... Sorry about that. *sigh* Sometimes Trollop forgets to put her toys back in the fun drawer after she uses them. I know! What’s that? Oh, let me get those handcuffs too. *stash toys away*

Ohhhhh, toys. I love toys. Ya got an Etch a Sketch? LMAO. Oh, and the sexpert thing. Does this mean I have to dole out advice? Cuz, I gotta tell ya, I only do it missionary style with the lights out. Snort.

You? *cough* I seriously doubt that. *cough* LOL, okay, is that seat better? Good, good. Let’s start then. *g*

Last month, after Trollop’s “The Big Cock Theory” (forgive her, she has problems), the topic of erotica/erotic romance came up. I honestly got confused because some of our readers said there’s actually a difference between the two. I mean, as kinky as Trollop and I are, you can say we are quite *whispers* virgins *blush* when it comes to this genre. (Why, yes, we can be virgins, hmph!) So tell us, Dakota, is there a difference between erotica and erotic romance? And if there is, what’s the middle ground between erotica and romance?

Here’s the diff for me and this is just my take on it and how I write my books. You can’t just boink for the sake of boinking. Is the sex graphic? Yes. Do I use a less flowery word than penis or manhood to describe ye ole meat whistle? Yes. Is the sex detailed explicitly? Yep. However, my view on the difference is this—when you read “The Adventures of Oral Ophelia” and all she has is encounter after sexual encounter, with various partners or even just one and no particular conflict other than she just wants to bang—THAT’S sex for the sake of sex and not what places like Changeling Press and others in this genre are aiming for. You may start out that way, however, some dammed guy always comes along and messes up your notion that love doesn’t really exist. LOLLOL

If you depict two people falling in love, who in the course of their circumstance nail each other and you use explicit language to describe their encounters, plus throw in a conflict or two—THAT’S what I write.

I’m not writing vignettes of stories that entail a wild night with a floor scraping long-donged endowed hero only. In fact, I’m not writing too many long-donged heroes period. They aren’t part of what we might call the average club, but I don’t focus a lot on his size as much as I do how the heroine feels. I’m writing about werewolves and vampires and all sorts of genres that find two people who belong together and then, I open the door to their bedroom and let you peek inside while they fall in love and overcome an issue or two. It really isn’t that different from a mainstream book that depicts the sex in a less graphic way. I.e., not using the “c or p” word. There’s lots of oral sex in say a Blaze book. It’s just not written with the naughtier words.

You know, come to think of it, most mainstream books today have pretty hot sex scenes. I mean, it’s no secret that it is what’s in demand anyway. Everyone wants sex—and not just sex, mind you—amazing sex, please. Well, really, who doesn’t want that? LOL

So how long have you been writing erotica? And have you always been comfortable writing graphic sex scenes?

I’ve only been writing two years if you don’t count the year I wrote nothing because I was getting a divorce. LOL. I began as a reviewer three years ago and my reviews were always sprinkled with a little humor. One day, I saw a commercial for Yogurt on TV and that was it. It gave me an idea and I wrote a book. Don’t know why, don’t know how. It just happened and I was accepted first time out of the gate. I reviewed a ton of erotic e-books before I wrote one and I’ll admit, when I first read one, my eyes kinda did the wobbly thing, but after that I kinda dug the freedom it gave you to not have to come up with the crazy words I’ve seen in past mainstream books. So writing the sex came very easily for me. Like this writing thing, it just happened :) I’m not at all bothered by it and find it refreshing to write it like it is.

Crazy words? Oh god, no more moist delta of love and no more ooh la la manroot! Would never understand it why people thought those were up to a standard—or worse, sexy! *shudder* Seriously, for the love of all that is good, please, say it as it is. Usually flowery languages don’t fit at all, and more often than not, a girl just needs a good “fuck.” :P

*Ahem* Since many of your books are published on ebook format, what is your opinion on ebooks? Do you think more people will turn to them in the future?

Ya know, e-books get knocked a lot, but I have to tell you, some of the best stuff can be found in an e-book. You don’t always have to write to trend per se. You can get as wild imaginatively and that’s what I love about e-books. It’s also very true that you can earn a decent living writing them. It takes time and patience, but if you find a following, it can happen. I think with the cyber world and the way it continues to grow, more people will find the quick fix an e-book can bring (because it can be downloaded and if it’s part of a series, you can bet if the author is prolific the series will be out much sooner than it would in print) and the variety of genres and sub genres will only get more intriguing as time goes on. Lots of people spend uber amounts of time at the comp—why not read a book while you’re there? I love a good print book too. I think there’s plenty of room in both arenas for everyone.

Yes, I agree. That’s why it’s such a shame when mainstream authors try to belittle ebook writers. *sigh* Oh well, forgive them, they don’t know what they’re doing—and saying, apparently.

Now, regarding research, how do you do yours? Knowing that you write erotica, are people compelled to share their sexual experiences or fantasies? Or all of them are derived from personal experiences? *g*

LOLLOLLOLLOL. I WISH some hunky, narcoleptic vampire had come to help me write his erotic experience. However, that’s not the case. I don’t have a whole lot of personal experiences, but then, compared to most, I write tame stuff. I’m pretty much H/H. I think I’m basically incapable of having anything more than monogamy in one of my books. No matter what I do, my funny outweighs the heat and I can’t get past it, so I’ve embraced it :) Whatever more risqué sex I write has mostly been derived from my imagination. I’m more about an ironic situation in a book than I am about ironic sex. LOL

And YES, when I was dating and men asked what I did for a living and I said erotic romance writer, well, everyone has a story, ya know? One guy I dated felt compelled to woo me with his idea of erotic, which from a man is more Penthouse Forum. That’s not to say Penthouse doesn’t have its value, it just isn’t terribly romantic. LOL. Needless to say, we didn’t end up on date two because really, his grammar sucked. LOLLOL

Labels: author interview

50 comment(s):

Michelle said...

Great start to the interview, Dakota. And I just lovvvvvvvvve the picture, LOL.

Michelle

6/12/2006 10:06:00 AM

Harlot said...

Everyone, part two will be posted later in the afternoon.

Don't you just love Dakota's answers? LOL Okay, have fun! :D

6/12/2006 10:15:00 AM

C Bradshaw said...

Dakota, great interview! I can't wait for the second part later. :)

Will go back for my question later. Don't know if the BBs have already asked it in the interview. :P

6/12/2006 10:30:00 AM

Anonymous said...

Dakota, nice to meet you. :) And great answers you have! Glad you can join us here, you and your gun-weilding vampire self, LOL. Love your pic! :D

Olly