How did you get into blogging?
I was quite a sexual late-bloomer, and at the time I was going through changes I didn’t understand. I’d started watching porn, I’d started dipping toes into reading erotica… and I couldn’t help feeling really alone. I didn’t really have anyone to talk about these things with.
One day, I found this blog called Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, written a lady called Hyperballad. That blog pushed me to start my own, and I made it my mission to try and understand what sex meant to me, to other people and to the world.
How is that mission to understand sex going?
I’ve always been fascinated by sex, ever since I first became aware of it. But because education on the topic was so lax back home, I didn’t really grasp more than your basic “this is a woman, this is a man, they have sex to have babies” thing until I started blogging and reading up on it. My world has been broadened immensely, and I’ve learned a lot about myself, my own sexuality and just how broad the sexual spectrum is.
So, in a way, that mission is going well. But it’s also a continuing process.
What got you started writing erotica?
I originally wanted to be a chick-lit author! I loved reading the genre and convinced myself that I could totally be the next great chick-lit novelist. But it’s a harder genre to work in than you might think. And the only bits that I actually looked forward to writing were the sex bits.
So, not long after I started the blog, I started experimenting with writing straight-up erotica. At the time, there were two brilliant memes out there (Wank Wednesday, run by Ruby Kiddell, and Fuck Me Friday, run by Aisling Weaver) that helped me practise the process of writing regularly. They would provide people with a weekly prompt and the challenge was to write a piece of short erotic fiction which encompassed this prompt.
I enjoyed doing that immensely, and after having a long talk with a friend of mine, she eventually suggested I write something to submit to a publisher. And so I did.
What has been your favourite publishing experience this far?
I’ve loved all my publishing experiences so far, but I have to say that nothing tops that feeling when you get your very first acceptance letter in the mail. Or via email, as was the case for me.
What is your favourite sexy/dirty/sweet/raunchy word to use in your stories?
I’m going to sound really cliché, but it has to be “cock”. Or “fuck”. I’m not much of a fan of other synonyms for penis, so cock has always been my go-to. Occasionally, a “dick” slips in, but that’s rare. As for fuck, it’s one of my favourite words to use in anything I do. Obviously not in my day job, but I do tend to slip in “fuck” into most of my sentences.
Your blog occasionally features guest posts by other prominent erotica writers. How do you connect with them?
The UK has a very close-knit erotic writing community, and we see each other at events like Eroticon and readings at several places. Business cards get given out, you follow people on Twitter and you make connections. So, mostly Twitter, with a bit of networking on the side.
I would quite like to have Charlotte Stein write the erotic story of my life. As for the title… The Girl Who Waited would be a cool one. Sort of a double meaning. One the one hand, you have the girl who waited for her chance in life, and on the other, it’s a Doctor Who reference, so it’s pleasingly geeky as well.
What do you think the most significant differences are when trying to write erotic fiction and erotic poetry?
Honestly, I’m not really very good at writing poetry, so I don’t think I can really give you a profound answer! I will say that writing erotic poetry is more challenging, because you’ve got less time to convey what you want to convey. Poetry, to me, is something compact, so you’ll have to come out swinging in what you’ve written and carry that on until the end. Does that make any sense at all?
Having said that, I have incredible respect for people who are very good at erotic poetry.
What can we look forward to from you in the future?
I honestly don’t know. I’m up for anything people throw at me. But there will be lots of new writing to come, that’s for sure. And maybe I’ll finally get my arse in gear towards writing a novel.
