Writing
Erotica: The A Perfect Dream Universe
Until I tried my hand at writing erotica, I had
no idea how liberating it would be, opening up a whole new world, but it soon
made sense to me.
Out in the real world, women’s sexuality is
always under scrutiny and subject to judgment, more or less. There are
consequences for not being in line with society’s expectations, slut-shaming,
online and in everyday life. Writing erotica is breaking the rules, the mold of
what women are expected to be. The women in those stories aren’t what society
expects them to be.
When I had an idea and ran with it, I didn’t
yet know that it would be the beginning of the A Perfect Dream universe, which is a kind of erotic utopia. The
story was there one day, inspired by the image of a bathroom on some TV show,
where ominous looking screen doors separated the master bedroom and the bath.
Ideal if you invite someone to look in on you...
A
Perfect Dream was born, and with it came Beatrice. The wife
of a conservative lobbyist who is stuck in a loveless, sexless marriage, escapes
her reality with erotic getaways for women only. She can’t imagine ever coming
out, afraid of the looks and talk behind her back, until she meets another
woman who might change her mind on the issue.
The women who attend the exclusive parties go
for safe and consensual encounters in a discreet setting—anything goes as long
as everyone included gives their consent. Kinks and fantasies are not questioned.
Some are looking to meet someone…The One, even. Most aren’t, and that’s okay
too. For every guest at the party, A
Perfect Dream offers an escape from their lives, but also a chance: Free
from society’s boundaries, they can explore their sexuality, their hopes, and
who they really are. It changes them. For some, it means to try once and never
come back. Others have found the perfect place they want to return to again and
again.
My latest release, Off Screen, is a standalone within the same universe, and it
explores the live of two actresses who play in the movies that party guests can
rent or buy. The story does not attempt to paint an exact picture of the
industry, on the contrary.
Like with the parties, there are rules to keep
everyone safe, a framework in which the women involved defy the usual status
quo. After this one, we’ll go back to the timeline of A Perfect Dream. In each story, we’ll have the unique point of view
of one character, but meet with ones that are already familiar, so all
instalments are connected.
In general, I wanted to dream up a world in
which women have complete control over their bodies and what happens to them.
There’s a happy and carefree atmosphere to these getaways, even though the
women have to confront their actions and feelings.
There are different angles to the stories: One
is the question of when coming out is unavoidable, and once that step is done,
is there still the need for a secret place? Another is the fact that at those
parties, the women do everything society would judge them for, regardless of
their sexual orientation: Casual sex, multiple partners, every possible
taboo—so there’s still a need for discretion.
Fantasy and reality aren’t always the same, so A Perfect Dream stories also explore
questions of monogamy and commitment, and what this means to the characters in
the setting of the parties, or in their homes.
Lastly, my intent is to provide fun and sensual
stories spiced up with politics—because women in control are sexy.
Social Media links:
Facebook: http://on.fb.me/WsPXWX
Twitter: https://twitter.com/
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/
Goodreads: http://bit.ly/1nOHrqB
Hello, Raven,
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your latest Perfect Dream story. I agree that writing erotica can be liberating - as can reading it.
Hope the book sells well!
Thanks, Lisabet! :-)
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