Because I’m not the biggest fan of writing reviews, but I do love to share the books I enjoy, I decided to start a series of mini-interviews with authors of books I couldn’t put down. I am more than honoured to kick things off with a Q&A session with the wonderful Lana Fox, whose Confessions of a Kinky Divorcee I devoured while I was freezing my bits off in snowy Europe.
I totally recommend every book featured on here. Confessions of a Kinky Divorcee is a great start because it’s light, funny, utterly delicious and extremely well-written (and very, very hot!) You can get it for $1.99 (!) on Amazon US and UK and, frankly, it was the best $1.99 I spent in a very long time.
Let’s hear from Lana!
1. Sell us your book in one sentence.
When Debs finds her husband being unfaithful, she can’t take her eyes off his stiletto-clad mistress—and surprisingly, this turns out to be the beginning of a kinky, transformational journey of a lifetime.
2. Favourite line (or paragraph) from Confessions of a Kinky Divorcee
Well, you know, it’s very hard to choose, but I’ve decided on this one:
‘Perfectly said, as usual,’ says Janey, as she brushes my hand with hers, and she lingers for a moment, and I can smell her shampoo and feel the warmth coming off her, and oh, oh, oh…! I barely even say goodbye to Billie because I am so close to Janey, and I can feel us swaying towards each other, her lips so close, her breath so warm, her fingertips stroking up my arm and resting round my jawline. Suddenly I’m not in the real world any more, I’m just sinking towards her, and she’s rising on tiptoes, and the smell of coconut soap is filling my head, and her soft lips are way too close, and I whisper, ‘God, you’re perfect,’ and she says, ‘God, you’re delectable,’ and I whisper, ‘I hope you know that you’ve got the job,’ and she says, ‘What are you doing for dinner tonight?’ and I say, ‘Nothing, as yet,’ and she says, ‘If you get hungry, maybe we could eat?’ and I say, ‘Oh, please!’
From “Confessions of a Kinky Divorcee”
3. Last book that blew you away?
Oh! You know this is a great question. I have recently been rereading Anais Nin’s diaries—the unexpurgated versions, of course—because my God, no one should ever censor this woman. Her journal entries are hot, fascinating, and she writes like no one else I’ve ever read. She lived one hell of an exciting life. I can’t stop turning pages. Amazing.
4. Which celebrity is at number one of your imaginary to-do list?
Number one? Rachael Stirling in the BBC version of Sarah Waters’ “Tipping the Velvet” when she’s playing Nan and is dressed as a boy. Seriously, has anyone ever been this hot?
5. What’s your favourite sexy song?
Wow, my favorite sexy song? That’s a difficult one to answer. Probably Amy Winehouse’s “Amy, Amy, Amy.” Or maybe the Kills’ “U.R.A. Fever.” Hmm. I really have to choose? Okay, then Amy wins. The song has such a sad edge now that she’s left us, and my god, those words, that voice…
6. What are you most proud of?
Another lovely question. I am most proud of my own transformation—I lived through a childhood of intense sexual shame. Then, after years of finding the guts to heal, I did so. After that, becoming a sex activist, sex columnist, erotic writer and writing instructor has brought me nothing but the deepest joy. When you find the courage, healing can work. What a powerful lesson.
7. Who’s your favourite TV Character?
My favorite TV character is Spike from Buffy the Vampire Slayer. His wit, his darkness and his hero’s journey all keep me on the edge of my seat, no matter how often I watch the series. (And I watch it over and over, I might add!)
8. Which author’s books are a must-read?
Sarah Waters’ “Tipping the Velvet” and “Fingersmith.” Dear heaven. No one writes about sexual transformation like Waters. In her novels, she is vivid and deep, and when her characters finally express their true erotic nature, walls crash down and the world is drenched in light. One of my favorite sex writers, ever.
9. Anything else you want us to know?
Yes. For anyone who is reading this interview and longs to come out—whether that means telling others that you are queer, kinky, sex-positive, poly, a musician, a rocket-scientist, divorced, a teenage mother of two—I want you to know that while we often focus on the fear of coming out, the release, the love, and the overwhelming sense of *being* can be the most profound thing we have ever known. In short, coming out is love, no more, no less. Because love is love no matter which way it is flowing. Oh! And if you want a powerful book about being yourself and staying alive on this planet, please read Kate Bornstein’s amazing “Hello, Cruel World.”
10. What’s next for you?
Well, I’m excited about running an online course entitled “The Mermaid Voyage: A Two-Week Journey of Erotic Self-Discovery,” and I also plan to start my next novel soon. At the moment I’m working on a series of hot novelettes called “Con” for Go Deeper Press. In the first of these, which I think will be called “You Can Play it Safe When You’re Dead,” a pair of con-artist twins find themselves erotically attracted to one another when their world falls to pieces and a gun is held at their heads. And as you know, erotic attraction can drive us to whole new depths and adventures. (I love writing. Can you tell?)
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Lana Fox’s erotic novel, “Confessions of a Kinky Divorcee” (published by Harper Collins’ Mischief”) has now hit the virtual shelves. Her other erotica appears in numerous books published by Cleis, Harlequin and Go Deeper Press – in fact, she is a co-founder of the latter. What’s more, she runs a course on erotic self-love entitled “The Mermaid Voyage: A Two-Week Journey of Erotic Self-Discovery” and she also works as an erotic writing instructor and arts coach. She has been a professional sex blogger for Boston Magazine and elsewhere, and her non-fiction self-help book on the power of erotic self-love is represented by the Sarah Jane Freymann Literary Agency. Lana can be found at godeeperpress.com and lanafox.com
