Author, Livia Grant joins us to discuss her nomination for the Golden Flogger Award and writing D/s novels.
Why did you begin writing BDSM novels?
I love to read BDSM novels and I started writing when I was getting frustrated at how so many books glossed over the psychological aspects of the BDSM lifestyle in general and the motivations behind what makes people lean towards either dominance or submission. I dive into that in all of my books.
Do you participate in D/s activities or merely write about them?
My husband introduced me to D/s a few years into our marriage and it remains a major part of our relationship.
Where did you get your information on this lifestyle?
I’m not just an author. I am an avid reader and have read tons of books with BDSM or D/s themes. We also subscribe to several magazines on the lifestyle. Despite the fact I write about BDSM clubs, I confess we’ve never gotten into the club scene.
What is the hardest part of writing your novel?
Without a doubt, the hardest thing is pushing myself to bare inner emotions, thoughts, dreams… I think readers can tell if an author is just keeping things on the surface emotionally or if they really dig deep to bring out their characters. I love books that get inside the character’s heads and show them at their rawest self. I want to see their flaws, their weaknesses, what makes them tick because then when they overcome those things throughout the book, the experience is that much more exciting.
Tell us a little about yourself and your writing works.
About ten years ago, I made a dream board of the things I wanted to accomplish in my life. Publishing a novel was on that list. I didn’t know what I’d write about or when, but I threw it out there in the universe and kept going about my daily life. About four years ago a series of events in my life happened that led me to know the time was right and I started writing my first novel that very day. I have since written 8 full length novels (two which were my practice books and need a full re-write before I release) What they all have in common is deep character driven plots with ensemble casts of characters.