Join us for an in-depth interview with
Christian Kennedy Golden Flogger Award Nominee of The One Gold Slave

 

Do you have any background or experience with BDSM?
I do! I’ve been involved in BDSM relationships on and off since I was 16 years old. I think my experience with it was somewhat different than others since I got into BDSM to hide sexually. When I was younger I was interested in sex, like most young people. And though I was a sexual minded person, I didn’t really want to have sex with anyone. So it was my way of being a virgin and still being able to explore sexuality. I was way more interested in being a voyeur than actually doing anything directly physical with anyone. Which is how I ended up becoming a Dominatrix. I’ve always had a theatrical personality and I found slipping into the role of a Mistress very easy. I’m somewhat creative with mind fuckery so my submissives were never bored with me not having sex. And I found the distance of spanking, flogging, etc. to give me the enjoyment of connecting on an erotic level, without exactly getting into the act. It let me explore sexuality in the safe space of being in charge. That way I never felt pressure to do anything because it was all my way or the highway. It also let me learn early on about the psychology behind arousal and how often tension and subtle gestures can be more tantalizing than the act of sex itself.

In my later years, I’ve really become more of a switch and grew comfortable having more traditional sexual relationships. But I became interested in BDSM initially as a form of self-expression. And I love the way it lets people safely explore elements of themselves they may not even know they have. It’s a craft that sets the sexually creative free, in my opinion.

What is the hardest part of writing your novel?
For me, the hardest part about writing a novel is realizing when a scene or segment you’ve already written doesn’t actually move the plot forward or do anything for the novel. Or worse, that it’s actually slowing down the story. There are a few scenes that got the axe in this book that I’m still upset about. But it’s part of the process. Admitting that not everything you try at first will make it into the final product. The work is better for it in the end, but it’s very tough making those calls. Especially if you really like the part you’re taking out.

Tell us more about the photography you’re doing in regards to your book series.
So, I have a background in Film and Production Design. I really love to create characters through costumes and props. So when I was writing the book series, I thought that it would be really great to do some visual storytelling to go along with the books. Plus it’s something that you don’t see very often with self-published media. I like to create visuals that people haven’t seen before with every other erotica novel they pick up. And it really immerses the audience in the world I’m creating.

We also shot some trailer footage in 4K while we were doing the photo shoots, that we will be editing into a trailer this year.  I’m so excited to share the full look of Atlaind with people!

How many books are you planning on writing in the Atlaind series?
Well, at least five books in the main story. But I have several short stories regarding a few of the characters that I really want to tell. They aren’t part of the main love triangle but sometimes you just need a short erotica instead of the larger story. But I’ve spent a lot of time really creating a world of characters that I could play around in for a long time. So who knows, really.

Do you plan to have an audiobook made for The One Gold Slave?
I do! I’m actually in the process of having it recorded currently. It will still probably take the better part of a year to get it all recorded and edited. Mostly because I’m using both a male and female voice actors so the responses of the audience will be more accurate. No matter how good at acting a performer is, it’s difficult to take a man doing a woman’s voice as sexy, or vice versa. So I’m working on a style of audiobook that will take a little more of the audio drama route than just a straight up reading of the text. I think it’s going to be my favorite version of the book though because I can hear my characters played out and come to life. That’s one of the advantages of being a filmmaker going into this. I have the skills to create a lot of my own marketing myself.

What does being nominated for the Golden Flogger Award mean to you?
As a first-time self-published author, to me it means validation. It’s incredibly tough to get people to pick up your book if you are a nobody who just crawled out of the woodwork. And why should they? There’s no reason anyone should pick up my book based on my opinion of the work. But if you get an award from the BDSM Writer’s Con, then people might take a moment and pay attention. It means that your story has been vetted by some of the most experienced critics in the BDSM Erotica industry. So if you have an award from them, maybe the book is worth checking out. Plus, my main Mistress character actually uses a golden flogger in the book so that would be a really cool tie-in for me personally.

Will you be attending BDSM Writers Con or other events we can meet you at?
I would like to attend the BDSM Writers Con in August. It’s a little up in the airs because of my work and family obligations. But I’m gonna see what I can pull off.

Where can our audience find all these things you’re working on?
Well, the book is available on Amazon and I sell my photos off of Etsy under Mistress Mercantile. But the best way to be kept up on everything I’m doing towards this project is to like the facebook page. I post all updates on everything I’m working on there. www.facebook.com/Atlaind

A little about Christian Kennedy:
Christian Kennedy lives in Denver, Colorado. She has a background in theater and opera training that she uses mostly for rocking out Pat Benatar and Katy Perry karaoke. In 2015, she graduated from the Denver School of Massage Therapy and has worked as a Licensed Massage Therapist since. In 2013, she graduated from the Colorado Film School with a degree in Writing/Directing with an emphasis in Production Design.