Check out the interview with
Golden Flogger Award nominee
Lilah E. Noir
Why did you begin writing BDSM novels?
I’ve been writing ever since I was old enough to hold a pen and my love for crafting stories has only grown over the years. The type of tales that I found myself attracted to were usually of the dark side of the human brain and heart. Pain, obsession, horror, phobias, extreme passion, betrayal, death, insanity, love and hate were themes that I wanted to delve into and explore through my writing. Most of my earliest stories were a blend of different genres, ranging from horror, fantasy, and philosophy to psychological thrillers and dark romance. I had my stories compared to Edgar Alan Poe and Lovecraft. I consider that to be an extreme and inaccurate exaggeration.
Erotica has been a genre that has fascinated me since puberty when I started reading the various submissions at Literotica. I loved the idea of the mutual arousal between body, heart and mind, waking up desires through words, stirring up images of lust, forbidden needs and taboo relationships. Needless to say I found myself quickly getting bored with the purely romantic variety of erotica. I often would get lost in much edgier, darker fantasies of corruption, seduction and different fetishes. BDSM was a lifestyle I often ran into during my wanderings over the web. It scared and fascinated me. The frequent statements regarding relationships between a Master and a slave wherein both sides needed and wanted such a union teased my curiosity. I was in my early twenties when I started writing a daily blog of moderate popularity. I had written several shorts of both male and female domination and different fetishes. None of them were meant to represent the lifestyle; I hadn’t even done serious research. They were just visceral fantasies swimming at the bottom of my dirty mind that found their release through writing. That was just the beginning.
I went through a stage in my life where I did various roleplaying online with equally detailed writing partners. Many of my personal desires were such that required a lot of trust. Surrendering your will and body to someone else is not easy. It could be dangerous, even destructive if you make a mistake in your judgement. So roleplaying gave me a chance for a “test drive” of my kinks in a safe environment. Some of my scenarios included coercion, blackmail, reluctance.
I found I was most fascinated by the willing and consensual domination and submission, preferably in taboo circumstances, after a long, tense and arousing build up. Over time I started adding more details, thinking of the background and psychology of my characters, and devising more serious and advanced plots. About that time I started reading more contemporary BDSM fiction and felt more and more tempted to make proper stories out of those fantasies and yes, indeed, to share them with the world.
Where did you get your information on this lifestyle?
During my roleplaying stage I got to know people who were in the lifestyle to a different degree. They were various both in their fetishes and philosophies about the D/s dynamics. I tried having online relationships with some of them. As short-term as they were, they gave me idea of how much a thrill a possible union could be. Talking to those people also made me realize how much tenderness and affection there can be in BDSM, apart from the chains and whips. I’ve also read many articles on Fetlife, as well as different blogs all over the web.
Do you conduct any advocacy work in this lifestyle or is it strictly fiction base for you? If so, what?
I am really not the type of person to preach and I don’t have enough experience in the lifestyle to do any teaching. I’d like to point out the following. Be very much aware of the difference between fantasy and reality. They can merge together in a beautiful way. I’d be overjoyed if someone tells me my book has inspired them to change their sexual life or relationship and that brought them happiness. However, don’t forget that this is fiction. Its main purpose is to tell a story, help someone realize their fantasy or explore darker, taboo topics. It is not meant to be a manual for safe, sane and consensual relationships.
So, if you want to try kink and D/s don’t rely simply on a sexy or erotic book, no matter how well written. Educate yourself on what you want to do with your partner, try some non-fiction writing, especially if your desires go way beyond some light spanking and silk scarves bondage. Ideally, talk to people who have more practice and learn all about the possible risks. It may not sound like a very exciting process but if you ignore it that can lead to unpleasant and scarring experiences instead of the expected sexual liberation.
It may be insulting to some of the readers that I spell out obvious things like that but we all can get lost in the seductive illusion, especially when it’s well crafted.
Where would you like to see the BDSM genre head? How will it get there?
I’d like to see more variety and bold choices, writers who want to make their storyline and characters unique rather than copy a formula that could lead to more sales. I know that, after all, our books are products that need to be sold. However, BDSM offers enough opportunities for different stories based on different kinks. I’m sure that most readers would appreciate it if a writer offers them something new rather than another copycat of Fifty Shades of Grey or some other popular series. I like to be surprised when reading, and I’m confident that even the most exploited genre tropes (a brooding, damaged billionaire and an innocent, naive student) can be turned upside down and become a compelling and highly erotic story.
Tell us a little about yourself and your writing works.
I started writing short stories and gradually moved on to novellas and full-length novels. So far my biggest accomplishment are the first two books of my Unorthodox Trilogy, series dedicated to the complicated relationship between a strong yet submissive woman and a dominant man who is not only younger but also her employee. It’s a blend of dark eroticism, romance, psychological thriller, drama and suspense. The final chapter and book 3 will come out in the fall of 2018.
Unorthodox Dom, the book I’m nominated for, is a short novella and a prequel that introduces the characters and gives the readers a taste of the full work.
As for me… in real life, I’m a quiet, introverted girl who prefers to listen than speak. I appreciate a glass of fine red wine, a great book and a long, exhausting swim in the sea. I wouldn’t go so far as to say that what I’m doing is art but I identify myself as a creative person. Apart from writing, I’m passionate about graphic design and I make all of my book covers myself, as well as those of other authors. I’m currently working on building a professional portfolio.
About the author:
Lilah E. Noir is an author of dark erotic novels and psychological stories. Her work has elements of taboo, seduction and different aspects of the BDSM lifestyle, with a touch of romance and tenderness. If you love flawed characters, submissive alpha females, unconventional dominant heroes, angst, emotional darkness, lots of kinky sex scenes her books might be your kind of pleasure. She’s currently working on Book 2 and 3 of her Unorthodox Trilogy, a storyline focused on a woman in a position of power, her journey in the world of kink and sexual submission, as well as on the intense relationship between her and her younger dominant lover.