Golden Flogger Award Nominee

of Re/Bound

 

Why did you begin writing BDSM novels?
I kind of stumbled into it on accident. I wrote a novel, Letting Go, that incorporated elements of my personal kink, and that’s when I realized it was not only a genre, but a lifestyle. Having cut my teeth in the alternative lifestyle scene (as in music), it wasn’t the first time I’d heard of kink, but after I wrote the book, it’s the first time I paid attention to it. I guess I’m the type of person who doesn’t really notice what’s around me until it smacks me in the face, but it sure seeps into my subconscious. I have hetero friends in the LS who let me pick their brains, and I began to do a lot of reading. I found many misconceptions and inaccuracies (in my own stuff and in other people’s) and the more I learned, the more I knew I had a responsibility to make sure the stuff I put out represented us well.

What does being nominated for the Golden Flogger Award mean to you?
I’m honored and humbled, especially when I discovered the prestigious company I’m keeping. This is beyond my wildest dreams.

What is the hardest part of writing your novel?
When I started Re/Bound, it wasn’t a BDSM novel. I was intrigued by the idea of falling in love while undercover and the repercussions that come from lying about who you are. Layering D/s and S&M—practices where trust and communication are the foundation—into that definitely ramped up the tension. The hardest part (after I figured out the relationship part) was weaving the suspense part into it. I had to create a suitable bad guy (who I modeled after a governor I didn’t like) and a believable situation. I researched a lot of the technical stuff because I am not tech savvy, and I cannot fix things around the house that break.

When I wrote the first version, there were lots of changes to the FBI/suspense parts (as well as an intense discussion with my editor about how many feet of rope were needed to tie Darcy to the stairs). Last summer I rewrote the ending to tighten up the climactic scene at the party before re-releasing it under my own publishing company, Lost Goddess Publishing. I must have done something right because, although people liked Re/Bound when it first came out, people loved it even more this time.

Tell us a little about yourself and your writing works.
I’m Michele Zurlo, author of over 20 romance novels. During the day, I teach English, and in the evenings, romantic tales flow from my fingertips.

I’m not half as interesting as my characters. My childhood dreams tended to stretch no further than the next book in my to-be-read pile, and I aspired to be a librarian so I could read all day. I’m pretty impulsive when it comes to big decisions, especially when it’s something I’ve never done before. Writing is just one in a long line of impulsive decisions that turned out to showcase my great instincts.

Find out more at www.michelezurloauthor.com or @MZurloAuthor.