Jade Onyx
Nominated for Golden Flogger Award
Why did you begin writing BDSM novels?
The first set of BDSM novels I have ever read were not E.L. James’ Fifty Shades of Grey but Kallypso Masters’ Rescue Me series. In 2013, the last book to be published in that series was Nobody’s Perfect. In that book, Kallypso modeled an example of writing a romance story around one couple’s relationship and how they overcame some deep wounds via the structured environment of a BDSM club. That book inspired me to explore writing a novel based upon the healing aspects of sexuality and romance with BDSM elements. That creative project, which is in edits, inspired the set of characters that showed up in Prison Bait who grappled with BDSM to heal their marriage.
What does being nominated for the Golden Flogger Award mean to you?
For a stay-at-home mom of three young kids, one of whom is an avid night nurser, I’ve only had the capacity to write when the kids are in bed and when I’ve got a little bit of energy left. To see my name and book amidst authors whom I’ve admired (and still do) is a real head trip. So even being nominated for the award means a lot to me. I find it quite validating as a morale booster for me to keep writing stories.
Where would you like to see the BDSM genre head? How will it get there?
Since it is the healing aspect of BDSM that first drew me to writing in this particular romance genre, I’m going to continue to stretch those boundaries of sexuality and healing. Now, I’m thinking of that Marvin Gaye song… Song aside, I’ve got a few more stories to write within the BDSM romance genre before embarking upon the stories that forefront the healing aspect. So I’m looking forward to 2016, when those books are out.
What is the hardest part of writing your novel?
The hardest part of writing the novel is usually the sex scenes. In my mind, they happen so fast. Yet, I don’t type fast enough to capture everything. Then I need to slow down the mental videotape to ensure that the reader gets what I see. Later, I need to reread and revise to make sure it’s not too lengthy and still stays sexy and emotional enough for readers. Then there’s also what’s plausible vs. what’s possible with the pacing of the protagonists’ relationship, given the concentrated amount of time for their connection to develop and strengthen in the world of fictional romance, with the particular mishmash of my characters’ wills and motivations. So yeah, the sex scenes are hard.
Tell us a little about yourself and your writing works.
I strive to capture the humanity within my characters. The more I overcome in my personal life the more I can pull from my real life and apply to my characters’ lives. That’s how I challenge myself to live to the fullest each day. How much more compassion, wisdom, spontaneity can I develop on a daily basis and how will that inform my characters’ lives? My existing novellas have only touched the tip of the iceberg. I’m looking forward to my youngest child weaning off breastmilk and sleeping through the night so that I can have more concentrated, uninterrupted time to craft my stories.