Ask the Author: Amy Valenti
Answered Questions (8)
Amy Valenti
Oh, absolutely - tons, in fact! I've written quite a lot of non-D/s over the years, and a couple of the books I've taken down and am in the process of rewriting have been non-D/s (though I'll admit that's changing in the case of one of them!).
As for books that don't involve erotic stuff at all, I have had many ideas, and even have books half-finished that don't have any sex in them. But they don't tend to hold my interest the way the erotic books do. At heart I'm too much of a romantic to keep things platonic between all my characters, and I always feel a little cheated in books when I get invested in a couple but then only get a fade-to-black scene when they have sex.
Eventually I'd love to write a book I'd feel comfortable showing to my parents or publishing under my real name, but at the moment I just have too many romance book ideas to work on!
As for books that don't involve erotic stuff at all, I have had many ideas, and even have books half-finished that don't have any sex in them. But they don't tend to hold my interest the way the erotic books do. At heart I'm too much of a romantic to keep things platonic between all my characters, and I always feel a little cheated in books when I get invested in a couple but then only get a fade-to-black scene when they have sex.
Eventually I'd love to write a book I'd feel comfortable showing to my parents or publishing under my real name, but at the moment I just have too many romance book ideas to work on!
Amy Valenti
Some of the time! Not the overarching plots - I'm glad to say I haven't ever been abused or held hostage at knifepoint or kidnapped or had someone try to kill me - but there are elements within D/s scenes that I've experienced myself. Not as many as I'd like, but a few! :) Most of it is my imagination.
Amy Valenti
I read something pretty interesting recently that said that if you're blocked, it means you're trying to force something that isn't working. I've found that enormously helpful. Going back and starting a scene from scratch, taking it in a completely different direction, sometimes helps on a small scale. If it's something that can't be fixed in one scene, then you've got a problem with your entire story arc. Figuring out what that is and fixing it can really help.
Amy Valenti
When you hear that you've made a reader cry. *evil laugh* No, seriously. Hearing from readers that what you've written has touched them, or made them laugh, or made them think... That's definitely the most rewarding thing, which is why reviews are so important to any writer. :)
Amy Valenti
Read a lot, write a lot (even if you think it sucks), edit and take the advice of editors - but know when to stick to your guns because occasionally, even editors can be wrong! I can say this because I used to be one.
And try to concentrate on one project at a time. It's been hard for me, but worth it, since I actually finish what I'm writing now!
And try to concentrate on one project at a time. It's been hard for me, but worth it, since I actually finish what I'm writing now!
Amy Valenti
The sequel to Not Your Damn Submissive - predictably called Not Your Damn Dom (but predictable in a good way, I hope).
It's about a friend of Callum's - Spencer, a fight choreographer/stunt co-ordinator/personal trainer to the stars. He's branched out from his original stuntman role since digital stuff has replaced a lot of work that would have been done by stuntpeople.
Something pretty bad happened in his last D/s relationship and he's sworn off the lifestyle ever since. But he's about to meet an actress who needs a personal trainer before an action movie role, and she's going to test his resolve.
It's about a friend of Callum's - Spencer, a fight choreographer/stunt co-ordinator/personal trainer to the stars. He's branched out from his original stuntman role since digital stuff has replaced a lot of work that would have been done by stuntpeople.
Something pretty bad happened in his last D/s relationship and he's sworn off the lifestyle ever since. But he's about to meet an actress who needs a personal trainer before an action movie role, and she's going to test his resolve.
Amy Valenti
Reading - it doesn't matter what genre it is. Listening to music. Looking at erotic (note: not porny - there's a difference!) photography on Tumblr. And walking with my MP3 player on is really effective for helping things fall into place. So is taking a shower, oddly enough. I have all my best dialogue exchanges come to me in the shower!
Amy Valenti
It was actually the title that spawned it - Not Your Damn Submissive. From there, the whole thing just grew! The setting - on a TV show's set - came from having a vague idea about having an 'America's First Top Dom'-type reality TV show, but I dropped that one when I realised Dom Wars had already gone there recently. So I had a rethink and decided my Dom, Callum, would be an actor. And of course the sub, Kat, had to have a reason why she wasn't his damn submissive... The rest just kind of fell into place!
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