Interview with Erotica Author C. Margery Kempe

Today we welcome up-and-coming erotica author C. Margery Kempe to the blog. I first became acquainted with Ms. Kempe's work when she submitted a story to an erotica anthology I edited (EXPERIMENTAL: An Anthology of Sex & Science, available from Ravenous Romance.) I recently sat down with her and shared the following interview:

1) Ms. Kempe, why don't you tell us a little bit about yourself? How did you get involved in writing erotic romance and erotica?

I am a medieval English professor at a small, historically Catholic,liberal arts college in New York (hence the use of a pseudonym until Iapply for tenure next year ;-). I've always been an all-purpose kind of writer, spreading my time between academia, fiction, drama, journalism and whatnot. I had only ever written erotica for special friends, but when Lori Perkins announced the launch of Ravenous Romance at Necon last July, I suddenly thought, "hey, this could bevery good for me!" And it has been. Romance alone never appealed much to me, but writing erotica is a blast.

2) Who are your favorite erotic authors, and why?

I am very fond of Anaïs Nin because she was the first erotic writer I discovered as a very ignorant teen living in the very repressed Midwest. She led me to writers like her friend Henry Miller and hermuch admired 'mentor' D. H. Lawrence, then classics like Fanny Hill, Candy and the Story of O. I still tend to gravitate toward female writers like Cecilia Tan and Susie Bright, although one book Irecommend to everyone is the incredibly beautiful Lost Girls by Alan Moore and Melinda Gebbie, which is simply one of the most gorgeously erotic books you can find. In my review I think I said it was likecake you wanted to bite, as Gebbie's art is so luscious.

3) What books do you have out now, and what's in store for the future?

I have a number of short stories out in Ravenous Romance collections like SEX & SHOES, EXPERIMENTAL, MEN IN SHORTS and APHRODISIA, as well as the standalone short story "Twelve Drummers Drumming." I have a tarot story coming out from Midnight Showcase and several stories under consideration with other publishers. My novel CHASTITY FLAME comes outfrom Ravenous Romance in April. It's a thriller about a secret operative who has wild erotic adventures along with international intrigue. She has a dangerous job and tends to live for the moment -- of course that means taking advantage of sexual escapades whenever they arise (so to speak). Next I'm working on a M/M retelling of a medieval romance,because not only is M/M romance hot, but I love using my studies in inventive ways. I'm already thinking about the next Chastity novel,but before that I have a paranormal romance in mind. I've also got a busy writing schedule for my "real" self, LOL.

4) What turns you on most as an erotic writer?

I love to see lovers adoring one another's bodies, flaws and all. No one's perfect, after all, and it's those little singularities that come to mean so much, whether it's the shape of his calf or the way a kiss in the crook of her elbow brings a gasp. I enjoy the playful and teasing denial of pleasure, teetering on the brink of orgasm, extending that moment as long as possible. And I'm not averse to a little rough play when it suits the characters -- or bondage/domination, because there's something powerfully erotic for a strong woman to relinquish that power to a trusted partner.

5) What writing rituals do you have?

Hmmm, I don't know that I have any particular rituals, just because Ialways have to go straight to work. Because I am writing so many different things on any given day -- deadlines always looming -- I can't afford to do anything but get a-tapping on that keyboard. However, even when I didn't have quite as many commitments I found it important to always have at least a couple of projects open. If I got stuck on one, I could simply turn to the other and never get bogged down in worrying about why I might be stuck on one. Inevitably an idea would strike me and I could jump back to the one that had stalled.

6) Anything else you'd like to add?

One of the best things about Ravenous Romance is the new community of writers who have come together because of it. What a friendly group! I'm so pleased to be a part of it. I don't have a blog of my own as C.Margery Kempe, but I blog at RavenousRomance.com and I do have a website at http://www.cmkempe.com/. Thank you for inviting me to your blog today!