Felicity Brandon - An Interview by Breanne Erickson

I know this is going to come as something of a shock, but I’m not the only erotica author out there. You know that right? I don’t feel bad about admitting it and while I recognize that technically Felicity Brandon could be considered a competitor of mine in the erotica industry, the reality is that neither of us produce enough material to flood the market. So that means after you’re done reading my books and are waiting for the next “tale” or anthology of “tales” to come out, you probably should be reading Felicity Brandon’s stories. She gave me an advanced copy of her latest novel, “Submission at the Tower - Depths of My Desire”, and when I settled down to read it I only lasted to somewhere in the first half of Chapter Two. Then I needed to recover so I could read the next part! 

Still, there’s more to a book than the cover, or even the characters, and sometimes you just have to talk to the author herself! Recently Felicity Brandon gave me exactly that opportunity!

Hi Felicity! It’s great to have you here on Michael Alexander’s BDSM Blog. I really admire your work! I have to admit that when I read your stories I put myself into the shoes *blushes* or bondage cuffs of your characters. How do you make them so vivid?

Thank you so much for having me here, Breanne! It’s an honour to be able to chat to you today about my new release and first full-length erotic, BDSM novel, Submission at The Tower: The Depths of Desire. I’m glad that you find my characters so absorbing – I work hard to make them seem as vibrant and real as possible. I know it can be an author cliché, but I really do hear the character’s voices in my head and see the world through their eyes. Therefore when I write I just translate the scenes which appear in my mind and the emotions that they make me feel. Somehow this approach seems to facilitate a powerful and emotive narrative.

Stories always seem to come from somewhere. For me it usually is a curt email or a call from my Mistress Julie who gives me a sex assignment. What are your inspirations? And what drove you to write the amazing narrative in Submission at The Tower: The Depths of Desire?

I think my stories are all lodged in my subconscious somewhere! They come to me either in dreams (the vivid sort you have in REM sleep), or when I first wake up in the morning. Usually the sleepier I am, the more alive the ideas are. Some mornings I play out entire sequences of new ideas in my mind whilst I’m showering! “Submission at The Tower” was like this. I saw the audition scene playing out like a movie in my head and I just sat down and started writing…

I get a lot of emails from women who like to say that I’m some sort of role model, which I really don’t get, especially with the crazy things I do. But your stories do a much better job of representing the reality behind the BDSM Community; safety, respect, consent, and concern. How do you feel about those of us in the lifestyle emulating your stories and do you have a message for both submissives and dominants out there?

I’m with you on this one, Breanne. The notion of being a ‘role model’ does seem rather absurd, but that said, I do work hard to make the situations in my books safe and consensual, even where they are not loving and respectful.

If my writing inspires someone in a positive way; to open their mind, to communicate honestly with their partner(s) or to yield to their own desires then that’s an unforeseen and marvelous advantage! I have a massive amount of respect for those people who understand their true nature’s and decide to embrace either their dominant or submissive sides. Accepting who we are and what makes us happy is important for all of us – whatever our sexual kinks and libido’s.

Truthfully I can’t imagine that anyone would choose to emulate my stories, but if they do then so long as they do so with accord and a filthy mind – I’m all for it! ;-)

I’m a big reader and usually read four or five books a month. I hate to have to ask this, but when is your next book coming out? Because I’ve already finished Submission at The Tower: The Depths of Desire.

Well I’m pleased to hear that you devoured my new release, Breanne! It sounds as though you put me to shame on the reading front… I should definitely aim to read more because my ‘to be read’ list is always substantial! I find that family life somehow gets in the way, but I do my best.

I have already started writing the follow-up to Submission at The Tower: The Depths of Desire, and am also part way through two other erotic BDSM stories. There’s no definite dates, but I’ll keep everyone up-to-speed on my social media pages.

Authors everywhere have some very different schedules, based upon when they like to write. Me? I’m a morning girl. After taking care of critters I can come inside, warm up, make myself a cup of tazo chai latte, slip a vibrator in and set it to low and just type away. But everyone is different! What is your typical writing day like?

I also prefer to work in the mornings as a general rule, although I have had some *very* productive afternoons as well… With a young family, I tend to work during the school day and then some evenings and weekends (when Mr. Brandon doesn’t mind!) I understand what you mean about the vibrator- sometimes you need a literal muse to produce great writing! Mostly I just lock myself away, crank up some music and write what I see and hear in my head.

Most of the Felicity Brandon stories I’ve read have always been in first person. I know I might be treading on dangerous ground, but are ANY of your tales based on something that really happened? Do you ever dabble in “confessional erotica?”

Ha ha! Now *that* would be telling! I can’t say that any of my stories have been directly inspired by real-life situations, but that said, I have incorporated many real-life experiences into my writing. I think it’s difficult to effectively express the emotional content of intense sex scenes, unless you have lived a little bit of what your character is going through. I always find that writing in the first-person narrative helps pull the reader into these compelling moments, be they passionate, erotic or just downright savage!

There are a couple of authors out there that I look up to and there are authors whom I just enjoy reading. Can you name a few authors who you admire, and some you just enjoy for the dirty feel of it?

One of the best things about this line of work is that I constantly find new authors to enjoy and fall in love with! I am currently really relishing the erotica of Bella Swann, who creates her own sexy spin on some well-known mythological characters, and appreciating the satisfying erotic romance of Shelby Kent-Stewart. When I fancy something darker I read novels by authors like Kitty Thomas and CJ Roberts.

In terms of my literary hero’s and heroine’s, I would have to pay homage to the amazing talent of people like Aldous Huxley, Margaret Atwood and Anne Rice.

Submission at The Tower: The Depths of Desire has a protagonist who is clearly submissive and enjoys the consensual sexual use her male masters inflict upon her. She wants it with all her heart and maybe that’s why it resonated so well with me. I want that too. But right now it seems that society is pushing for a feminist utopia. How do you reconcile these desires with the feminist movement? Do you see BDSM, especially with a submissive female, becoming acceptable?

This is the age-old debate isn’t it? “How can you be a feminist and advocate women’s rights if you also champion the sexual denigration of women in your work?” I think this used to trouble me a whole lot more when I was younger and less secure with who I am. I was conflicted about my own sexual desires and needs and struggled to reconcile them with the social expectations around me. I was intelligent and ambitious and yes – I wanted to leave home, go to university, travel and be an independent female. But beneath those layers of me there was still a woman who was attracted to strong, powerful and intelligent men. She wanted to be dominated in bed and used in the most depraved ways… And she still does!

I reconcile these issues now in two ways. Firstly I understand that empowering all social groups (including women) in the economic, legal and political spheres is progressive and good for society as a whole. Part of this empowerment is educating women and trusting them to make decisions about their own bodies and sexualities. It’s my opinion that most women are tuned into their own desires and if those yearnings are to be sexually submissive then society (and individuals) should respect that women’s needs. For me feminism is about equality between the sexes and respecting all consensual needs. If a woman chooses to be tied up or crawl around on a lead, and this makes her happy then it’s really nobody else’s business! That’s the critical word though – consent is the key to respect, and respect is the key to equality.

Secondly, my work is erotic fiction. This means that I could actually write about anything I chose, be it consensual or not and it would still be just that – fiction. As a liberal thinker and a writer I defend the right of any author or poet to write a work of fiction. Other people may find the work offensive and that is their right to do so. It should not however, infringe the writer’s right to create it. In my opinion when society starts censoring fiction that’s a really bad omen for that society and should be avoided at all costs.

One of the things that I had trouble adjusting to as a writer was to not write like I speak. My first years were full of “you know” and “And then…” and “so on…” until Michael Alexander was just highlighting each one. I practically began every paragraph with a colloquialism. What challenges have you had to face in your writing career and how did you get through them!

The first and biggest challenge I had to face was confidence. I knew I could write (I had always written), but I had no faith in my own ability. The first time someone else read my work and liked it was a defining moment for me, and it’s one that I never tire of!

I think I must be quite lucky because I find the actual writing process quite straight-forward. Sure I have to edit rubbish first (and second!) drafts, but I don’t generally use the sorts of colloquialisms that you mention. That said I always have a tendency to use passive English and when I edit I usually have to sharpen up words and phrases! Editing itself has also been a massive learning curve, but whilst it’s still not my favourite part of the process, it’s one which I am finally getting somewhere with.

Other than that the biggest challenge is time, and juggling Felicity’s needs with those of my husband, children and other family. It’s just as well that I love writing so much, because to me this never feels like ‘work’, and that helps a lot when there’s a deadline looming!

Felicity, thank you so much for taking the time to talk to me and MY readers and I hope that everyone stopping by today takes the time to check out your work. Where can they read a free sample of the best of Felicity Brandon, and what’s your website and blog?  I’m just asking because as soon as were done with this interview I’m heading on over and maybe have another little session with one of your tales and some pink colored, battery operated device…. Or maybe find a guy to tie me down and READ IT TO ME!

Wow, that sounds like fun way to enjoy my erotic tales – enjoy! ;-) Thanks again for having me here, Breanne! You can find out more about me and my work at the following social media pages:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/felicitybrandonerotica

Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+FelicityBrandon

Twitter: https://twitter.com/FelicityBrandon

If your readers fancy trying two of my erotic short stories for free then they can subscribe to my newsletter at the below link and get details about how to download them: http://fbrandonfiction.wix.com/felicity-brandon-#!contact/c1kcz

Alternatively you can access my entire scorching catalog at http://www.amazon.com/Felicity-Brandon/e/B00CV873JK/