Just to clear things up: recently, you published two M/M BDSM books under another pen name, Payne de la Cour, but then decided to come out. What prompted you to write BDSM stories – and what made you choose a pseudonym at first?

What prompted me to write BDSM: I love BDSM, and I find it fascinating. I love the absolute trust that’s required to have a scene, and the fact that you place your wellbeing in someone else’s hands. It’s just something I love to explore. (And I had a couple of plotbunnies who just didn’t shut up.) I actually released two other BDSM books a few years ago. They were with a publisher and are currently not available, since I’ve gotten the rights back and didn’t upload them again. I was trying to figure out what to do with them, but I guess I can now just release them. (Those are Christmas stories, so later this year, I think). So Bound in Silk wasn’t my first attempt at writing BDSM 🙂

Why the different pen name: I’ve never really hidden who I am, so it wasn’t that hard to guess. But yes, I published the books under the pen name, mostly because quite a few RL friends are following me on social media. We’re living in the countryside (think 300 cows and 100 people in our village) and I wasn’t too sure what they’d think. I’m also a mom, and I’ve never hidden that I’m an author, so it’s just a matter of time until someone comes across my BDSM stuff. My mom and her friends (who’ve known me since kindergarten) also love stalking me on facebook (if you’re reading this: Hi!!!). So I was just nervous.

What made me come out? I’m on SM about the same person I am in RL, and it’s been too hard to keep two profiles. I can’t pretend to be someone I’m not, and I leaned that I’m actually even unable to have two pen names.

And then, one day, I just got sick of hiding. I’ve been telling my kid to be proud of who you are, and then I looked at myself, and figured it might be time to simply be me. By then, it’s been driving me crazy to have two separate personas on FB, and so I finally accepted there’d be some weird looks at family meetings. So far, my mom hasn’t seen the BIS books, and she reads about all of mine. (Talk about awkward when she got my m-preg books!). We’ll see what happens when she reads the BIS books.

What do you want readers to know about your series Bound in Silk?

Well, if you’re looking for a heavy, dark BDSM book, you probably won’t like it. It’s more like a feel-good, not much angst, consensual BDSM. I’m very heavy on consent, especially since some of the characters like consensual noncon. BIS was meant to be a series where each couple has a different kink, and that’s what I wanted to explore.

What do you find most interesting about a power dynamic between a Dom and a sub?

The fact how the sub holds all the power. I just love how you place all the power in someone else’s hands, and he/she can do with you what they want (within some rules) and yet, if you say ONE certain word, everything stops.

In the second book, one of the characters, Max, is a big, muscular guy, but he wants to be dominated. I guess it’s a common misconception that Doms should be tall and strong – and subs are supposed to be frail. What if a person doesn’t “fit” into other people’s perception of him/her? Is there a way to change it, to present oneself as dominant or submissive more clearly, despite the appearance?

Max was fun to write. I’m actually right in the middle of a final proofread of the German version of the book, so Max is RIGHT HERE in my mind. I love him so much. He’s so strong, and he just needs someone to help him deal with his needs.

But I don’t think you can change how you appear. Being dominant or submissive is often something you can see with one look, and I doubt you can change that so you seem to be something you aren’t.

Did you have to do any research for Bound in Silk? What was the most challenging scene to write?

I don’t think I want to tell you my research, since that’s rather private *cough*

I did talk to quite a few people, though, and my editor (hi!!) is active in the lifestyle as well. Most challenging so far were the scenes where Pres *forced* Max. I wanted it to be 100% sure that it is consensual, that Max loves it, but it needed to be sexy, too. That was pretty hard, actually.

Will there be more books in this series? Is there a kink or a fetish that you’d like to write about, but haven’t yet?

YES!!!! There will be book 3, which I’ll start soon. It’s gonna be a threeway, since Logan and his ex are not able to make it work on their own. Turns out, there might be someone they’ll need in their lives. I have quite a few kinks I love to write about, and I’m always happy to take suggestions! (Because I apparently need more plotbunnies.) No, seriously, I really love talking kink, but be prepared to answer all kinds of questions 🙂