Actually, I wonder if Oprah could do as well--could you resist spilling all of your secrets to those dreamy brown eyes? Maryanne Stahl, author of Forgive the Moon and The Opposite Shore, a wonderful writer and an immensely generous mentor to so many writers, interviewed me for the July/August issue of Eclectica Magazine, which offers a delicious buffet of poetry, short fiction, essays, reviews and interviews with creative types--even, gasp, erotica writers. This interview explores bold new territory for me, in particular my take on feminism and creativity, why I like writing sex scenes, why submission can be empowering and all sorts of other juicy topics. It's like listening in on an intimate conversation between two friends telling all over tea--and believe me, this one is worth eavesdropping on! So pop on over to the interview and let me know what you think.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
The "Next Oprah" Interviews Me!
Actually, I wonder if Oprah could do as well--could you resist spilling all of your secrets to those dreamy brown eyes? Maryanne Stahl, author of Forgive the Moon and The Opposite Shore, a wonderful writer and an immensely generous mentor to so many writers, interviewed me for the July/August issue of Eclectica Magazine, which offers a delicious buffet of poetry, short fiction, essays, reviews and interviews with creative types--even, gasp, erotica writers. This interview explores bold new territory for me, in particular my take on feminism and creativity, why I like writing sex scenes, why submission can be empowering and all sorts of other juicy topics. It's like listening in on an intimate conversation between two friends telling all over tea--and believe me, this one is worth eavesdropping on! So pop on over to the interview and let me know what you think.
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6 comments:
Reading this interview was like being a fly on the wall at a MENSA meeting.
Totally fierce, both of you.
Knowing you, EllaRegina, I think that means you thought it was sexy....
Wow. I feel incredibly under-literate after reading that beautiful and sensual interview, Donna.
Very nice. ;-)
“We need more writers willing to acknowledge that the sexual urge is as worthy of a complex literary treatment as anger, jealousy, ambition or love in its PG-rated form. Honest female sexual expression in particular is still a growth area.”
Beautiful!!
“I prefer to broaden the definition of a problematic reliance on attention from the opposite sex to men and women alike. It's a human dilemma.”
I wholly agree with this, Donna, and am so thrilled to see someone point it out in this context! Sometimes in the midst of feminism I think we have forgotten that many of the phenomena with which we associate with female oppression are actually attributable to humanity in general. It may be that the lopsided collective perspective of society made their relation to women seem magnified, but I think in so many cases, the above is true and has been frequently forgotten (or perhaps even unrealized). I will qualify here and say that that all may be easy for me to say, being young enough that I was not around (as an adult anyway) for some very important feminist movements and progresses whose ideology, philosophy, and/or methodology I don’t currently agree with. I do harbor a sincere appreciation for those who came before me and worked very hard under circumstances with which I may not be experientially familiar and, perhaps ironically, actually influenced the societal strides that make it possible for me to take a view that disagrees with what I see as some of their separatist and/or even biased perspective(s).
I also love what you (and Maryanne as well) said about your kids and sexuality. I find it so heartening to hear about parents who respect hat their children are human beings who will eventually become aware of their sexuality and aim to be open, truthful, and straightforward about it. Of course in my experience that generally follows from parents who are comfortable examining and communicating about sexuality themselves, of which I feel our culture sets a woeful example.
Magnificent intveriew; thanks to both of you so much!
Xoxoxo,
Emerald
Thank you Neve and Emerald. Sometimes I wonder if anyone is listening, but I feel VERY listened to by people I admire, so, wow! (Not to be too articulate, here...)
Emerald, I'm also a little late to the feminism party and I know that what the second-wave pioneers were working against was daunting. They had to do and say things that we take for granted because of their hard work. When women were considered different and weaker than men in every way, it was crucial to prove we could do anything a man could do, that is "be a man." But if you get stuck there, a new form of anti-female prejudice takes its place...gee, I wish we were sitting over tea and chatting about this! Fortunately, we don't have to stay stuck, we can all contribute to the dialogue and add more complexity and nuance to these very important issues. Thanks for joining in!
"But if you get stuck there, a new form of anti-female prejudice takes its place..."
EXACTLY. The observance of such is something I have historically intensely resisted. It appears to me to be doing the exact same thing the movement originated to eradicate. All on the same spectrum, if you will -- when (to me) what is needed is a discard of that entire spectrum and a recognition and embracing of an enhanced one.
In the meantime, here's to complexity and nuance! :)
(P.S. Tea is awesome. :) Maybe someday...)
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