SeX and the Sea

Today I feature an interview with another seXy author, Susan DiPlacido, who is a wonderful writer and amazingly generous, humorous and super-cool person. Her offering in X: The Erotic Treasury, “Beyond the Sea,” is a great example of erotica that transcends the genre—or what the general public seems to think the genre is! I first read this story in Susan’s short story collection, American Cool, which I hope to talk about a lot more with her in an interview here at Sex, Food and Writing in the new year. It’s one of the best “erotica” collections (because of course, it’s more) that I’ve ever read and plenty of critics and prize committees agree with me. I'm not a cruise kind of girl--I prefer vacations where I can walk a lot and not in circles--but my little ship trip with the tarnished silver-surfer Ray and the lovely, but sticky-fingered Isabella was pleasure all the way. Let me just say now, if you never thought a blow job could be a life-changing event (I’m talking to the women, most guys don’t need convincing), “Beyond the Sea” will change your view of the matter forever!



SB: Tell me how you would cast the film version of your story...

SD: Oh, so easy. Bobby Cannavale for the male lead. He's just so charming and good-looking but also really quite fun and funny. And Penelope Cruz for the female, because she's amazing and I don't think Hollywood has yet found a way to bring her to show her off the way that films from other countries do.

SB: What do you really know about larceny and pickpocketing?

The only experience I have with pickpocketing is from this one time when I was in San Francisco. I was riding the bus, cause I was broke and poor. And I saw this pickpocket coming for me. He wasn't smooth at at all, but I didn't even bother to stop him, because, like I said, I didn't have any cash. He got a handful of used tissues. He was clearly annoyed and called me a dirty hippy.

SB: Has your work ever been banned in a nation, or seized at Customs?
My work hasn't, but I have! I'm still not allowed to return to the Bahamas. That was such a fun trip!

Any interesting felonies or misdemeanors you'd like to mention?

Omerta.

When not writing, what are you likely to be doing?

Swimming, gambling, cooking, or watching a movie. And any of those things are often accompanied by cocktails.

When you think of your recent writing, for "X," and then consider your recent sex life in reality, what comes to mind?

That I really should reconsider and take a cruise!