I was deep in the middle of research for an ambitious historically-based science fiction novel when the inspiration for Dangerous struck, and would not go away. Who in their right mind begins a literary career with an erotic suspense novel? But it seemed prudent to heed my Muse, and I obeyed. What began as a short story grew into a novel four years in the writing.
I came to see Val's private world as a kind of alien planet, with its own logic and jagged strangeness, and no need for a starship to get there! (I am reminded of the debates Tolkien and the Inklings had over whether spaceships were a necessary part of science fiction, or a troublesome detail, as detailed in this book.) I find Val endlessly fascinating, a kind of high-functioning semi-Hannibal Lecter who cleverly found ways to live in our society without becoming too great a menace. The few glimpses we get of her professional life, and her world view, hint at a very different interpretation of our everyday world.
I set a number of challenges for myself in the writing of this book.
For one, I wanted to explain why a normal person might grow to crave, and possibly thrive in, a submissive relationship. Dominance and submission (D/s) is a subtle thread in just about everything we do. Consider your relationship to the State, a soldier's finely tuned obedience, how you interact with your boss, or letting your spouse handle your finances. We obey stop lights because they reduce the chaos and danger of traffic. Simplifying certain parts of a relationship can allow other aspects to come to the fore, in greater richness. Sometimes.
Also, I wanted to write more literary erotica that wasn't focused on (in my opinion very masculine notions of) "Tab A/Slot B" details. We all know how sex works. It's really just an epiphenomenon of souls in contact, or collision. When a college classmate gave me a copy of Story of O, I was amazed by the delicacy and frankness of the prose, while dealing with such shocking material. Dangerous is my poor attempt to emulate that style, but in a modern setting.
In fact I almost succeeded in writing the book in language safe for an eight-year old. There are a handful of bad words thrown in for spice. What transpires may be pretty scandalous, but it's free of the usual porn-speak.
I wished to avoid stereotypes and keep the reader guessing, even those who are familiar with the D/s lifestyle. Dangerous is intended to be a beautiful trainwreck, something you're not sure you want to see, but from which you cannot tear your eyes. And you won't find many of the usual D/s or fetish tropes: no collars, chains, leather.
While Story of O is compelling it has always struck me as a fantasy. O's psyche is slightly broken, and she suffers torments few people could endure. I preferred to write a story that could actually happen, filled with realistic characters who have limits. Koishi is not a victim, but rather a thoroughly modern woman who owns her brave choices.
Why is the topic of dominance and submission of interest to me? I think it's possible we come with at least a little genetic programming for it, and it can be activated by certain triggers or pressures. I found the Russian experiments in domesticating wild foxes most intriguing. Also this article on self-domestication. Self-sacrifice is often what defines a hero. But too much of anything can be dangerous. History abounds with malignant strains of this sort of thing, as when a people bend their will to a dictator who uses it for selfish ends. It's up to us to know where that threshold lies.
I came to see Val's private world as a kind of alien planet, with its own logic and jagged strangeness, and no need for a starship to get there! (I am reminded of the debates Tolkien and the Inklings had over whether spaceships were a necessary part of science fiction, or a troublesome detail, as detailed in this book.) I find Val endlessly fascinating, a kind of high-functioning semi-Hannibal Lecter who cleverly found ways to live in our society without becoming too great a menace. The few glimpses we get of her professional life, and her world view, hint at a very different interpretation of our everyday world.
I set a number of challenges for myself in the writing of this book.
For one, I wanted to explain why a normal person might grow to crave, and possibly thrive in, a submissive relationship. Dominance and submission (D/s) is a subtle thread in just about everything we do. Consider your relationship to the State, a soldier's finely tuned obedience, how you interact with your boss, or letting your spouse handle your finances. We obey stop lights because they reduce the chaos and danger of traffic. Simplifying certain parts of a relationship can allow other aspects to come to the fore, in greater richness. Sometimes.
Also, I wanted to write more literary erotica that wasn't focused on (in my opinion very masculine notions of) "Tab A/Slot B" details. We all know how sex works. It's really just an epiphenomenon of souls in contact, or collision. When a college classmate gave me a copy of Story of O, I was amazed by the delicacy and frankness of the prose, while dealing with such shocking material. Dangerous is my poor attempt to emulate that style, but in a modern setting.
In fact I almost succeeded in writing the book in language safe for an eight-year old. There are a handful of bad words thrown in for spice. What transpires may be pretty scandalous, but it's free of the usual porn-speak.
I wished to avoid stereotypes and keep the reader guessing, even those who are familiar with the D/s lifestyle. Dangerous is intended to be a beautiful trainwreck, something you're not sure you want to see, but from which you cannot tear your eyes. And you won't find many of the usual D/s or fetish tropes: no collars, chains, leather.
While Story of O is compelling it has always struck me as a fantasy. O's psyche is slightly broken, and she suffers torments few people could endure. I preferred to write a story that could actually happen, filled with realistic characters who have limits. Koishi is not a victim, but rather a thoroughly modern woman who owns her brave choices.
Why is the topic of dominance and submission of interest to me? I think it's possible we come with at least a little genetic programming for it, and it can be activated by certain triggers or pressures. I found the Russian experiments in domesticating wild foxes most intriguing. Also this article on self-domestication. Self-sacrifice is often what defines a hero. But too much of anything can be dangerous. History abounds with malignant strains of this sort of thing, as when a people bend their will to a dictator who uses it for selfish ends. It's up to us to know where that threshold lies.