Interview with Casey Cane, no female doormats need apply
Today’s interview is with author Casey Cane. She is an incredible talent. Her stories are rich in prose and bring a different light to the BDSM genre. The tempo of her scenes is sensuous and thought-provoking. Enjoy the interview.
When did you start writing and what inspired you to do so?
I have been writing since I was a kid. It seems like I’ve always had a story in my head to tell, and over the course of my life, those stories have become more clear and focused.
At a certain point, you can either write down what the voices in your head are saying, or you can indulge in various substances to shut them up. I choose to write.
You write erotica from a different perspective, could elaborate on that vision?
Certainly. I feel that as a species, we are losing something, we humans: nobility. Every now and again on Facebook I see posts comparing photos of men from earlier in the 20th century, and men today, with a “WTF happened?” caption. My feeling is that men today have failed women—and that’s not meant as an aspersion. From my perspective, it’s all about biology—nature, evolution, the characteristics that have gotten the species to survive for a hundred thousand years. Darwinism works pretty well, but with the rise of technology, we have, in many cases, chosen to ignore the natural order. We worry about Skynet taking over, but Skynet is already being served—just try telling a teenager to put down their iPhone!
More seriously: when did being “submissive” become a weakness, or “dominant” a character flaw? To me, a submissive girl is the strongest of all, because she has given herself over to trust and love to a man she has chosen to dominate her, to lead her. And that dominant man must rise to his own inherent nobility to properly guide her in her submission. Domination isn’t about ropes and beatings; it’s about caring, protecting, and cherishing. It’s about learning what she needs, and giving it to her. She needs to know he is always there for her.
In the current societal climate, I realize this is not a popular view. But as I’ve said in my bio, I seek to strip away the veneer of civilization. I do this because I think many people not only don’t like to think that humans are animals, but some get quite angry when the concept is put forth to them. We have lost contact with our primal selves for many reasons, not just because we can’t put away our screens. It’s my feeling that this has resulted in a widespread unhappiness.
Portraying characters that are largely in touch with that primal nature—or realize the necessity to do so—is what I explore in my stories. There are no female doormats; these women are strong, and show that a girl can be submissive without “knuckling under”. And while the males may have flaws, they also realize their responsibilities as dominants: if a girl gives herself over to them, they accept that obligation, and they also must shoulder all the blame in a true D/s situation.
My stories incorporate this philosophy in what I hope is an unblinking way. The “Owned by the Master” series isn’t for everyone, and some readers may be upset by some scenes, or even react to them as triggers. (I provide warnings for each book.) And especially in my latest—“Valeria Must Kneel”—there is a scene that may distress some. But if I am to plumb the depths of what I feel is a tremendous discontent sweeping the Western world right now, I have to go farther than “politically correct” interactions, and truly strip away that veneer of civilization for my readers in order to reach the depths of human emotions and sexuality, as I see it.
Where do you get your ideas?
Idea.com. Seriously, this is probably the most difficult question for a writer to answer. I’ve always liked Stephen King’s response to this—that what he does is think of two seemingly unrelated things, and yet those two things connect in his mind in some fashion, and from that conflation his stories flow outwards. I’m in no way comparing myself to Stephen King, but something similar happens in my brain as well when I form my ideas.
Do you outline or free flow when developing your stories?
I keep track of plot points, character traits, and to-do’s in OneNote, but I write free flow. I do have an overall plan for a story—or in the case of the “Owned by the Master” series that I am currently writing, the entire series—and know the broad strokes going in, the endings, etc. But getting there is the adventure; I like discovering things about my characters along the way in much the same way my readers do.
What is the worst part of Indie writing?
That there are only 24 hours in a day, and that I have to sleep for 6-8 of them.
Which scenes are the hardest to write?
That depends on the day. Some days, the sex scenes are tougher, because I may not be quite in the mood. Other days, the linking scenes are the beasts—those transitional moments between one major scene and another. But I set word-count goals for myself each day, and I sit there and type until I reach those goals.
Who are your favorite authors?
At the moment, I favor reading mysteries / suspense thrillers. Right now I’m reading Tana French’s “In the Woods”.
What do you do to relax, other than writing?
I read, first and foremost. I watch scripted TV, both comedies, and dramas, to see how other writers do what they do. I go out in the sun and put the electronics away for a while.
If you had to choose one kink to write on, what would it be and why?
D/s. That’s mostly what I write about anyway though the scenes and characters may take different forms and involve varied additional kinks. For me, D/s has the richest veins to mine, because it is never the same from couple to couple. Certainly, in my stories the male is always dominant, the female submissive, but they aren’t cookie-cutter characters, and their dominance and submission emerge in different ways each time. Especially a girl just discovering that she is submissive, and gradually trusting the man she is with to guide her in her awakening—you can really see this process happening in my third and latest entry in the “Owned by the Master” series—“Valeria Must Kneel”.
What is your next project?
As I mentioned, I’ve just completed the third entry in the “Owned” series—“Valeria Must Kneel”—and it is up on Amazon now. My readers have asked me when I will write another taboo-type story, so I am halfway through writing one now, and will have it up on Amazon hopefully before the end of April (assuming they allow it—Amazon is cracking down on taboo-type books). After that brief hiatus from D/s (though not really—wait till you read this one!), I will write the fourth book in the “Owned by the Master” series. Continuing the traditions, I’ve begun in the first three books in the series, readers will meet new male and female leads—though this couple will have played supporting roles in previous books—and the overall arc taking place in the background will progress, perhaps in unexpected ways. I keep getting asked about Ronan…
Thank you so much for the great questions, and for giving me a chance to expound on my philosophy and process! I hope your readers enjoy my answers and my stories!
I strongly urge you all to put her books on your “to-read” list. As a reminder to us all, leaving reviews are the lifeblood of indie authors. It only takes a minute to do them. We understand that not everyone will like our stories. Don’t let that stop you. There is an old saying in our industry, “a bad review is better than no reviews.” We enjoy critical feedback, so don’t be shy regardless if you like the story or not. Thanks.
Here are Casey Cane’s links:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CaseyCaneBoo...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CaseyCaneBooks
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Casey-Cane/e/B0...
