Between the Lines

Ashley Lister talks with Neve Black

Sex and intelligence go together like kink and candle wax.  This is particularly true in the world of erotic fiction where a good author can stimulate all six senses from words written on the printed page.  And, when it comes to good authors who are adept at their craft, Neve Black stands out as a shining example of that perfect blend of sex and intelligence.

Neve Black, for the uninitiated, is the author of the Ravenous Romance novel Sex Through the Zodiac. Neve’s short stories have appeared in a variety of ultra-hot anthologies, including Jolie du Pre’s Swing! Adventures in Swinging by Today’s Best Erotic Writers, Oysters and Chocolate: Erotic Stories of Every Flavor, Ravenous Romance, Men in Shorts, Sex and Shoes, Ambrosia, an Anthology of Sex and Appetite,  as well as numerous other venues. Her fiction is explicit, rich in detail, and aimed at the sexually intelligent.

Neve took time out of her busy schedule this month to talk about the process of her writing and her latest project.

Ashley Lister: Neve, thank you for joining us here at ERWA.  What initially drew you to writing and, specifically, what drew you to writing erotic fiction?

Neve Black: It’s truly an honor and my pleasure to be here. Thank you for having me. I was fortunate to be exposed to books when I was really young, so my desire for rich, satisfying words combined with my ridiculously wild imagination had me creating stories for as long as I can remember. Writing truly feeds my soul. For me, taking a blank piece of paper and filling it up with nothing but words, fuelled by a spark of creativity is, well…it’s almost as good as a really good….oh, never mind.

As cliché as it sounds, I suppose my first taste of erotic literature was when I got my horny little hands on the work of Anais Nin. I was in high school when I accidentally stumbled upon Ms. Nin’s sexy tales. I remember thinking how beautiful and exotic her words were and how sexy reading them made me feel.  I also remember feeling anxious about potentially getting caught reading this type of literature. I was raised under a very strict Catholic roof, and we didn’t talk about sex, ever – to include having open discussions about free-spirited women that wrote about sex. Ahem.

It wasn’t until much later in my life, as a mature (giggling here) woman that I wrote my first erotic story. I’m certainly no Anais Nin, and it has been a very long time since I was in high school, but I like to think that she had something to do with why I choose to write within this gorgeous and amazing genre.

Ashley Lister: The fiction you create is rich in sensory detail. I’d be interested to know how you achieve this balance of description without slowing down the narrative.  I’d also like to ask, why do you think sensory detail is so important within your fiction?

Neve Black: Well, thank you Ashley for saying so. I suppose I like to try and capture as many of the senses that I can when writing because for me, the senses are what makes sex so extraordinary. I’m captivated by the sensual details of a sexual liaison long after the orgasm has subsided. I sometimes float around on my very own cloud nine thinking about all kinds of sexy details: like the gentle touch of an eyelash, the musky sweetness of sweat-stained sheets, the warmth of a smile, or the sound of a whispered sigh. Just typing these sexy thoughts makes me hot and bothered and ready... to write. Yes, to write about sex!

Ashley Lister: Having visited your website, I’ve noticed you do public readings of your work.  Could you describe the atmosphere of a public erotica reading?  And do you have any advice for authors who have yet to go public with their work in front of an audience?

Neve Black: I’m fortunate to live in neighborhood that supports the arts. I’ve been reading Neve’s Naughty Nightcaps at The Literary Cafe since September of 2009. I’ve taken a little hiatus from my erotic readings, mostly because of my own time constraints. But also, I’ve noticed that people tend to hibernate more so during the bitter cold months. Reading to a crowd that’s open to the experience of auditory voyeurism is really quite exhilarating. I’m hoping to revisit Neve’s Naughty Nightcaps in the up-and-coming warmer months.

Also, when I do read, I’ve had great success as well as the honor to read the works of other erotic writers too. I’m very proud to have the opportunity to introduce listeners to other writers, while supporting the genre.  Hmmm...advice to others? I would recommend doing a shot of tequila first, because that helps with any stage fright jitters. Okay, I’m kidding...sort of. I do think reading your work in public is one of the most liberating experiences and I highly recommend it.

Ashley Lister: One of your current projects, working alongside the wonderful Shanna Germain and the marvellous Donna George Storey, is F Stop: Expose the Naked I.  This is an opportunity for artists, writers and all creative people to reveal themselves on the internet in a creative and stimulating way.  Could you explain a little more about the thinking behind this idea and what you’re hoping to achieve? 

Neve Black: Yes, both Shanna and Donna are truly magnificent aren’t they? I’ve grown very fond of both of them. I deeply respect their work.  I’m very fortunate to be involved in this project. And we each bring something different to the F-stop threesome. If memory serves me correctly, I think we all started chatting after we each separately and randomly commented on the same Facebook photo. We all decided that we wanted to start something new and different that would include artists of all genres. We wanted to create an environment that was deeply rooted in free expression and creative energy. The exposing piece of F-stop is really about stripping away barriers, which include clothes, societal expectations, and paradigms, until all that remains are the basic organics – the mind; the heart; the soul. For me, I am moved by art that strikes something deep inside me - art that defies all boundaries, and captures my deepest emotions in its purest form by exposing itself, which consequently exposes me.

Ashley Lister: Aside from F Stop: Expose the Naked I, what other projects are you currently working on?  And where can readers go to discover more of your work?

Neve Black: Does drinking a fancy cocktail at a sexy bar count as a project? No? Oh. Damn. Well then, I’m currently in school studying Spanish and I do have one of those pesky day jobs that have nothing to do with erotic literature. Fortunately for my own sanity, I do continue to write erotic short stories, but the bulk of my free writing time is being poured into writing a screen play. My website, neveblack.com is updated regularly with any new published stories as well as all my random blog postings about my glamorous life as an erotic fiction writer. Feel free to stop in; grab a libation and stay awhile.

Ashley Lister
March 2010

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"Between the Lines" © 2010 Ashley Lister. All rights reserved.

About the Author:  Ashley Lister is a UK author responsible for more than two-dozen erotic novels written under a variety of pseudonyms. His most recent work, Swingers: True Confessions from Today's Modern Swinging Scene (Virgin Books; ISBN: 0753511355), a non-fiction book recounting the exploits of UK swingers, is his first title published under his own name.
Ashley's non-fiction has appeared in a variety of magazines, including Forum, Chapter & Verse and The International Journal of Erotica.  Nexus, Chimera and Silver Moon have published his full-length fiction, with shorter stories appearing in anthologies edited by Maxim Jakubowski, Rachel Kramer Bussel and Mitzi Szereto.  He is very proud to be a regular contributor to ERWA.
Websites: www.ashleylister.co.uk / ashleylister.blogspot.com

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