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Copyright 2003 Sadie Sez Publications

(Photo at left: Sascha Illyvich)

Sascha Illyvich has written a lot of things, but by far Sascha's greatest joys have been the fact that writing has been an escape. With work posted at Thermoerotic.com, Three Pillows Bisexual site and past updates for the Erotica Readers and Writers Association, Sascha has been pleased with everything that's transpired. Currently, she's working on a contemporary romance, a vampire romance and another BDSM novel. To stay current, join the newsletter that Sascha puts out bimonthly, or just get a hot read, point your browser to http://www.malesubmission.com/saschai and remember, Authors love feedback too!

SENSUOUS SADIE: You do a monthly piece for Males In Slavery Stories, where you also explore the romantic aspects of female dominance. Clearly you have an interest in romance. Where did this come from?

SASCHA ILLYVICH: "Before I started writing erotica, I was working on a few different projects that dealt with my love of the fairer sex simply because those were happy moments.

"When I first started writing erotica, BDSM was in high demand, but the quality of the stories out there wasn’t that great. Everything I had read online had been more like scene reports and examples of bad erotica. All right, I said. I get it, he’s humiliated. How does he feel about the experience? What’s going on in his mind? Or how does she react to herself in regards to treating him the way she has? The people I met showed me that there was a definite spiritual connection between many of them and that intrigued me. It seemed beautiful.

"For so long I’ve tried to shake the romance aspect of my writing, but I just couldn’t do it. My characters always ended up together, happy (usually) and in love. I hated it when I wrote stories with the ‘one night stand’ theme that’s so commonplace in erotica.

"I turned the ideas I gained into stories between people that cared about each other in more than just a carnal fashion and made them sell."

Sadie: You describe yourself as, "a fetish author who blends contemporary romance themes with BDSM, hoping to show a more realistic side to the Scene that’s not often portrayed in short stories." What did you find in the BDSM genre that so turned you off? What do you do that’s different?

Sascha: "The first year I started writing, I did a lot of research. I read online, participated in discussions, observed, everything I could do so I could write work that represented the Scene for what it was and is; another aspect of life that differs from the mainstream. At first, some of the hard core stuff really turned me off, but I knew I was ignoring a personal demon then. Still, the writing I had read was just so poor that I couldn’t concentrate on the original intent.

"I was annoyed with the IMO poor translation of ‘Story of O’ which I understood, having studied another language, but what turned me off was the senselessness of the acts. I guess it made me think though and that in itself wasn’t a turnoff.

"Part of my self labeling is to hopefully spur a change in acceptance of what we call quality literature. Authors like Cecilia Tan, S. F. Mayfair, and Don Winslow have been setting standards that are consistent among the bigger, traditional publishers but writers on lower rungs of the success ladder somehow think they can pass off poor quality fiction just to sell. When you flood the market with that, it only hurts those of us who try to maintain the integrity of what we’re doing.

"Now, I’m annoyed with the faction splits in the community overall. Old Guard vs. Neo leather, etc. I don’t get it. If a lifestyle can’t change with the times and still keep it’s basic integrity, it just doesn’t make sense.

"What I do that’s different? Mistress Kitty is real. She’s based in part on a conglomerate of real Mistresses I’ve known since I started writing erotica. There isn’t a fake ‘darkness’ in my work. It’s real."

Sadie: I love the title of your new book, "Mistress Kitty and Trent: Tales of Love and Romantic BDSM" for two reasons. One is that the name Mistress Kitty has a charming sound to it, and the other is that most people don’t connect romance and BDSM. It’s strange I think, because a BDSM relationship can be so much more noble in many ways than a vanilla one where romance is assumed. What are your thoughts on this?

Sascha: "Thank you J Do you mean noble in an old guard way like days of old when men were men and women were the weaker sex? Granted, the idea is misogynistic, many of the actions are romantic, she pleases him because it pleases her and that shows him that she loves him. Or vice versa if you’re lucky to be part of the minority of Female Dominants.

"I think the give and take aspects of BDSM relationships are different than those of vanilla, but not by much. The level of trust I’ve seen from BDSM relationships matters more in the sense that people are more open about it. I don’t get a chance to display how I trust my Lover every day, but you know that when you see us together in public that I do."

Sadie: I understand that you are interested in writing fantasy erotica. What is that?

Sascha: "You know, vampires, shape shifters, demons and kinky werewolves! It’s my world, my rules and as long as I’m consistent, it’s all good."

Sadie: You told me that you’ve been, "concentrating more on erotic romance lately and haven’t had time to explore different, more unique fetishes." What’s the difference?

Sascha: "The level of kink in erotic romances is significantly more absent. For example, in my latest contemporary WIP, my hero and heroine aren’t into BDSM, they know very little about it and hold standard assumptions on the subject but there is a scene where she makes him call her Mistress, in a silly yet erotic role playing scene. He’s bound and can’t move much, she’s seduced him and called the shots, but it’s not true female domination.

"I too did my homework and saw your interview with Yaqi, the tickling aficionado and would like to explore different fetishes such as his in my work. I think it’d be fun."

Sadie: In your recent collection of erotica, you include a wide fifteen erotic stories including "Dress Up," where a bit of role-reversal brings new spice to one wife and husband’s hum-drum sex life and "Room," where a love slave makes new discoveries about himself while serving his Mistress. And yet you also write lesbian erotica. What has the response been from the lesbian community to your writing about this?

Sascha: "You know, I honestly don’t know. The editor at www.Sexiliscious.com and www.HerCurve.com (same woman) has been supportive of my work, and that’s good enough for me. The few lesbians I’ve met in person have been supportive.

"When I started polling them for research for a column I began at another website, they were glad to help me, but wanted to see the results. I understood that but couldn’t show them because it would have violated my contract and the site was a pay site."

Sadie: There is an idea about there that erotica is sort of "throwaway" fiction. However, I’m seeing more and more erotica writers taking it very seriously as a creative pursuit of excellence. (for example, Mitzi Szereto, Daddy Bob Allen, and Laura Antoniou all of whom I recently interviewed). What is your approach?

Sascha: "The genre overall is taken very seriously among those in the know, and always will be. It’s far from a throwaway. Let’s break down an erotic story. You have interesting characters, decent dialogue, some sort of plot, and lots of sex. Minus lots of sex, it’s the same as regular fiction. It takes the same amount of skill to write an erotic story, if not more in order to keep from sounding like every Dick, Tom or Lenny that puts out work.

"I look at it this way, I want a hand in every coffer!

"I like sex. I like sex writing. I admire those that pursue it as a career. It’s difficult for me because I do squat on both sides of the fence. My latest work is definitely erotica, but the romance aspects are strong in my work. My latest upcoming novels will be erotic romances, so it’s difficult for me to come up with a title for myself on my business cards!

"This year has been different since the acceptance of ‘Mistress Kitty’ because the Extasy books was in need of more talent (why they chose me is beyond lol!) and like all publishers, when they find a good thing, they want to milk it for what it’s worth. I told them I had two novels on the back burner that were romances because that’s the market I’m aiming for. Then, Renaissance E-books offered me a contract for an erotic BDSM novel that I get carte blanche on, so there you go."

Sadie: You publish your book electronically, which is a relatively new thing. How does this work? What have you found are the advantages?

Sascha: "Basically, instead of going to print, my work goes out in PDF form or some other electronic form, making it available to those on the go, with PDAs, laptops, and the like. I’ve read books on my PC now and a lot of readers do enjoy the new media. For me, it seems to make reading faster, but maybe it’s the authors {grins}

"Advantages? The books can be distributed quicker to reviewers, readers and the like. Imagine, taking your favorite author’s current work on the plane on your PDA. The time from acceptance to the time the book hits the market is a hell of a lot shorter. ‘Miss Kitty’ went out a week after acceptance, due to the wonderful editing of Stef at Extasy. Since nothing natural is being used/wasted, I could get press releases out and start my campaign for promotion and get results faster."

Sadie: Although you are clearly a guy, judging from your photograph – you sometimes write in reference to yourself as if you have an inner woman, saying "She’s the one you gotta look out for. Always starting trouble, she’ll get you. Sneak up on you when you least expect it." Can you tell me bout this approach?

Sascha: "It’s simple. I want to confuse the hell out of you! For so long, I was writing lesbian erotica and the community who was my target audience displayed a bias, men can’t write as well as women on the subject they can’t experience themselves. The gay male community (and for that matter, all deviations from the mainstream) feel the same way. Bull! Though, do you really think that’s me on my yahoo profile?

"I am more in touch with my softer side some days. I’m not ashamed of it, either. Funny thing, you zeroed in my fascination for Chris Rock! My readers who are fans of his know I ripped that bio off in an attempt to be humorous."

Sadie: Like many writers in the BDSM and erotic genre, you qualify as something of the "starving artist." What do you do to make ends meet? How do you see your long term writing future?

Sascha: "I sell crack! No, just kidding! Seriously, I’m on SSI, so my income is severely limited, but my bills are very few. Thankfully, I live in a situation where I’m lucky enough not to have major expenses. I won’t be here forever though. My Significant Other and I have plans to be together someday and I really have my heart set on a BMW.

"In the long term, I’ll be well to do. Right now, I have several projects under my belt and the proof of my success are the reviews and praise I get from other authors and editors."

Sadie: When did you first become aware of your kinky orientation? What was the coming out process like for you?

Sascha: "Funny story time. At one point, I thought I was cool enough to be cavalier with courting the other sex so I shot my mouth off to this one woman that we’d eventually be together in bed. I thought she had a sexy voice. The next thing I know, she’s accepted my proposal, (My sister put in a good word) only it’d be on her terms. I was floored but excited. This woman and I started talking and eventually we met and played by her rules. It really changed my opinion and opened many doors for me. As for coming out, I never made the statement in public that I was ‘out’ in any sort of way. I really think that even though we have rights to do what we want with consenting partners, we shouldn’t make mention of things like that in public. I don’t need some child asking his parents why Mistress has a collar on my neck and a leash from that, the same as I don’t need some right wing moralist telling me that I can’t let my Significant Other wear a strap on and do me behind closed doors."

Sadie: Do you take a spiritual approach to your BDSM play? If so, how?

Sascha: "I really don’t take much of an approach to it right now. My significant other and I are working things out so we’re opening up ourselves to that venue. For the record, she’d make a very cute dominatrix. If and when we do though, it’ll not just be about sex play, it’ll be deeper than that."

Sadie: Some might think that because you write erotica, you wander around in an erotic daze. Is this true? Or it more like the muse comes to visit?

Sascha: "The muse comes around with a bottle of Absinthe and we end up dazed."

Sadie: I assume you would describe yourself as a submissive or a slave? Where would you place yourself on the kinky spectrum? Any special interests you’d like to tell us about?

Sascha: "Where do I fit in? Really, I’ve done both and it’s honestly a tough call. I enjoy the domination role better but the release of submission calls to me as well. For the former, I like to control everything. Do you realize that I actually talked you into this interview six months ago?

"As for submission, letting go holds nothing for me without the proper person. My Significant Other is creative with creating an atmosphere and waking up the part of me that begs to beg. Also, do you realize that you ordered me to answer these questions?

Sadie: I "ordered" you? Well, I have been told that I’m a bit bossy. Next question then: How have your BDSM interests changed over time?

Sascha: "I think right now, they’d been put on the back burner. My Significant Other is in the middle of a career change and I’m trying to build a writing career and with her living in California, me in Houston, TX. we don’t see each other much. When we do, we’ll explore role playing."

Sadie: Is there anything else you’d like to share with our audience?

Sascha: "I think as readers, we should constantly look for that challenging read. We should push our authors to put out better work and when they do so, say ‘Thanks’ and ‘good job.’ I wonder, the response from the romance community has been good so far in terms of readers getting what I’m trying to do, does the BDSM community come around?

"In the words of Bill O’Reilly, ‘We’ll let the audience decide.’"

Sadie: Thank you for chatting with me!

Sascha: "Thank you for your time, it was a pleasure. "

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If you enjoyed this interview, read more SCENEprofiles with BDSM personalities on Sadie's website at www.sensuoussadie.com

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