Zane needs no introduction. Since releasing her super sexy debut novel, Addicted in 2001, Zane has kept our juices flowing and has dominated the literary scene.
But the undisputed queen of erotica has done more than just turn us on: she’s given us the freedom and the courage to explore our sexuality, celebrate our fetishes and indulge in our forbidden fantasies. Although most of the world is convinced that her books are all about hot sex, Zane is deeply passionate about liberating women sexually and empowering them outside of the bedroom.
With the high-grossing major motion picture, Addicted, under her belt, Zane continues to prove that she knows how to bring the heat and is the master of seduction. Her highly titillating work sheds light on real-life issues such as sexual addiction, infidelity, unplanned pregnancy, multiple personality disorder, and more.
In this unforgettable, grown and sexy interview, we get up close and personal with the world’s most successful African-American erotica writers in history.
Some have criticized you for writing ‘mommy porn’, but your work has substance and a strong, empowering message. What is the overall message you want to send to women? Is the message different for your male readers?
Zane: I am not offended by the opinions of others. Those are their opinions and they will never have any kind of effect on what I write. That much I can promise you. If I was going to be concerned about what others thought, I never would have put out my first book. Books 31, 32, and 33 come out in 2015. I am assuming that “Mommy Porn” refers to mothers who are sexually active. That sounds silly because I have yet to meet anyone who got here any other way than through a sexual act. People take issue with women wanting to have sexual gratification their own way instead of simply being vessels for the pleasure of men. That is the only thing that makes sense to me.
My overall message to “everyone” is be transparent about who you are in this world, understand that not everyone is going to agree with it, and realize that it is okay. So what, actually? Life is difficult enough so why not enjoy the moments that you can enjoy? Intimacy is a true human need and desire, despite a lot of people trying to claim differently. What happens within the confines of someone’s bedroom needs to stay there.
You have helped liberate women and men sexually and brought back the passion in their relationships. What is the one thing that you are most proud of when it comes to your work?
I am most proud of the fact that I have given women the permission that they were seeking to be themselves. A lot of women did not realize that their thoughts were normal until they got hip to what my characters were doing. I believe that women are even more sexual by nature than men, and not the opposite. I am glad that I have made thousands of them, if not more, realize that.
You’re an expert at turning people on. What gets you excited? Are you like the characters you present in your books or more conservative in the bedroom?
Hmm, personal questions. LOL. I get excited by looking at my man, period. I get excited by knowing that he loves me and treats me like a queen. I get excited by knowing that we can touch each other and bring one another pleasure. The rest is whatever has us running hot on that particular day. No, I am not conservative in the bedroom and I have no apprehension because I am with someone that I can be myself with. That makes all the difference in the world.
People from all over the world write you for advice. What are two of the top struggles women go through sexually that have shocked you and what advice do you give?
If had to pick the top two, I would say fear of being on top (taking control in the bedroom) and lack of orgasms during actual intercourse. I wrote an entire chapter on being on top in “Dear G Stop: Straight Talk about Sex and Relationships.” I also wrote a very graphic description of how to do it properly in the opening chapter of “The Hot Box” and the main characters sorority name in “The Sisters of APF” was “Soror Ride D%*k” so if they read my work, they will figure it out.
As for the orgasm issue, I believe that most women do climax during vaginal intercourse. They are expecting a lot of fireworks, toes curling, etc. Clitoral orgasms are generally stronger and that is why they have stronger ones when masturbating, coupled with the fact that they are not concentrating on what the man is thinking about their body, their movements, their dirty talk when they are masturbating. It is fine to be concerned about making sure the other person is sexually satisfied but it is pointless to have sex if you are making it all about them, and not about both of you.
What is your secret for keeping your audience sexually, mentally and emotionally captivated by your work? To what do you attribute your success?
Zane: I am real, I take risks, and I don’t care what people think. I write about characters that have flaws, have issues, and deal with real life problems. I attribute my success to the fact that I walk to the beat of my own drum, I never try to emulate anyone else, and I am simply doing me.
Some have criticized you for writing your popular lesbian book series, Purple Panties, even though some church women were secretly buying it at your events. Why do you think women are still afraid to explore that side of their sexuality? What’s truly keeping them in the closet? How can they embrace who they really are?
I would not say that they are being kept in the closet. I am not interested in women but I can appreciate that passion and sensuality are universal. I can appreciate books about homosexual men as much as I can about homosexual women. I publish both by several authors. The books turned a lot of heterosexual women on but a lot of the readers are lesbian and appreciated me doing it.
With that being said, I do get a lot of emails from women who are struggling with their sexuality. I always tell them that no one has a heaven or a hell to put them in here on Earth and they need to live their lives in a way that makes them happy. I do not believe that people can change what is in their hearts and it is truly disturbing to see others try to crucify someone for their personal choices. It is none of their business, quite frankly.
Did you always have an open mind sexually? If not, how did you get there?
Zane: As far back as I can remember, I never had any strong inhibitions when it came to my sexuality. I have always been strong-willed and I have always known what I like and don’t like. I think that a lot of women have open minds; they are simply afraid to let the rest of the world know it for fear of being judged, or perceived the wrong way.
Has being a prolific erotica writer helped your love life, or have you found that it intimidates most men that you date?
I am in a committed relationship with my soul mate so I am not even out there like that. In fact, I am not out there at all. He is not going anywhere and neither am I, so that makes life easy. With that being said, a lot of men probably would find me intimidating if they had the opportunity to ask me out. That is not going to happen, though. I am on lockdown for life.
What do you think women should do more in their relationships to keep their partners sexually, emotionally satisfied? What should they do less of?
Zane: Overall, women need to communicate more openly with their mates. I was speaking to a young lady the other day and she was explaining how it took her “decades” to be able to tell men that certain things turned her off sexually. That is sad to me. [What women] need to do less of is allowing men to be in complete control of the situation. They need to constantly evolve and be creative in the bedroom. Doing the same thing the same way all the time gets boring and the variety should not fall solely on the men.
Your first movie, Addicted, was highly successful and sparked a lot of dialogue about black women and sexuality. What were some of the lessons you wanted audiences to grasp about sexual addiction?
Zane: Sexual addiction is a very serious issue and it is often swept underneath the rug, like so many other issues in the Black community. However, Addicted is an evergreen story that was relevant 100 years ago and will be relevant 100 years from now. There was a lack of communication in the Reynard marriage that led to Zoe seeking attention and fulfillment of her needs in other places. Her behavior patterns were all symptoms of an underlying problem, which is often the case. I know a lot of women like Zoe and it is not that they do not love their husbands. They are struggling. They need to understand that there is nothing wrong with seeking help for their issues. Everyone needs someone to speak with about life and if they do not have that person, a professional therapist can be very helpful.
What’s next for Zane? What are two things you want to accomplish in 2015?
Two things that will definitely happen are new books being released, including Infinite Words: A Comprehensive Guide to Writing and Publishing in March and Vengeance in August, which is the next book in the Addicted series. Also, my radio show, “Zane’s Literary Salon,” premieres on WHUR Voices—Sirius XM Channel 141. The original airing will be on Saturday mornings at 11:30 AM EST and will repeat on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays at 5:00 PM EST during drive time.
I have already chosen my next feature film and that will be announced soon. My adult toy line is up and running and people can see the delightful items here. I am launching an exciting new web site for women to balance out a lot of the messy ones that exist. Empowering women is my thing; not trying to break them down.
Like BlackAmericaWeb.com on Facebook. Follow us on Twitter.
