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.
