Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Roxy Katt talks about sexy characters

Roxy says:

"What makes a character sexy? Is it enough that
another character desires him/her/hir, or should the reader be
seduced too?"

Maybe my tastes are a little crude somehow, but I am
not usually turned on much by a character's arousal to
begin with. As a reader, I guess I want to be seduced
directly. A character who desires a sexy character
may well be important as a fictional device, but no
matter how much the desiring character wants someone I
do not find attractive, the desirer's desire is
unlikely to affect me much.

But as for what makes a character sexy, I like a
combination of strength and vulnerability. I like
women or phallogynes who are basically strong but who
have some kind of Achilles heel. I enjoy the subtle
or not so subtle turn that makes an apparent top
unexpectedly into a bottom.

Straightforward strength or straightforward weakness
are not usually interesting to me.


KB: BTW - feel free to post in the comments if you have something to say about one of these entries, or to e-mail me directly.

I'm
trying to think how long I've know Roxy. Maybe two years? She has a story in Best Lesbian Erotica 2008, and one in the Mammoth Book of
Lesbian Erotica 2007. Roxy describes herself: "I am a writer of f/f and
transgender fetish erotica, including a genre I refer to as VHF:
Vaudeville Humiliation Fetishism, or UHF: Unusual Humiliation
Fetishism. This genre of erotica involves women in comically and
erotically humiliating situations." If you read much of my blog musing, you know how much I think about gender and sexuality. There aren't many writers who can transcend hetero fetishism of transgenders, but Roxy does, and for that, I'll always be cheering her on.

3 comments:

Amanda Earl said...

i've been enjoying these answers very much. thanks for initiating the project and posting them :)

one of the things that makes characters sexy for me is their relationship with their lover or potential lover. i find it extremely sexy when the characters don't get along or when the sex interest or love interest causes the main character to feel unhinged and out of control.

Kathleen Bradean said...

I remember seeing that theme through many of your stories. Rather than take the "I broke up with my bf, took a bubble bath, and will now go get involved in a hardcore 24/7 BDSM relationship with the next person I meet" approach to your stories, you catch people just plodding along in their lives who are suddenly shaken out of their comfort zone. Then they tenuiously explore their new world and constantly question their choices. That always strikes me as being so real, which you know I like.

Amanda Earl said...

thanks! can i quote ya? ;)