Vanilla
Extract
vanilla (adj)
Having no special or extra features; ordinary or
standard
Extract (v)
Remove
or take out
Select
for quotation, performance or reproduction
Prologue
This
could really be it. Snuggled up on his sofa on a cold Sunday afternoon watching
a film. It felt so natural; so right. The log fire raging, red wine flowing,
she was completely at ease in his arms. She knew he was a good man. She could
tell, even though it was only weeks into this new relationship. He was honest,
reliable and kind and he had huge potential as her partner, not to mention a
body to die for. So why in the back of her mind did this niggling question keep
raising its weary head? Instead of enjoying the moment and melting further into
his well-defined chest, over and over again she wondered; “should I send the
black latex cat suit back...?”
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| Bookshop | Amazon |
When recently separated Lou decided to embark on a
new chapter of her life, she had no idea where this journey of self and sexual
discovery would lead.
Her lustful appetite for adventure was re-awakened
and with every new, tantalising, naughty meeting Lou’s confidence grew, as did
her need for more.
An interview with an erotic writer -
💋Louisa Berry
How many
unpublished books do you have lurking under your bed/in your cupboard?
I
have only published the one book so far, Vanilla Extract, but my second book is
out at the end of November. I seem to be
on a roll, as the third book has just been started and will be out next
year. I haven’t ever started writing a
book and not finished it, but then again, I’m relatively new to this. I do write a genre that seems to flow (excuse
the pun).
Are
your family/friends supportive of the genre you write in?
Because
I write erotic fiction, I have to be a little bit careful here. My friends and
family know all about my work and are supportive. Some have told me, however, that they don’t
want to read it, as it might be just a little bit too close to home as such,
and they might get embarrassed by some of the explicit scenes.
My
older children also know and have even
helped with my social media accounts, but my younger ones are just a little too
young to understand what Mum writes
about.
Promoting
is something ALL authors struggle with. How are you managing yours?
Promoting
your book could be a full-time job if you didn’t already have a full-time job, children and a house to run!
I
find that social media can be your friend if you use it well and frequently. I have built up a following on Facebook,
Instagram and Twitter, and regularly post snippets of the script on them, as
well as other related pictures and quotes that appeal to my audiences.
What
I really want is for Vanilla Extract to go viral as word of mouth spreads and
people get to hear about it.
Does
writing energise or exhaust you?
Writing
both energises me and exhausts me!
Writing can be therapeutic, productive and rewarding all at the same
time. It can be tiring when you find
yourself still typing late into the night, and
you know you have to be up early for work the next day. On the flip side, writing is a perfect way to
pass long journeys, particularly on trains and planes.
Does
(and how) your protagonist change/learn by the end of the book?
Lou
develops her self-confidence, and how to
react in situations that she has never found herself in before. She is at an age where she doesn’t have to
follow the rules she once took for granted in her married life. Instead, Lou is finding now that she can pick
and choose what scenario she wants to play out and with whom.
Who
would be your dream cast if your novel was made into a movie?
I’m
torn with who my lead lady would be. She
has to be strong, intelligent and
sexy. A few contenders I’ve thought of
are Emily Blunt, Natascha McElhone or
Kate Beckinsale. She has to be English
to make it authentic and true to the
book.
How
did you come up with the title of Vanilla Extract?
Given
that the book is all about Lou exploring different sexual encounters and taking
herself away from the confines of her
traditional marriage, Vanilla Extract seemed the most appropriate and fitting
title.
Vanilla
is the most chosen ice cream flavour, and
it has come to represent the ‘norm’ when referring to sexual intercourse, e.g.
missionary position. The ‘extract’ part
is all about Lou taking herself away from exactly
that as she embarked on her journey of self and sexual discovery.
Can
you share a few lines from your best review of this book?
From
Poppy on Amazon:
“…The confidence this
lady has is just mind-blowing and I would
love some of her energy ha ha! This book has definitely made me take a step
back and look at life and how much more fun it can be!! Well written and some laugh out loud moments! Thanks
Louisa Berry - looking forward to the next one!!!”
What
was the purpose of writing Vanilla Extract, e.g.,
to teach, to inform?
This
erotic book was not written to teach people anything in particular, but it intended to change opinions. Swinging has traditionally been seen as a
sordid world in which ‘those people’ are seedy and dirty. Swingers allegedly sleep with everyone who
goes to those sorts of parties, and it’s
all very lucrative.
Instead,
my research has shown that anyone with a high sex drive and a curious nature,
who wants to explore their desires and push boundaries, can do precisely that.
There
are also rules and guidelines for doing that safely, which Lou learns along the
way and imparts her knowledge humorously. Lou humanises this subject and makes it
relatable.
Do
the issues raised in your book affect your life/other people’s lives?
Apparently, issues raised in Vanilla Extract have affected other
people’s lives. One woman said it was
her lightbulb moment; that she didn’t
have to sleep with her date just because he bought her dinner. This was something she hadn’t considered
before. She discovered that she was
empowered and could say “no thank you.”
Another
Facebook ‘friend’ contacted me and said, “Not to sound too rude but your book
has helped me and my wife have fireworks again!” What a brilliant reaction and very rewarding
I have to say.
An
American reader told me he read the book twice in quick succession: the first
time he was shocked by the honesty and the humour and the second time he took notes as he was using Vanilla Extract
as a guidebook!
Author Info:
Vanilla Extract is Louisa Berry’s first published work. Louisa lives in Hertfordshire with her four children. When she’s not on ‘Mum duties,’ she works full time in the finance sector at Canary Wharf in London.
