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How
far along are you on that?
I've
written a story, Cara's written a story and we're editing the
submissions from the other women.
Do
you think it'd be a good book for men to read?
Yeah!
I think it'd be an eye-opener for men to read. If any man is
interested in how women view themselves, it'd probably be fascinating
for them.
<chuckling>
They
could learn a lot! It should be required reading. |
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It
should be required reading for men, is that what you're saying?!
Yes!
Have
you ever heard of an author named Germaine Greer?
She
sounds familiar.
She's
a feminist from the 60s who recently wrote a book called "The
Whole Woman." I have a friend who goes to school in
Madison, WI who told me every man should read that book. So I
read it and her points of view are fascinating to me. In one
area she describes how the vagina sucks the sperm out of the male . .
. kind of a woman dominating the man perspective.
Making
the vagina more aggressive than the penis.
Exactly!
That's
interesting.
It
is! I could only read two pages at a time from the book
because I was taking so many notes.
<laughing>
You were taking notes?
Yeah!
Good!
Will
your book be a book like that?
Yeah,
they're all different stories. Different women writing on
different things. One woman is writing on being obese her whole
life. Someone else is writing how being a belly-dancer changed her
life. Someone else is writing about being anorexic.
Someone's writing about being ill and all of the weight that she lost
and how her body image changed with her illness . . . hating your
curly hair . . . loving your brown skin. . . all different. We
have such a variety, it's awesome! We have a transgendered
person writing about a man becoming a woman. It's going to be
really interesting.
What's
the toughest thing about love?
<pause>
In love you have to be submissive, I think. I think you have
to be submissive to each other and that's the only way it can work.
Not 100% submissive with every aspect of your life, but you really
have to give your heart over and let your guard down. And
that's hard. That's what was hard for me.
What's
the cruelest thing someone's ever said to you?
Hmm.
I don't know, I have to go back to some old boyfriends. <both laughing>
What
about when you were young and that woman you write about in your
book tells you you were heavy.
<suddenly
animated> Yeah, that was pretty mean, considering she was
an adult and I was a child! I think that was pretty mean.
And you know I've been yelled at or called names by boyfriends but
that doesn't really hurt my feelings.
What
qualities did your boyfriend have that you were looking for in order
for you to go on a date with him?
<laughing>
He had undying patience. We were friends for eight months
before we even kissed, so he waited a long time <still laughing>
Where'd
you meet him?
At
a Slayer show. We totally met through the music scene, it had
nothing to do with S&M. A lot of people ask about it, I
feel so bad. Every reading we go to, people are like, "Were you
one of her clients?" <laughing>
So
he has patience?
Yeah
he waited a long time for me . . . but I'm worth it. Some
people wouldn't take the time, you know? He has patience, he's
very sensitive, he's very sweet, he's very selfless, intelligent, creative.
What
does he do?
He's
a musician. He works a regular job at a production company in
the finance department but he's also in a band. He plays guitar.
As
with everything, we have to pay a price in one form or another for
the choices we make throughout our lives. What is the toughest
price you've had to pay or are paying for the experiences you've had
being a dominatrix?
Hmmmm
. . . <thinking> price I had to pay . . .
Yeah,
such as losing friendships or something else.
Yes,
definitely. I lost a friend over it. I definitely felt
the rejection of my parents again. Although it wasn't the first
time . . . but I definitely felt the rejection of my parents.
There have been a couple of things here and there like booking a
tour, some places are really great and really open to having me read
there. Some places don't want anything to do with me due to
content. <laughing> You know? Sometimes I run into
things like that where I realize, "Oh yeah, this isn't a normal,
everyday thing!" There are people out there judging me.
But, even if you're a doctor, lawyer or whatever, people are always
judging you. I guess anyone who's worked in the sex industry
and talked about it is going to be judged a little more.
Why
is sex so not talked about here?
I
don't know. I guess it's just this American Puritanism, you
know? We live in such a puritanical society here. It's
not like that in Europe!
Have
you been to Europe?
Yes,
I've traveled a little bit and . . . I don't know, I just don't
understand it. We're very repressed here.
Did
you learn a lot in Europe?
Did
I learn a lot? I don't know. . . I guess. I had a lot of
fun. I got to swim naked. <laughing> It was
very freeing.
Where?!
In
Switzerland, in Denmark, in Greece, all over. One of the
things I like about California is that they have nude beaches and
nude resorts.
Have
you been to them?
Yes!
I go to them all the time.
Oh!
<both laughing> Do you have to be a paying member to get
in there?
At
some of them you do, and at some of them you can just drop in and
pay a fee for the day. But for the beaches anyone can go.
Does
your boyfriend go with you?
Yeah!
Wow.
Are you guys usually the youngest people there?
<laughing>
A
few things I know about those places is that there are a lot of old
people there.
<still
laughing> Sometimes, yes. Sometimes at the resorts
it's like, all old people. But it's cool, it's all good.
The human body is awesome.
Right!
In which year of your life do you think you've changed the most?
I
think last year when the book came out. I think if nothing
else this book made me take myself more seriously as a writer.
It made me consider myself a professional. It's exciting.
It's awesome, now I feel like it's the beginning of so many other
things. When I look back I've always been writing. I did
punk rock zines in high school and then I wrote for my school paper
in college and I was always writing stories. I started writing
for alternative magazines and music magazines in college. This
is just a continuation. I'm freelancing for a lot of different
magazines now and I've put out one book and that's just the first of
many I hope.
Are
people stopping you in the streets?
It's
happened once or twice in Hollywood because I live here and it's a
small city. There have been a couple of people who said,
"Oh, I saw you in the paper." or, "I saw you on 'such
and such' show." But overall, not really.
Do
you think you'll get a cameo when they film the movie?
<laughing>
I don't want one!
<incredulous>
You don't want one?!!
No!
I hate being in front of the camera! I just want that little
byline: "Based on a true story. By Shawna Kenney."
Maybe
you could play the woman who scolded you when you were a child for
being chubby.
Oh
yeah, only you'd have to add a few wrinkles to me.
<apologetic
tone> Oh, you're right . . . I'm sorry.
They
could also add some white hair. <laughing>
I
didn't mean it that way. Your pictures are very flattering.
Thank
you.
I
have one last question, what do you know for sure?
Ha!
Are you an Oprah fan?
Exactly!
I am.
<laughing
hard> You are?!
No,
not really.
Oh,
O.K.
I
just watched her during the Presidential elections when she had the
candidates on.
And
at the end of all of her magazines it says, "This I know for sure."
Is
that right?
Yes,
she has a column called that.
My
mom buys her magazines.
See!
You should read them!
<Laughing>
You'll
learn a lot!
About
decorating, or what?
No,
some of it is a little cheesy and it's a little heavy on the
advertising. But there are some really good articles in there.
You
know, she's in some of the advertising! It's a little
difficult to tell where the editorial and advertising begins and ends sometimes.
There's
a really good article in the last issue with the guy who wrote
"Night" . . . What's his name?
Elie
Wiesel.
What?
Elie
Wiesel is the author's name. It's a great book.
Yes.
It's about his experiences during the Holocaust. There's a
good interview with him in the last issue. There's a great
interview with Maya Angelou. So . . . what do I know for sure? Hmmmm.
Yeah.
We're
all going to die <laughing>.
<mocking
tone> We're all going to die. Are you paying more taxes
this year?
Yes.
It's weird because I've had to keep track of everything like royalty
checks and money spent on tour that have business purposes.
It's different.
I
asked you about taxes because I figured you were going to say the
only things you know for sure are death and taxes. Do you watch "Oprah?"
When
I have a chance, I don't watch that much TV. I like Oprah! I
don't think my book will be in the "Oprah Book of the Month
Club." But, I wish it would be!
Has
she called you to do an interview?
No,
but I think she would like my book. I think she herself would
dig it but I think she could never do anything on the air about
it. It doesn't really fit her demographic. All of those
soccer moms at home would be mortified.
Next
thing you know a dominatrix fetish would sweep the country.
Yeah,
I could start a trend.
There
you go! Let me ask you one more thing, what advice would you
give a guy who feels he just keeps striking out with women?
Hmmmm.
. .
A
nerd, I guess you could say.
A
nerd <laughing>. I love nerds! I have a nerd fetish!
<laughing
hard> Do you really?! Is your boyfriend a nerd?
No,
but he always jokes that he is or that he must be because I point
out all of the nerds <laughing>. I like nerdy singers and
nerdy actors. So my boyfriend is always saying, "I must be
a nerd because you only like nerds." I try to convince him
that he's not. He's not, really! He's really cute and very sweet.
Do
you think he'll get a cameo in the movie?
Yeah,
he'll probably want to.
Ha!
<pauses>
I don't know what I'd say to someone who's striking out with
women. I guess, take a good, hard look at yourself. Are
you somebody that you'd want to hang out with? That's what I'd
tell a guy to ask himself. Getting girls is just like getting
friends as far as I'm concerned. Everybody that I've ever gone
out with has been a friend first.
Well
that's good.
<whispering
in a mocking tone> That's all I have to say about that!
Are
you a fan of Forrest Gump?
No,
he's a little too nerdy for me.
Hey,
whatever happened to Tony, your "protection" in the book?
You
know, just as the book ended he moved to Miami and I haven't heard
from him since! I would love to give him my book and I would
love to see him. I would kiss him and hug him but I don't know
how to get hold of him. He's just that kind of guy.
Do
you think he's seen any of the press that's resulted from the book?
I
don't know. I've been waiting to hear from him! The only
person I heard from unexpectedly from the book is
"Fartman." Do you remember that part of the
book? He's the guy who wanted me to fart all over him.
Oh,
yes!
He
emailed me through my publisher! He'd say, "Page ninety-nine."
Did
he want you to autograph that page specifically?
Yes,
he actually did. He sent a book for me to autograph. I
really didn't paint a flattering picture of him at all. It was
very honest, but not very flattering. He was just so thrilled
to be in the book! I couldn't believe it. I've also
received a couple of emails from former high school or college
friends. They emailed my publisher through the website and then
they were forwarded to me.
Has
anyone falsely claimed they knew you or were someone who was in your book?
No.
I did receive a couple of weird, stalker emails from this guy who
was pretending like he knew me but I don't know who he is. But
that's since stopped. And that's good.
Are
your lights on over there in California?
Yeah,
you know the electrical shortages haven't effected me at all, right
now we're sitting here in the dark <laughing>. I'm kidding!
Oh
yes, the dark is nothing new to you. <laughing>
<still
laughing> Yes, in the dungeon I always forget!
Are
you and your boyfriend conserving energy or at least trying to
conserve energy?
Aww,
fuck no!
Oh,
alright! <both laughing hard>
I've
got to use my computer <also laughing hard>
Nice.
OK. When's the last time someone called you Mistress Alexis?
I'm
not sure. Probably that "Fartman" email. He
never knew my real name 'til the book came out
So
now he and the rest of your clients know your real name?
Yup.
I guess I'm busted.
You
can purchase Shawna's book by CLICKING
HERE |
