It's the first Monday in May!
And we get a return guest!
Alexia Knight was with us last year, her very first interview if I remember rightly, talking about her first book, Tinderella Diaries. Since then, she's released two more books in the series, so let's catch up with her and see what's she'd doing now!
*Where do you get your information or ideas for your books?
I don't have to look very far for ideas for all three books in my Tinderella Diary trilogy; they are all true stories about my sexual encounters. My books are derived from a combination of my diary entries, messaging chains, and actual conversations between myself and the other 'characters'. My first and second books even feature excepts from my teenage journal since there are flashbacks to those younger days in those books, which help to further explain (and justify) the backstory behind the present-day series of events. I started writing the 1st book about a month into living the story and I just kept writing to see where it took me. I started writing the second book when I published the first book, and I was living what I knew would be the third book. The story lines and character arcs just came so organically.
*How many books have you written? Which is your favorite? In the same way, that I won't pick a favorite lover or a favorite chapter, I won't pick a favorite book. Like lovers and the chapters, each book serves a specific purpose. First book, I am awakening, meeting people who help me meet my most basic sexual needs and through trial and error I figure out what I like. I call book one my origin story, how I came to be Tinderella and what motivated me to continue my journey after the first connection I made. Second book, I am exploring, diving much deeper into my desires and really starting to learn who I am and what I expect from people I get close to. This one is the naughtiest book of the trilogy, also the shortest and most fun, but there is no shortage of character growth and discussion of how society views a sexual woman. Third book, I am realizing what I really want most from life and how to get it. It's a longer book, set over the course of an entire year in the midst of the Covid Pandemic. There are familiar faces from the other books as well new characters that add dimension to the story. *Do you hear from your readers much? What kinds of things do they say? One of my favorite things to do is interact with readers. I love hearing about which characters they connect with and which they can't stand. I've had women tell me that they could relate to my story as it pertains to issues in my marriage, or in my sex life outside of that marriage. One of the most pervasive themes of the trilogy is "life is best when you're living it." Lots of women and men have contacted me telling me that my story has given them permission to really live their best life. A lot of times, we wait for something to happen, for that new job, to find that perfect partner, to lose that last 20 pounds, for the kids to grow up. My story is about living your life NOW. Enjoying it, appreciating it, being adventurous, while embracing who we are as human beings and learning through trial and error. No one needs to hate themselves after a less than ideal sexual experience; just learn, grow, and move on.
*What do you think makes a good story? I think there are two variables that make a good story. One is topics or characters that readers can relate to. The other is when the readers can completely immerse themselves in a fantasy. While this story is entirely non-fiction and is written in a tone that conveys realism, this is not the reality for all the readers. Some readers can see themselves in Lexi's choices and nod their read as Lexi reveals her thoughts, while others cannot comprehend what she does or wish that they could. Some readers recognize themselves as one of Lexi's partners, yet others contemplate what they would do if they were in his particular situation. This trilogy offers something for everyone. *Do you try more to be original or to deliver to readers what they want? Neither. I want to tell the truth. I want my writing to be a real as possible. What I do and what I think are not to make anyone think any better of me or to get people to feel sorry for me. I wrote exactly what I thought or felt in that moment. I never sugar coat anything. The characters are not glossy, what you feel is the humanness for better or for worse. I also demonstrate a lot of compassion for my characters. These are real people and they don't get to tell their stories or defend themselves. *Do you want each book to stand on its own, or are you building a body of work with connections between each book? The books could stand alone, but they make the most sense as a trilogy. The version of myself in book one is so different from the person in book 3. The most amazing thing in the series is to see that character develop. The copious sex scenes are fun too. *What was an early experience where you learned that language had power? Early on in the first book, I met a man who speaks mostly Spanish and very little English. I speak some Spanish, but I realize that as a writer and wordsmith, one of the ways I best connect with the other people is through language. When I am texting someone new or meeting someone knew, I am adept at using word play to flirt or seduce or whatever the desired outcome is. In Spanish, I lack that same ability. Telling someone, "I want you to cum inside me" is different from saying "I want to feel your passion erupt inside me" which is also different from "Please ejaculate inside my vagina." In English, I can choose between the three, but in Spanish, I am limited to the third option, and that is like being de-weaponized during a battle. Also, there is humor of language being lost in translation. In book one, the mostly Spanish speaking man asks me (in English ) if I want him to 'finish'. I respond, "Si papi", so he stops having sex with me. I most definitely did not want him to stop. The night was over.
*What do you owe the real people upon whom you base your characters, if anything?
I feel like I bear a distinction of every man I've ever touched sexually becoming a literary character. Most of them are not even aware of the existence of these books, let alone that they are a character in them. I have tried to represent them honestly, while honoring their privacy. I feel so grateful for these people. I have learned so much from them, and without them I would have no story. I can't make this shit up.
*What do you have coming next? The Tinderella Diary Trilogy is complete, even though I am constantly asked if there is going to be a book four and I certainly have enough material for it. I contemplate writing some spin-off books based on certain popular characters. I would like to release 'deleted scenes' that for one reason or another do not appear in either of the three books, but would make a nice stand-alone short story. I want to write some deeper dives into some of the relationships between Lexi and her leading men. I also want to write pure non-fiction that is not a journal. I have amassed a collection of knowledge over the years about couples dynamics, kinks, sexual predilections, sexual sociology and anthropology. I want to write a book about what I've learned about sex.
Here are some ways you can reach me:
Website: www.tinderellladiary.com
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/AlexiaKnight
FB:
https://www.facebook.com/alexia.knight.102 (my personal page, but it’s filling up fast)
https://www.facebook.com/AlexiaKnightAuthor (my author page)
https://www.facebook.com/tinderelladiary (my book page)
Insta: @tinderelladiary
Twitter: @tinderella_____ (that is 5 underscore)
Snapchat: @tinderelladiary