Diana Allandale (Diana Hunter in RL) is a published real life Erotic writer. She specialises in BDSM novels having spent a long time researching on the internet and finding she could never find what she wanted; a friend challenged her to do better. That she did and Secret Submission was her first, in a long line of published novels.

I met Diana through the Book & Publishing Islands SL Book Fair. I attended a talk given by her where she talked people through writing Erotic Fiction. I must admit this is a subject I hadn’t given much thought too, however I found Diana an extremely interesting person. I managed to grab her for a chat about her writing and how she uses Second Life to research.


Diana, thanks for taking the time to talk to me, can you give us a little bio of you and your novels?

I became interested in writing stories with bondage and D/s themes when she found a dearth of them on the web. Nothing I read seemed to have the romantic element she knew was possible in such relationships.
Each book I write contains a kernel of truth or deeply held conviction from my own life, but don’t ask me where truth ends and fantasy begins…I’ll never tell! When not writing, I am either at my loom, weaving thread lines of a different sort, or playing Mommy-taxi to two teenage children. Married for over twenty-seven years to the same man, I am grateful for all the wonderful encouragement he gives.

Why Erotica and why BDSM?

I'd written two other novels (one in the fantasy genre and one historical novel) that I couldn't seem to sell anywhere. Those still sit on my shelf looking for a home. But then I wrote what became my first published novel, Secret Submission, really without any eye towards publishing, but more for my own exploration of an extreme look at the BDSM lifestyle. I had several questions about the Dominant/submissive dynamic I was struggling with and writing the novel helped me to find some of those answers. Only when it was nearly finished did I discover the website for Ellora's Cave Publishing. Taking a chance, I sent my query and they asked for the first three chapters and a synopsis. I sent them in...they bought it and my career in writing erotic romance was born.

Why did you come into Second Life?

Believe it or not, I came into SL for the express purpose of promoting my RL novels. I'd heard an article on NPR in which they stated that IBM and Toyota and Ford were all creating in-world presences to market their goods. I figured, "Well, if the Big Boys can do it, so can I!"

So I downloaded the client (version 11 way back then!), created my avatar and entered an entirely new culture...one with communities and protocols and rules of behavior that blew my mind. I spent the first two months just wandering, wide-eyed and naive. But I learned and, thanks to some wonderful mentors, opened my first shop just shy of my second month being in-world.

Does Second Life help you to research for novels?

While I have an in-world serial that is set in Second Life, my RL books don't mention the virtual world...yet. So the crossover is only one-way so far...RL imported into SL. My in-world persona is there to promote my RL books.
That said, I do run an ALT that I use for the occasional foray into some of SL's seedier sims. Under her guise, yes...I do go searching for...inspiration .

Does Second Life help you to grow your name and book sales?

This is a hard one to answer. My gut says, "Yes, definitely." But I have no proof. I tend to be data-driven in life, but I've found when it comes to promotion as an artist dependent on royalties, there's no such thing as reliable data. Because bookstores (both brick-and-mortar and online retailers) have pay schedules that usually don't line up with the publisher's dates to cut royalty checks, it's impossible to tell if one promotion worked better than any other on any given month.

Website hits are another indication, but since much of what's on my website is also in my SL bookshops, most people from SL don't bother with my website. As a result, those hits are in a fairly static state.

LOL...That's the long-winded way of saying, "I have no clue if SL has increased my sales or not!" I like to think they HAVE made a difference, though!

You do book readings and give workshops in SL, firstly do you have a regular venue?

Actually, I have several. My writing workshops (which, btw, are NOT erotic in content, but are more geared towards writers who just need a little creative push), are held each Tuesday on Book Island and will be throughout the months of June and July.
I also give readings of my works in-world at the Island of Pain and at Alvargi...I swap Thursdays so that every other week I'm in the other sim. Then I have solo readings I do once a month in places such as the Zurich Opera House and over at the Nudist Paradise. The easiest way to keep up with me inworld is to join Passionate Books, my in-world group. I send notices just before each reading/workshop; I also send out a newsletter at the start of each month with all the upcoming dates.

And, secondly what kind of feedback have you had from Second Life residents?

I came into SL to promote my books...and found instead a world of friends. So many of my readers have become true friends of mine through this new medium called a virtual world. People have taken me into their hearts and welcomed me into their communities in a way I never, ever expected that day in October 2006 when I first rezzed into SL. I am so glad I heard that radio broadcast on NPR that chilly day...and so glad I made the leap into the unknown. I owe a HUGE thank you to all those who come to my readings, who give their talents to my writer's workshops, who stop by and visit my shops and then send me a quick note afterwards. It's their feedback that keeps me coming back in-world.