Some Questions Answered by Pedro

Originally, I was going to write down some personal thoughts about the recent Mood Pictures raid today. However, I have by now received a second email from Pedro, where he answers some questions I sent him and goes into more detail about the whole affair. So, instead of giving you my second-hand guessings about what I believe happened, I'm giving you Pedro's first-hand account of what, according to him, did (and didn't) happen.

Needless to say, I can't vouch for the truthfulness of Pedro's version of events, just as I can't vouch for the truthfulness of the police version - I may have my suspicions based on my own past experiences with Mood and plain common sense, but ultimately, I don't know what took place at that recent shoot, because I wasn't there! I am simply reprinting Pedro's answers here, verbatim and without comment, so that people can form their own opinions. Regardless of what ultimately comes out of this whole story, I believe it is only fair that Mood Pictures should get to state their own side of it, like anyone accused of wrong-doing. Since the mainstream press obviously isn't doing much balanced reporting (it rarely does about the subject of BDSM videos), I think we kinky bloggers should at least try to do better.

(Speaking of the mainstream press, I also found this article on the English website of the Budapest Times, thanks to Greg. It is shorter than the Hungarian ones translated so far, and it doesn't really say anything new, but at least is is an original, English-language source.)

Now for Pedro's email. Obviously, my questions are in italics, his answers are in normal text:

One translation I read says that the woman who went to the police was hired as a domina - not one of the spanked girls! The other translation says that it was one of the spanked girls. Can you tell me which version is correct?

Pedro: Definitely a sub. Please don't handle any articles [in the press as] 100% correct. There were many many lies in them.

For example, they mention strong security which required the SWAT team. Well, we had Popey [Mood's security guard during video shoots]. Extreme looking guy, but very lighthearted inside. They mention that we were keeping the tortured girls in boxes. Well, when they rushed in, we were making photoshots for mood art. One girl was in a box for the photoshooting. And the most important: The girl, who went to the police, did a very severe scene. But in the last 10 minutes of the scene she was not even tied. She was tied in the beginning of the scene, but shortly [afterwards] released. So that's another lie, that she was forced because she was tied.

There is also the claim in the article that you lied to the woman about the severity / reality of the spankings - she claims that she was told that it would be light and that she would only "play pain".

Pedro: No. Of course not. We do a pre-shooting and a post-shooting mini interview with each girls. At all pre-shooting interviews (which are always recorded), we always ask whether they are aware of that this will be very painful, and all whippings, canings are real? So we can prove this.

Do you have any idea why this girl at the Elite Pain shoot would go to the police to say things which, according to you, are not true?

Pedro: I can only guess. We were thinking about it quite a lot of time. What we know is that she went to the police only three days after the shooting. What we think is most likely, that she has a boyfriend or a husband. The girl did not tell the guy that she was going to go to an erotic movie shooting. Once the guy discovered the marks, he questioned the girl. The girl may have told that she was forced to do it, so the guy took her to the police. I repeat, I don't know why this happened, but this seems to be the most reasonable for me.

The girl also lied to the police that we have about 10 big security guys who keep the girls inside. Well, if you remember [the shoot last year], the girls was not forced to stay at all. And we have only Popey. So the whole police action was a silly thing. SWAT team for mood pictures??? I would laugh if it did not happen with us. But it did. They handcuffed even the girls. If you see the video [the TV footage], you can see the girls on the floor. Actually, they caused much bigger stress for those girls during the raid than we did to anyone. They even let the girl in the box bounded for about an hour. Normally the girl was going to be taken out by us for the next photo in a minute. These are the heroes of our police (as they mention in the newspaper). Twenty men with guns defeated the whole Mood Pictures staff.

Interview: Niki Flynn

Niki Flynn burst onto the spanking video scene in 2004 like a comet appearing in the sky. Her debut The Exchange Student marked the first time a Western model braved an encounter with the infamous werewolves from the East, Lupus Pictures. That film and everything that followed truly became history in the annals of kinky erotica - a history that is now recorded in Niki's autobiography Dances with Werewolves, in her not-blog, and of course in countless videos and photographs.

As if that wasn't enough for one kinky lifetime, it was recently revealed that Niki is also none other than Fiona Locke, much-celebrated author of spanking fiction. Actually, one should rather say that Fiona is also Niki Flynn, because Fiona really came first... Either way, she is certainly a woman of many talents, this Werewolf Girl (Who Also Writes Pretty Good Stories). Or as I like to call her, my crackpot American friend. In her various incarnations, she has entertained, inspired and affected the lives of kinky people around the world, including this author.

Two weeks ago, she retired. And we got together for one last interview.

(I should point out that roughly half the questions, especially in the "Reflections on spanking modelling / the Scene" and "Reflections on personal kink" parts, were thought up by my girlfriend Kaelah. She adds a welcome different perspective because she never met Niki personally, and they are some of the best questions of the interview in my opinion.)

Well, here you are! You've made your decision to retire from the world of spanking modelling, you've posted it on your blog, said your farewells... Life as Niki Flynn has come to an end. How do you feel?

Niki: Great, actually. I've been feeling burnt out on the pro side of things for a while and needing more and more frequent breaks from everything - shooting, writing, email, blog, etc. I thought it would be really painful to say goodbye and slip away, but I'm kind of re-learning how nice the Outside World can be when I'm not glued to my computer all day. And it's WONDERFUL to be out doing things without thinking, "Hey, I should blog this!"

How has the fan reaction been so far? Do you think that some of them, the real close followers, saw it coming? Or was it a total surprise to everyone?

Niki: I suppose it didn't really occur to me that anyone would be surprised. I figured most people would have seen it coming and been expecting it. But when I outed myself as Fiona Locke and then took a huge break from being online, so many people kept assuming I must be writing another book. (For the record: I'm not writing any more books and both Niki AND Fiona are formally retired.)

In your farewell post, you talked about how you worked your way through all your original spanko fantasies, how you've taken enough pain and punishment in your life, how you feel a sense of completion now and want to move on. Are there other, accompanying reasons for retiring, and for doing it at this time?

Niki: Well, things change, you know? People change. Life changes. Et cetera. I'd had my fill of "public" life, so to speak, and I was finding it less fulfilling as time went on. I started to feel like I'd already got the things I'd wanted from the Scene, that I'd done all the exploring of that particular arena I needed. I started wanting a quieter existence, more privacy and most of all - less pain!

You wrote: "I feel like 'Niki Flynn' has done what she came here to do." What, exactly, did "Niki" come here to do, what was her "mission"? Can it be put into one single sentence, you think?

Niki: How about: "To explore the further reaches of psychosexual experience and to come back changed but not damaged." I don't know. I've always been a bit reckless, just diving straight in at the deep end when I want to try something. I haven't always been successful, but falling on your face from time to time is part of the trip. What I AM good at is dusting myself off and trying again.

Can you talk a bit about the process? When did you first start feeling that Niki would reach the end of her path soon? And was there a specific moment someday, when you just thought okay, that's it?

Niki: I hear a "What happened?" question in there, but the truth is there was no bad experience or major event that made me want out. I'd been finding less and less fulfilment in Scene play for a while and I knew I certainly couldn't make films forever. I really do feel like my Scene self just grew up. First I stopped liking ageplay. Then I stopped liking school play. Then I stopped wanting and needing punishment and pain. I discovered the joys of pleasure - yes, what a revelation! - and have been evolving in different directions over the past few months.

Speaking of different directions: you talked about wanting a quieter life and more privacy, so you probably won't want to answer this. But can you give a small hint at least, about any plans you might have for your post-Niki, post-Fiona existence?

Niki: Sorry, but a lady has to keep something for her private life!

Looking back on career

Alright then, since this is your last interview, let's start by looking back on your life and your career as a spanking model. Professional victim, 2004-2009! What is your most prominent emotion when you look back on those five years today?

Niki: Fulfilment.

What are you most happy with? Is there a single aspect of having been Niki Flynn that you are proud of in particular?

Niki: Having faced so many fears along the way - not letting shyness or insecurity stand in the way of me doing what I wanted to do. Well, except for that moment when I froze onstage at Night of the Cane when I was asked to speak to the crowd about Dances with Werewolves. LOL

What is your biggest regret? If you could travel back in time, would you do anything differently about your career?

Niki: Started earlier!

If my count is correct, you've done 12 full-length films, exactly a dozen - with producers ranging from Lupus Pictures to Shadow Lane to China Hamilton. I'm going to ask you to pick some superlatives. One, which film was your favourite to make? Two, which one was the hardest one to make?

Niki: Oh dear, I always hate having to choose favourites. But here goes. Favourite to make – Wheatley Manor [by Northern Spanking]. That one covered the spectrum for me – having some creative input, doing a film with so many good friends, scenes with emotional moments, sexy moments, dark moments, offbeat moments… and being paid in banoffee pie! Hardest to make – probably Stalin 3 [by Lupus] because it was so physically and emotionally gruelling. Not that “hard” is bad in this context and really, it’s just what I needed and wanted at the time. But it certainly took the most out of me.

Which one do you think is the best of the bunch, artistically speaking?

Niki: Oh, now that’s the question I really hate. LOL I’m going to pick one that’s not even properly a film but a series: What the Dickens by Firm Hand. Amelia-Jane [Rutherford] and I had so much fun being victimised Victorian ladies in a historical melodrama, alongside the “behind-the-scenes” vignettes of us being total modern divas. That series stands out partly because of all the personal input we had and the work we put into it (especially Amelia-Jane, who wrote the whole convoluted story with interwoven timelines!) and partly because of the professionalism of the whole team. We really TRIED to make it a good one artistically, so I'm giving it the recognition it deserves.

As an act of courtesy towards our producer friends, I'm not going to ask you which one you consider to be your worst film. But let me ask you this: if you could do one film again, and do it perfectly, which one would it be?

Niki: I know you’ll approve of my answer: The Spy [by Pain4Fem]. I’d definitely brush up on my German so I could improvise the dialogue better! My character was supposed to be a TRANSLATOR, for god’s sake! LOL

Let's look at your whole body of work now - not just full films, but also shorter video clips, photo shoots, everything. We're going to pick five pieces of work, and we'll bury them in the ground so that archaeologists of future generations can find them and say: "This was the life of Niki Flynn!" Everything else gets destroyed, but these five things survive. Which pieces of work would you pick?

Niki: My werewolf transformation (by Drew Miller of Draconian Artworks)
Trial by Ordeal [by Strictly English]
A photo of me by China Hamilton
The haircut scene from Crime & Punishment [by Lupus Pictures]
The NSI clip of me reading the Shipping Forecast whilst being whacked by Paul [Kennedy]

My final "superlatives" question: now that it's over, what are you going to miss most about being a professional victim, and what are you most glad to be rid of?

Niki: I’ll miss the fun of shooting, certainly, and of just hanging out with friends in between takes. But I’m already enjoying being out of the limelight, having more privacy and being less tied to the computer.

Reflections on spanking modelling / the Scene

Let's move on to some general reflections about the profession. There is a saying that, if you make a job out of a hobby, you lose a hobby. By analogy: how does it change your life, and your relationship to your own sexuality, when you make a "job" of sorts out of something as intimate as your erotic fantasies / desires?

Niki: It does often happen that you lose your enthusiasm for something when it becomes a job and if I’d had to do a lot of shoots I didn’t want to I imagine I’d have started to resent it. I’m very lucky in that I always had the freedom to choose what projects I would do, so it was never a full-time job whose income I had to rely on. And as a result of only doing the projects I was personally involved in or otherwise excited about, it actually enhanced my private play.

As a spanking model, you sometimes had to interact and get "in tune", emotionally, with a top whom you only met for the first time at the shoot. Were there instances in your career where you found that difficult?

Niki: Oh yes! First of all I’m rubbish at meeting new people. I’m far more scared of that than the physical pain. Again, I was very lucky in never having any truly bad experiences (though I certainly heard horror stories from others). There were people I didn’t really click with and others I knew I probably wouldn’t even have a cup of tea with if we didn’t have to work together. And of course with Lupus it was always extra scary not having a language in common, which makes negotiating very difficult.

I remember Jan Zlatousty, the torturer in Stalin 2 being very aloof throughout the scenes leading up the canings. He didn’t speak any English but even when I tried to engage him in Czech he seemed distant. As a result I was even more intimidated and frightened. However, once the caning was over he was absolutely lovely! LOL What an ice-breaker, eh? Turns out he doesn’t really LIKE having to thrash us soft little females at all (he’d rather beat boys), so he was truly “just doing his job” and keeping his distance until he could relax. I think that’s brilliant.

I think they should have let me do the job, because I do like to thrash soft little females! Anyway.... To what degree does the personal chemistry have to be absolutely, fundamentally right, and to what degree can you substitute for it with experience and professionalism?

Niki: Honestly, professionalism ought to be able to sustain it 100%. Fun and intimate as it is, shooting is still a job, bottom line. You still need to be a professional. It’s always more enjoyable and satisfying when there’s some “magic” involved, and it probably makes for a better film overall, but you don’t always have the luxury of working with people you click with perfectly.

Of course, you not only did a lot of professional "work", but also a lot of play at parties, gatherings, in private... What were your impressions of the scene in general compared to the filmmaking / modelling scene?

Niki: There really isn’t a lot of difference between pros and amateurs when it comes to the shared love of the same activity. After all, most pros started out in private play or the party scene.

But what is it that makes them become "pros"? Some kind of additional exhibitionist streak that the others don't have? A love of spanking porn films? What was it in your case?

Niki: I can only speak for myself, but for me it was a bit of exhibitionism and a bit of my old acting bug.

What about the video audience compared to the literary audience? I imagine that Niki Flynn got quite different fan mails than Fiona Locke.

Niki: Oh yes - that’s one thing that always really struck me! Niki frequently got emails like “Hey Niki, u r hot – I want to slap your sexy ass”, etc. while Fiona would get “Dear Ms Locke, allow me to express my appreciation for your writing …” I guess it’s just the nature of the two different mediums and the different impressions they produce. One person’s a “porn star” who presumably won’t be fazed by crass over-familiarity while the other is an “author” and therefore “literary” and more formal. Go figure!

So, after everything you did (and saw others do) in the scene: what can you tell the closeted spankos out there, who are thinking about trying it out for real? Any advice on what to do, what not to do, how to avoid negative experiences?

Niki: Most important of all: MAKE CONTACT. Read the forums and blogs and literature so you’re informed. Write to people, post on forums, start a blog. Make yourself and your desires known and don’t get discouraged by setbacks or scenes that don’t go exactly as planned. Like anything, it takes practice to get it right and a lot of trial and error to find out exactly what you WANT in the first place. You’ll never know what something’s like unless you try it. And each positive experience is a memory to look back on one day and savour.

And what about the gals - and guys! - out there who might be thinking about a career as a spanking model?

Niki: Again: make contact! Write to your favourite model or producer for references. I answered several emails from people (mostly girls) wanting info on the pro scene and where to start. I know some of my fellow spanking models have too. We’re always happy to offer advice. The pro scene is really very small and incestuous, so a dodgy producer would get blacklisted pretty quickly if they tried anything funny. And models ALWAYS share info on who’s good to work with and who’s not. My rule of thumb was always – if the company has a big web presence and you see a lot of familiar faces on their sites, chances are they’re well known, trusted and safe. But don’t be afraid to ask. Any reputable producer is going to be as concerned about your safety as you are, believe me.

Reflections on personal kink

On to some private reflection. When you look back on all the spanking experiences you made as Niki Flynn, and before: now that you've done all that, do you have a clearer idea about what the main "drive" behind your fantasies was, and what kind of fulfillment you gained - specifically! - from living them out?

Niki: The Kafka quote I use at the beginning of Dances with Werewolves (“My fear is my substance and probably the best part of me”) really does sum me up. Psychologically, eroticising pain and fear has always been a coping mechanism for me. It grew into a fetish over time, but the basic primal drive was, I think, fear and the ways to conquer it – ie, face it! I think I’m a stronger and more confident person as a result. Not just for having “suffered and survived”, but for having chased down so many dreams and fantasies, met so many different people and made so many friends, all while battling the same fears (pain, trust, loss of control, strangers, language barrier, exposure, etc.) that once used to cripple me.

You played with many different people, in many different environments - in private, at parties, at shoots. What meaning did this variety have for you?

Niki: I think I just enjoyed the hippie-esque “free love” feeling of being casually intimate with so many people. In a way it’s how I learned to trust.

Our fantasies evolve and change over the years. You talked about how you went from schoolgirl roleplay and such to exploring a darker, more "grown-up" kink. Do you think that there were underlying desires or "patterns", though, which stayed the same?

Niki: I keep coming back to “survival”. Maybe a part of me was just trying to prove to myself that I could handle anything that scared me or intimidated me.

Now I'm basically going to ask you the same question, about life as Niki and life post-Niki. You said that you've had enough spanking, punishment and pain. You've discovered the joys of pleasure. But again, do you think that there is an underlying constant here that *hasn't* changed?

Niki: Wow, that’s a tough one and not one I’m sure I can answer without consulting my psychiatrist! I don’t think I’ll ever lose my natural affinity for the extreme; it just doesn’t necessarily have to be painful.

So, when you keep all that in mind and look at your own story, from childhood to today: do you think that the erotic desires we have are mostly "inborn", or that they are mostly a product of our environments and personal histories? Scientists haven't figured that one out yet, but maybe we can!

Niki: Oh, the German desire to quantify and classify! LOL The frustrating truth is that it’s unique to each person. Some people have a single defining moment when their kink was “awakened”, though we’ll never know if they had a predisposition towards the kink or not. Others feel it’s something you’re born with. Both are true.

Alter Egos

You juggled with several alter egos during your career. Niki, Fiona... Now that you are retiring, you are laying these characters to rest, so to speak. Are you mourning Niki and Fiona? Sure, you are glad to move on, get out of the spotlight. But is there are part of you that will miss having "them" around, in your life?

Niki: I’m definitely not mourning them. As they were aspects of me, they’ll always be there in some form. I have a sense of completion for each, so in a way it’s like putting the seal on a book or a film. I’ll always have their creative endeavours to revisit, but I don’t need to “be” them any more.

You once wrote in an email to me, years ago: "I think of Fiona as Niki's 'real' name." Do you still see it like that? What was their relationship with each other, from an "inner" point of view?

Niki: Fiona was my first Scene persona when I came out in the UK scene, so I always felt she was a kind of “core” personality while Niki was the public persona. That was also partly defined by the natures of the different mediums – Fiona/writing was more introspective while Niki/performing was more extroverted. That was reinforced by the perceptions of others. People wrote to Niki like they would to a playful party girl while Fiona was treated with more deference and seriousness. So it was very easy for Niki to become my shield to wear in public. I couldn’t go out as Fiona because as a shy reclusive writer I didn’t have the confidence, but people saw Niki differently, which gave me the courage to be more outgoing.

It's interesting that you speak of Niki as a "shield", because that was going to be my very next question: do these alter egos also offer a kind of protection? I don't just mean protecting your real name and such - that is obvious. I mean emotional protection.

Niki: For me they really only offered protection in the sense of being able to do things "in character" that I couldn't have done if I were "just me", if that makes sense. People assumed Niki would be confident and outgoing, so being Niki *made* me more confident and outgoing than I normally was.

Was there also an element of "protective compartmentalisation" to it? What I mean is, was it easier to be outgoing because, if you had a bad experience, it was only happening to "Niki" and not really to you?

Niki: Goodness me, I feel like I'm on the analyst's couch! It's certainly a good coping strategy, but no. All of "Niki's" successes or failures were entirely mine and she was never a go-between for real feelings or a gatekeeper for the "real me". A persona like that is simply a magic feather. I could have met strangers and done other scary things withOUT being Niki; I'd simply have been a lot more anxious and neurotic about it.

I got to know you personally, and other spanking models. I always felt that "Niki Flynn" was much more of an artificial character than most of the others. I'm not saying that she was fake - quite the contrary. But "Niki" wasn't just a scene name. She really was an alter ego, a second self, wasn't she?

Niki: Yes. Using that Myers-Briggs Scale we love so much, my core self (whoever she is!) is solidly INFP. Fragile, insecure, creative, dreamy and not wholly in touch with the Real World. Niki could be flirtatious and interactive in a way my core self never could. It helps to have a name to wear as a mask, but in my case the mask felt more like the “real me” than my more core (vanilla) self did. I took the Myers-Briggs test once AS Niki, trying to imagine how I’d answer those questions if I were on stage at a party, in “performance” mode. And I was surprised to find that Niki was an ISFP. The differences weren’t huge, but Niki was certainly less introverted than “I” was and much more impulsive and spontaneous when it came to experiences.

Do you think that this "separation" was more pronounced in your case than with most of your spanking model colleagues? Do you think that the personality differences between "Niki" and you were bigger than the personality differences between, say, "Amelia-Jane" and the woman known as Amelia-Jane?

Niki: I never really thought about it before, but you're probably right. I've always been good at compartmentalisation, but not everyone is. And not everyone is comfortable with different names/personae. Ultimately, it's just an extension of the roles we all play without thinking about it: Daughter, sister, employee, neighbour, etc. My ISFP "business suit", so to speak, just took on a life of her own.

Was there also a conscious element to it? You were a writer before you became a spanking model, and you just said that retirement felt "like putting the seal on a book or a film". Did you ever consciously think about Fiona or Niki in these terms, like an author would about a fictional character she created?

Niki: Did I set out to have MPD, you mean? LOL I think I CAME to think of Niki and Fiona as separate people (or at least personae) over time; that's the nature of having alter egos. But I didn't intentionally create a character in being Niki. She was just the me who could be 100% out about all things kink, so I was bound to feel freer and more secure in her skin.

Closure

How did your career as a spanking model shape the person you are today, at the end of your career?

Niki: I feel privileged to have had the opportunity to do so many crazy (occasionally even glamorous!) things and work with so many talented people. The person I am today is one who has a treasure trove of memories to cherish in the years to come. I'm going to be an eccentric old lady someday, in purple velvet bonnets and Victorian bustle skirts, with no regrets and no feelings of "Oh, if only I'd said yes instead of no."

Now that she's gone, what would be the most beautiful thing your colleagues and fans could say about Niki Flynn? What would you like her to be remembered for?

Niki: Honestly, I'd just like for people to have enjoyed having me in their life, whether as a friend or entertainer.

We certainly enjoyed that! Thank you for the interview. And let's give the last word to "Niki": if you were to write an epilogue for Dances with Werewolves today, what would it be?

Niki: Beware the Moon, September 2009

You never know what's waiting for you out there on the moors. Or what transformations are in store for you. I say: DON'T stick to the roads. No matter how forbidding the night may seem, don't let it scare you into playing it safe.

Interview: Adele Haze

After my little April Fools' Day prank, it is time to resume the usual, brutally honest blogging. The best medium to delve deep into the truth: an interview. This month, I am talking to Adele Haze. Hailing from Eastern Europe, she now resides in the United Kingdom as a graduate student and spanking model. Adele has worked with British producers like Northern Spanking and Bars and Stripes. Last year, she starred in an epic by the notorious Czech werewolves Lupus Pictures.

Adele hasn't done as many shoots as some other models, but what her work lacks in quantity, it more than makes up for in quality. In addition, her blog Spanking Model Speaks is a wonderfully rich resource of kinky thought. With such an interesting mind as my subject of study, I am proud to present the first ever interview with Adele Haze.

The very first post on your blog is titled A Spanking Model at Work. You describe a shoot and end with the words: "The crew makes a fuss over us, and I slowly glide down from the endorphin high. But I don’t let myself come down too far: I have a video to make next. Change outfit, touch-up make up. Plait hair." That was two years ago, and here you are, still busy. What keeps you going? In other words, what is the main appeal of being a spanking model, for you?

Adele: On the one hand, you could say that I'm chasing after a perfect spanking video. When I first started reading and watching erotica, I realised that none of the films I saw pushed my buttons in exactly the way I wanted. Therefore, to get my kinky fix, if you like, I would need to write my own stories, act out my fantasies in my own films, and hope that the hard material copy would end up close to the glorious pictures in my mind. My spanking modelling is a way of playing out my fantasies, and having some pictures to play back afterwards.

On the other hand, I like digging in people's brains, figuring out what makes them work, tickling sensitive spots. Creating an erotic work that somebody enjoys, that gets under somebody's skin, gives me a powerful rush. I'm interested in how sexuality works, and making spanking films has turned out to be a great way to study it, not least because people hear me being open about my quirks and fancies, and become willing to open up to me in return Obviously, I didn't discover this until I had modelled for some time. Initially, it was all about fantasy fulfilment. The rest came later.

Before we touch on how you got into this line of work, let me go back a little. You live in England, but you originally come from Eastern Europe. Can you tell me which part, and when you left?

Adele: I come from a former Soviet Union country. I've moved here in 2002, I think.

Many nations used corporal punishment in the old days. But for some reason, spanking and caning in particular are often called "the English vice". Do you have a theory on why that is? Is there really a stern headmaster inside of every Englishman, who gets off on punishing cheeky girls? Or are they not all that different from the rest of the world after all?

Adele: If there was a headmaster inside every Englishman, I wouldn't have so many single friends in search of a man to spank them! Seriously, though – and I'm thinking out loud here, because I've never really questioned it before – it has something to do with corporal punishment at schools not having been outlawed until very recently. Even if it wasn't part of your personal experience, you grew up very aware of its existence. And that's the thing about kinks, isn't it – if it's around, it's somebody's fetish.

Most CP fetishists discover their unusual interest at an early age. We often know "who we are" and what attracts us before we have any erotic experiences, let alone knowledge of terms like "BDSM". Is that true for you as well?

Adele: Yes, and it actually took me some years to realise there was anything unusual about it. As a little girl, I was convinced that everybody had fantasies of being punished, and I was really surprised when my friends didn't want to play them out with me. I don't remember a time when I wasn't interested in spanking, although it took me some years to put a name to the desire.

Could you be a little more specific about these early fantasies, about the scenarios or types of punishment? Was it all about spanking or were there other fetishes involved? And were there any stories that inspired you, in books or movies?

Adele: The first fantasies were about spanking in a family environment, because that was the sort of thing I heard being talked about. Then, as I learned to read, started to watch films and so on, I started to place my imagined self into any scenario where a punishment would be plausible. A Victorian schoolgirl, a Roman slavegirl, a serf. Mentor/charge fantasies have always been my favourite. Tom Sawyer and David Copperfield were the main inspiration for me, and I'm still cross that Becky Thatcher got away with what she'd done.

Did you have any non-consensual experiences with corporal punishment, at home, for instance? You just mentioned that it was all fantasy, so I guess it wasn't the case?

Adele: None at all. I dropped heavy hints with my parents that spanking would be really effective if they felt like using it, but they laughed it off.

Eventually, you found people who did want to play along and shared the same kink. When was your first spanking and how did it come to pass? Most importantly, what were your feelings at the time?

Adele: I got a computer for my 18th birthday, and I was posting to online spanking message boards within months. I met my first spanker on such a board. We corresponded for a while, and then he invited me to stay for a few days. He tried to tell me that we didn't need to do anything if I didn't want to, and I remember thinking: "Are you insane? I came all this way to be spanked, and I'm getting a spanking, dammit." I was bubbling with glee, and couldn't get enough.

When you started modelling, you named yourself after the character Adele Varens from Jane Eyre. Now, Adele's experiences in the book are somewhat different from Jane's. Rochester pampers her with gifts whenever he returns from his travels. Then she gets Jane as her governess, and later on, she is sent off to boarding school. Why did you find her character more interesting? Why not "Jane Haze"?

Adele: Quite simply, I've never fancied myself as Rochester's lover. He is a bit of a bastard, so Jane can have him. I'd much rather have him as my adopted father, even if he was unattentive towards Adele, and largely incompetent at being a dad. I also rather like the idea of Jane as my governess.

The other part of your name comes from Dolores Haze, the girl from Lolita. Ageplay seems to be your most beloved fantasy. What excites you about this particular fetish? It must be more than the fact that you are barely 5 feet tall!

Adele: When I role-play, I see myself as a girl who is, on the one hand, free from the complexities and implications of adult relationships, and on the other hand, denied choices in how her life is run. She is somebody else's reponsibility. She gets told what to do. It's the ultimate non-consensual scenario for me, and non-consent is what pushed my buttons.

Not too long ago, the Spanking Art Wiki ran into trouble. It wasn't about ageplay, but about the fact that they posted some pictures of real, actual children in a history article. Personally, I thought it was a stupid thing to do, because it opens the door for all sorts of misconceptions about who we are, even if the pictures themselves aren't erotic at all. I'm interested in your opinion. What did you make of that controversy?

Adele: As far as I understand, the images in question were legally licensed for public use, but I thought it was unethical for the Wiki writers to use them in an adult context. There is no way for the kids in the pictures, or for their guardians, to have given truly informed consent for the pictures to have been used to illustrate this article. It was not illegal to use them there, but legality didn't make it right. The host was unnecessarily paranoid to have taken the Wiki off even after the pictures in question had been deleted, but in the end, it's their server and their party.

Apart from ageplay, what other scenarios do you like most? Do they all evolve around "being in someone's care", or are there totally different story elements that push your buttons in a major way, too?

Adele: Being in somebody's power, legitimately or not. I like being a prisoner, or a kidnap victim, or a slave. Any of these will do, as long as my character is not consenting.

Since this is your first interview, there is also the old standard question I have to get out of the way: do you have any favourite spanking implement or position?

Adele: I like the intimacy and helplessness of the hand-spanking over the knee, particularly if the spanker happens to be tall, and I can't reach the floor with my feet. This makes me feel deliciously vulnerable. If I'm after pure sensation play (and sometimes, I don't need a role-play scenario to have a good time), I will usually pick the cane.

Let's stay with the physical aspect. You have a very interesting post on your blog where you write: "I don't like pain. I just like suffering." You need pain to get to the right place in your head, because you want to see yourself lose composure, break down and cry on film. So it seems that while you don't like the pain itself, you enjoy watching yourself in it. I find this very interesting, because it seems to be similar to my own feelings.

Adele: I may disappoint you with this answer, but this isn't quite it. Watching myself doesn't do anything for me. I do need to get into the helpless, suffering place in my head, as you say, but doing it on camera is more about showing it off to others – having a witness to the suffering if you like - than about having a record for myself.

You also mention that one of your favourite spanking positions is across the table from another girl, holding her hands. And in Girls and Boys Spanked Together, you dream of being in a F/MF or M/MF movie where you get thrashed "alongside a nice-looking lad". There seems to be a sort of empathy or, shall we say, camaraderie in suffering at work here that turns you on immensely. Is that what it is, the idea of suffering together?

Adele: In part, yes it is. Also, I'm a bit of an emotional vampire, feeding off other people's catharctic experiences. Call it indirect sadism, or simple voyerism, or whatever, but when I'm punished side by side with somebody else, I experience both sympathy with their suffering and pleasure from it. Sometimes I'm quite happy to be present at somebody else's punishment without being involved myself. My friends worry that I feel left out, whereas I'm just being lazy and selfish, drinking up all the emotions without doing any work myself.

Speaking of submissive camaraderie, you and Niki Flynn were starring in The Red Reformatory: Old Friends by Lupus Pictures together, which was very severe. Niki told me that, when it came to the choice of who was going to cane you, you really wanted to explore your limits and selected Pavel Stastny. For someone who professes to have a love / hate relationship with pain, you seem incredibly determined to push the envelope. How do you look back on that shoot now, almost a year later?

Adele: Actually, I asked for Pavel because I knew from watching his videos and speaking to Niki that he was a very safe and precise caner. Using the cane takes skill, and if I was going to get caned harder than I ever had before, I was going with the most skilled caner I could find. So it may look like bravery – or foolishness – but I was actually protecting myself from straying strokes.

The Lupus shoot was a dual role-playing experience for me: on the one hand, I was playing a victim of the communist regime, and on the other hand I got to play an actress, with all the props, direction and scripts and so on. That in itself was a treat. I was surprised how long the marks from that caning stayed; I have done no professional work since, bar a couple of parties. But I'm just about healed now, and I can't wait to go back.

You have several posts on your blog that proudly proclaim: "Watch me suffer!" With pictures of your contorted face. To play devil's advocate: in light of all of the above, could it be said that, rather than a bona fide masochist, you are really a sort of auto-aggressive sadist? Who just loves to watch herself in pain? I'm going out on a limb here...

Adele: Oh, no, the "watch me suffer" business is more of an expression of exhibitionism and long-distance whore tendencies. I could put it as: "I know you readers like to look at pictures of girls in pain, and I like that you do, so watch me suffer." If that makes sense.

You certainly seem to have a sadistic streak somewhere. Holding another girl's hands while she is getting thrashed, for instance - that is a very intimiate position, the front row seat for you. And you like male submissive videos, too. Are you a switch? Have you ever tried playing as a domme?

Adele: Oh yes, I switch. My dominant fantasies are completely different from what pushes my buttons as a spankee. When I top, I enjoy a much wider range of BDSM activities than just spanking role-play. As much as I don't like pain for the sake of itself, I enjoy causing it to willing victims, and as much as submitting to somebody else doesn't attract me, I enjoy being worshipped. I'm not an experienced domme, but I'm a very enthusiastic one.

What do you do when you are not a spanking model? Are you a student?

Adele: Yes, I am. I'm in the last few terms of graduate school.

What sort of books and movies do you like? And what other hobbies do you have that aren't kinky in the classical sense?

Adele: I'm a speculative fiction fan – science fiction and fantasy to non-geeks – and I watch and read it obsessively. My main interest has always been in storytelling, in all the various ways humans use to tell stories. I love theatre, and ballet, and exploring the Internet. All of it is coloured by kink for me insofar as the stories I most enjoy are kinky, but I like taking them apart and seeing how they work. My favourite book right now is "To Kill a Mockingbird". And not just because it has a spanking scene – though that helps, of course.

When I read your blog, it strikes me how often you mention mainstream films and TV series, music videos, computer games, exhibitions of erotica, "Sadomasochism on Broadway"... You seem to be interested in a remarkably wide range of artforms and media. Many CP enthusiasts are, because we tend to be creative, imaginative people. But the scope of awareness is rather outstanding in your case. Was it always like that with you?

Adele: Yes, it has. Growing up with no source of kinky reading or viewing other than what I could pluck out of the ether (good old Tom Sawyer!), I've become very sensitive to spotting even the mildest erotic overtones in mainstream media. As I grew older, I've become interested in how sexuality is portrayed in the media. What is OK to show on TV and what isn't? What's a saucy music video, and what is filthy, dirty, no good porn? What do vanilla people think of us pervs? I like to keep an eye on that.

Final question: in the beginning of the interview, you described how your main motivation for being a model lies in chasing that elusive "perfect spanking video". If you ever reach that goal, how would the result look?

Adele: I don't expect ever to reach that perfect result. Frankly, if I knew what it had to look like, I would have shot it by now. I'll just keep experimenting, and see what happens.

I will be watching. Thank you very much for the interview, Adele.

Interview: Leia-Ann Woods

Leia-Ann Woods doesn't really need an introduction. She is one of the most prolific spanking models and creative minds from England, home island of the cane. As a trained ballerina, she has the "best touching-toes posture in the business" (Niki Flynn's words). When she is not busy donning a prisoner's uniform and getting delightfully thrashed, Leia studies for a PhD in Chemistry and reads the autobiography of T.E. Lawrence. In other words, a wonderful subject to kickstart my series of CP artist interviews.

Leia's most well-known work can be seen on the site Bars and Stripes, which she co-founded with Michael Stamp. She has also shot with Miss Marchmont, Firm Hand, Stictly English, Northern Spanking and other producers. Moreover, you should check out her personal website and her blog Leia-Ann Woods Diary [edit: has since been replaced by Leia's New Musings]. And, if you are so inclined, her recent scenes with The English Mansion, where she shows a lot of promise switching to the dominant side.

There are other interviews with Leia on Spreview and at The Spanking Spot. I tried not to repeat any of the previous questions, so they make good additional reading. As does her Kinky Island Discs entry on Prefectdt's blog.

You've had fantasies about spanking and CP from a very early age. Can you remember a specific moment when you discovered your kinky side? Any particular stories that you read or heard about as a child, which attracted you?

Leia: Ah, that famous question. Yes, my kinky side came out very young. I remember because we were still at our first hotel in Brighton, it was summer and I had been given a whole load of Enid Blyton books to read. The two sets were Malory Towers and the St. Clare’s series. Also, I had been given Roald Dahl’s Boy. All these books had small scenes of spanking in them and I found myself getting excited by these scenes, reading them over and over again, even adopting the positions described in the books from time to time. I was too young to know this was a sexual thing, only that I enjoyed it... Hence I badgered mum to go to boarding school, just like in the books!

So, were you disappointed when they didn't actually use CP at boarding school? In my own high school days, whenever a girl in my class got extra homework because of bad behaviour, I secretly thought to myself: wouldn't it be cool if she got a paddling or caning now? Even if I didn't get to see it, the knowledge about it would have been exhilerating. Did you have similar scenarios going through your mind at that time in your life?

Leia: At first I did, yes. I did find actual life at boarding school to be not what I hoped. However, the camaraderie was great! The disciplinary measures at school were mainly “gating” (like being grounded but at school), which did not work for me because I did as I saw fit when I saw it! I could have done with better discipline, I can assure you! Later on as ballet life really took over, I immersed myself in that and my fantasies abated for a while... Until I left ballet for good.

I've had the fantasies for as long as I can remember, too. Even though I had no concept of "BDSM" or "sadomasochism" at the time, I knew that it was unusual and that other people didn't get turned on by these things at all. For some time, I wondered if I was the only one in the world who had such strange thoughts! Did you believe that, too? When did you find out that there are others out there?

Leia: I did believe I was the only one and from about 16 to 20, I hid my thoughts very well and did not pursue them, thinking myself to have some form of mental problem with sex and that I must stay away from it because I am a danger. Despite a single experience at 19, this feeling did not fade. However, as I got older, the ability to control how I felt became less and less and I needed to explore. One day I took this massive plunge and googled "spanking". I was amazed by what I found and pulled an all nighter to read the web pages I had just found... I was so relieved and began, just began the slow process of accepting who I am.

You accepted it and your "inner feminist" doesn't have a problem with your submissive fantasies. Is there anything you want to say to other young women who have the same secret desires and are struggling with them?

Leia: The feminist campaign started so as to give us the same rights as men. We have those rights now, so now people are banging on about equality. We are not equal to men, because we are not the same as them. If a male is a sub and the woman a domme, how is that more accpetable and not sexist in it’s own theory? Being free to express ourselves is what it was all about. To work, to vote, to have all the privileges a man had. We attained that, so if a woman wishes to express herself in a submissive manner, where it is her fantasy to do so, who has the right to stop her? Is she no longer feminist?

Since you are a scientist, you are bound to have an inquisitive mind. Do you happen to have any theories on why you, Leia-Ann Woods, became a CP enthusiast? Or are you not really interested in the "Why me?" question, and you just do what you enjoy? In any case, I believe you were never spanked at home, so that couldn't have been a factor.

Leia: You are right, I was never spanked until I was 19. We all know that story! So there was nothing from my childhood in the form of actions that should have got me into spanking. Why become a CP enthusiast? I think it is the way I am wired. It must be because it has been in my head ever since I can remember. I still had a nightlight when I was playing out spanking scenes in the dormitory in my head!

As you just said, your first real-life spanking came at the age of 19, when a boyfriend gave you a few smacks in a pub - with the other guys cheering him on! You described that scene in your Spanking Spot interview. Was that an event that sent you on your way, so to speak? That made you decide to explore the scene and find like-minded people? Or had the thought been lurking in your mind before?

Leia: Actually that scene, while so brilliant and thrilling for it’s humiliation and public shaming factor, probably slowed my exploration down as I was still mentally beating myself up... Even more so after this event, as while I hated it at the time, the after effect was fantastic and I masturbated about it for some months. So, because that happened it was to be another couple of years before I took the plunge... At university.

After you had started to meet people in the scene, you were approached by Miss Marchmont who asked you if you would like to do a movie for them. Had you always been a fan of CP movies? Do you remember the first one you ever saw, or any that impressed you in particular?

Leia: Christ, they approached me at pure innocence stage. At the second or third Fetish Fair I had ever been to, so I had not even seen a spanking movie at the time. Lucy and Master Kain (who became my Master soon after that meeting) did show me some of theirs and I loved them. I think they had me simply because Master Kain hit upon one of my favourite (non prison) scenes of all time: the Mis-Used Victorian Maid.

As we know, you took up the offer from Miss Marchmont. Was it out of general curiosity, just a fun thing to do? Do you have an exbitionist side that you wanted to live out? Was it the creative process that interested you, the desire to collaborate on a movie with others? I'm wondering about what held the main appeal for you.

Leia: At first I was highly reluctant, thinking of all sorts of things that could go wrong as a result of diving down that particular rabbit hole. However, because Master Kain approached me with “The Way of a Man and His Maid” as part of my first shoot, I could not help myself but to say yes. By the time we shot he was my Master, which simply made the fantasy all the more erotic... Something we continued to play out for the rest of the evening. Off camera sadly, folks! So it was simple, really – my heart led me.

So that was the first film you ever made. What memories do you have of the shoot and of the things that went through your mind that day?

Leia: Actually, the first film we made (same day as the "Maid") was "The Finishing School". I am not sure if you have seen it, but that was my first. And I was terrified. Petrified. In fact, so terrified that the CP I was used to from Master Kain by now really, really hurt! But oh my! The buzz afterwards... I guess that is why I had to make more and eventually, after recovering from illness, became more involved. I did not have too much time to think on it, as the next film was to be made that same day... I was so thrilled at the end of it, though!

A few years ago, you created your own movie site Bars and Stripes. You say that you've always been attracted by women in prison scenarios and that it sterns from your own time at boarding school. It seems that you get the biggest kick out of being completely at someone's mercy, like a prisoner is at the mercy of a guard. Could you talk about that a bit, and why it is such a turn-on for you?

Leia: Yes, I did, didn’t I... Well, not on my own. I do Bars with Michael Stamp, who is our Number One Governor on the site, and I had much help from Lucy and Paul of Northern Spanking. Yes, it is a power exchange thing. I really get off on having no power over a situation, and a prison is a real killer for that. There is no escape, nowhere for you to go. You must accept what is coming... Sink or swim so to speak! I also get a kick out of “non-consensual” roleplay. Which is of course consensual, but for the fantasy it is not. For instance, I filmed a joint cavity search with Saffy, where Matron was really evil to me after finding “contraband” in me... Even before the resultant strapping and double caning began, I had an orgasm on the set... For the psychological darkness of the scene and the fact that I had been forced to submit to the search and its humiliating outcome. Fantastic! I love being a writer!

Are there any significant personality differences between your real self and your "girl in prison" persona? Where you would say: "I'm not really like that at all, but it's a fun thing to play!" Or is she a mirror image of yourself, just in this fictional environment?

Leia: No! She is very different from me. I for one am not nearly so bloody minded. I would have submitted to the system by now and immersed myself in the library. Mrs Woods appears to be intent on causing nothing but trouble and running her rackets! She is also much colder. If I were someone of influence in prison, I would want to help the more vulnerable ones, not exploit them. Finally, I think I would make a pass at Matron, not try and attack her!

What do you enjoy most about your movie work today? The actual filming, immersing yourself in the scene? The creative process before that, coming up with new ideas?

Leia: All of what you have listed gives me great pleasure. Holding the camera, learning about getting the right shots. Learning how to use cameras and being given a chance to be behind one at a CP shoot has so much to it. Although potentially more stressful, I love shooting as a camerawoman for Northern Spanking most of all, because it is for someone else and so is a challenge in its own right on that point alone. The creative process can be fulfilling but hard. For Bars and Stripes I have paced up and down my lounge so much over a script that I should have worn the carpet out! Writing a soap is not as easy as I thought!

You did ballet at boarding school. Obviously, it is an art that requires a lot of discipline - the constant practice, the perfection of the moves, the right diet. Do you see any parallels between ballerinas and spanking models? The need for self-control, the quest to push one's physical limits? Or do you find that they're two totally different occupations?

Leia: Hmm... Not so much with spanking modelling. However, ballet has helped me to be graceful in how I bend over for punishment and I have a real thing for ritualism in CP. The correct position being held in the correct way. Legs correct, and back arched where necessary. Ballet has also come out in my other side which is as a lifestyle slave. Slavery also requires discipline and grace, pushing of the limits and of course self-control! Without ballet I am not sure I would be the slave I am, but I guess I will never know!

After you gave up ballet, you took up chemistry. Quite an unusual progression. Would you say that you have two seperate streaks, an artistic and a rational one? Or do you find them to be two sides of the same coin? I've heard many scientists say that what attracts them to a particular theory is its "beauty", among other things.

Leia: Unusual in its way, yes. Ballet to me had its scientific elements, though. Take virtuosity and turning. If you think of torque and angular momentum, you can work out how to turn on point more efficiently! Likewise, the sciences have their artistic side... Take, for example, emulsions and paints. Understood and made better by scientists. The two sides mix well and I find people try to separate them all too often.

I agree, but let's stay with the "separation" point of view for a moment. When it comes to CP, is it more of an artform or a science to you? Or something else entirely?

Leia: It is both with an extra something mixed in that I never seem to be able to put my finger on... Artform can be the postion of your body, the smothness with which you move from each position to the next in a ritual scene. Science is understanding velocity and how that changes from the handle to the tip of a cane when you apply a stroke.

You said in another interview that CP is more than just a physical interaction, it is also a psychological mindset. What aspects of the psychology fascinate you the most? Which scenarios are exciting to you, apart from the "women in prison" theme that we have already mentioned?

Leia: I guess it is as I said before. Power exchange, so any situation where I have no choice - and I mean no choice! - is a real turn-on for me. So because of that I love the mistreated Edwardian maid, the interrogated captive, the girls at a boarding school and the army cadet. What does not work for me is “either you take a spanking or you loose your job”. After all, I just want to tell them to keep the job then!

You've worked with Northern Spanking, Firm Hand and other British producers. Do you like any of the videos from continental Europe, like Girls Boarding School, Pain4Fem or Lupus?

Leia: Yes, I do in a way, although some can be too severe for me. Not if I was taking it, but to watch... You see, I have a problem. I can’t stand watching girls receive too much pain! Odd, really, when you think of what I will do on film! I was a while back thinking of shooting with Lupus, but was discouraged by my CP friends and then lost the time to do it. I may however go east for my swansong as a bottom!

So, what is the special ingredient that makes a spanking film truly memorable? Where you say, this is what separates the merely good ones from the genuine masterpieces?

Leia: The story. I know many people like to get straight to the action, but a good story, in a setting where CP could genuinely happen, where there is little option but for the spankee to take it, is very important. The spankee must react well, too... Be really into the scene and let go, not worrying about her reactions being seen. For this reason, there is a film I did with Northern based on customs. I am looking forward to that one coming out. I believe it is the first time you will see me cry after a punishment. I may be wrong there as I know Strictly English have some footage, too. But I am not sure if it is released.

As a switch, I'm always intrigued by others who enjoy to be on both sides of the cane. Most of your modelling work is submissive, but you've also done scenes as a domme. Did you always have that side in you, or was it something you discovered along the way?

Leia: (laughing out loud) God knows... I had to become a slave to learn about my dominant side. Seriously, I did! I started getting into a bit of it at Yorkshire Spanking parties, and then I was booked to go the The English Mansion and film with them. Yes, Lucy Bailey again – always first to film me in a particular role! The first filming was CP only, but the next... Well,that was broader as my experience has developed.

What excites you about being a top? Is it the control issue again, having someone in your hands? Is it the physical aspect, do you have a sadist in you who enjoys to inflict pain? Where's the fun for Leia the Domme?

Leia: At the moment, I guess it is the understanding of how the bottom is feeling, and knowing that if I take them to the right part in their head, they will get a real buzz. So in a way, I am still submitting, wanting to give to them. I know I am an odd one. Do I like to inflict pain? No, not for the hell of it. I will punish if a direct order from me has been disobeyed, but not really in a sadistic way. Another fun aspect has to be the learning it all, learning how to use equipment and all such manner of toys. I love that!

Since you've worked with many different tops, male and female, and as a domme yourself, I'd like to know: what, in your estimate, are the most essential qualities here? What distinguishes a good master or domme?

Leia: Oh, I think that is mostly subjective and dependent upon the situation of both top and bottom. A domme should be able to understand her sub/slave, encourage them to talk about their thoughts and feelings so the path chosen in their training is the most beneficial. On a practical note, if you are a domme who plays on the more extreme, a good knowledge of first aid is very important. Play must be safe. Finally, be prepared to learn from those more experienced. It is all too easy to end up with “arrogant domme syndrome”!

You've mentioned elsewhere that one of your main hobbies is reading. Could you name some of your favourite authors or books?

Leia: A well, I am particularly eclectic. I love most books from thrillers and erotica to historical novels. It is well known that my favourite is Seven Pillars of Wisdom. Mr Lawrence is a man I would dearly love to have met, particularly to discuss his time with the Turks and what happened to him – most of all how he felt about it. Sadly, that will never happen.

And when it comes to mainstream movies, what sort of stuff do you like? Any particular genre or director? Apart from prison films, I mean - we know that already!

Leia: (laughing out loud) Yes, there are other interests. I like films that draw from life, such as Fried Green Tomatoes, The Remains of the Day, The Shipping News and Notes on a Scandal. Well, actually, anything with Judi Dench in it – I admire her so much as an actress.

You've mentioned how you enjoy learning the instruments, and of course being a writer. Exploration seems to be a big theme for you. So, where do you see yourself going from here? Any particular, tantalizing scenarios or fantasies that you didn't get to do yet?

Leia: There is one fantasy that I must play out soon. An Interrogation. I have discussed this with my friend Mistress Switch, where myself and other ladies are captured and interrogated by a foreign entity. They are questioning me in a language I don’t understand. They are pushing harder and harder for answers as they do not believe that I do not speak their language. They try all sorts of punishments and tortures to get me to speak... But to no avail...

Let's hope that you get to play that out soon - for all of us to see, of course. And thank you very much for the interview, Leia!