Meet This Sistah is your chance to discover more about the authors of newly published books.
Meet Kaution, the sistah who’s novel truly lives up to her tagline of, “Dangerous mind…Kaution is advised.”
Name: Kaution
Debut Novel: Nothing Short of a Rainbow
Living in: Baltimore, Maryland
Age: 38
Straight, Lesbian or Bisexual: Lesbian
Stud, Femme or No Labels: Stud
Hobbies: Trying new things
Describe yourself in 5 6 words or less: I’m creative, driven, intense, honest, compassionate and analytical.
Your philosophy on life: My philosophy in life is to not allow others to define me in who and how I live my life.
Email Address: Kaution.mail@gmail.com
MySpace page: www.myspace.com/kaution187
Facebook page: I’m behind times; I don’t have one—yet.
Likes & Dislikes: Likes—strong intelligent women; being able to turn off the phone; not worrying ‘bout going to work and being creative like a mad scientist; my daughter…she’s the best thing in my life; my constant motivation to be a better person and remain to remain my own star player. Dislikes—cruel people; Lima beans; Narrow-minded individuals
Political Affiliation: I actually use to be a Republican, but as I’ve matured in life and viewpoints I am more liberal with conservative views.* I know—a lesbian, conservative erotica writer? Funny.*
There was so much drama in Nothing Short of a Rainbow that I couldn’t keep up at times. How did you create such captivating characters?
I developed characters that are I believe very real-they were set in a time in their lives that figuring out who they were as well as exploring life is quite common. Also, the elements of mini catalysis are present in every chapter I believe which allowed readers to identify with the characters more. Everything in the book could very well be true for anyone.
Is anything in your novel based on your life?
Not directly. Both the leading characters are aspects of my own personality so the vulnerability of Teren and the reckless behavior of Ray are things I could have done or close to it but the story itself is entirely fiction.
You write urban novels and street lit, as your MySpace page states. What compels you to write these gritty tales?
I write stories that are “current” for the times. I write in my style because I feel that in the year 2010, society, the black community, and even the gay community, still are uncomfortable with masculine women and the women that love them. Eventually when it may come a time when we are not ignored or shunned and someone realizes the marketability of such a unique and large group, such as the stud/femme dynamic, and decides they want to exploit or tell our tale. It’s just my belief that I rather have someone who understands how we love and why we love do it because our story needs to be shared honestly without misconceptions so many people have about studs and femmes. I write stories for them.
Nothing Short bends the rules of attraction between studs and femmes. Was that your intention as you created the characters?
Yes it was. It wasn’t for shock value or to offend the masses. I just wanted to tell a story that was plausible. Things happen and one shouldn’t worry about how a relationship will look to others; they possibly should be spending time making it work if the relationship is one that can be built on.
Do you feel sexual labels confine or limit us as black lesbians?
Very much so. In life we label everything—we do it as we think. I never could understand why people say they don’t “do” labels. When you are thinking in your head you say “oh that tall man” or “that loud woman” or “she’s sexy,” guess what? That’s labeling. Now in the case of your question—labels are, in my opinion, something that divides the black woman even more in life and it’s restrictive. It’s okay to label—it’s just not good to label and past judgment. Some would say by reading my book, “Oh, she’s a freak,” and the outcome when I attempt to promote or market other work could hamper me simply because of a presumed sexual label. We ask heterosexual people not to judge us by who we sleep with but we tend to turn around and do it as well.
Be honest: Could you ever forgive a woman who betrayed you with your best friend?
No. That bond of friendship should not be tested in such a manner.
What are you working on next?
Right now, I am working on my next three books which I really want to be done by year’s end. I am also doing a one-hour Blog Talk radio show, 4 Tha Fam Club Gospel Hour, where I broadcast real hot gospel tracks by some incredible DJs, as well as knock the dust off and do a few mixes myself if I can still remember how. And lastly I am immersed in my new partnership with a LezNation Magazine, which has been the brainchild of Aurora Jonez. We’ve formed a partnership that would combine Leznation and my company, Kaution Vision, to create a new entity, LezNation Media. LNM will showcase my radio show, my comic novella each month as well as my adult animated lesbian cartoon series. I am also working with showcasing young poetry writers/spoken word artists. I want to help them achieve their goals, as well as be a mentor to them.
What’s your ultimate goal in life?
My ultimate goal in life is to achieve all the small goals I set for myself leaving none undone.
Read the review for Kaution’s Nothing Short of a Rainbow.
Interviewed November 2009