Release & Be Free is an erotic anthology where desire becomes a gateway to healing, self-discovery, and freedom. Did you set out to write erotica with a spiritual dimension, or did that emerge naturally?

Great question. The answer is both. I was introduced to erotica writing by WAPUnleashed Publishing’s Facebook group years ago. I remember reading people’s stories and a comment, a woman said that they were just about sex, nothing else. And I was like, hmm. So I prayed on it and allowed God to work through me so we could create an erotic story with meaning, depth, and purpose. Which was very natural to me because all my writings have that spiritual element in them, no matter the genre I’m writing in. It’s intentional. Release & Be Free: An Enlightening Erotic Anthology was no different, the way it came out though, each story or scene was different, though, and inspired by my imagination, my life, personal experiences, and observation, all with divine assistance of course. For instance, “Mow Me Down,” I enjoy mowing lawns, and I started to connect with how lawn mowers cut grass that continuously needs to be cut, and that reminded me of generational curses, because I was going through learning and breaking some of my own at the time.

What did “liberation” mean to you when you began writing this collection?

Since Release & Be Free: An Enlightening Erotic Anthology is a collection of works written over numerous years, they all stem from my journey of wanting to be free to be me, like I was when I was in middle school before the noise, distractions, choices, and changes that growing up brought. Freeing myself from old habits, mindsets, and choices so that I could be the best Mother to my children, a good wife, focused on fulfilling my purpose without getting distracted, and loving myself in the way of support and encouragement that I’ve done for others for decades. Liberation also meant healing and forgiving, too. Ultimately, liberation meant I already have divine permission to be. Who I was. Who I am now. And who I am becoming. Daily.

The collection often treats body and spirit as inseparable. Were there specific experiences or influences that shaped that perspective?

I love this question. From my studying of the definition and etymology of spirit, along with years of living my life, helping others, and most importantly being open to higher learning from God. I’ve been shown that they are not separate. Spirit is inside of us, it is us, and one of the things that I was shown and that I teach is that the spirit is just one of our human functions, so to speak, that the body listens to, or follows, or chooses from. Our body follows the direction of our brain with our thoughts, our “heart” with our emotions (feelings), and our soul or spirit. The two need to be aligned, like one in thought, feeling, words, and spirit. When you are, your body follows, and that means less confusion, internal battles, or wars within yourself. More purposeful, intentional, and balanced living, from the head to the feet. We have our own spirit, or I should say the Creator’s spirit in us, which is why we can connect, sense, or see the spirit of others.

How has this book changed you as a writer, or what did you learn about yourself through writing it?

Release & Be Free: An Enlightening Erotic Anthology has joined the journey of me owning myself, being proud, and authentic about who I am and the work God has given me to do when it comes to intimacy. To help people remember and understand that sex is more than just sex. It is an exchange of energy; it has purpose, value, and importance. Therefore, it should be respected and talked about as such more, so that it won’t be abused anymore and used to hurt others.

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