SENSUOUS SADIE: You work closely with Lord Battista on a number of projects, including the erotic power exchange dominion, the BDSM news, and of course the Erotic Power Exchange listserv. Which of these are you most involved in? What parts of this work do you particularly enjoy?

GOTH GIRL: "My involvement goes in cycles of more and less involvement. Sometimes I'll be researching Heterosexual BDSM History. This is a hard topic to research. Progress happens in little bits of info at a time. Other times, I'll lend a creative hand on any of several ongoing sites and projects worked on by the EPE Dominion, EPE Dominion Volunteer Team, and Lord Battista. Creative work is always more enjoyable, whether writing or artwork. Currently, my focus is on the BDSM News as Associate Editor. My enjoyment in working on the BDSM News stems from the tangible results of helping to create a fine quality publication viewed by over 1,000 readers each month, and I find great satisfaction by taking an active part in bringing this publication to the regional and local BDSM communities for the betterment, education and entertainment of these communities."

SS: In addition to editing the BDSM News, you are the art director for the BDSM news. What is your role there?

GG: "It's my pleasure to oversee any of the graphics and design work that will be a part of the BDSM News to ensure it will enhance and flow with the content. Hopefully, I'll get a chance on occasion to add a little artwork there myself. Look out, folks, are you prepared for some pointed cartoons on our lifestyle issues?

SS: How did you get involved in this project? What are your hopes for it in the next year?

GG: "EPE Dominion's enthusiastic sponsorship is one of the main reasons I'm involved in helping with the BDSM News. I'm there but behind the scenes. There are so many other folks in our communities that are involved, too! The launching of the BDSM News signals hopeful progress for our regional communities because now we all have a prominent spot on the web to go for regularly updated lifestyle news researched for accuracy, wide-ranging BDSM event schedules, and lively commentary tailored to be of interest to local Northeast regions. The events listings will be all-inclusive of our areas active groups.

SS: Your favorite quote is "the human race is a race of cowards; and I am not only marching in that procession but carrying a banner." Presumably you are also saying you are a coward? How can that be, considering that you are so "out" in the BDSM community?

GG: "Mark Twain will always be a favorite writer. I adore that man's sense of humor and expression of views on humankind. The quote is a good example of his particular way of thinking, not so much about me. I'm only a coward when that mood strikes. In answer to your other question, I'm really not 'out' in the community. Though some in the local community would know me in person and personality, almost nobody knows other than my scene name/nickname, and this is the way I prefer it. Rather than 'out' in the community, I'd say instead I'm active by joining in to help creatively on local and regional events and important community projects, and my creative work is highly visible to our neighboring communities."

SS: You are a graphic designer and have done a number of graphics for the EPE websites & related projects. What are some of the website addresses where people can see your work?

GG: "

www.epedominion.com

www.albanykink.com 

And those are just the start, as far as BDSM-related work. Definitely much more to come on those sites, and elsewhere."

SS: You have drawn some darling cartoon drawings of various Albany scene personalities. What got you started in this particular line of art?

GG: "Thank you, Sadie! Portraits were part of my past artwork, long ago. When you work up a portrait, you 'sense' out who the person really is inside and choose the meatiest, best parts of that to represent the subject of your work. It's not as huge a jump from portrait to cartoon as it might seem. I think embedded in each little cartoon is a suggestion of the person inside, if exaggerated. Included in each cartoon is also the affection I feel for each of the subjects.

SS: What is the website address where readers can see these drawings?

GG: "

www.albanykink.com    

Take a look in my Gallery section for the full sized work."

SS: You attended an internationally known artist's colony when you were younger. How did that affect your perception of yourself as an artist?

GG: "There wasn't much effect on how I viewed myself artistically when at the colony, other than to be relieved that adults could share the passion of art. That was illuminating to know, that as an adult I'd also be able to continue doing what I enjoy. My epiphany came in seeing what a surrealist friend had created, and how he'd lived his lifestyle, when I was in my early 20's. That was my first realization that anything is possible if you dare to be what you want most to be."

SS: What are your specialties in terms of your artistic skills?

GG: "Stylized humor, warmth, macabre imagery when called for, impressionism, realism, surrealism, rendered best in oils, pens, charcoal, pastels, and digital painting with graphic software. I've had a long time to cultivate these media and styles throughout life. Yet still I'm learning and improving at all times."

SS: Your writing is in the horror, gothic, vampire genre. What about this particularly interests you? How would you describe your writing?

GG: "Dark fantasy and horror are the genres I enjoy most. I've seen many bizarre and amazing things in life, and feel it's a shame to waste all these things by not sharing them in imaginative form. Writing has always been another creative interest of mine. I realized I'd never be happy writing solely about reality, but would best enjoy writing with the imagination let go to fly. I am not a professionally published writer yet, but I keep the keyboard warm whenever possible, and keep at it, and sooner or later publication will happen. Writing style is dry, dark humor, and vivid imagery.

SS: Your adult writing workshop is called flesh flowers. Can you tell me about this?

GG: "Flesh Flowers is my own independent idea to help the creative folks in our local communities -- an adult dark fantasy and horror writing workshop held in a private online setting. This type of workshop is specialized and the first of its kind for our area. Membership is limited mostly to regional writers who want active writing practice, to tweak their fiction up, and trade critiques. Regular writing exercises are conducted, critiques are traded by private files in our online workshop. Dark fantasy and horror subjects are a part of every exercise. An erotic/BDSM element is present in all work, too, making this strictly for adult writers. We'll also discuss writing in its many aspects on our message board. Future plans include an occasional in-person critique session of short story-length or chapter-length work in a nice, convenient location.

The best part of running a workshop like this will be hearing about the success of the writers involved, and getting my own writing skills honed. I am hopeful to hear some great publication news from every Flesh Flowers member eventually.

SS: You have commented that "the most enjoyable times happen when one brings the darker fantasies to daily ongoing life." What darker fantasies do you have that sometimes merge into your daily life?

GG: "It really is a nice thought, isn't it? However, many of the darker fantasies that I have are better left in imagination or used in visual and written outlets with only a select few worth translating into a semblance of reality. I'm a fairly private person, and the details of scenes Lord Battista would orchestrate on some of my darker fantasies remain private. I will say this much, that we have day and night to ourselves together and the dungeon is only a few steps away at any given moment. Depending on Lord Battista's whims, even those few steps can come into play...

SS: You have said that while talent comes naturally, skills need to be kept up through practice and learning. How do you develop your skills on an ongoing basis? What is the key difference that practicing adds to your skill level?

GG: "Practice is daily. I focus on different ways of speeding up the finishing touches to the work in digital form. Less often, I'll practice the finer detail work in natural media. Practice adds speed and allows me to learn the different ways around a visual puzzle in the quickest time. Practice also leaves time to add an extra bit of finesse in limited timeframe."

SS: Your sobriquet is "Goth Girl." How did you come to choose this name?

GG: "Goth Girl is Lord Battista's pet name for me, due to a pale skin, dark hair, dark imagination, and coincidentally a number of black garments. Eventually folks see my lighter humorous side and the Goth illusion is broken, at least for a little while. But I remain me throughout."

SS: Can you tell me a little bit about your relationship with Lord Battista? Slave or submissive? 24/7 or as needed? How long have you been together?

GG: "24/7 submissive to Lord Battista. We've been together for over a year now. The main things I needed to know as a 24/7 submissive are that I am what my Dominant desires and needs, whenever and wherever he needs, and that I'm respected and loved as is. We have that in our relationship, and I'm enjoying life.

SS: Please tell me about your BDSM practice. Any special interests? How long have you been involved in the scene?

GG: "I'm submissive to Lord Battista full-time. Aside from some much younger visits to clubs in NY back in late 70's, my involvement is only over the past few years. Yet I have been fully aware of BDSM practices for a long time indirectly through people I've known.

"My special interests? Experiencing the Dominant's verbal toying, and the non-verbal communication of his will. Looking toward the possibilities of fantasies enacted through predicament bondage. Submerging into the subtleties of my Dominant at our most intense levels in scene."

SS: How would you describe your philosophical approach to BDSM?

GG: "I view BDSM as a matter of choices to make in the most intimate way of enjoying life. We each choose our lifestyle, alternate though it may be. We choose our partners in our lifestyle, and hopefully use great care and judgment in deciding on who's right for each of us without stepping rudely on someone else's toes. We choose whether to be discreet, and rely on our fellow community to honor that choice. Never are we without choice in what we do, even if the choices are limited at times. These choices include the behaviors we exhibit. My views on BDSM are similar to my views on life in general.

SS: Do you integrate spirituality into your practice? If so, how?

GG: "Not in a religious sense. Balance, an internal balance in the non-religious spiritual sense. I have always known my strengths and weaknesses inside and out and also know where I bring my passions from. I make the best of that, mesh it all seamlessly into the flow of daily life including my relationships, and Lord Battista takes all this into account in his scenes with me.

SS: You write that you enjoy "exploring pain with great delight." Can you expand on this?

GG: "I dive into my passions, no dipping of toes to test the waters. I take great delight in my explorations."

SS: How did you discover this lifestyle? Was it always in you, or something that developed?

GG: "Reading material and certain art books at a very young age, and there are a good many books from times past that include SM or D/s elements. The connection between these works that caught at my imagination and the corresponding real life activities and events happened much later when adult."

SS: Did your practice and your BDSM orientation change significantly Since you started in the scene?

GG: "I know that some folks view submission as only a step in their lifestyle experiences, I think because they put off learning about themselves until that very moment in life when they start their lifestyle explorations. My orientation remains the same. It's only the finer points of submission that are a learning process."

SS: Which BDSM groups in Albany are you a member of? Are you active on an organizational level?

GG: "EPE DOMINION, although never running an event solo, often provides support and co-sponsorship of community events for the benefit of all groups and also offers educational and entertaining resources on website and online Yahoo Group. I am an active part of EPE Dominion in my own ways.

EPE DOMINION VOLUNTEER TEAM, a wonderful group of volunteers who stands ready to assist in bringing any local BDSM group's ideas for events to life. The Volunteer Team also creates some events during any lulls in event activity, and additionally works toward bringing some valuable educational materials to our communities. The volunteers give generously of their time and energy to help the rest of the community. By the way, there's always room for more volunteers!

ALBANY KINK AND PARTY CLUB, simply the most fun of the groups, where any of the members who want to can express themselves in co-running some outstanding events and parties. Team efforts do have their benefits. Standards of discretion and courtesy are upheld wonderfully in Albany Kink and Party Club. I am active in this Group.

ALBANY STOCKS AND BONDS, a friendly group that holds fine educational demos and a nice munch, and is in fact the founding BDSM group in the local community. I attend their events, but I'm not active on their board.

ALBANY POWER EXCHANGE, a good group running two monthly munch events for those who may be taking their first hesitant steps into the local community. The atmosphere of these munches is openly welcoming. I join in on the events, but I'm not active in their organizational level as this Group is run by three people.

FLESH FLOWERS, technically not directly a BDSM group as far as any munches or social events, but an active workshop providing a useful place for writers to work on their BDSM-related dark fantasy and horror works, with occasional in-person critique meetings in the works for a future time. This is my group."

SS: Is there anything else you'd like to share with our readers?

GG: "I’ll just share a few thoughts:

-I’m not bad, I’m just creative (with a wink to those who understand).

-You can dare to be what you want to be in life while maintaining courtesy for those you care about.

-Don't fear being the ideal version of yourself -- you don't need to cut your own throat as so many do by holding back their best efforts.

-With all the choices presented you in life, choose well, choose with care for yourself and those who will be most affected by your choices.

-Find a way to get something good from whatever happens, and you can’t go wrong."

SS: Thank you for speaking with me!