I just published my third book in the Naughty Stories series, Naughty Stories for Naughty Girls and Boys (Volume Three) and felt an update was in order. Are you ready for a little behind-the-scenes peek into the mind of your favorite purveyor of naughty tales? You asked... and I’m (finally) answering!
Below are some of the burning questions I get asked the most. Consider this your all-access pass to the stories behind the stories. Let’s get into it!
☆ How long have you been writing erotic stories? ☆
I jumped into writing erotica less than six months ago—and once I started, I couldn’t stop! I’ve written well over a hundred stories since then, and it’s quickly become my favorite genre to write.
Not only is it incredibly fun, but it turns out I have a real skill for it. The response has been amazing—my erotic works consistently outsell everything else I’ve written, so I guess you could say I’ve found my niche!
☆ What made you decide to start writing erotica? ☆
I get this question a LOT. The short answer is that I came across a website (Not Quite Write Podcast) that was hosting a writing contest that called for erotic story submissions and decided to enter on a whim.
The longer answer is after publishing over thirty books in a variety of genres, I started to develop a deeper understanding of what drove me as a storyteller. For me, it was a convergence of a few things: artistic honesty, reader connection, and a bit of creative rebellion.
Throughout my writing career, I've always been drawn to writing about intense human relationships—the friction, the vulnerability, the moments that define us.
I began to feel like I was leaving the most raw and honest part of the character's journey off the page. Starting to write erotica was about refusing to omit the truth of the experience anymore. It was about finishing the story I wanted to tell.
Secondly, the feedback from my readers played a huge role. Many of them would write to me about the chemistry between my characters, mentioning that they loved the tension and wished they could see more of the payoff.
They were seeking stories that didn't shy away from the profound connection between emotional intimacy and physical expression. I realized there was a dedicated, intelligent audience hungry for work that treated this aspect of life with skill and seriousness, not just as a plot device.
Finally, it was a conscious decision to engage with the very bias my Author's Note mentions. I wanted to challenge the idea that stories which center on desire are somehow 'less than' other literary forms. I saw it as a exciting creative space to explore power dynamics, trust, surrender, and self-discovery in their most visceral form.
Writing this series feels like the most artistically honest and bravest thing I’ve done. It’s a huge departure from my other work; it’s the culmination of everything I’ve learned about writing about people, desire, and the stories we are sometimes afraid to tell.
☆ How do you choose what stories to include? ☆
My primary criterion was thematic cohesion. While each story stands alone, they are all in conversation with the book's core premise: exploring the complex, often 'naughty' intersection of power, vulnerability, and desire.
I wanted a collection that showcased a spectrum of these dynamics. For instance, “The Professor’s Secret” explores the power shift in a professional-academic setting, while “The Initiate” delves into a high-stakes world of espionage and psychological manipulation. In contrast, “The Manor of Solace” is an intimate look at the power of absence and reconnection within a long-term relationship.
The goal was to create a journey for the reader. It starts with a secret discovered in a university, moves through the formative freedom of summer camp, into intense physical and psychological arenas, and finally arrives at stories of reclamation and healing.
Each story was chosen because it adds a unique and essential voice to this broader exploration of what it means to be 'naughty'—which, in this context, really means being brave enough to confront your most authentic desires.
☆ Where does the inspiration for your stories come from? ☆
My inspiration comes from the fascinating gray areas of human psychology and relationships. I'm less inspired by the act of sex itself and more by the tension, the negotiation, and the vulnerability that surrounds it.
My writing is intentionally centered on strong female protagonists because, historically, women's desires have been either overlooked, dismissed, or filtered through a male gaze. In 95% of my stories, the woman is not a passive object of desire but the active architect of her own pleasure and narrative.
Whether it's Professor Jacinda owning her secret identity, Delphine navigating a high-stakes mission, or Mallory reclaiming her confidence, their journeys are about agency. I strive to portray female desire not as a simple trope, but as a complex, powerful, and intelligent force—worthy of being taken seriously, explored deeply, and celebrated without apology.
It’s a conscious effort to correct a longstanding imbalance and to validate the experiences of my readers by putting their interior lives front and center.
I'm also intrigued by the structures we live and work within—academia, espionage, therapy, marriage—and how desire can disrupt those structures. What happens when a professor's secret life collides with her public persona? What does a trained operative do when her mission becomes personally compromising? These settings are petri dishes for conflict and character growth.
The inspiration often starts with a very real, human emotion. The aching loneliness Kristin feels in “The Manor of Solace” or the lost disconnection Mallory experiences in “The Architecture of Desire” are entry points. The 'naughty' elements arise organically from the character's journey to overcome that feeling and reclaim a part of themselves.
On a meta-level, I'm inspired by the challenge the Author's Note mentions. I want to write stories that treat intimacy not as a 'guilty pleasure' but as a legitimate lens for examining strength, surrender, trust, and self-discovery. I'm inspired by the idea of creating something that is both viscerally engaging and intellectually thoughtful.
☆ What do you say to folks who think reading this type of material is morally, ethically, or socially wrong? ☆
Well, I always try to listen to their perspective with respect. Then, I offer a few points for consideration.
First, I differentiate between fantasy and reality. These are stories. They are curated narratives about consenting adults exploring complex facets of their relationships in a safe, fictional space. Reading about a thing is not the same as advocating for it in the real world any more than reading a thriller means you advocate for violence.
Second, I point to our long literary history. As I touch on in my Author's Note, we celebrate and analyze the 'hidden' desires in the works of classic authors. We recognize them as serious art.
The only difference with modern erotic fiction is its honesty and lack of obfuscation. It brings the subtext to the text. To dismiss it is to dismiss a entire realm of human experience—desire, intimacy, vulnerability—as unworthy of artistic exploration, which I find a far more limiting viewpoint.
Perhaps, most importantly, I say that for many readers, this 'type of material' is profoundly affirming. It can help people understand their own desires, feel less alone in their fantasies, and see their struggles with intimacy reflected in a narrative.
It’s a genre that, at its best, champions communication, consent, and self-discovery. There is nothing 'wrong' with exploring the vast and varied landscape of human desire through the safe and powerful medium of story.
I’ll conclude this Q&A sesh by saying that this book, and this genre, is an invitation to curiosity. Naughty Stories for Naughty Girls and Boys is for anyone who has ever been curious about the edges of their own desire, about the power dynamics in their relationships, or about the stories we often relegate to the shadows.
Writing it was an act of creative freedom for me—a decision to stop writing around the most vulnerable and transformative moments of a character's journey and to start writing directly into them.
I truly believe that when we shed the shame and embarrassment often associated with these topics, we can explore them with the seriousness and artistry they deserve.
So, to the readers, I say: be a little naughty. Be curious. Ask the questions that feel daring. Explore the stories that fascinate you, without apology. This collection is my love letter to that bold, unafraid part in all of us, waiting to be embraced.
Have a question that wasn’t covered here? Email me at julie.ann.grayson @ gmail.com (be sure to remove the spaces).