Some things are better left read. "You Can Come Out Now: Erotic Lesbian Stories" is definitely one of those novels. Speaker and published author S.R. Cooper takes LGBT love to a new level.
S.R. Cooper speaks exclusively with Gaye Magazine about her journey she took after months of struggling to find lesbian erotic love stories that solely focused on LGBTQ women of color.
In October 2020, Cooper co-wrote an e-book titled, "I Survived” an anthology about domestic violence. Yet this did not fulfill her hopeless romantic and charismatic feelings. Her never finding that source, she became one.
Now in February 2022, she shares her first ever erotic romance novel. Where each page will take the reader beyond the bedroom, a barrier that most romance novels do not break through. She vows to cross that line in hopes that readers, “see a new side of love without judgment or criticism".
February 22nd release date available for pre-sale now on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or her website.
Latesa Lins (LL): Thank you so much for speaking with us. I love to read, so I’m excited to learn more about your new lesbian erotic novel, “You Can Come Out Now”.
S.R Cooper: "Yes! I was so passionate about writing this novel, and I’ve trademarked the saying, “We no longer want to be A PART of the story, we want to be the ENTIRE story”."
LL: I agree, I’m ready to finally see us as main characters as well. But I’m curious - of all genres, why erotic? Why lesbian?
S.R. Cooper: "Well, lesbians of color are craving recognition and inclusion so hopefully my book will change everybody’s perspective including our culture. Just open up your mind, look and read. It’s romantic, it’s sexual. I use erotic because when you’re in a relationship you have sex - right? Now, you will get a lot of that between two black women."
LL: And that’s exactly what I’m looking forward to. You’ve also co-wrote a novel in October, but “You Can Come Out Now“ will be your first solo written novel coming this February. What was the most challenging part for you?
S.R. Cooper: "Fortunately because I lived such a wonderful lesbian life the stories just came to me. I wasn't always a writer, but I did have to take English for nurses class when I went to college. However, the editing and proofreading was challenging for me at times but I had fun. I looked forward to coming home after a long day of work and getting on my computer and writing this novel. I’m already working on the second volume."
LL: Wow, volume two already? Ms. Cooper you are on a roll. How long did it take you to complete this first volume?
S.R. Cooper: "Well I called my publisher in August and I already had written five stories and I just couldn’t stop because I had them in my mind, mostly based on my lesbian life ya know. So in this novel they’re really good and was easy to write."
LL: So this erotic lesbian novel is actually like a personal diary from you?
S.R. Cooper: "Absolutely, there’s truth and there’s fantasy but the names have been changed for ya know, legal reasons. These stories literally wake me up, causing me to get up and write them down so I wouldn't forget. These stories are so freggen good. I love it. I honestly haven’t been this passionate about anything like this before."
LL: Well, since these stories are waking you up from your sleep, what can readers expect to gain from you sharing your thoughts?
S.R. Cooper: "Lesbian love is not a foreign concept... These stories are based on real lives... Everyone is gonna go through the motions because we're human beings but this novel is focused on love, love, and some more love. People need to understand that some women fall in love with one another, they get married and have children just like the rest of the world."
LL: But it’s so many other erotica lesbian novels out there about love, what makes your novel different?
S.R. Cooper: "My novel is different because I create happy endings not to mention some of the characters don't start off as lesbian. Writing this book kicked up my feeling of longing. Longing to be in a committed relationship with a female as I've been single for quite some, almost giving up on love. additionally, I hope the book encourages my single readers to hold on, and not give up on love."
LL: I’m so glad you’re writing about real lesbian love because we all get questions like, “Do we even have real sex?” What’s your take on that?
S.R. Cooper: "Well, I believe that idea comes from a male perspective, they get off on stuff like that. Do we have sex?…of course!!"
LL: And with your choice of not dating men, why do you think women still choose to use dildos if they prefer to have sex with women?
S.R. Cooper: 'Because you can like penetration and not like men. It has nothing to do with a man. In a previous relationship, my partner introduced me to dildo's and it was mind-blowing. Having a dildo strapped to a woman you're being intimate with is the ultimate experience! You don’t want it attached to a man because it’s not what you’re attracted to. So because you like penetration you are less of a lesbian? That doesn’t make sense. You like what you like and every person is different."
LL: Thanks for sharing that story. Without spoiling too much, what’s a story from your own novel that you liked the most?
S.R. Cooper: "Mmmmh…so I’ll only give you the tagline ok. So, a young woman working as a PA at a movie studio has a love affair with the female celebrity she's assisting...but that’s all I got for you, just know it’s really good, and yes - that was my life at one point."
LL: The tea is hot ha ha! So as you continue to infuse love for the LGBT community in your writing, how has that impacted your life?
SC: "Writing the book gave me a sense of pride. We’re finally going to be recognized for our love and not as perverted individuals needing to be saved by the righteous heterosexual community. When people read this book they’re going to realize that. I never thought I could do anything like this so when I actually wrote the novel, I was like "wow, I’m onto something", and the pen wouldn’t stop."
LL: I agree, you also mentioned lesbian in love being seen as perverted individuals, where do you think that narrative came from?
S.R. Cooper: "Because I believe people think that it’s just a phase and we’re ”Men Haters”. It’s comments like, “you’ve been in an abusive relationship so that’s why you got with a woman” or “you didn’t get the love that you needed from your mom so you look for it in women“ or you’re “influenced” to be a lesbian. I don't hate men, I just don't want to date or be intimate with any of them. Women truly give me butterflies. We actually do fall in love and move in together in three months.
LL: And what kind of women will you showcase in your novel as far as labels ?
S.R. Cooper: "I do have an androgynous female in the book, but mostly Fems."
LL: What about characters like a “touch me not” or a "pillow princess". Or a “stud on stud” scene?
S.R. Cooper: "Let me tell you something, I’ve been around for a minute - OK and these terms are blowing my mind. I’ve never heard of them, but I consider myself a "lipstick" lesbian. My book is just about women who love women."
LL: I guess I would consider myself a fem, but why do you think we’re so fixated on these labels in the LGBT Community?
S.R. Cooper: "People have to feel like they belong somewhere...this generation is different as far as "roles" are concerned, but it'll get better I hope."
LL: Well I just have to ask, do you have any threesomes in your book?
S.R. Cooper: Not in this volume. I've been in a polyamorous relationship before but they both started to fall in love with me on their own and you know - I didn’t come in to break up anything. I was just being me and they started to argue more, so I departed after two years. But yes, we were one big happy family….that story isn't in this particular novel though."
LL: Oh man! I was hoping to get a little insight on that one. Will there at least be an audio version, can we get some voices?
S.R. Cooper: "I’m actually looking into that now because I listen to audiobooks myself and that would be awesome. I want my novel to be conveyed exactly the way that it should be and as realistic as it could, so you’ll really be able to hear where I’m coming from."
LL: I’m definitely looking forward to that and what’s next for Ms. Cooper? Are you working on any projects?
S.R. Cooper: "What’s next for me…the big screen of course. I’m going to film and I‘ll remember this conversation, and I might have to call you up and say “hey can you accompany me on this red carpet event?”
LL: And I sure will because I’m getting into my acting bag real soon!
S.R. Cooper: "Well hey, you might be good for my casting, so get your résumé ready! Once I get to screen, I’m going to make it my business to hire as many black women as possible and preferably in the LGBT community because it’s a lot of us overlooked."
LL: Well I’ll be honored, please keep me posted & thank you so much for speaking with us and sharing your novel on our platform. I’m even more excited to read your book.
S.R. Cooper: "You’re welcome and I hope I don’t disappoint you, thank you guys again."
Purchase "You Can Come Out Now: Erotic Lesbian Stories" here. Be sure to check out her website srcooper.org and follow her on Instagram.
