THE SEX FILES: Playing Darlene

In her book Playing Darlene: The True Double Life of a Public School Teacher & Professional Dominatrix, Darlene (not her real name) gives a true account of a double life that is presently gaining attention far and wide. Born in Hollywood, raised in Pasadena, Darlene got her B.A. in German from C.A. State University, worked in T.V. and film and ended up teaching public school for 20 years…18 of which she was also working as a dominatrix!

In my interview with the lovely lady, we get the skinny on how the book came to be and why.

In teaching English as a second language and teenage remedial courses, can we assume you taught a wide variety of ages?

ESL classes are for adults 18 years and up.  However, the high school diploma classes are comprised of teenagers who need to make up credits as well as adults who need to prepare to pass the GED test.

Did you ever get a twinge when a client would request a dominant ‘teacher’ scenario?

Yes, the dominant teacher scenario is a common one and especially fun because I got to “get even” with a student who had misbehaved.  When I get a “problem child” in one of my classes, my immediate thought is, “I wish I could do to this kid what I just did to a client yesterday.” Grr…

Were you teaching before you started doming, doming pre-teaching, or were the two professions something that happened for you in tandem?

I started teaching a few years before I discovered BDSM. Teaching is easy, but too tedious. Life in the dungeons gave me what was missing — the perfect combination of sex and power. I loved being in the position to say, “I’m the one with the whip.  Don’t f— with me.”

Was there anything(s) in your doming that you felt was your specialty?

Role playing was my area of expertise. As you know, for several years I did some acting on stage and film. My favorite scenario was one I think of as my “Mrs. Robinson session.”  (Remember the film, The Graduate?) A college-age hunk would come in and choose me –not in spite of my being older than the other ladies, but because of it. His fantasy was being seduced by his mother’s best friend.  Details about this session will show up in my next book…

Contrarily, was there anything(s) that you flat out refused to engage in?

On rare occasion, I was asked to smoke a cigarette or to engage in brown showers. I referred those clients to other ladies.

Did what you did as a dom influence your personal sex life or did you not engage in any of those activities with your personal partners, or if anything, did/do you find yourself more submissive personally in the bedroom because you were dom in a good part of your life?

My involvement with the BDSM scene enabled me get in touch with my dominant side. In my personal life now I like to switch, which means play both parts. But it has to be with the right person, and I’m VERY picky.

Why write this book now?

Soon after my career as Darlene began, I discovered I needed to keep notes about the various sessions so that I’d have the details handy in case the clients returned. As time passed, it occurred to me that it might be fun to turn my chronicles into a book. It wasn’t until recently that I realized my story could interest a wide variety of readers. On one level, it’s entertaining to get a behind-the-scenes peek into a controversial industry. On another level, it gives women an opportunity to vicariously experience the (forbidden) life they didn’t choose. In addition, it can encourage them to be more assertive when it comes to getting their sexual desires met. Finally, the book is really about one woman’s empowering journey-every woman has her own journey- and I think we enjoy sharing them with each other.

Other than being an author, what else are you into presently?

Dancing has been a life-long interest — ballroom (for my romantic side) and country western; in the bedroom, this city girl wants a cowboy.

I know that you have another book in the works. Can you tell us about it?

The sessions I described in Playing Darlene are just the tip of the iceberg. In my next book, I plan to include the more outrageous ones as well as answer some of the questions I’ve received on my Dear Darlene advice column. Over a period of 18 years, I saw over 5,000 clients, there’s lots to tell.

Let’s lay out all the links places people can follow you and buy the book.

Well, it’s available an en e-book and paperback from Amazon, Barnes and Noble and readers can also visit my author webpage at Chances Press where more photos and my Dear Darlene advice column appear. P.S.  I love receiving email and do read all of it.  My address is darlene@chancespress.com.