Crystal Raven Interview Excerpt I
Q: Why did you choose Crystal Raven as a pen name?
A: Essentially, it is a synergy of the two of us. When we were first toying with the idea for this project, “Mr. Raven” came up with a name that would embody both of us. Crystal for my love of minerals and their metaphysical properties and Raven for his confident and mysterious nature. The Raven is one of the most intelligent birds and I knew right away it was spot on.
Q: What was the inspiration for Virtual Mirrors?
A: From the feminine perspective, I consider myself to be empowered and strong natured. Perhaps a little willful sometimes and I am a highly sexual individual. The inspiration for the story came from my own personal quest to find a match and someone that could really stand beside me and be my equal in life. We all have a longing and a desire to experience love, true partnership, deep intimacy and sexual pleasure, whether or not we are aware or want to admit it.
When I found that match, or “virtual mirror” a few years ago, the seed was planted. My alpha-male counterpart, Mr. Raven and I share that magnetic tantric connection that desires creative expression and we decided to embark on this project together. We are both inspired by the Hero’s Journey based on the work of Joseph Campbell, a thought leader on the mythology and psychology of the human experience. Our story models this path and is filled with potent symbolism and themes of transformation, freedom and the nature of duality. Our desire is to provoke thoughtful consideration in our readers to explore the importance of freedom within our human nature and the courage to express our personal truths.
Our story is the quest of our protagonist, Gemma Sullivan. Initially it seems to a be only a search for sexual gratification. Gem longs to find a true alpha male, which is in decline. Gem is searching for her true match, her own virtual mirror. She longs to find someone she can bond deeply with on every level, physically, mentally, emotionally and consciously.
Although this story is fictional, there are aspects of a Gem that parallel my own journey and search for a true match of inner strength, power and sexual desire. My desire to find another that had the vision and courage to create live beyond any constructs of limitation drove my quest.
Virtual Mirrors is placed in a future, non-specific time. Under the backdrop of global authoritarian rule. Our reader begins to see that sexual freedom has been displaced from the perspective of intimacy. Virtual reality and artificial intelligence has replaced conscious human contact and sexual expression. Interestly, we can currently see correlation with the onset of the AI sexual revolution through big tech and big screen media.
Gemma is highly intelligent, attractive and sexual, also with some aspects of naivete, which dictates much of her journey. At a higher level, Gem’s quandary becomes one of freedom for humanity. This becomes more apparent in the Second and Third Journal.
As an author of erotic science fiction, Crystal Raven is an archetypical seeker of sovereignty in all forms and facets whose desire is to ignite and spread the flames of passion and freedom amongst humanity. Walking the self-determined path of the hero's journey, Crystal is committed to personal and planetary evolution.