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We’ve read her titillating page-turners for years, as one woman with one name changed the sex lives of Black women forever. Now Zane, with the help of entertainment mogul Suzanne de Passe, brings her sexy storytelling to life on-screen with the Cinemax debut of “Zane’s Sex Chronicles.” The bedroom guru gave ESSENCE.com the scoop on why the series is a must-see, the best way to discover your sensual self, and what she has next up her sleeve.
ESSENCE.COM: Miss Zane! The time has finally arrived for your television debut. Your books are so sexually detailed. How hands-on were you with the project?
ZANE: I was on the set all day, everyday as the executive producer and writer. I was totally involved in the casting process and even found a couple of the characters myself.Suzanne de Passe and I were adamant about making sure that this was tastefully done and not letting women look like they normally look in a lot of these shows, like they are these sexual objects. I actually flipped the script on a lot, as I do in my books.
ESSENCE.COM: That’s what we like to hear. We’ve gone through the crates and picked some of our favorite on-screen lovers. Tell us some of your favorite sexy movie clips.
ZANE: I thought the sex scene between Prince and Apollonia in “Purple Rain” was hot (laughs). Of course the scene in “Jason’s Lyric.” There have been very few people of color, and I think that’s why this show will catch on because the scenes are tastefully done and show how we really make love. In movies, you see people gazing into each other’s eyes and kissing. You get to see that these people are engaged emotionally with each other. And then you have “Sex Chronicles” (laughs), which is a whole other story.
ESSENCE.COM: Your stories intertwine real people with real issues and hot sex lives. So what will people take away from the series?
ZANE: I hope that I have helped some women understand that it’s okay to make demands sexually and to have needs and desires. I think the best compliment I got in the beginning were women telling me that I made them feel normal. Some women think there is something wrong with them because they think of sex all the time or they want to try something outside of the missionary position. I believe that has changed quite significantly, and with the show, it changes even more. I hope every woman will see a part of themselves in these five women and even men will learn something about women.
ESSENCE.COM: The show kicks off right as it is starting to get colder out and folk are heading inside to keep warm. What are some of your tips for women to keep things steamy this fall?
ZANE: Watch the show (laughs). Seriously, I think women always feel better when they’re pampered and when they feel special, so I suggest they pamper themselves. You feel so much better and much more comfortable when you’re relaxed. It doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to have a man with you all the time. I believe there is a difference between sexuality and sensuality. A woman can feel sensual by taking a bath with candlelight and aromatherapy…putting on nice lingerie. There are certain things that make us feel feminine, and that in itself is a very sensual act.
ESSENCE.COM: Definitely. So you’ve conquered the literary world and now are taking on the small screen to continue to sexually liberate women. How else do you plan to get out the message that women are entitled to good loving?
ZANE: I definitely have been bitten by the on-screen bug. It has made me want to do a radio show (laughs), so now that’s my next quest to conquer. I’m also finally about to start my toy line. We have a scene in the show where one woman believed that if she masturbated, she would go blind (laughs). We tastefully show where she discovers herself, and from there, everything about her changes and she becomes more open with the man she’s seeing. It is important to discover yourself, because if you’re not comfortable with yourself, how can you be comfortable with someone else?
Tune in to the series premiere tonight at midnight and catch new episodes every Friday night through December. For more hot scenes, visit www.cinemax.com/zane.