Interviews

I first discovered Serena's blog from a post made in the inraptured.com forum. Several had already replied by the time I saw the thread and it was obvious that she was brewing some excitement.

I found her writings to be compelling on two fronts; first her vivid writing style, she has that ability to allow the reader to visualize from the words being read. And secondly the stories she has to tell. Some go to the edge of the erotic hypnosis fetish and carry the disclaimer to "not try this at home." And she shares many of the same thoughts and desires that press the buttons many of us feel driving our fascination with erotic hypnosis.

Not long after, I decided to make a cold contact to Serena and inquire about posting some of her material on Hypnosis Addiction. I was pleasantly surprised by her quick reply and her willingness to participate. After a few exchanges it made sense that an interview was in order, this being the result of those conversations.

This interview presents what I feel is a candid view and provides some alternative views on the erotic hypnosis genre. Please enjoy my interview with Serena.

Stage Hand: What were some of your early experiences that either planted the seed or opened up your mind to what I am sure later became known as your mind control fetish?

Serena: My first memory of being turned on by hypnosis was lying in a hotel room and watching Jamie Sommers, from the Bionic Woman, get her hair washed and slowly succumbing to the powerful hypnotic drug in the shampoo.

I can still hear the lather as the man’s hands swirled the shampoo around and around and Jamie eventually couldn’t keep her eyes open. She was later led to a hair dryer where she was asked a series of questions that she answered, and seemed to enjoy answering. I lay there watching this wondering why I was feeling, as I like to refer to it, tingly.

After that it was the TV show Hart to Hart that really solidified the quest for erotic hypnosis. And various other TV shows, Charlie's Angels, Lois & Clark, etc. I would collect video clips on VHS tapes and keep them hidden so no one would find them.

SH: For many with an erotic hypnosis fetish it remains confined to watching video clips and reading stories but you began to meet others who shared your fascination, I would call it your, "I'm not the only one moment." How did that come about?

S: Eventually I met Troi, whom I've talked about on my blog, at a club, my friend had attempted to pick her up, and succeeded. She and I developed a casual friendship and one night over the phone, somehow, hypnosis came up and I’ll never forget it. She said as clear as day “Oh, I love hypnosis. I used to masturbate to an episode of Hart to Hart.” I practically wet my bed right there.

After her was Josephine who I met at a party. She was, and probably still is, a certified hypnotherapist in South Florida. She was light years away from Troi, who looked liked a Goth Audrey Hepburn. Josephine was older, a little more motherly, but the fact that she was a hypnotist made those little details go away. We hit it off at a party and eventually I confessed to her that I was attracted to her because of hypnosis. She hypnotized me twice. Once in her bedroom and the other in her office, which is on my blog. After that, I think she got cold feet because of what she was doing, it could hurt her professionally, although I’d never say anything. Also I kind of snapped to when it came to her looks, yes, it’s true, I can be shallow.

SH: And later you discovered the beginnings of the online erotic hypnosis community. Please share with me how that came about.

S: The Internet was gaining some momentum and I found the Hypnosis In Media website, and that just opened new doors. There were chat rooms I frequented and I tried IM trances, which worked not at all. The other person would be trying to trance me and I’d sit there thinking, "I should do laundry tonight."

But through the Internet I met Dan, who I developed a hypnosis on phone relationship with and eventually, when I moved to L.A.. numerous in-person sessions. Dan is someone who had a profound effect on me and there are times to this day when I see him online and we start talking and I just want to leave NY and go to where he is and be under his thrall. Wow, I didn’t expect to use the word ‘thrall’ today.

SH: Have you yourself ever hypnotized others, turned the table so to speak?

S: There have been a few times that I have hypnotized people. One was a guy I was seeing, also recorded on my blog, and a couple of guys in L.A., Dan being one of them.

The one most people ask me about is the time I hypnotized Troi. That was an instance where we had a little bit to drink and I could feel the fire inside of me, and I just went for it. It took her a bit to let go but she eventually did and the tables were certainly turned that night. But , as usual with her, she had plans for me after my little display of ‘power’. This will all be an upcoming blog entry.

There is one person that I did share some hypno-time with here in NY, and I haven’t ever really mentioned him before. He’s the first guy in a long time that was relationship material and seemed very accepting of my fetish. He was the one who encouraged me to set up the 360 site to try and connect with others again. Sadly, we’re not together anymore. My heart breaks every time I think of him. I like to think (at least I hope) that he’s out there reading my blog. I miss him.

SH: How about your experiences with HypnoDommes on the web?

S: When I moved to NY I didn’t get into hypnosis right away. I seemed to get really private about it. It’s hard to find the lucky breaks that I did. Also, I was really self-conscious about it, worrying about what people would say or think.

I discovered the phone sex hypnosis link and used Keen, now Niteflirt, a number of times but that was a waste of money trying to find the right person.

I had listened to several mp3s over the years, Mistress Josephine, Princess Porsche, although she’s more male dominated orientated, there’s a helluva rhyme for ya! There was a woman on Dominica’s site by the name Dr. Olivia who had a series of brainwashing mp3s that drove me insane. Eventually I found my way to Mistress Cassie and she has been wonderful.

There are a few dommes that I’m too afraid to go near – Isabella Valentine being the main one. I’ve heard her samples and MY GOD there are stimulating and hypnotic. There was one sample I must have listened to 243 times in one day, and every time I listened, my body would tingle and get heavy and I’d become turned on. If I ever did start listening to her stuff I’d be broke and they’d find me in my room, headphones on, drooling in a blissful state of trance. Unemployed, but in trance. <smile>

SH: I know some time has past since the experiences you have journaled in your blog with Mistress Cassie. Do you feel that those experiences have remained with you in terms of her power and influence over you?

S: She still does to some extent. I cannot IM her without capitalizing the ‘y’ in You or giving myself a lower case ‘i’ when referring to myself. I find myself chanting in the oddest times “Mistress Cassie brainwashes me” So she has had a profound effect on my mind, as well as my wallet, which is why I don’t call her as much as I’d like.

SH: How about any recent erotic hypnosis experiences?

S: I went through a brief period earlier this year when I completely got caught up in the Mister Daniel brainwashing lessons and while there was a backlash from some ‘friends’ I completely enjoyed them. They were indeed powerful and for someone who is conditioned to hypnosis, they were certainly making some changes in me.

Real life entering, however, brought me away from his lessons and into the light, a death in family will do that to you.

I have not tranced fully since March. It was a two and a half day session with Mistress Cassie and it was amazing, around the time Danielle was created.

SH: Many of the things you've talked about here and certainly the things in your blog are personal. What inspired you originally to start your blog and the fuel to continue writing?

S: One day, for some unknown reason, I was compelled to write about my experiences, the first big one about Troi. I was shocked by the response. People liked reading what I had been through. And from there I kept writing.

The things that fuel me to do it? I don’t know, in a way it’s like confession. Many of these experiences are only known by a couple of people, me and the hypnotist or person hypnotized. You keep a secret for so long and it can eat away at you.

Also, last year I had a cancer scare that made me re-evaluate things in my life. I thought that it would be the wake-up call to stop wasting moments of my life with hypnosis, it certainly has taken up a lot of my time. It was also the realization that I am, indeed, a sex addict, addicted to the sexual gratification I receive via hypnosis. So I’ve got a lot of things going on in my noggin.

Also, these blogs have been a double edged sword for me; On one hand, I love, love (have I mentioned I love yet?) LOVE getting positive feedback from people. I’m a writer/actor who needs the feedback to survive. So when someone sends me a private message or an email or posts a blog remark, it makes me happy and feel like I’m a good writer, something I’ve been working hard for over the last few years.

SH: Thank you Serena, I have really appreciated your candidness in sharing some of your thoughts and experiences. Are there any final thoughts or words you would like to add?

It’s fun to indulge every so often. But if you go overboard, if your life starts being effected by it, that’s not a good thing. I hope that people can take away that from my blogs. I don’t write about the bad times enough. I don’t write about the year or so I spen tin Sex Addicts Anonymous meetings, going two or three times a week to deal with this hardwiring I’ve got when it comes to hypnosis and sex. I should, but then people would probably tune out – “Oh, there’s Serena babbling on about shame and guilt and the addiction. Enough of that! Give us the brainwash! Give us the hypno!”

But I’m not telling stories here. I’m talking about life. My life.

I hope, if anything, that if someone is out there whose life has been turned around in a negative way by their fetishes and fantasies, that they can read this and maybe, just maybe, realize that it doesn’t have to be that way. I’m still trying to find answers, but if I get them, I’ll be sure to share them with the rest of internet.

Whether they like it or not. <smile>

I had the opportunity to interview Agnar of Agnar's Photoden. Agnar is someone who has been a fixture within the erotic hypnosis community for several years in addition to running a successful web site. I found his answers to be quite informative as well as candid. Please enjoy the interview.

Stagehand: You yourself have done some great interviews on Agnar’s Photoden, what does it feel like to have the tables turned so to speak and become the interviewee? Have you been interviewed before?

Agnar: It feels pretty weird really, I’ve never been interviewed before, and didn’t think anyone would be interested in what I had to say. But I’m full of opinions so I’ll do my best to be interesting. By the way, thanks for thinking my interviews were great. *grin*

SH: How did you first become involved in the erotic hypnosis community?

AG: It would have been 1995 or 1996, I finally lived on my own, had a computer, had the internet, so I started doing searches on stuff that i’d always been interested in, namely Female Domination, and Mind Control. I found MC Stories, an online ad for Goddess Marquesa, and an interactive website by Soforia the Enchantress.

Not right away of course but after some fiddling with my search terms, trial and error. I ordered a tape from Soforia and joined Her private club, and began tearing through MC Stories like crazy. I soon also found my way to yahoo clubs, and groups, and my connection to the community just kept growing.

SH: I talk more about your site in the article that accompanies this interview, I will say here that I am a bit overwhelmed with the volume and quality of material that you have available on the site. The Photoden has been around for much if not all of the time I have been around the erotic hypnosis community. When did you start the site and what inspired you to do so?

AG: Thanks, I try hard to put out high quality work on Photoden but it’s always nice to know someone thinks I’ve succeeded. I found myself drawn to the “Turning the Tables” photo manips early on, the ones in which the woman in the photo was the Dominant character. But there has always been far more manips of women being controlled, rather than controlling, and I often found the FD manips lacking enough storyline for my tastes.

In mid-2001, when the tech bubble was bursting, I was laid off from my LAN Admin job and suddenly found myself with lots of spare time. So I tried my hand at writing some longer, more story-based manips. I posted them in yahoo clubs back then, and found some loved them, but a few had to spend lots of energy hating them.

I enjoyed it myself, so I used some free web space I had to put up a very simple site. This was all from around July of 2001 to late Sept. 2001. In October, Soforia and I were chatting and in the course of the chat She said I ought to try to make a living at something I loved doing, as I was mid-job search still.

So I went for it, I spent a month or so creating new content, designing a basic site and buying a domain name and hosting. And in November of 2001 the first full blown pay version of Agnar’s Photo Den was born. So my love of FD mind control, writing, and advice from Soforia, combined with being out of work at the time, inspired me to open the site

SH: Given the timing, and I may be off base if so correct me, but it seems that you may have been one of the first to use the concept of photo manips. Please tell me how that came about.

AG: I wasn’t close to the first, others were certainly doing manips before me. The one thing I think I have consistently done differently from others is that my manips are often not “manips” in the strictest sense. I see photos of women and I tell the story that comes to me, if that woman were a Dominant, Mind Controller/Hypnotist. I rarely want or need to manipulate the photo, my talent lies more in the writing of the story.

The ones before me most often seemed much more focused upon the manipulating and editing of the photos, adding effects and gadgets. Which takes a lot of talent, but it never much appealed to me personally. When I was a member of Privatepages.com, really the first pay site for photo manips, I often found myself left wanting more storyline, and so I decided to try it myself. Not just show a photo with the word “Obey” on it, but to really show the whole scene play out, as the reader slowly falls under the control of the lovely hypnotist.

SH: What do you consider to be your primary skills and talents involved in your work?

AG: Certainly my imagination and writing talents are what I use most often. But my overall creativity is tested, in keeping my work fresh so I’m not doing the same scenes over and over again.

And my um, well political skills are also tested, as I negotiate permission to use photos of various Dominas, hypnotists, models, etc. and making sure they are happy with the end product, while also trying to keep my visitors and customers happy.

But I’ve gotten lucky, the site has given me reason to get to know many great women that I might otherwise not know.

SH: Share with me if you would the types of activities that are involved in the day to day running of a site like your Photoden.

AG: I have a really loony, not so efficient work process. Let’s start from the day after I post a new update, so it’s like starting fresh. That first day I catch up on emails and other messages I fell behind on while completing the content update. I go looking for new photos for possible manips from the various sites I have permission to get photos from, the models, Dommes, amateur sites, etc.

I spend the next 2 days or so sorting through the photos, keeping the ones that might work, deleting the ones that won’t, just by feel. I then go through the “keepers” a few more times, each time, trying to imagine the storyline, and winnowing it down to the ones that actually spark an idea. I then add the new pics that seem promising; to the ones I haven’t used yet and run through them all at least once more.

Then I walk away from it for a day or so, find other stuff to do while my brain sorts stuff out. I then come back and usually, I have a pretty good idea of what I want to work on specifically, but not how they’ll turn out. I have a basic idea, sometimes even a storyline, or parts of the dialogue, in mind already but the manips do not always turn out as I imagine them beforehand.

I sit down and I start writing, with the photo I’m writing for open on the screen, so I can flip to it as I go. The photos don’t talk to me exactly but, I have found myself changing stories as I go because it felt right when I looked at the pic again. It can take me up to a week sometimes, depending on the amount of content and how freely my ideas are flowing, to write up all the stories.

Then I get to work proofreading and assembling the manips, creating any animation, assembling any flash content, and finally coding the new pages for the website. I set it to upload and I fall asleep for about 10 hours because by then I’m creatively drained.

Of course, during most of this time, I’m checking emails and messenger, resolving any problems for customers, answering any questions, making sure the previous update is up and working properly. There can be a good bit of downtime in there, but usually because my creativity isn’t recovered and I need a bit of time away from thinking about the site, so I read or watch DVD’s.

SH: What are some of your major accomplishments or items in your work for which you are most satisfied?

AG: Well, I really love every piece I’ve put on my site, if I don’t like something I’ve written, then it never gets to the website, it sits in a folder on my hard drive, in case I should ever figure out how to make it better.

But, being more specific, since I love the storytelling aspect so much, I really love the longer, multi-picture stories I’ve done. They allow me to build a bit larger story arc and be more descriptive. I also really am attached to the work I’ve done featuring actual HypnoDommes, as I try to capture something of their own style in the work.

That requires me to be more thoughtful and creative to capture the right feel and wording. And lastly, the more interactive flash stories and audio manips on the site. I love seeing, and taking my work to another level.

SH: Your site covers a broad range of visual material that is not only erotic hypnosis related. However the focus of this eZine being focused on that genre I will of course steer in that direction. You have several HypnoDommes featured on your site as well as interviews of many. I would say that is a significant and enjoyable part of you site. Please share with me if you would how you feel the HypnoDommes you have worked with have contributed to the success of your site.

AG: Oh wow, the site wouldn’t be half what it is without the HypnoDommes I’ve known, and featured on the site. The suggestion for the audio manips was actually made to me by Lady Inamorata, early on. She voiced some early celeb manips I did, which are now unfortunately out of circulation as I don’t do celebrity work now.

Many of my ideas and phrases have come to me after reading, or listening to a HypnoDomme. And of course, my personal interactions with them have inspired and enflamed many of the fantasies and scenarios, which I in turn have used in my work. And that doesn’t even count all of the amazing content and photos, and moral support I’ve gotten over the years from so many of these amazing Ladies.

Inamorata, and Soforia really helped me get the site started, Lady Lita has been an immense source of support and encouragement, as well as inspiring some of my finest work and providing lots of wonderful content, Nikki Fatale, Isabella Valentine, Diamond Diva Princess… So many have helped me with content, audio and video clips, photos, advice, and moral support.

I don’t mean to leave anyone out but it’s really a long list, so I’m sure I will, purely by means of my bad memory. But without the HypnoDommes, I don’t think my site would have existed to begin with.

SH: Other than the normal pleasantries exchanged in preparation for this interview, you and I have never really talked except perhaps in a forum thread or two. While for most of the time my involvement in the erotic hypnosis community until recently has not been very public, yours has and I come to know a few things about you mostly from posts you have made in public forums. I would most certainly say that you impress me as someone of principle as well as someone who tends to treat others with respect. Is that a fair assessment?

AG: Well, I try to be a good, principled person, and try to treat others with respect. But I cannot claim to always succeed. I can be quite the grouch sometimes, and I can have a short, fiery temper. So sometimes my principles and temperament add up to my being a pain-in-the-ass loudmouth. I know I have certainly rubbed some folks the wrong way, but I would hope that most can see, and understand, that I always mean well, and always try to do the right thing.

SH: Again from public posts you have made I know that you are devoted to Lady Lita. I have had to pleasure of enjoying some of Her work through a membership in Her Shrine in the past as well as occasionally visiting Her group and I am very impressed. I sense that She is someone quite remarkable.

I realize that many things are likely private and certainly respect. However I do feel this is a unique opportunity and would like to ask if there is anything you would like to share publically about your relationship with Her and perhaps what She means to you in your life.

AG: Well, perhaps the best way to answer that in short, is to point you to my birthday present to Her. I have had the honor of spending time with Her twice, a short trip to Florida when She vacationed there, and 3 weeks in England when She allowed me to stay in Her spare room and acted as tour guide for the wonderful sights in that area.

We felt a connection I think very early on, and have grown to be true friends, alongside the Goddess/sub relationship. Even now I’m trying to figure out how soon my finances would allow another visit to the UK. What I wrote in Her present, says the rest about what She means to me I think.

SH: You are someone who has been actively involved in the erotic hypnosis community for quite some time. How do you feel the community has evolved over time and where do you see things going?

AG: Well, when I started out online, it was mostly ICQ and yahoo chatting, and yahoo clubs about the subject. There were only a few sites, and no independent communities like Inraptured. It put a crimp in things, briefly, when yahoo killed clubs, and hid adult groups, making the hypnosis groups tough to find. But that actually led, I think, to many of the websites to be born, and to be expanded upon.

The community has clearly grown by leaps and bounds in the number of people it reaches. More people stumbling across that one site that tells them they’re not crazy to find this stuff so damned erotic, that they’re not alone. And the content and material available to the subjects today is simply amazing, so much variety and quality, videos and audios to suit almost any sub-fetish, and so much purely erotic hypnosis. And it seems like a new site pops up weekly. So long as the government takes no interest, this is a great time for being an erotic hypnosis fan or fetishist.

SH: In addition to your Photoden do you have any other projects going on? Anything in the works or getting ready to launch that you would like to talk about?

AG: Well, nothing specifically hypnosis related. I run a site for the financial domination fetish that I’m trying to expand, and I just started a toplist called Mesmerizing Women, which is for any Woman-run, or woman focused website. It’s open to models, hypnotists, magicians, webcam models, Dominas, nearly anything. Because I have long been of the opinion that women are naturally hypnotic. Most of them just don’t know it. *smile* Anyway, the toplist is just a way to hopefully bring the ladies new sources of traffic, visitors that otherwise might not see their sites.

SH: I would like to express my gratitude for your participation in this interview, it has been a pleasure. Are there any final words you would like to add?

AG: Thanks for wanting to interview me, hope I haven’t proven too boring a topic. In parting, I would just like to let everyone know that feedback and appreciation, is a vital component of the whole process. Not just for me, and my site, though I definitely appreciate knowing what my visitors think of my work. But also the HypnoDommes, and people running free sites, like this one, and Inraptured. Knowing that the hard work is appreciated really does provide a boost to keep us going.

The best part of this job is that I get to interview some incredible individuals from the erotic hypnosis community. Please enjoy my recent interview with Lady Izzabelle.

stagehand: I have had the pleasure of experiencing many of Your erotic hypnosis sessions which have all been fantastic. If I were to name one thing that comes through to me in Your sessions is that I feel You share Your heart and soul in Your work. There is so much depth and I feel You reaching out to make a connection with Your subject. Do You feel that Yourself, do You feel a personal relationship with Your hypnosis?

Lady Izzabelle: Absolutely. Each and every session I do whether it be through recordings or in person, I do put my heart and soul into what I am doing. I apply that though with everything I do in life. Life is a continuous learning experience, and I view hypnosis as a continuous learning process, and the more I continue to learn, the more I feel I will be able to utilize those learnings in a way to reach out even farther, making an even deeper connection.

SH: Please share with me when did You discover You had the gift for hypnosis.

LI: I have been self trancing since I was very young, which I believe all people do, they are just unaware of it at the time. I always considered myself a deep thinker, and just the word hypnosis intrigued me from a very young age. When I started looking into it, I realized I had been using hypnosis on myself for many years already. I was then fortunate to find a mentor who is very skilled in many areas of hypnosis and NLP. He mentored me for several years, and then I branched out on my own while taking courses to get my certifications.

As I look back now through the course of my life, I was always viewed as a mentor, counselor, or friend, who always had the right words to say to help people move forward into a better state of mind than what was, and that in itself, whether it be conversational, or focused trance, is a form of hypnosis.

SH: My first impression visiting Your site, http://mindtransformation.com/, was kind of the “we’re not in Kansas” any more feel. Some of Your titles and categories have a “darkness” feel about them. Yet I was to discover You as one of the most kind and caring Persons that I know. And Your sessions always leave me with the most uplifting feeling. If asked I would describe Your hypnosis as pushing boundaries and providing unexplored sensual sensations. How would You describe Your approach to Your hypnosis sessions?

LI: The sessions I provide on the website are unconventional, or out of the mainstream, yet what I am simply doing is being Me, and in doing that, I utilize all My knowledge from all resources to make a wonderful experience for all that do listen to My sessions. I not only provide a fetish or fantasy session, but within each session I present the listener with tools they can take with them in order to better their life. Whether it be in a D/s context or not, I believe in building people up, not tearing them down.

You're first impression of “we're not in Kansas” anymore, is correct! Stepping into My world is an experience a person will always remember.

SH: You frequently use poetry in Your hypnosis sessions, I actually find it quite erotic because I feel its effectiveness. From Your point of view how does poetry enhance the hypnotic experience?

LI: I have been writing poetry for years, and certain kinds of poetry helps to set up a feedback loop, just as music effects a persons physiology, poetry has similar effects where certain rhythm, rhyme or pace, causes the body to respond and furthers along the process of altering ones state of mind. I believe poetry in itself is hypnotic and a wonderful tool for creating, or even guiding a person into trance, with or without a formal induction.

SH: What do You find most pleasurable about erotic hypnosis? Do enjoy knowing the effect You are having on Your subjects mind?

LI: The pleasure I receive from doing erotic hypnosis comes from knowing the person will not only experience a wonderful, erotically, sensual trance, but also will come out of it with new learnings to be able to utilize in everyday life, that will help them achieve their goals as a submissive/slave and as the unique individual they are.

Do I enjoy the effect I have on minds? ~Smiling here~ Hell YES!

SH: I know that You live a BDSM lifestyle, how do You feel that hypnosis enhances a D/s relationship?

LI: Through the years I have attended many play parties in the BDSM community, and as I watched the scenes take place, I would watch submissives go into subspace, and while in this state of being, are very suggestible, which of course in My mind, I would sit back and think hypnosis.

I view hypnosis in the D/s BDSM lifestyle as a tool to utilize, as well as a whip, crop, flogger, or any other tool. Yet, there are times I will use it to drop a submissive into subspace with just the touch of My finger to their forehead or simply a whisper of a word, as they fall to their knees and instantly lose themselves into that euphoric state where the endorphins begin to rush through their mind and body automatically. Does it enhance the D/s relationship? Yes, for Me it does.

SH: The Hypnoticon conference took place earlier this month and as far as I am aware it’s the first time that erotic hypnosis was part of such a mainstream type of event. You were one of the presenters at Hypnoticon. Is there anything You would like to share about Your experience attending the event? Can we expect it to be an annual happening?

LI: I can not say enough good things about Hypnoticon. It was an awesome event, and the energy that flowed through the entire weekend was a good, positive energy. Each and every person I met were down to earth, and left wonderful impressions with Me that will last a lifetime. I can not thank David Fonteneau of http://fun2hypno.com and http://azuremindchanges.com enough for all his hard work in organizing Hypnoticon. I have heard talk of it being annual (which I hope it is) though I am not sure. The whole convention was video taped, and once editing is done, they are supposed to be accessible as downloads on the http://hypnoticon.org site.

All the presenters were wonderful, and although I could not be in two places at once, the panels I was able to attend were fantastic, and I thank each and every one that participated and were so giving of their time.

SH: One of Your erotic hypnosis series is titled “Vampire Invasion”, the sessions within are among my favorites. Please share with me Your own interests and perhaps fascination with vampires.

LI: There are many forms of Vampires, which I will not go into detail here. I personally love the idea of being the Succubus, coming into your dreams and devouring your mind, body, and soul. Making you Mine to the point of leaving a craving of wanting to feel Me even more. There is a mystery, a sensuality, a fantasy for many that want that hypnotic control of a Vampiress taking what She wants, what She needs, while at the same time, leaving the selected one in a state of ecstasy, while She draws Her desires and needs to satisfaction.

SH: Is there any one of Your hypnosis sessions that You feel is Your favorite or most powerful?

LI: I can not say that one is more powerful than another, for they all build upon each other, intensifying any and all effects from each session. Though if I had to pick one it would be “Kiss of Darkness”. It is a very strong trance and quite effective.

SH: I have seen a lot of changes in the erotic hypnosis community since the early days of the Internet. How do You see the state of the erotic hypnosis community today?

LI: I see new sites going up everyday, and overall becoming more widely known and accepted, and know many of us are not only doing erotic hypnosis but also therapeutic. I do believe one day as people's minds become more open and aware of being able to step outside their box, the erotic hypnosis community will flourish in leaps and bounds.

SH: In addition to hypnosis, You are also a Master Reiki Practitioner, I believe that is the correct title. Please tell me a little bit about Reiki and how does this fit together with Your approach to life.

LI: Usui Sensei said, “Reiki Ryoho is a spiritual healing technique and an energy healing technique”. Spiritual healing connects one with Universal Consciousness bringing Spiritual growth by healing core patterns and issues and helping one remember the fullness of ‘who they are’. Energy healing brings relief of pain and symptoms in the mind, body and emotions.

Reiki Ryoho brings one to understand the ‘purpose of life’; establishes the ‘Self’ which is aware of the ‘True meaning of Life’ as part of Universal Consciousness; connects one to Higher levels of consciousness. Reiki Ryoho is Spiritually-guided, is an individual experience and a powerful tool for personal growth and spiritual enlightenment.

Reiki Ryoho expands ‘Love’, helping one to understand the True meaning of ‘Unconditional Love’. Reiho increases and spreads the vibration of ‘Love’ to all life.

Reiki Ryoho expands ‘Harmony’, raises one’s vibrations to be in sync (or resonance) with the Divine and in so doing brings ‘Peace’ and happiness on personal, family and global levels.

Reiki is only one way that I use energy. There are many names, and many forms of energy that can be used in a numerous amount of ways. It's all dependent on the individual using it, and their intent. In everything I do, I put out the best energy possible, for I do believe you attract what you put out into the universe.

I do have a Hypnosis and Reiki Practice here in Columbus, OH, and within this practice I offer Reiki and Hypnosis combo sessions. It still amazes me seeing people go very deep in trance and feeling so wonderful when the session is over. To see someone that needed/wanted help come in a lesser than good state of mind, then leaving with a wonderful smile and in a completely relaxed, happy state, is the greatest reward for Me.

SH: Thank You so much Lady Izzabelle for agreeing to participate in this interview. For those who know You and Your hypnosis I am sure will enjoy gaining more insight into the remarkable Woman that You are. For those who have yet to experience one of Your deep trances, I hope their interests have been piqued. Are there any final words You would like to add?

LI: I would just like to thank you for the interview, and all the work you put into this site, and your involvement in the erotic hypnosis community. I know I appreciate you, as well as many others. Keep up the wonderful work you do and remember to.....~smile~

I am thrilled to be able to present my interview with Vindaloo MacKenzie a.k.a. AnonyMistress. of www.anonymistress.com I have been a fan of Her work for a few years, which most everyone who has also listened will agree is remarkable and most hypnotic. I hope that you, as well as I have, enjoy getting a chance to learn a little more about about a unique and very talented Hypnodomme.

Stage Hand: Your hypnosis work truly is exceptional, I feel taking the step into Your realm is to experience an entirely new level of erotic hypnosis. I would describe Your work as art, true art being something that I feel is an expression from the soul. From my point of view this is but one of the reasons why listening to one of Your recorded sessions can have such a profound effect. Am I getting warm here? Do You find Your hypnosis work as an outlet for the artist within You?

AnonyMistress: Thank you for saying so. Yes, hypnosis is an artistic outlet for Me and hypnosis as practiced in the fetish is definitely a performance art. There are hypnotists in our community who are creating evocative work and the bar is raised every day.

Some artists tailor their creations to their audience, and I've found Myself in that position in other areas of the commercial world. But where the hypnofetish is concerned, I've never been concerned with pleasing anyone or casting a wide net. I please Myself first. Some people tune into that, find we're on the same page, and consequently I have a niche audience. They've been very good to Me.

SH: I have been known to remark that I could find myself going into deep trance while listening to one of Your sessions even if You were to speak in a language I didn't understand. This is not to take away anything from the words You choose, they also play a most important role in the pleasure of Your recordings. However it is to say that the sound of Your voice and the rhythm seem to often take on a musical effect that I find hypnotic. Do You have a musical background and if so is that a conscious influence on Your work?

A: I have a musical background going back to childhood, which includes studies in voice. It is definitely a conscious influence on the trances I create. You might be surprised to learn that I had a slight stammer for awhile and a fear of public speaking. A voice coach took care of the first issue and a hypnotist freed Me of the speaking fear in five minutes.

SH: Your hypnosis is so creative and original, I also enjoy the way that You change things up. What inspires You, where do You draw Your creativity?

A: First, I'm a big fan of Erickson. When you get into that mindset and tune in to your subject, the possibilities to induce and deepen a trance are limitless. I also love to play with language, especially metaphor, so NLP's a given.

My listeners and live subjects have had a great influence on the recorded sessions. Even now, I can remember the conversations and sessions that inspired recordings like subspAce, Loopy, Escapology, grAvity and Deep Indigo.

SH: Please tell me about Your pocket watch collection.

A: It's a modest collection, but growing! They are all silver, but I tend to favor highly reflective ones with the best swing. It's amazing how swinging a shiny watch can result in fluttering eyelids and increased suggestibility in an intended subject.

SH: When and where was the birth of Your interest in hypnosis?

A: It was probably in childhood. I watched a lot of the films and cartoons that ignited the dreams of future hypnofetishists. Like them, I didn't fully understand the appeal. Not until later. It wasn't until adulthood that I began to listen to hypnosis recordings and then I was introduced to an amazing woman who hypnotized Me and taught Me about healing and trance states. My studies progressed from that point with other teachers. The fetish came later. Or did it?

SH: A few of Your recordings have specific BDSM themes, subspAce! and Possessed by Beauty! are two that come to mind. Yet You do not see Yourself as a "Mistress" in the BDSM sense of the word. What do You see as Your role in the hypnofetish sense? (*note: what i am attempting by asking this question is to allow You to expand upon Your approach as You explained in a previous email to me, and one that i find find very appealing*)

A: I don't tend to delve into specific BDSM themes; it's not My natural turf. Sure, subspAce serves to create a pleasurable state of mind that slaves sometimes experience during role play. Since most listeners will never venture into a dungeon, they can enjoy that part of the experience without going through the rigors of a scene.

No, I don't see Myself as a Mistress in the BDSM sense. Then what am I? Certainly a dominant at times, though I don't live the lifestyle. I'd find it too limiting. “AnonyMistress” is a misnomer. I'd like to lose that name.

What is My role in a hypnofetish sense? I'm a hypnotist, a purveyor of trances, a femme fatale wannabe, a “loan shark of bliss.” I pray that I never fall for My own hype.

SH: Certainly there is erotic pleasure enjoyed by those who allow You to enter their minds through Your hypnosis. Is there a sense of pleasure Your receive knowing the effect You are having on those You hypnotize?

A: Oftentimes the eroticism is found in the trance and there is no need for posturing that is too obvious. Once that pleasure is evoked, I receive great satisfaction from the power exchange.

SH: I have enjoyed Your Lady Vindaloo series a great deal where there is distinct shift from Your other erotic hypnosis recordings, a romantic feel certainly comes through for me. Might we expect another visit from Lady Vindaloo in the future?

A: I think you can find romance in most of My recordings. The Lady Vindaloo series has been well received and there will probably be more episodes. The last one, Dr. Vindaloo's Cure, was extremely popular.

SH: What is the most unique request, and one You can share, that You have ever received for a hypnosis session?

A: I think the most unique request was from a journalist who interviewed Me and I turned the tables on him. That was fun!

Don't you wish this interview was happening in real time?

A: Unsuspecting subjects are definitely more fun. Then again, I also like the challenge of subjects who suspect something.

SH: I would certainly recommend, to anyone who asked, that Your entire library of hypnosis work should be explored. However what would You say is the one "must have" hypnosis session of Yours?

A: I used to say it was The Sweetest Drop, but now I think it's every new session I produce.

SH: I am very grateful to have had this opportunity to interview You, AnonyMistress, thank You. Is there anything else or final thoughts You would like to share?

A: Thank you, Stage Hand. Keep listening.