Photo by Ian Rath / Fetishnation.com / JanuarySeraph.com
January Seraph is another of my crazy cool friends. You can find her on Myspace, SocialKink, Live Journal, Model Mayhem, One Model Place, and of course JanuarySeraph.com.
We met as a result of Marky D. Sade’s job as a fetish writer. He did an interview with her (which you can find still at SocialKink). We were talking about it one day and he said that he thought that she and I would like each other. So… here we are… months later and I’m trying to make a trip to L.A. to spend some time out there with her (and Berlin, Satine, and Mina Meow).
There’s more to January than a kinky fetish exhibitionist — she’s crazy smart, too! So read this little Q&A with January Seraph and get to know her a little. You’ll probably be surprised.
1. What is your favorite kind of cereal? (I have a thing for cereal)
With milk or without? With milk, I’d have to say Rice Krispies. Without milk, definitely Lucky Charms. I seriously have a sweet tooth and love the little marshmallows. When I was younger they made Rice Krispies with marshmallows, but I haven’t seen that for a long time. 
2. Do you ever feel like because sex is work that sometimes sex for pleasure is just a chore? How do you deal with that? Do you still enjoy vanilla sex (did you ever?)
I’ve had that problem in the past, but currently I have a partner that I’m REALLY into, and I rarely am not in the mood. 
I have always enjoyed vanilla sex to some extent, but I have to REALLY be into someone to get into it, whereas if you add a little kink, a skill set or talents may outweigh an initial indifference on my part.
3. If there is one thing that you’d like to be known for, what is that?
Authenticity.
4. What did you do for work before you became a sex kitten fetish model?
My first jobs out of highschool were waiting tables. I got over that pretty fast, as I’d waited on tables in highschool for a few years already. Next, I worked in strip clubs on and off for about 7 years while I went to first Mills College and then The University of San Francisco off and on. Though I got close, I never graduated due to a lack of interest. I started off working at a risque full nude strip club (that shall remain unnamed) that had live sex shows between girls on stage as well as themed shows (like naughty nurse, fetish, hippie, schoolgirl, etc) between two or more girls. I had a great time there. Then I tried to be a little more conservative for a few years to please a boyfriend and worked only at topless clubs that were much less fun. After the boyfriend and I broke up I moved as far away as I could think to do, and ended up in Fort Lauderdale and Miami for the next year. While I was there I also worked at some strip clubs, was a hostess for a swinger’s event and started going to Fetish Factory Parties, where I started to really explore my interests. After a year I moved back to San Francisco for three months, had my first fetish photography shoot with Eric Kroll, and was hooked from then on out. I moved to Los Angeles to focus on my interests and create a life worth living. I started to become January after that.
5. What is your ultimate goal for your career?
You know, I’m not really sure. I suppose I’m just sort of going with the flow, with the ultimate goal being something rather abstract, like Maslow’s self actualization. My goals are more internal, about how I feel about myself, my relationships with others and the work that I’m doing, rather than being based on what kind of car I drive or how much money I make.
6. Do you think that the day will come when you’ll choose to or be forced to leave the industry (as we all get older…)? What do you plan to do after the adult career?
Right now I’m working on becoming more involved on the production side of my business. I not only have my site www.januaryseraph.com, but I’m partnered in two other projects that are about to launch membership sites, InescapableBondage.com and CBTandBallBusting.com. While I’m working on launching the membership portions of those sites, I have Clips4Sale.com stores going right now. (http://www.clips4sale.com/studio/17637, http://www.clips4sale.com/studio/18757) I also write for a fetish blog, www.fetishoverdose.com. So that if I want to stay in the industry as long as I want, I can, regardless of how I may end up looking. But, should I tire of this kinky industry I’m currently involved in, I’m pretty sure that doing something in real estate sales or development would be my next choice, though hopefully the market will turn itself around sometime soon.
7. So we’re friends… If my daughter decided that she wants to be the next January Seraph, would you encourage her or discourage her from doing that, and why? (not just Any girl, but MY girl in particular…or any friend’s child for that matter…)
I don’t think that’s a cut and dry answer. It depends on what her motivation would be. If she doesn’t feel good about herself to begin with and is trying to fix that through gaining other’s attention, then it’s not the right choice for her. If she is already a strong and confident female who has an exhibitionist in her alongside a kinky streak, then fetish/bdsm modeling would only enhance an already strong sense of self.
I know that for me, having worked in industries for almost a decade that are based almost purely on how I look, it raises some body image issues that I might never had had to deal with if I’d just stayed a normal course. Which is not to say that I’m unhappy with the decisions I’ve made, it’s just being honest about the fact that there are downfalls to what I do, at least for me. I’ve found that I’m happiest when I have other projects that actively engage my mind and create a little more balance between what’s internal and what’s external.
I’m not sure if that really answers your question? I guess I would say that rather than encourage or discourage anyone from making a choice like that (or any choice that might change the trajectory of their life), I’d like to have them informed as much as possible as to all of the different variables that might come into play for them, and let them make their own choice and try to be as supportive as possible no matter what their decision is.
8. How did you meet Berlin and Satine?
Berlin I had heard about from various sources before I actually met her. So when I did, I was nervous. And it turns out all the reports on her were true- she IS kinda crazy, she can be intimidating, and she is a TON of fun! We met on the set of FetishNation.com shoot almost a year ago. And I was smitten from that day forth.
Satine and I were trying to figure out what year we met recently. It’s either when I was 20 or 21, I can’t really figure it out. Satine and I used to live in San Francisco. A mutual friend brought me over to his house to meet his roommates at about 3:30 or four in the morning on some random night. Satine was still an art student and was scrambling to finish her final project. I generally distracted her while trying to “help”. When I first met her, she was a really different person than she is now. But then again, so was I. Later, she ended up working in strip clubs, and for awhile we even worked in the same strip club, Hustler in San Francisco. I think it was while I was in Florida that she moved to Los Angeles to get involved in the fetish industry down here, and also started working in mainstream porn. Eventually I moved down here as well. Then she moved to Australia. Then she moved back. Now she’s my neighbor across the hall and we’re closer than we’ve ever been. I love her as much as I’ve ever loved a friend.
9. I know it’s kind of apples and oranges, but do you prefer to work with a dom or a domme when you do scenes as a sub?
I don’t actually have a preference. I think that both sexes bring a different kind of connection to the experience. Thus far, I feel more connected to the women I’ve worked with, but then I generally feel more connected to women in life anyways. I also think that women can be a little more vicious with each other than men can get away with being with women, or at least with me.
Do you prefer a male or female sub?
Topping is something that is relatively new to me, and I’m working on the confidence to do that well. So far, I have more fun topping men than I do topping women. But I think by the time I’m done learning about this side of myself, I’ll enjoy getting either sex to submit to me.
10. Is there a toy out there that you’d tell people is a MUST have? (for me it’s the Hitachi.)
Well, like all girls (at least the ones I know anyways) I love the Hitachi. BUT my absolute -favorite-toy-that-I-lust-after-and-must-have-but-sadly-don’t-own (yet) toy would be the Samurai. It’s a metal dildo with a handle in the shape of sword handle that is an attachment to a PES box. The first time I saw and used one was on a set with Christine Kessler. She brought it out and I said something to the effect of , “NO FUCKING WAY.” The idea of having something that big that had electrical current going through it INSIDE my pussy really freaked me out. But I’m a pushover and was talked into it. And I fell in love. After the scene I was begging her not to take it away, to let it live with me, that I’d take good care of it. But she took it home with her. So now I have a piggy bank that is dedicated just to my Samurai fund.
11. How is your place decorated? Do you have a theme?
I just moved into a new loft in a converted industrial building in downtown LA. The upstairs loft area has old art deco style antique pine furniture and a wrought iron bed. There’s a vanity, dressers, end tables. Downstairs most of my loft is dedicated to shooting space, so there are sets that I’m currently building as well as a lot of dungeon furniture. There’s a sort of raised stage area that overlooks downtown LA. If I were to describe my decorative style I would have to say for the most part it’s pretty utilitarian, with a fetish production slant.
12. Do you do anything that would really surprise most of the people that will read this? (like go to church lol)
I’m not sure if it’s surprising, but it’s something I’m proud of- I’m a recovering drug addict. When I moved to Los Angeles almost two years ago I decided it was time for me to address that. I’ve not only put a lot of work into my career while I’ve been in LA, I’ve put a lot of work into myself. I think that I’ve really overcome a dark part of my life.
13. What is your favorite webpage to kill time?
Ooohhhh.. I have lots! The Catalina and MarkyDSade family of blogs are the top ones, followed closely by Myspace.com, myfetishdiaryblog.com, lustlovelatex.com and perezhilton.com.
14. Do you have a personal quote or a mantra?
I don’t think that I do really.
15. (last one!) How do you respond to the stereotype that women who work in the sex industry are all fucked up and Daddy must have touched them…? Do you find that that’s true? Do you see yourself as one of them or one of the exceptions to the stereotype?
I think that there are definitely girls who have molestation in their background, but I wouldn’t say that it’s the norm. I certainly don’t have any sexual abuse related issues with my father, but have a deep level of sympathy for women who are dealing with those sorts of issues. There are definitely women who have drug and alcohol abuse problems as well. I used to be part of that category, but have worked really hard to move past that. For the most part, I find that the women in the adult/sex industry that I associate with are empowered individuals who aren’t afraid or ashamed of their own or anyone else’s sexuality, and have no qualms about doing what they love as a means to support themselves. It’s kind of a twist on the American Dream - find something that you love and make money and build a life for yourself doing it.
