When attorney Katia “Munk” Hrulata was diagnosed with MS, she thought her life was
over. Instead, she discovered it was just the beginning. Now, she has only one
goal: To walk down the aisle at her wedding. As Munk and her fiancé, Jon, seek
the one therapy that will permit her to leave the wheelchair behind, they are
in a race against time. But Munk is a fighter. And when she sets her mind on a
goal, she won’t permit even her greatest fear to stop her.
Today we’re chatting with Katia ‘Munk’ Hrulata, a criminal defense
attorney and MS Warrior from Chicago. Munk is featured in Chapter One of “Kinky
Briefs, Thrice” and Chapter Two of “Kinky Briefs, Quatro,” a Sizzling BDSM Contemporary
Romance series by Seelie Kay. Let’s
get started. I’m sure our readers are eager to learn more about you.
Hi, there Munk. Thanks
for taking a break from all that wedding planning to chat with us. I notice
you’re using a cane. Does that mean you’ve recovered from the MS attack that
put you in a wheelchair?
Unfortunately, MS is an incurable disease. It can be managed with
medication and other therapies, but since it affects everyone in a different
way, it has been difficult to find an actual cure. I still have balance issues
after the attack, so I need to use an assistive device, usually a walker or
cane. But for a long time, I thought I would never get out of that wheelchair.
I was damned scared.
When were you diagnosed
with MS?
Actually, last year, just a few days past my 31st birthday. I
woke up one morning and couldn’t move. Jon rushed me to the hospital and after
a myriad of tests I was diagnosed with MS.
Has the disease affected
your relationship with Jon?
It did in the beginning. I told him to leave, because I was afraid if he
stayed, it would only be out of pity. And he left. I was in shock. I wanted him
to fight for me, but he just walked away. That almost killed me. But I guess
love always finds a way. The entire courthouse was rooting for us, in fact,
there was a betting pool. Finally, someone pulled him aside and set him
straight. (Munk snickers.) Behaved like a caveman and reclaimed me.
Best.Night.Ever.
You’re in Kinky Briefs,
Thrice, and Quatro, both of which contain short stories about lawyers in love,
with a dash of kink. So you’re…kinky? How does that work with MS?
(Munk giggles.) I imagine the same way it works for you. Seriously,
couples may have to adapt their kink to a disability, but that doesn’t mean it
has to stop. MS affects my legs, primarily my balance, so we just stay away
from activities that could result in an injury or cause pain. Like any
relationship, it’s about adjusting to real time needs, capabilities and wants. Sometimes
we’re playful, sometimes we’re not. Sometimes, an activity is too painful and I
have to stop. The key is open and honest communication, just like any
relationship. Jon knows when I start whining it’s time to put the ropes and
flogger away.
Let’s talk about “that
book,” you know the one with the billionaire and the dungeon. How realistic is
it?
Hey, the author has a nice touch with fiction. It wasn’t intended to be fact
and I guess I don’t understand why some believe it to be. Since the books and
the movies came out, I have heard all sorts of stories about clueless women
looking for rich Dominants in the wrong places. Some have wound up seriously
damaged, even dead. Just because someone claims to be a Dominant doesn’t mean
he is and just because someone promises to keep you safe doesn’t mean they
will. People need to act with common sense. There is just as much stranger danger in the kink world as in
the vanilla one.
Again, those books are F.I.C.T.I.O.N. Offering yourself to a stranger if
they will take care of you, like that infamous billionaire, is just plain
stupid.
So why do you enjoy kink?
I revel in the power exchange. I have a very demanding career, it’s
incredibly stressful, and when I get home, I want to leave all that behind. I
find great pleasure in surrendering to Jon. I can just lay there and feel while
he makes all the decisions. The bottom line is discovering what gives each of
us pleasure. For me, that's a Dominant/submissive dynamic within the context of a loving
relationship.
Do you think a lot of
lawyers are kinky?
(Belly laugh) At least enough to fill six books with your kinky stories.
Point taken. Finally,
any big plans for Valentine’s Day?
(Munk grins) A little dinner, a
little champagne, an unveiling of my Valentine’s Day surprise (giggles), a show
of appreciation by Jon, maybe a little late night snack, a little chocolate
sauce and whipped cream. You get the idea…
(Blushing) I most
certainly do. Enjoy yourself, Munk!
Oh, I intend to! (more giggles)
“Kinky Briefs” is
available through:
Available soon from all major booksellers!
Connect with Seelie Kay
Your story caught my eye, Seelie, for someone very close to me has MS. She'll get a kick out of reading this story. Best of luck!
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