Raquel Pacheco, better known as “Bruna Surfistinha” is an ex-call girl from the state of São Paulo, Brazil who became famous for sharing stories about her life as a prostitute in the book The Scorpion’s Sweet Venom: The Diary of a Brazilian Call Girl.

The book quickly has become a tremendous success in Brazil, and in the US and in some European countries as well. At 23 years old, Bruna has found love and left behind her three-year prostitution and brief (but hot!) movie career.

AEBN: How was the beginning of your life as a call girl?

Bruna: It was difficult because I was not used to having sex with strangers. I have always been able to feel pleasure though, and it helped me to relax.

AEBN: Would you have done things differently if you could go back in time?

Bruna: I really don’t have any regrets. I believe that everyone has the power to choose his or her own actions in life. The only thing that I would have done differently is the way I left my parents home. I simply ran away and left a goodbye letter to my mother. If I could go back, I would try harder to get along with them.

AEBN: What do you say to couples interested in improving their sexual performance?

Bruna: Sex is an important part of people’s lives. I think that men should always respect their partners, and women should try to compromise a little more when it comes to sex. Women need to try to overcome the fear of sex and try new stimulants- like sex toys, masturbation and anal sex, for their own pleasure – and not just to please their men. Women really need to get past the taboo of anal sex- especially if they are Brazilian- because Brazilian men are crazy for this practice! Believe me- if it wasn’t good, there would be no homosexuals!

AEBN: What made you want to go public with your life blog and your book?

Bruna: In 2004, the personal blogs became extremely popular among young people in Brazil. I decided to create my own blog as a form of therapy to work on my feelings when I felt lonely. I was a good writer, and I got a lot of e-mails from people who could not believe that a call girl could write so well, since most people think prostitutes don’t have any intellectual capacity. This made me realize how strong the prejudice against prostitution was. I decided that I would show people the other side. After beginning my blog, it didn’t take very long before I was invited to write a book about my story by two Brazilian publishers.

AEBN: What was the most difficult situation you went through as a prostitute?

Bruna: I was in a motel room with this crazy guy who started insulting me and tried to force me to do several humiliating acts while we were having sex. He decided that he was not going to pay me and then he wouldn’t let me leave the room. After a lot of talking, he threw the money on the floor and let me out. It was scary.

AEBN: Where do you want to be in five years?

Bruna: I want to be an anonymous person again, and I want to have a degree in psychology. I want to have kids and reconcile with my parents. I also want to enjoy the fruits of my labor from my book, and of the movie based on it.

According to the news portal “G1” from Brazilian Rede Globo, Marcus Baldini (the director of Madam Satã) will direct the movie The Scorpion’s Sweet Venom produced by TV Zero. It is due for release in 2008.

AEBN: You mention the word “freedom” many times in your book. What does freedom mean to you?

Bruna: Freedom is something everyone wants, but most never obtain. I was looking for freedom when I left my parents house, but ended up becoming a prisoner of the prostitution world. The fact that I’ve become a celebrity is just another example of my freedom being taken away from me. I can’t simply do whatever I want- I have to give away autographs and pay attention to my fans. To me, freedom is an unattainable utopia.

AEBN: Raquel Pacheco is your real name. Bruna is your professional name. How are Bruna Surfistinha and Raquel Pacheco different?

Bruna: Raquel is someone who is shy and a typical dreamer, but certainly a determined person. Bruna, however, is an excessively rational person and was the one who controlled Raquel for a long time… Today, Raquel is the one who controls Bruna.