Blog Hop: Questions on “How to Come Out Like a Porn Star” and other books!

I’ve been asked by fellow genderqueer porn performer and blogger Ignacio Rivera, AKA Papí Coxxx, to participate in a Blog Hop in order to help introduce new authors to new readers. If you’ve come here from a link posted on their blog, welcome! Of course, if you’re a fan or a return reader of my website, this will be a good time for me to catch you up on my new book project: How to Come Out Like a Pornstar: Adult Industry Essays on Family Matters. At the end of the interview are links to more authors and photographers working on book projects that I’m really into. Thanks again Papí for the invitation. (Check us out in the recent film Mommy Is Coming by Cheryl Dunye!)

What is the work­ing title of your book?
My working title is “How to Come Out Like a Pornstar: Adult Industry Essays on Family Matters.” I say “working,” because someone told me recently that there was a popular television show called “Family Matters” (hey, I grew up on an island!), so I may change the phrasing. Also, some of the stories will be about NOT coming out, so I may rework the language to be more open to those discreet experiences. I really “How To Come Out Like a Pornstar” though, so I’m pretty set on that part of the title.

Where did the idea come from for the book?
The idea came about when I recently came out to my close family about my work in porn. While some aspects of it brought up some difficult topics, other parts of the coming out process were relatively easy — which was somewhat of a surprise, considering how heavily porn is stigmatized in our society, and also in relation to my previous time coming out as gay, and then polyamorous. As I met and talked with more adult performers, I discovered more coming out stories within their experiences as parents, siblings, and neighbors. Everyone’s story is different, and what I loved about them is that regardless if people love or hate porn, the stories show an unbiased account of what it’s like to have a loved one in the industry. It’s a very honest reflection.

What genre does your book fall under?
It’d fall under American Sexuality. If there are pornography or sex work subcategories, it would fall under those as well.

Which actors would you choose to play your char­ac­ters in a movie ren­di­tion?
If I were to do a film, it would be a documentary on the subject, with interviews of performers and their family members, as willing. Were that the case, I’d prefer the performers to play themselves. Though, if some wanted to submit stories anonymously, it could be fun to hire actors to represent them.

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
I need to work on this, don’t I? How about this:
Adult performers share essays on coming out to family member — and sometimes about how they don’t come out — in ways that are difficult, light-hearted, and always very real reflections on what it’s like to know the people behind the porn.

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
I’m leaning towards self-publishing, as I have many friends who have gone this route. I’m currently researching options for eBook and self-publishing avenues.

How long did it take you to write the first draft of your man­u­script?
I’m still in the process of soliciting submissions, because I’d like to get a broad range of stories and allow performers the time to write. The completed collection should be ready for first editor pass early next year. I hope for the book to be published by the end of next year, to be officially released in 2014. (But if you’re reading this and want to submit… do it now!)  

What other books would you com­pare this to within your genre?
I’d compare it to sex writing anthologies and collections such as the Feminist Porn Book, which I’m also a part of.

Who or what inspired you to write this book?
Besides my own experience of coming out, I was inspired by many friends who have recently self-published and who are beginning to write for various publications. I’ve always wanted to share my thoughts and this blog was one of the ways I grew in expressing my experiences in porn. It seems fitting in this way, that I could write and edit an anthology to share my story, and that of others. Blogs are great, but the collection of stories presented in a book will be honored in a way that I hope can bring the conversations about pornography beyond questions of right or wrong.

What else about your book might pique the reader’s inter­est?
Besides great submissions by fantastic performers — many of whom are quite famous pornstars — it also will include people who work behind the camera, and include resources for families of porn performers, as well as sex-positive family counselors, as practical information. Additionally, I hope to do a Kickstarter for Publishing costs that will give backers a chance to participate in the production of the book.
Here are writ­ers whose work you can check out next:
As part of the Blog Hop, I’m including some writers who have inspired me and who are also participating in the chain post. Allison Moon, who is a self-published author of the lesbian werewolf novel “Lunatic Fringe”, and is now crafting her second novel. You can find out more about her, as well as purchase her 1st novel, through her website TalesofthePack.com.

Dave Naz is a photographer and kick ass artist in Los Angeles. I’m super excited about his GenderQueer project. Check him out at davenaz.org

Rachel Krammer Busse is a sex writer rock star. You can find her blog at lustylady.blogspot.com.

My DOLL April Flores just came out with Fat Girl! Check out her book and her website FattyD.com.

Additionally, my friend Oriana Small has a fantastic book, Girlvert, which I highly recommend.