The official website of A. B. Gayle - Author and Editor
Share this:
  • Home
  • Latest News
  • My Books
  • Free Reads
  • Blogs
    • Tyler Knoll's Blog
    • Interviews
    • Reviews
  • Man 'em up Dude
    • Leather + Lace >
      • Chapter 1: Stand Back
    • Red + Blue >
      • R+B - Reviews & Blogs
    • Caught >
      • Caught - Reviews & Blogs
    • Initiation
  • SciFiRomance
    • WIP - Nature
  • Mainstream
    • In Search of the Perfect PinotG!
    • The Lost Diary of Thomas Kendall
  • Coming Soon
    • WIP - Home+Away
    • WIP - Pride+Prejudices
    • WIP - Truth+Lies
  • Bio
    • Links
  • Editing Info
    • Editing Special Forces

Striving to Maintain or Regain Control

3/4/2013

0 Comments

 
Prose: Memoir Writings by People with Experiences in the Sex Trades (Prose #1)Prose: Memoir Writings by People with Experiences in the Sex Trades by Melissa Petro
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

First off, this is available as an ebook from: http://www.redumbrellaproject.org/buy...

I bought the book to gain a better understanding of the sex trade industry as preparation for writing "Prejudices" the sequel to "Mardi Gras." When it eventually comes out of contract, I hope to expand it with another novella of roughly the same length to create a full length book "Pride+Prejudices." Because prejudices are exactly what sex trade workers come up against every moment of their lives.

These stories by people within the industry aren't all-encompassing memoirs. They aren't meant to be, but they do give insight into the reasons why people get involved and the different effect it has on them when they do.

The workers have been encouraged to write about their experiences to help them regain control over who they are. For some, honing their creative writing endeavours is a possible exit strategy.

The writers themselves (some retired some still active) inhabit all shades of the spectrum, gay men, gay women, transgender, straight women. No straight men that I could see.

Topping the bill as a writer is undoubtedly Josh Ryley and his story "Fist" This could have been published as a stand alone. As fiction it would have been an enthralling read. As non-fiction it then transcends enthralling through appalling to just downright sad. More than any, this one explored the nature of the client who used the service while still firmly locked in the head of the man providing him with what he wanted. Was it what he needed? Well that's the big question.

You could smell, feel and see every moment though. The mark of a writer with talent. If this is an example of Josh's writing skills, I'm sure he could make a good fist of being a published author. Pardon the pun.

Other stories were also good in that they showed different sides of their strengths and vulnerabilities. Some were only snippets, showing the factors at the start of their journey, others the hopelessness of their isolation. And isolated they are.

The inability to make connections with people outside the industry once they were in it, ran through every story even if not directly epxressed.

The presence of drugs, the ability or inablity to kick the habit. The love/hate relationship they had with them rippled along like the tidal flow of a river under the top few inches of fresh rain after a heavy downpour.

I may revisit this review when I have more time, just to express my thoughts on the other contributions all of whom had merit. But it's worth buying just to read "Fist" providing your stomach is strong enough. Not for the physical act but because of the "characters" and "setting."

View all my reviews
If you want to know more about Josh Ryley, he has his own website here.

I came upon Josh when reading his tribute to porn star and male escort, Miklos Arpad, after his recent suicide. 

The fates and fears of their co-workers prey on their minds just as much as their own experiences. They try to look after their own and advice by others like Dominick who writes a column for Rentboy go some way to keep them grounded.
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    A.B.Gayle

    This is a collection of reviews I've posted at Goodreads and
    interviews authors have granted me.

    Plus from time to time, I'll share my take on writing and marketing. This will be done under the Tyler Knoll banner, because nothing is better for curing the headache these things can be for us.

    Archives

    August 2016
    June 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    January 2016
    March 2015
    February 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    August 2014
    June 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    March 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011
    January 2011
    December 2010
    November 2010
    October 2010
    September 2010
    June 2010
    March 2010

    Categories

    All
    Alexis Hall
    Ash Penn
    Barry Lowe
    Bev Dentham
    Brad Vance
    Bryl Tyne
    Chainmale
    Chaos Magic
    Christopher Koehler
    C.H. Scarlett
    C.J. Cherryh
    Clare London
    Damon Suede
    Darla Sands
    Desert Run
    Dirk Vanden
    Don Bastien
    Don Schecter
    Drag Queen
    Duck
    Dusk
    Erotic Horizons
    Habu
    Hank Edwards
    Heidi Cullinan
    Heights Of Passion
    Hot Head
    Hourglass
    Interview
    Isolation
    Jane Davitt
    Jay Lygon
    Jeff Mann
    John Preston
    John Wiltshire
    Josh Lanyon
    J.P. Barnaby
    Julie Bozza
    K.A.Mitchell
    Keith Fennell
    Kim Dare
    Lisa Henry
    Lyn Gala
    Margie Church
    Marshall Thornton
    Mel Keegan
    Mimosa
    Morticia Knight
    Mr Benson
    Opinion
    Out Of The Box
    Patric Michael
    Phillip Mackenzie Jr
    Quotes
    Redemption Reef
    Reversal
    Review
    Reviews
    Robert Reynolds
    Robert Rodi
    Ryan Field
    Scott Terry
    Stray
    Syd Mcginley
    T.A. Webb
    Thom Lane
    Trey #3
    Tyler Knoll
    Vancouver Nights
    Wild Raspberries
    William Maltese
    Writing

    RSS Feed

    Follow this blog
Picture
The copyright to all the material published on this site is owned by A.B. Gayle.