Striving to Maintain or Regain Control

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."

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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.