Fridae

Marc: You launched your filthy/gorgeous new book Six Positions recently with a name familiar to most admirers of gay porn. Tell us more.
Andy: The launch in Sydney in June was at the leather bar, Manacle on the "golden mile" of Oxford St. American porn superstar and Colt model exclusive, Jake Andrews, introduced me.

Marc: Did he strip off and display any of his infamous talents?
Andy: Unfortunately not, but he did have the crowd eating out of his hands with his stories. He got everyone laughing when he mentioned that the last time he was Manacle he was actually getting f**ked on the pool table! We had between 150 and 200 people attend the launch. You can check out photos of it in the current issue of DNA magazine in Australia, or go to their website to see what took place (www.dnamagazine.com.au). The launch was terrific and pretty special as book launches go. I'll be doing events in Melbourne and Canberra, and hope to do a reading or two in North America in August and September.

Marc: And what's it all about, Alfie?
Andy: Six Positions collects 17 stories that I've written since 1999. Most of them have been published in erotica and sex writing anthologies. It's a mix of funny, sexy, confessional and confrontational stories that range from one-on-one encounters to a full-on orgy.

Marc: And how does being Asian come into it?
Andy: Some of the stories don't mention race and culture at all, others are specifically about being Asian, and a few are in between, where the characters happen to be Asian but that's not the main point of the story.

Marc: Did you write this book specifically with Asian readers in mind?
Andy: No, I write for everyone. But I do think that we read books to both enter new worlds of understanding, as well as to see ourselves reflected. I think that Asian men will enjoy reading stories with Asian characters.

Marc: Do you worry that people will wonder how much of the stories are based on personal experience?
Andy: Well, some of the book is autobiographical, and some isn't, but I still feel pretty vulnerable about it all. On the other hand, I know that emotional honesty and confession, when done well, can be the most powerful, touching and affecting part of writing and can make readers reflect on their own experiences.

Marc: So, why write about sex?
Andy: I actually got started by sending off stories to the many American gay erotica anthologies that have been published in the last few years. I like writing about sex. I think it plays a big part in the lives of gay men, and it's a topic worth exploring.

Marc: Hottest sexual experience?
Andy: You'll have to read the book and try to guess.

Marc: And where can we find it - the book, that is?
Andy: It's on sale in bookstores in Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and North America - and elsewhere it's available online. Amazon Japan was one of the first sites that it had it up for sale.

Marc: Thanks for your time and we look forward to more stories, more guessing and more porn star launches!

"Six Positions: Sex Writing" is Andy Quan's third book. It will be launched in Toronto at the This Ain't the Rosedale Library, 483 Church Street, on August 25 at 7pm and in San Francisco at A Different Light Bookstore, 489 Castro Street, on September 7 at 7pm. "Six Positions" is available in bookstores in North America, Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.