Writing About the Gay Porn Industry by J.P. Barnaby

Nothing kills a book for me faster than implausibility. If I can’t believe what I’m reading, either because of a scenario or the behavior of an established character, I will stop reading and put the book down. For the Little Boy Lost series, I spent a great deal of time researching:

-          I spoke to guys in the industry about what it’s like to be in gay porn

-          I spoke to agents, producers, and directors to get scene details and add authenticity to the story

-          I watched how models interacted on Twitter and at industry events, not only with each other, but with fans

-          I watched hundreds of hours of scenes from several major sites, and some smaller sites

-          I researched industry blogs

J P Barnaby with Jake Bass at the Black Party Expo in NYC

In short, I spent a lot of hours making sure that the topic I wrote about was fairly and accurately represented. Sometimes, the subject isn’t researched as thoroughly as it could be. Five of the biggest inaccuracies I’ve seen written about the gay porn industry:

1.       Generally speaking, it takes anywhere from 6-10 hours of filming to capture a 30 minute scene. There are a few houses that film start to finish in one take, but only one or two. Usually, a lot of stopping, instructing, and editing take place in order to finish a scene.

2.       The players in a scene rarely orgasm together. There could be as much as a 30-60 minute or longer gap between money shots.

3.       Because of that gap, sometimes they will stop filming to replace semen on the skin with silicone lube so that it won’t dry and continue to look fresh giving the illusion of immediacy.

4.       Douching, which is hardly ever mentioned in fiction, is a constant on every shoot – every time.

5.       Some guys love to shoot, but not most that I’ve met. For them, it’s a job—they get naked, they fuck, they get paid, and they go home. It’s not romantic, it’s not a dating service, and sometimes it gets awkward. But, for the most part, they remain professional and get the job done.

Drake Jaden, JP Barnaby, & Parker Perry at a FabScout Entertainment party in Chicago (Photo credit: @Jodidash)

One of the most consistent things that I found when interviewing these guys is that most were very helpful. They were excited to answer my questions, interview with me, and help me understand their world so that I could give people a glimpse of who they are. Out of the experience, I made some really great friends. Laid back, funny, and completely open about sex, they are highlights in my life that I am thankful for. One of the guys pre-read each of the books in the Little Boy Lost series to make sure I got it right. Another guy invited me to spend the weekend with him in San Diego. With each of these new friends come new benefits and challenges. We tweet, we text, we talk on the phone, and they have integrated themselves into my life to the point where I can’t remember what my life was like without them.

My point is this—whether you are writing about fetish models, go-go boys, or escorts, do them the respect of representing them with the same vigor and care you would use when writing about architects, firemen, or doctors because the money they earn from their profession is just as honest and just as green.

JP Barnaby with Phillip Aubrey in San Diego

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Little Boy Lost is a coming of age story about two teenage boys—Brian McAllister and Jamie Mayfield—growing up gay in rural Alabama. The six book series chronicles their lives as they navigate through peers, parents, and porn, desperately searching for the perfect combination of circumstances in which they can be together. Through their journey, they find friends, pain, acceptance, loss, and most importantly, themselves.

Reviews for Little Boy Lost

This is a compulsively readable book. I sat down with it the other day, intending just to skim it for this re-review, but within a few pages I was pulled completely into the story just like I was last year. Brian and Jamie are wonderful characters, beautifully drawn and realized. They experience the wonder and excitement of their first love, going through each step: a touch, a kiss, an embrace, and more. At the same time, they are terrified of what might happen to them should anyone find out about their relationship. They live in a very small town in Alabama where faggot jokes and homophobia are the norm. How do they reconcile their feelings for each other with the reality of the time and place in which they are living? – JesseWave

What this author does in ABANDONED is just amazing, it is a pure and honest kind of writing that bares the soul of a seventeen, going on eighteen year old. It offers the worst of circumstances in which various forms of love can ignite, nourish and inspire Brian on his journey. I never expected to experience such a strong connection to the person Brian is. I’m still amazed by it and savoring it every chance I get. ABADONED blew me away as J.P. Barnaby continues the story of memorable characters who just go for your heart. This is just about as good as it gets in the M/M genre! – Leontine’s Book Realm

  

  


The Little Boy Lost blog tour continues June 25^th – July 24^th . Make sure to comment at each stop for more chances to win some really great prizes such as an entire series autographed to you by J. P. Barnaby. For additional entries – tweet about the tour including @JPBarnaby and #LittleBoyLost.

Tour Schedule: http://www.jpbarnaby.com/?p=637