Haven’t heard of Audacia Ray yet? This woman has taken the industry by storm, directing her first film The Bi Apple (read our review!), which is an excellent female friendly film, publishing her first book “Naked on the Internet – Hookups, Downloads, Cashing in on Sexploration” and being an executive editor of the award winning magazine “$pread”, which is by and for sex workers. In her spare time, she curates the exhibit “Sex Worker Visions” and writes for Fleshbot, among other ventures. She’s like Visa – everywhere you want to be. With an MA from Columbia, and years of experience of different types of work in the sex industry, this sex positve, queer-friendly firecracker is a wealth of knowledge and experience and we’re super excited to have such a wonderful and empowered woman give us an exclusive interview.

1. How (and when) did you get involved with the sex/sex work industry?
I think I’ve always been something of a sex nerd, though once upon a time I was a lot more timid about it than I am now. I got my first official sex-related job in 2001 – as a researcher at the then-nascent Museum of Sex. Since then I’ve been a porn reviewer, sex blogger, curator, body worker, professional foot fetishist, porn director/producer, magazine editor, naked model… the list goes on.

2. If you weren’t working in and around the adult industry, what would you be doing?
I would probably be working in a museum or a library.

3. What’s the best thing you’ve learned or best advice you’ve received from industry?
I’m not sure if it qualifies as the “best” but I’ve learned how to be proud of and stand up for things that many people find despicable.

4. What’s one of the funniest things to have happened to you?
Um, the time I met my now-boyfriend in a threesome with my best friend was pretty good.

5. What do you think is the biggest misconception about women in the sex work industry?
That they are across the board stupid, illiterate, and coerced into being in the business.

6. What did you do today?
I did what, lately, seems to be the only thing I do – I answered lots of emails. I also had dinner with a friend and made the ill-advised decision to drink a caffeinated beverage (which generally I’ve weaned myself off of). I made a lot of lists of things I need to do for the two months of touring and book promo that’s about to happen.

7. What would you rather have done today?
Although the answer to the last question seems like my day was slightly tedious, I am pretty much doing exactly what I want to do everyday. I would have liked to have gotten more sleep and more sex, but I always feel that way.

8. You work on many projects; which one is nearest and dearest to your heart, and why?
My first book, “Naked on the Internet: Hookups, Downloads and Cashing in on Internet Sexploration”, is my pride and joy because I did it all by myself on a tight deadline. But $pread, which is a now two-year-old magazine by and for sex workers, always makes me proud bordering on misty-eyed whenever I see the latest issue for the first time.

9. Who are some of your inspirations in the industry?
My main inspirations are my peers and dear pals – they encourage, support, inspire and challenge me. Here’s the name-dropping part: Jamye Waxman, Bella Vendetta, Molly Crabapple, Lux Nightmare, Violet Blue, Melissa Gira, and the ladies of $pread magazine.

10. You’ve got 20 bucks left to your name; what would you do with it?
Unfortunately this isn’t much of a hypothetical question; I’ve been in this predicament too many times in the past few years. Usually I buy myself a ham-and-cheese sandwich, some dark chocolate, and a Metrocard so I can get around New York. Then I get other people to buy me whiskey.

11. If you were president, what’s the first thing you’d change?
I think me being president would be the change. A former ho as president? Sounds good to me!

12. What’s the most embarrassing thing you’ve ever done?
Write about my sex life on the Internet and then come out to my parents about it. I still cringe when I think about my dad saying to me, “The world doesn’t need to know that you sucked three cocks at once!”

13. Your first book just got published. What is it about, what inspired you to write it, and how has it been received?
“Naked on the Internet” is about the ways that women use the Internet to explore their own sexual potential in ways that are variously private, public and for profit. It includes chapters on blogging, dating, porn, sex work, sexual health and cyberdildonics to name a few, and I do a mix of cultural analysis and story telling in it. I interviewed 80 women for the book. The official release date is June 1, so I’m sort of anxious waiting to see how it will be received.

14. If you could have 1 superpower what would it be?
Teleportation. I could get a lot more done that way.

15. Meat or veggie?
Yes please!

16. What is your favorite book?
This is a tough one – the book that has knocked me on my ass most thoroughly in recent memory is Jerzy Kosinski’s The Painted Bird.

17. What is your biggest pet peeve?
Dudes who write me on MySpace to proposition me using Internet shorthand. Seriously, stop that. I don’t bang people who can’t be bothered to type out the word “you.”

18. What is your best piece of sex advice for women?
Learn about what you want and like, and then tell your partners about it. Communication is key.

19. What is your favorite adult movie?
The Devil in Miss Jones 3. It was one of the first porn movies I saw that was watchable, so part of the reason I like it is because it has a tender spot in my heart. Also, I like the dirty 70s feel to it, the weird outfits and the fact that it takes place in hell. Plus the Vanessa del Rio gang bang scene is amazing.

20. Tell me one thing you’ve never told anyone else.
I honestly can’t think of any untold secrets. I blame my blog and whiskey for that.