Helix Models serve as inspiration for new series of adult novels by Taylor Saracen
Helix Studios is entering the publishing industry. The studio will be releasing a series of fictionalized novels on the lives of the studio’s biggest stars. The Rise Up series will, “Illuminate pivotal moments in the lives of LGBTQ youth,” according to the press release.
The author of this series is Taylor Saracen, a published author with multiple years of experience. In an exclusive interview with yours truly, she stated her original goal was to write a series where each book focused on a different person’s journey.
“I was trying to think of a series where, as an author, you can combine a bunch of different characters, but each one of them gets their own book,” she explains. “It needed to have some kind of breadth to it. So, I was thinking about a porn company. That’d be super cool since I like to write some spicy stuff.”
Spicy, yes? But triple X, horny, cumshot-laden erotica? Don’t count on it. At least, not at first. “This book itself is not explicit in nature at all. It’s very much a coming-of-age story.”
The book Saracen is referring to is the first in the series, featuring Helix Heartthrob Blake Mitchell. Mitchell parlayed a cam gig into a full time adult career. And, while Saracen must, “toss around the word cock and dick a little,” it’s not with any intent beyond telling Blake’s story.
And the line between where ‘real’ Blake, and ‘book’ Blake is intentionally blurred. Saracen says drawing that line at once helps humanize her characters and let the subjects distance themselves from the tougher chapters in their own lives.
“The porn is so much a part of who they are, but at the same time they have all these other facets. So I think that the way that I approached it was that it could be either in a way,” she says of the creative decision. “That’s why we’re not divulging how much is fiction and how much isn’t. It gives us a little bit more room to spread out in that way.”
The goal with the books-and featuring one model’s story per volume-allows Taylor to explore allowing people to see the porn stars more for who they are as people, and less as objects of ejaculation. “I think that obviously they are sexualized in their job. But it’s interesting because I see them as people who go to work. This is a job, they do a job. Even their social media personas, of course that sexual online presence may be authentic, I’m not saying that it isn’t, but it offends me when people automatically assume that porn stars are hyper-sexual people in their everyday life.”
Echoing Taylor, Mitchell said that his career is not just about being sexualized. He says he wants to show people it’s okay to have success in an unconventional arena. “My hope is that bi youth can see the Mecca I made, and how conventional beginnings can melt and mold into untraditional success. And that there is pride to be had in that nontraditional success.”
Ultimately, what makes Saracen passionate about digging deeper into models’ stories is what they could mean to LGBTQ youth, as well as the safety benefits to normalizing sex work for the next generation.
“It’s in the news now that the government has this intention to crack down on sex trafficking. But the problem is that FOSTA endangers sex workers who use the Internet for appropriate vetting. Now, Helix is obviously not in that faction of the sex work business, but to me, it’s a societal issue that we still see consensual sex work of any type as seedy or nefarious.”
Indeed, the key to a brighter, more accepting tomorrow starts with the very real stories who turn, legitimately, to the adult entertainment industry. They become figures so helpful to youth still exploring their own sexuality. And Saracen sees that as the noblest goal her novels could have.
“Millennials are ready for it. And as much as I want everyone to enjoy the stories, I want this to be a stand for young people who don’t necessarily subscribe to the antiquated values of their parents or grandparents. I want to work toward a more accepting society for LGBTQ people and those who don’t necessarily paint within the lines.”
I’m so glad to see these books being written. I’m glad to see there is demand for them as many of us enjoy learning about the models in addition to the sex (which we also very much enjoy!). There is more to a Helix subscriber than simply wanting to get off and likewise there is much more to the stars. I look forward to learning more about them.
Normally I don’t read post on blogs, however I wish to say that this write-up very pressured me to take a look at and do it! Your writing style has been surprised me. Thank you, quite great article.