Category Archives: Interviews

Interviewed on Graying Rainbows: Asexuality

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I was a guest on the podcast Graying Rainbows. Episode 52 discusses asexuality. Ginger Campbell hosted a lovely, sensitive interview with me.

This episode is an interview with Julie Sondra Decker, author of “The Invisible Orientation: An Introduction to Asexuality.” Most people acknowledge that sexual orientations includes homosexuals, bisexuals, and heterosexuals, but there is actually a fourth possibility. A person who identifies as asexual does not feel sexual attraction to anyone. Unfortunately, many assume that this represents a disease when actually it is part of normal human diversity. We discuss what asexuality IS as well as what it is NOT. Asexuality is about attraction NOT behavior.

Our goal is to embrace human diversity and acknowledge that each person’s identity should be respected as equally valid. If the idea of asexuality is new to you, I hope you will listen to this informative interview.

You can listen to the interview on Graying Rainbows’ website or check it out on their YouTube channel.

Spoke at WIND

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I was asked to give a talk about Pitch Wars and approaching traditional publication at the University of South Florida as part of one of their camps for young writers. I spoke to a group of 16- to 25-year-olds for about an hour in an informal presentation about the whys, hows, and whethers of agents and publishing. This was in association with the youth writing workshop WIND.

The group was small and attentive and someone brought their cat. 🙂

There weren’t too many questions and I didn’t get into any real dialogues with them or anything, but I felt like the presentation was probably useful for some of them. (I saw a few taking some notes.) I mostly went over how to make choices regarding traditional versus self-publishing, small publishers versus big ones, agents versus no agents, and then some nuts and bolts about how and why to write a query letter and approach agents, with some other info on what happens next and what to expect. It was fun to talk about this stuff again as I’ve not been involved in Pitch Wars for some time and my own writing-related stuff has really gotten buried under other life stuff.

I was able to go out to dinner afterwards with the organizer, Eric, and we had some nice Thai food and great conversation about short stories, publishing, science fiction, and being authors. Great time, I’d do it again.

 

Spoke at “Unthinking Sex, Imagining Asexuality” Book Celebration

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I was honored to be one of the guest authors (and the only author appearing by Skype!) at this spring’s “Unthinking Sex, Imagining Asexuality” book celebration at Little Sister’s Book and Art Emporium.


With other ace-spectrum authors Angela Chen, Lauren Jankowski, and Ela Przybylo, I discussed my book, its publication, its impact, and publishing in general.

Unfortunately my Skype connection was one of the worst I’ve had and I could not hear the other authors reliably. I couldn’t tell what they were saying enough of the time to really feel involved in the conversation, but sometimes I did get to hear a string of discussion that didn’t get interrupted, and it was a blast. I really wish I had been there in person, but I guess that’s what I get for trying to “appear” in another country an entire continent away, huh? My appearance ended abruptly when my connection shattered for good.


It is SO wonderful to know that asexuality and aromanticism are subjects of enough interest that we have MULTIPLE authors writing from MULTIPLE perspectives about MULTIPLE experiences of our orientations, and even more people out there wanting our words. It is so mind-blowing to remember that ten years ago the idea of an asexual or aromantic authors’ panel would have been a fantasy.

Now it’s a reality.

Upcoming Appearance: “Unthinking Sex, Imagining Asexuality”

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For anyone who might be interested, I’ll be appearing through Skype at an event called “Unthinking Sex, Imagining Asexuality” as one member of a book panel at Little Sister’s Book and Art Emporium, April 27, 2019, 7:30 PM Pacific Standard Time. This is in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

It was not practical for me to make the trip this year, so I’ll only be there virtually, discussing my book in the distinguished company of other asexuality authors Ela Przybylo, Lauren Jankowski, and Angel Chen.

My book will be available for purchase during and after the event.

Interview: Smash Pages

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I’m used to being interviewed about asexuality, but this time someone who became aware of my work through The Invisible Orientation ended up reaching out to me for an interview regarding my webcomics. It was a nice change to discuss something other than asexuality.

If you’d like some insight into my webcomics, my process, my thoughts on non-traditional media, my techniques, and my philosophy regarding art, I am linking the interview with Alex Dueben below.

Smash Pages Q&A: Julie Sondra Decker

Spoke at LGBTQ+ History Month at Wellesley: Asexuality and the LGBTQ+ Community: Past, Present, and Future

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As mentioned during the planning stages, I spoke at Wellesley College on October 14, 2018. I had an excellent time being hosted by the Wellesley Wildcards, who showed me incredible hospitality and made me feel very welcome through an overnight stay, a presentation, a lunch and dinner, and a hangout with the students.

Here is a video of my presentation.

Speaking at the 2018 Wellesley College LGBTQ History Month

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It’s been a while since I’ve accepted an invitation for a speaking opportunity, but I’m particularly excited about this upcoming talk!

I have been invited to Wellesley College later this month and will be giving a presentation/lecture entitled “Asexuality and the LGBTQ+ Community: Past, Present, and Future.”

I will discuss asexual- and aromantic-spectrum inclusion in broader LGBTQIA communities, covering a brief history of the asexual movement, ace/aro participation in activist and support spaces, the controversies and benefits associated with ace/aro inclusion, how heteronormativity affects our communities, and the future of ace/aro-friendly activism, education, and media. Plus I will have some social time with Wellesley’s asexual/aromantic organization, the Wellesley Wildcards.

This event is on October 16, 2018, at about 4:30 on a Tuesday.

My talk will be similar in content to the presentation I gave at University of Minnesota Twin Cities, but I will be attempting to focus more on where we’ve come from, where we are now, and where we want to see ourselves in the future. I hope to record my talk in a similar capacity to share it with my YouTube channel. I’ll bring a couple copies of my book to look at, provide “Asexual Bingo” freebies to take, and hopefully have time to do questions and answers at the end.