by William Dean
(12/01/2004)

Clean Sheets (CS): You recently published a new anthology of erotic fiction with the theme of threesomes. Do you think threesomes, in whatever combination, are more prevalent among the twenty-somethings, or are they for people of all ages?

Alison Tyler (AT): I really enjoyed putting together Three-Way. As someone who has experienced several different ménage à trois and ménage-a-multiple scenarios, I've always had an affection for sexual groupings of more than two. My very first true ménage occurred on the night of a wild L.A. storm. There was a blackout, twisting ivory candles stuck into empty wine bottles, and a king-sized bed covered with expensive, slippery-soft sheets. And there was a beautiful blonde editor from the newspaper where I worked, her handsome dark-eyed actor roommate, and me. The night was ripe with possibilities, and that was the sensation I wanted to bring to the collection. I very much hope that I succeeded!

I personally think that all ages find the concept sexy. Definitely. Perhaps there are more spontaneous occurrences for threesomes when people are in their early 20s, but I don't think the idea ever gets old. In fact, if you read through any personal ad section, you'll find a host of mature married couples seeking an extra partner or two for added sexual friction.

CS: As you mention in your introduction to the book, we never really forget our first threesome. What is it, do you think, about that first experience beyond the one-on-one that makes a threesome such a delicious erotic experience?

AT: By adding one more person to the standard sex scene, you've immediately offered more of a chance to be a voyeur. To take a step back. To watch. I find that unbelievably sexy. In Dawn M. Pare's fantastic story "Third Party," she does an excellent job in describing the more passive role of the woman for the first part of the ménage. Watching can be so fucking erotic. But then, once you're involved, there is also more of a chance to be cast in the beloved role of one who is adored. I think N. T. Morley's piece "The New Fiancée" is a great example of this.

When I was with two college friends, Mike and Jon, on a night of much tequila, I remember being spread out on the floor between the two of them and having Mike run his fingers over the fly of my faded jeans again and again before finally popping the buttons one by one. Jon spent his time stroking my long, black-cherry curls, cupping my chin, kissing me. There was so much stimulation it was difficult not to feel worshipped. That was my first tentative tango into a ménage. We didn't "go all the way," but I could tell precisely how much of a turn-on a real threesome was going to be in the future.

CS: It seems there are differences among threesome participants and the "rules of the game." Obviously for bisexuals, it's the best of all possible worlds, but what can happen if one or more participants aren't in the least bisexual? And how do you separate the bi-curious from the merely shy-at-first?

AT: Wine.

No, I'm kidding. I have to admit that I've never had this problem. I've been with two guys who focused solely on me and never on one another. I've been with a man and a woman and we turned the night into a topsy-turvy lovefest. And I've been with threesomes and moresomes who had no fear at all of experimentation. But I guess the easiest way to solve the problem would be to take the ménage a trois to a ménage a quatre. With two couples, the problem disappears, because a man who isn't interested in being with another man, has two women to focus on.

CS: You make a humorous reference in the introduction that if a threesome is two guys and a woman, it's really a "gangbang." Does that hold true if it's two women and a man, too?

AT: This is just something I read years ago in the Playboy advisor. I don't know if it's a "true" definition -- but the concept was that two girls and a guy equals ménage, two guys and a girl equals gangbang. I have to say, I don't really think that's necessarily true. My personal vision of a "gangbang" is much more along the lines of the one in Hubert Selby's Last Exit to Brooklyn than me, Anthony Kiedis, and Trent Reznor.

CS: In an old film called The Green Man, the character played by Albert Finney finally gets his wife and mistress to go for a threesome, only to find that he's left out because "there's nothing for me to do." Do you think threesomes can become so intense between two of the three that the "third wheel" literally falls out of the relationship?

AT: That hasn't happened to me, personally, although I understand the concept. I suppose I've been lucky. But I think if the communication is open, partners should be able to work this out. If someone is feeling ignored, it should be obvious to the other players, and they should work to remedy the situation. Although this might ruin some of the spontaneity, I think that if it is a concern, partners should address it ahead of time.

CS: Can threesomes become addictive, or should they mostly be occasional spice to a relationship?

AT: When I was young, I found myself in a four-year relationship that featured no threesomes. Nothing kinky at all, actually. My ex had been involved in some wild behavior prior to meeting me, which he'd confessed early on in sort of a bait-and-switch conversation. ("Look what I've done! I'll never do it with you!") But he felt that with the woman he hoped to marry, he needed to behave in a more "normal" way.

As soon as we broke up, I started to test boundaries. In subsequent relationships, I made certain that things were much more free. So I believe the type of relationship dictates the amount of kinkiness. If a couple is comfortable with an every-weekend ménage, then more power to them. If once a year is enough to fuel their fantasies, then that's fine, too. Sometimes simply reading stories in a book is enough. Other people need to sink their teeth into a situation themselves.

CS: What were some of the interesting combinations of threesome stories that didn't make the anthology? What did they lack that the accepted stories had?

AT: Stories that didn't make the cut weren't rejected on the basis of types of group sex. In fact, I think two of the stories in the book prove that: Tom Piccirilli's unbelievably creative piece "Craving Faces" features a ménage à trois with a man, a woman, and her alter ego tattoo. Marcelle Perks' group sex scene in "The Scarless" involves an unnamed quantity of men wearing rubber suits, each one taking turns plunging into the narrator. I accepted stories that featured multiple partners, and others that were true ménage à trois.

Generally, I reject stories for any anthologies for the following reasons:

I have already chosen something similar. This is very common.

The writing doesn't grab me. I need something to capture my interest in the first paragraph.

The length is wrong (much too long/short).

The story has appeared in too many similar publications.

The author is a diva about changes. Occasionally, I'll accept a piece on condition of edits, and an author will refuse. This happened with a story containing a flashback to early teenage sex. The author felt the flashback was necessary to the piece, and I valued her opinion, but couldn't use the story.

Occasionally, I accept a story that a publisher will later reject. Almost always I am able to find a home for the piece in another collection. I'm passionate about the stories that I like. I don't want them to disappear into the void.

CS: Do you think threesomes as an erotica "niche" have the potential for a sub-sub genre on their own? Will we ever see, for example, a Best Of Threesome Stories annual anthology?

AT: People adore the sexy idea of ménages. After my first real ménage-a-trios, I confessed my recent experience to a man I was seeing (more fucking than dating). His reaction was classic. He couldn't wait to be with me again, and he wanted to hear me tell the story repeatedly. How Ava and I took turns sucking Josh's cock. How Josh stroked Ava's breasts while she went down on me. The story never got old for him. So I wouldn't be surprised at all if there was an annual Threesome Anthology. And I'd love the job of editing the book!

CS: If someone wanted to explore the best potential for inaugurating a threesome, what are the three most important things that might help them achieve success?

AT: 1) Be open minded. You might think that you won't mind seeing your partner receiving pleasure from another party, but this just might not turn out to be the right fantasy for you.

2) Respect your partners' boundaries. Pushing someone into a situation isn't fun for anyone.

3) Start slowly so nobody feels pressured or uncomfortable. It's always easier to move forward in intensity than backward.

CS: Finally, if you could magically participate in a real threesome with any two people, from fiction, reality, or history, whom would you choose and why?

AT: Oh, I have to say this is by far my favorite question. But I'm going to be a bit greedy. I'd want to create several menages... First, I'd choose Gene Hackman circa The Firm and Lena Olin from The Unbearable Lightness of Being. Both seem to me to have the potential to be extremely kinky. And I have always had a thing for older men.

Next, I'd choose a delivery man who worked at the beauty supply store where I was a stock girl in the 1980s. I was too young to act on our attraction, but I know what he'd be like in bed. I'd accompany him with a man named Kelly who I dated in the 1990s. He was the produce manager of a grocery store in West L.A. The concept of being in a sandwich between these two strong guys absolutely sends me.

Finally, I'd create a sex party -- not a ménage, per se, but a group of overlapping limbs and bodies. And I'd invite all of my crushes. I'm a bit of a rock and roll junkie, so along with Sam (my forever partner), I'd send out invitations to Mick Jagger, David Bowie, Dave Gilmour, Joe Perry, Jim Morrison, Robbie Robertson, Elvis, Debra Harry, Chrissie Hynde, Robert Smith, and then a few other addictions: Stephen Rea, Hart Bochner, Naomi Watts, Russell Crowe, James Gandolfini, Gerard Depardieu. I know, I need more girls! Maybe the ladies from the Crazy Horse just to spread a bit of sweetness.

Ultimately, I think that threesomes (or moresomes) can be sexy for couples at any stage or for singles who want to experience the passion of more than one partner. For the ménage-curious, I hope that Three-Way provides a door into a fantasy world brimming over with possibilities. For those who are already into the ménage à trois scene, I hope that Three-Way brings back fond memories. I know it did for me.

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