"I don't publish the books to make money, not at all." -- Peter Sotos
Peter Sotos (born April 17, 1960) is a Chicago-born writer and musician. In his books, Sotos examines sadistic sexual criminals and sexually violent pornography, particularly involving children. His writings are interpreted by some as commenting on media hypocrisy around these issues. His books are often first person narratives, taking on the point of view of the sexual predator in order to explore sadistic and pedophilic sexual impulses.
"And books that were published in much larger numbers than Selfish, Little are hard to find. And publishers who wanted to publish my last few works have them stuck in limbo while new distribution ideas and legal issues and fears are blown away.""But, right now, the situation is that almost all of my writing is out of print.""Further, for once, I like the idea that people who think I'm a constant voice for the furthering of the imagination have to see that interest in a more materialistic fashion.""Further, I'm obsessed with how language contorts and creates bodies.""I don't sell enough books to pay for the lawyers, however. And these various problems finally became too much.""I'm not trying to do conceptual art.""If you look at the publishers I've worked with, generally, they're a great bunch. Creation is unlike any other publishing house you can think of. The people I've worked with have integrity and intelligence and, almost always, less money than ideas.""In the past the publishers I've worked with have been extremely generous. And in almost every case, have been people who believed in the work rather than the sales and marketing.""Most of my books have caused distribution and printing problems in the past.""My introduction to the Brady book was an attempt to nail the exact same idea since Brady addressed the point. And since I write pornography, naturally, something of an obsession for me.""Once again, I think there is little art being done that really owns up to such intense possibilities.""The book grew out of the introduction I did for Brady's Gates of Janus. I knew that the writing in that introduction had a better than average chance of being read by people involved in Brady's life - parents of victims, police, Brady himself."
In Show Adult (2007), Sotos analyzes the TV shows Supernanny and To Catch a Predator as publicly acceptable forms of pornography. Predicate (2005) explores the Dunblane Massacre in Scotland in 1996 and the motives and life of the perpetrator Thomas Watt Hamilton. Other topics covered include Operation Ore, the Wonderland murders, Russian orphanages, Megan's Law, and non-nude teen websites.Comfort and Critique (2005) explores the hidden motives of reporters and citizens as shown by their reactions to sexual crimes.
In 1984, while the day care sex abuse hysteria phenomenon was sweeping the nation and while attending the Art Institute of Chicago, Sotos began producing the controversial magazine Pure, notable as the first zine dedicated to serial killer lore. The original publications are now collector's items.
In addition to offering many details about the crimes of serial killers and Nazis, the text in the magazine praises them, describing them using such terms as "genius", "glorious", "exemplary", and "illustrious". The text is juxtaposed with pictures and newspaper clippings relevant to the crimes discussed, showing that the media also abuse the victims. A short manifesto introducing the first issue says the magazine "satiates and encourages true lusts."
A photocopy from a magazine of child pornography was used as the cover of issue #2 of Pure. This cover led to Sotos's arrest on charges of obscenity and possession of child pornography. The charges of obscenity were later dropped, but Sotos pleaded guilty to the possession charge, receiving a suspended sentence. Despite his early legal troubles, and the seemingly fatal stigma of being falsely labeled a pedophile, Sotos continues to garner support for his ideas and literary output.
Pure Self published and released two issues, with a third having been completed before controversy of publication led to now-infamous trial.
Parasite Self published twenty issues.
Total Abuse: Collected Writings, 1984-1995: Pure, Tool, Parasite, 1995 (Goad to Hell Enterprises, Portland, OR, ISBN 1-111-17832-1, out of print).
Special, 1998 (Rude Shape, ISBN 1-890528-02-1, out of print).
Tick, 2000 (Creation Books, ISBN 1-84068-048-2).
Index, 2000 (Creation Books, ISBN 1-84068-010-5).
Lazy, 2000 (Creation Books, ISBN 1-84068-010-5).
Selfish, Little: The Annotated Leslie Ann Downey, 2004 (Void Books).
Proxy: Peter Sotos Pornography 1991-2000, 2005 (Creation Books), a compendium of five of Sotos' works (Tool, Special, Tick, Index and Lazy). First edition, with CD by Sotos and Steve Albini ([1]).
Comfort and Critique, 2005 (Void Books)
Predicate, 2005 (Creation Books)
Waitress, 2005 (Creation Books), Came as an extra for those who preordered a copy of Predicate from Creation Books
Show Adult, 2007 (Creation Books)
Waitress, 2007 (Creation Books) Separate volume from the one included with Predicate, came with orders of Show Adult in hardcover.
Lordotics, 2008 (Creation Books)
The Collected Peter Sotos Volume One, 2009 (Creation Books)
Waitress, 2009 (Creation Books) Third in a series of additional material offered in limited editions from Creation Came with pre orders of Perfect.
The Collected Peter Sotos Volume Two, 2009 (Creation Books)
Waitress, 2009 (Creation Books) Fourth in a series of additional material offered in limited editions from Creation Came with pre orders of Public.
The Collected Peter Sotos Volume Three, 2009 (Creation Books)
Waitress, 2009 (Creation Books) Fifth in a series of additional material offered in limited editions from Creation Came with pre orders of Private.
The Collected Peter Sotos Volume Four, 2010 (Creation Books)
