Two Very Special Engagements

Where to begin. No one but my husband can truly appreciate not only what this book project has entailed for the past three plus years, but also, what the last five months has involved since I sent the manuscript for Golden Goddesses to my publisher, BearManor Media, on the 30th of June. Planning not one, but two Hollywood parties from three thousand miles away and another country, isn't as easy as one might think. Thanks to the cooperation and hospitality of the folks at Hustler Hollywood and to Jeff at Larry Edmunds Bookshop, not to mention artisan Tom at Cake and Art, we were able to make it happen and with great success.

I should backtrack just a bit to say that two days before the kick-off, I was a guest on Playboy Spice Radio with hosts, Christy Canyon and Ginger Lynn. They are excellent hosts and we had a great time. Both ladies received copies of the book that afternoon. The following day, I was surprised and pleased when Ginger phoned to thank me for portraying her and her colleagues in a beautiful light. She'd gone home the night before and read four chapters. (Given the size of the book, I give her a lot of credit!) You can't buy that kind of affirmation which really means a lot as the facilitator of this story. Amber Lynn has since expressed a similar sentiment. Thank you so much ladies.

Writing this book has been a once in a lifetime experience. Given the subject matter, some might have believed when I set out that I'd saddled myself with a monster of a project most writers (and readers) wouldn't want to touch with a ten foot pole. After all, this book is not about a woman's fantasy sexual exploit akin to the likes of the Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy by novelist E. L. James. Rather, Golden Goddesses is about truth and heartache, strength, humour and acceptance. It is a book about women and it is reality. Like most good ideas, "Goddesses" ignited with a flame and it expanded. Once the seedling was planted, the process seemed to take on steam and a natural course of events. In other words, it felt right. The ladies, all twenty-five, have supported me along the way like any sisters might, by being frank and honest and funny and open and kind. Collectively, they sent and approved photos, proofed their interview transcripts, shared ideas, offered suggestions, discussed their films, wrote poetry, tolerated my amateur photography skills, exchanged emails, returned telephone calls, and one of them even designed the book's front cover. And as if that isn't enough, they helped me launch the book about their lives, by joining me in Los Angeles over two nights to share in the celebration. Some of the women traveled from Northern California and from Colorado to be there which really touched me. This experience has been an exhilarating and emotional journey, which finally culminated in the extraordinary events of the past week.

Last Thursday evening on November 29th at the Hustler Hollywood flagship store on Sunset Boulevard, was an experience like nothing I have ever before encountered. Flanked by fifteen beautiful ladies seated at several tables, I stood next to our Master of Ceremonies, Bill Margold, and stared in absolute awe at the throngs of fans, press and papparazi, who came out in droves to photograph and engage with this amazing all-star cast of women that included: Kay Parker, Serena, Nina Hartley, Rhonda Jo Petty, Sharon Mitchell, Veronica Hart, Annie Sprinkle, Ginger Lynn, Amber Lynn, Christy Canyon, Kitten Nativdad, Kelly Nichols, Laurie Holmes, Julia St. Vincent, Raven Touchstone. Debi Diamond also joined the group. The estimated guest list at the store was well over 200, and for a girl from a relatively quiet neighbourhood in Southern Ontario, Canada, this was something to behold. The cake, created in the design of the front and back covers of the book, was beautifully crafted as we toasted the night with champagne. My husband and twenty-three year old daughter shared in the celebration....We three are still stupefied and electrified.


On Friday evening, the 30th, we made an encore appearance with ten of the ladies from the previous evening coming out in the rain (yes, rain) where they again wowed a loving crowd of people that filled the store to the rafters. The store's owner, Jeff, did an outstanding job accommodating the guests and keeping things running smoothly. Margold was terrific acting as MC once more, and after I read the book's introduction, we opened the floor to a Q&A with the audience and media before the book signing began. Thanks to the ladies and to all involved, we are very proud to announce that every single copy of Golden Goddesses in Hollywood last weekend, was sold out at both stores.
 

Special guests over the course of both evenings in addition to the women, were Marilyn Chambers' best friend Peggy McGinn and her husband Darcy. They are a wonderful couple who offered to drive my daughter back to our B&B on Thursday evening (she had flown to L.A. from Ottawa, Ontario, the day before) after the festivities. Believe it or not, she had a paper due on Friday. Carly Mills, daughter of the sexploitation actress Barbara Mills, spoke from the heart about her late mother. Prior to her words, Carly told me she'd read her mother's chapter the night before and was elated that she could share the book with friends and family. Ann Perry's step-son, Roger Perry, also attended Thursday night on behalf of his family and mother who is unwell due to Alzheimer's. Photographers and contributors to the book, Joel Sussman (who shot the beautiful cover image of Serena), Paul Johnson, a close friend of the late Juliet Anderson, and Kenji, were also there to support the ladies as was legendary Johnny Wadd director Bob Chinn; the former adult actor Richard Pacheco, and directors Roy Karch and Cass Paley. My cousin Val and his buddy also came out to be with us on the second evening. You're the best, Val.

Only once before did I have the opportunity to stand in gratitude after more than four years of hard work when my friend and co-author Jennifer Sugar and I held our book launch at Book Soup in Hollywood on August 8th, 2008 for the release of John Holmes: A Life Measured in Inches. I thought about Jennifer on Thursday evening while milling in and amongst the crowd and I smiled at the recollection of another sensational evening.

On Sunday, we left Los Angeles for Encinitas, California to rest up, visit with our friend and pinch ourselves in astonishment that we actually pulled it off before returning home on Tuesday evening. To all of the Goddesses and to everyone who came out to meet and greet the fabulous ladies, we couldn't have done it without you. Thank you for the memories.

A special thanks to Carl Gerard and Dominic Ace for sharing photos (and video) taken and shot at Hustler Hollywood, and to Amanda Brooks for sharing photos taken at the Larry Edmunds' event. Thank you to David Edwards for sharing photos over both evenings, and also to Kenji for pictures taken at Larry Edmunds. Videographer Rob Clampett will also be sharing footage from the Hustler event in forthcoming weeks in addition to photos to be posted here and on facebook.

Additional photos can be viewed at the following links here: Hustler Photos by Emmreport
and here: Hollywood.com