Secrets of a Webcam Girl: A Memoir

by Annabelle T. Baxter

From video vixen to happy endings—one woman reveals all!  

How far would you go to pay the bills? Secrets of a Webcam Girl is the true story of a woman's transition from business suit to birthday suit as a way to solve mo

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, Audiobook, Biography, Contemporary, Autobiography, Sexuality

272 pages, Paperback

First published December 15, 2011

Reviews

[Edgarr Alien Pooh · Rating 2 out of 5]

A bit voyeuristic, I know but I have a fascination with jobs people either don't want to do or do as a last resort. Annabelle turned to this after things became desperate financially although she was previously doing OK in real estate.

I can't say this was a great read. Two to three page chapters that felt like a brief summary, almost as though she really didn't want to get too in-depth. To be honest, the whole book read like she was assuming that is what goes on in the field and that she had never actually taken part in it. By this, I mean there really isn't anything that the 'average Joe' wouldn't think goes on.

She ventures out further from the Webcam world and becomes a semi-naked masseuse to make even more money. Each chapter covering this time frame is generally based on a particular client. She runs through the gamut of repulsive clients, abusive clients, clients she is attracted too, clients that ask for things she won't do, clients she pities, clients she understands and the like. Again, nothing more here than what you would assume happens in that environment.

Nothing as exciting as police raids on her illegal business, getting a famous client, being busted by her family or becoming wealthy. An extremely quick read based on the fact that four pages is the longest chapter. This read will be quickly forgotten too.

[Matt Kelland · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sex worker memoirs tend to fit into one of three categories.

The expose. Oh, how horrible it all is, if only people knew.
Pride. I like what I do, and I make good money. Don't judge me.
Contempt. All these guys are sad, but I'll take their money. It's a job.

This is one of the third category. It's emotionless, and just a chronicle of encounters made to seem as pedestrian as possible. It's not an interesting read except as an insight into how someone becomes jaded.

[Marina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Learned a lot about [spoiler alert!!] ---------------> body-rub girls... didn't even know what they were before, have never even heard of the profession. I mean, I know they exist, I just didn't know what they were called. It's an interesting insight into the life, though I'd like to have read more about the life of a webcam girl (which was only probably the first 1/5 (maybe less) of the book. I'm sure there would've been more interesting stories/issues there too if the person stayed in the webcam industry. I can understand that this is a memoir, so the book had to run its own course. The title then was a bit misleading...

[Lisa Wightman · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was very flat. I didn't feel like it was written by a real person, describing real events, very hollow. There was also a lot of repetition, where descriptions of people were given 2 or even 3 times, it's a short read and my memory's not that bad! I expected a sort of expose of the sex industry and I don't really think I know more than I did from reading newspapers and magazine articles. Bit boring to be honest.

[Nancy Bout · Rating 4 out of 5]

Second book on sex trade memoir and this was a very easy fast read.the writer is smart,witty!
I enjoyed this book & it opened my eyes to what happens in massage Parlors w happy endings lol!
Bottom line it was good,she added a nice touch of humor which is what I really enjoyed!!

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Financial struggles led the author to dipping her toes into the world of sex work to pay her bills. From online stripping and performing sex shows as a webcam girl she eventually moves to providing body rubs with "happy endings", and she has plenty of entertaining, salacious, occasionally cringeworthy gossip to share. A rather unusual memoir (for my reading habits at least - for all I know, there might be a gazillion sex worker memoirs out there) that proved to be surprisingly interesting.

[Luna and Co · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice read but... The title is misleading as camming is a tiny part of this book. I don't like the repeated slutshaming coming from the author.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is quite a vivid book, no details missed. I was curious as to what it might entail, so I gave it a shot. It actually surprised me in a good way.

Annabelle Baxter is a young woman living in the Rockies, trying to find steady income. After searching high and low, she stumbles upon an online ad for web cam girls. At first she plays it safe with just recruiting men, but after seeing where the real money lies, quickly moves up in the business. From there, she only delves deeper into the erotic job market.

From strip shows to happy endings, you get the full story. You see the creepy customers and the sexy, likeable customers. You hear the perks, and also the faults to being in such a sketchy business. The regulars who keep her afloat, and the one timers who fluster and run.

I found this a very entertaining read, but it's definitely not for the conservative reader. And definitely a mature, adult read. It will give you perspective, some laughs, and some shudders. So sit back and enjoy a lighthearted read about webcams and massages with happy endings, if you're up for it.

[Kay · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is another one of my Daily Selection of Free Kindle Downloads on Amazon (DSOA) from way back in March 2013, yes I am that far behind!

Originally I was interested in it as a part of the reference reading for my own novel, which has a high erotica content, and thought that it might be the usual full on but trite offerings that are so often seen.

I was totally, and happily wrong, it was so well written and very interesting. The Author gave a reasoned and entertaining view of her rise to, and life as, an Body Massage girl with happy endings (and sometimes beginnings).

My copy of the Kindle file has a much more appealing cover than this one, and I will at some point add the version of the cover I have.

Just two one very tiny typographical errors, meant that it was also a highly delivered quality ebook in that regard. If you're interested the Errors will (as usual) be listed on the full Blog Post #372 in September 2013 on my Blog.

5 stars from me.

[Helen Stothard · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought this originally as I was doing some research for a client I was working with.

This book made me cringe, it made me laugh out loud and it made me sad.

The book is actually very little to do with being a webcam girl but more about being a massage girl, apparently an illegal operation in the USA.

The authors descriptions of some of her clientelle are so well written you'd think you were in the same room, and that's why you'll cringe.

It's not what I'd call an erotic read, it certainly wouldn't persuade you to take up any of the occupations other than for the money either. It was shocking in a way that this well educated girl felt this was the only career open to her at the time.

It's an insightful look into a shady industry, but it's done with as much taste as possible, and made for an enjoyable read overall.

[Wanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my third sex trade memoir book, and probably my favorite so far. Annabelle Baxter is extremely candid about working as a webcam girl who transitions to erotic massuese due to the crappy economy. I like that she was very detailed about the actual business side of things, and she also shared many of her thoughts and feelings. She's also hilarious. When I read, "If ejaculate were rainbow-colored or flecked with sparkles, there might be something worthy to look at. To me, it looked like a runny nose." I knew I was going to enjoy this read. She also has a blog of the same name.

[Becky · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the first memoir book I've read so I didn't know what to expect.
It was like the tv series Secret Diary of a Call Girl, which I loved, but without the sex as Anna is a webcam girl who moves into the world of body rubs to make more money.
It was a quick easy read and an eye opener into the sex industry.

[Nicki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting reading. It’s quite short and reads like short blog posts (maybe they are blog posts, I understand the author writes one). I was expecting a little more about web cam work, but she moves out of that fairly early on in the book and goes into being a “rub girl”. Still entertaining reading about some of the customers.

[Andie Long · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you like Belle de Jour you'll enjoy this. Fascinating!

[Bookaholic · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this memoir. Made me giggle I rather a lot of places. Good book

[Georgie Zonneveld · Rating 3 out of 5]

Was alright, real easy read and interesting to see a glimpse into that kind of world.

[Danielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this one. There are definitely some strange ones out there! I guess different "strokes" for different folks fits the bill!

[Kit · Rating 3 out of 5]

Would have been better entitled secrets of a sex worker, but that does bring up thoughts of human trafficking.

[Carolyn D'Argenio · Rating 3 out of 5]

As far as reads go, this was a quickie. (Pun intended). They say you learn something new everyday. I learned a lot today. Actually, it was interesting to learn about this underground industry.

[Lisa Totten · Rating 5 out of 5]

So funny! Keep me so entertained.

[Kay Parsons · Rating 3 out of 5]

I expected this to be a sad story of salacious exploitation of naive, gormless men. Not so! Ms Baxter has taken advantage of a niche market in which the customer and the service provider have agreed on a product, with full terms and conditions up front. She tells her stories in a straightforward manner, how she deals with the men who want more, and are willing to pay for more. She describes some of her unusual customers (and frankly, no point in boring the reader with the "normal" ones, eh?), but never judgemental, and always accommodating. One customer has lost so much weight that his skin sagged like an apron; another was so fat, that he paid her another $10 to tie his shoes. These anecdotes are told as a matter of fact.
This was a good, easy to read insight into the sex industry. (The author's other job is real estate. I can now see that there is a connection . . .)
Recommended.

[Jillian · Rating 1 out of 5]

Wow. DNF this free audiobook from audible. Thought I was in for a sex-positive memoir about a woman’s experience with cam work but immediately was bombarded with a ton of judgemental kink shaming. When we get to the part about how normal aka GROSS all these strippers’ bodies are, I was pretty much done. A little advice: if you’re going to write a memoir about being a cam girl, maybe you shouldn’t be the first to shame men with unusual kinks and female sex workers who don’t have big enough breasts or have cellulite. Yeesh. Maybe this would have gotten better if I kept going, but I don’t have the patience for this.

[Miki · Rating 2 out of 5]

While this could have been a very interesting book, and while I'm all for normalizing and decriminalizing sex work, there were a few things about it that left me with a sour taste.

I wasn't terribly fond of the kink shaming and body shaming. While she didn't do either to the client's face, and while she has every right to feel the way she does, it didn't sit right with me for her to judge these men for what turns them on.

There were also a few moments of low key racism that I wasn't too happy with.

Overall, I'd love to see more of these stories, but this isn't one I'll be recommending

[Luna · Rating 3 out of 5]

First book of 2024 done and dusted.

Fun. That's about what I'd call it. Picked this up for a lark. This book is based on a blog the author used to run (and I wish I could find it now). Don't let the title fool you- Baxter only dabbled in being a cam girl before switching over to happy ending massages.

By the end of the book, she's still playing masseuse, but the book itself is over ten years old. I'd love to know what she's doing now.

[Ellison · Rating 4 out of 5]

About an educated woman who is not making enough in real estate so she resorts to exhibiting herself on a web cam for funds, shares surreal encounters.

Not satisfied with that she looks into escort and then gets a 'studio' where she provides $120 an hour ma$$ages, shares surreal encounters. Funny and sad. Her boyfriend is not supportive. Swearing, adult content.

[Aussie Jo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Always interesting to read about different worlds that I will never be a part of. Easy to pick up and put down, not heavy reading.
I finished it (something I don’t do if it’s not interesting!).
Not a lot of substance and slightly repetitive.
A quick read, lots of short half filled and blank pages.

I would probably recommend it to the right person.

[Dhamiera Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I guess I thought this would be more like a story rather than an actual memoire. the details were interesting, but dull at the same time. I finished it because I'm stubborn not because it was interesting.

[Jeremy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very interesting read. Well written with lots of surprising details

[Chip Hopper · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not a bad book, but mostly just a journal of experiences with no real digging into controversial topics.

[Shelby · Rating 2 out of 5]

Despite the pretentious, redundant and aggravating writing style of this book, I am affected enough that I will never trust a man again lmao