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Shocking Pink
In a hilarious blow by blow account of what goes on behind the scenes of X-rated movie production, Shocking Pink provides a riveting glimpse of the colorful characters and outrageous situations in a veiled and fascinating world where sex, money, entertainment, and celebrities connect in a billion-dollar global industry.
Adult movie producer, Travis Lazar, is a man who will always do the right thing when he has exhausted all other possibilities. Tiffany West, the hottest porn star in Los Angeles, is hell for him to handle. When Travis is nominated at the bombastic annual awards in Las Vegas, the ceremony is full of unexpected twists, which propel Travis and Tiffany on a collision course.
In this romp through the day-to-day life of a porn producer, the savvy dealmaker has to deal with volatile Middle Eastern executives, mutiny by members of the crew, starstruck starlets, rival producers, angry moguls, the mob, the Vice Squad, the FBI, two court cases (one civil, one criminal), as well as the Diva herself and, along the way, engineer the takeover of the biggest studio in the industry.
Just when you thought everything had been stripped bare, Shocking Pink is a lively story that reveals more than you could possibly imagine.
Adult movie producer, Travis Lazar, is a man who will always do the right thing when he has exhausted all other possibilities. Tiffany West, the hottest porn star in Los Angeles, is hell for him to handle. When Travis is nominated at the bombastic annual awards in Las Vegas, the ceremony is full of unexpected twists, which propel Travis and Tiffany on a collision course.
In this romp through the day-to-day life of a porn producer, the savvy dealmaker has to deal with volatile Middle Eastern executives, mutiny by members of the crew, starstruck starlets, rival producers, angry moguls, the mob, the Vice Squad, the FBI, two court cases (one civil, one criminal), as well as the Diva herself and, along the way, engineer the takeover of the biggest studio in the industry.
Just when you thought everything had been stripped bare, Shocking Pink is a lively story that reveals more than you could possibly imagine.
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Published July 10, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
April 24, 2023
This short novel by Stuart Canterbury is a fictional story of the happenings in the porn and X-rated movie business. The story provides a behind the scenes look at this billion dollar industry.
While the story was interesting, the writing was amateurish. The characters were one-dimensional, with none of them feeling real, not even the protagonist, Travis Lazar, nor the supporting character of Tiffany West. I never felt any empathy for any of the characters. None of them were interesting enough for me to care about them. The book was difficult to finish as I just did not want to pick it up to continue reading it. But I did finally make it to the end. Thankfully, it is a short book.
The story involves a number of suspenseful elements, including company mergers, an FBI raid, diva drama (lots of diva drama), company takeovers, a suicide, and a couple of lawsuits between rivals. If this setting is of interest to you, perhaps you may enjoy it more than I did, but for me it fell very flat.
While the story was interesting, the writing was amateurish. The characters were one-dimensional, with none of them feeling real, not even the protagonist, Travis Lazar, nor the supporting character of Tiffany West. I never felt any empathy for any of the characters. None of them were interesting enough for me to care about them. The book was difficult to finish as I just did not want to pick it up to continue reading it. But I did finally make it to the end. Thankfully, it is a short book.
The story involves a number of suspenseful elements, including company mergers, an FBI raid, diva drama (lots of diva drama), company takeovers, a suicide, and a couple of lawsuits between rivals. If this setting is of interest to you, perhaps you may enjoy it more than I did, but for me it fell very flat.
October 3, 2023
This review originally published in Looking For a Good Book. Rated 2.0 of 5
The adult movie industry (aka 'porn') is a billion dollar industry, meaning there are a lot of people watching (and paying to watch) porn. But few people really know the industry - the ins and outs and what happens off-screen.
Travis Lazar is a porn producer and Tiffany West is the hottest actress in the industry at the moment. The two of them working together could bring the industry to its knees before them. But because there's big money in porn, there are a lot of investors and would-be investors all wanting a piece of the action. And despite the money, there are laws on the books and federal agents always looking to make an example of workers in porn.
But the biggest threats to both Travis and Tiffany aren't the investors or the feds - it's the other men and women (especially the women) working in the industry. And now, with the biggest awards night on the horizon, tensions are tighter than ... well, tensions are tight.
The 'hook' to this book is not the book or the story, but the author. Stuart Canterbury is a long-time adult industry film (porn) producer. But having insider knowledge of something doesn't mean you can suddenly write about it or tell a good story.
The writing here is, at best, fine. There is a lack of focus here, stemming, most likely, from the author's insider knowledge and trying to make sure to include clever tidbits. I struggled to find an interesting storyline (there are a couple).
But the bigger problem with the book is the flatness of the characters. Tiffany and Travis are the most well defined, but that's not saying much. Neither really steps beyond the anticipated stereotype of a porn actress and a porn producer. It certainly tries to show that these people are more than what we see on the screen - the unbridled lust and constant 'need' for sex - is just an act, but the non-screen personas are greatly less interesting than the characters they play. And we also get an awkward dichotomy - the characters want to show us they are more than the porn movies they make, but the porn movies and porn industry is all consuming to them (as evidenced by the anxiety surrounding the awards).
The book is supposed to be funny, but even here, Canterbury doesn't quite play this very well. The humor either comes off as forced or in the wrong place (and the reader asks "is that humor or just a comment?").
There are plenty of adult industry themed books out there, with many of them written by 'insiders' but no matter what the subject, a novel needs to tell a story and this just doesn't click.
Looking for a good book? Shocking Pink by Stuart Canterbury is a novel set in the world of the porn industry, but it lacks focus and characters that we can actually get interested in.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through LibraryThing, in exchange for an honest review.
The adult movie industry (aka 'porn') is a billion dollar industry, meaning there are a lot of people watching (and paying to watch) porn. But few people really know the industry - the ins and outs and what happens off-screen.
Travis Lazar is a porn producer and Tiffany West is the hottest actress in the industry at the moment. The two of them working together could bring the industry to its knees before them. But because there's big money in porn, there are a lot of investors and would-be investors all wanting a piece of the action. And despite the money, there are laws on the books and federal agents always looking to make an example of workers in porn.
But the biggest threats to both Travis and Tiffany aren't the investors or the feds - it's the other men and women (especially the women) working in the industry. And now, with the biggest awards night on the horizon, tensions are tighter than ... well, tensions are tight.
The 'hook' to this book is not the book or the story, but the author. Stuart Canterbury is a long-time adult industry film (porn) producer. But having insider knowledge of something doesn't mean you can suddenly write about it or tell a good story.
The writing here is, at best, fine. There is a lack of focus here, stemming, most likely, from the author's insider knowledge and trying to make sure to include clever tidbits. I struggled to find an interesting storyline (there are a couple).
But the bigger problem with the book is the flatness of the characters. Tiffany and Travis are the most well defined, but that's not saying much. Neither really steps beyond the anticipated stereotype of a porn actress and a porn producer. It certainly tries to show that these people are more than what we see on the screen - the unbridled lust and constant 'need' for sex - is just an act, but the non-screen personas are greatly less interesting than the characters they play. And we also get an awkward dichotomy - the characters want to show us they are more than the porn movies they make, but the porn movies and porn industry is all consuming to them (as evidenced by the anxiety surrounding the awards).
The book is supposed to be funny, but even here, Canterbury doesn't quite play this very well. The humor either comes off as forced or in the wrong place (and the reader asks "is that humor or just a comment?").
There are plenty of adult industry themed books out there, with many of them written by 'insiders' but no matter what the subject, a novel needs to tell a story and this just doesn't click.
Looking for a good book? Shocking Pink by Stuart Canterbury is a novel set in the world of the porn industry, but it lacks focus and characters that we can actually get interested in.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through LibraryThing, in exchange for an honest review.
September 14, 2022
‘Imagine if people knew the truth’ – Inside the X-rated adults only industry!
California author Stuart Canterbury gained his fame and credentials for writing a book about the making of pornography as a veteran producer-director in the adult movie industry. Incredibly, he has over 300 major feature films to his credit and awards (not only from applauding audiences) but also from the industry. He has produced and directed titles for studios such as Penthouse, Hustler, Brazzers, Adam and Eve, Arrow, Video Marc Dorcel, among others. In other words, he knows this business `top to bottom' and here in his debut novel he proves he also knows how to write.
What Stuart has produced is a factual behind the scenes glimpse at the pornography (uh, X-Rated!) film creations where sex, money, entertainment and celebrity connect in a billion-dollar global industry. Continuing his stride that began with TURNING BLUE, he has written a sequel SHOCKING PINK, once again ‘validating’ his story with a chart of the cast of characters as the book opens, then revving up the excitement from page one – ‘ If anyone were watching Travis Lazar, one crisp January morning in Las Vegas, where the illustrious producer was attending the largest adult entertainment convention in the world, any observer would have been mystified…Travis weaved his way down the crowded aisles lined with a phantasmagoria of stands, displays, banners, and enormous advertisements to promote brands, studios, stars and movies which comprised the billion-dollar, global X-rated industry….’ The plot: Adult movie producer Travis Lazar, is a man who will always do the right thing – when he has exhausted all other possibilities. Tiffany West, the hottest porn star in Los Angeles, is hell for him to handle. When Travis is nominated at the bombastic annual awards in Las Vegas, the ceremony is full of unexpected twists, which propel Travis and Tiffany on a collision course. In this romp through the day-to-day life of a porn producer, the savvy dealmaker has to deal with the volatile Middle Eastern executives, mutiny by member so the crew, starstruck starlets, rival producers, angry moguls, the mob, the Vice Squad, the FBI, two court cases (one civil, one criminal) as well as the Diva herself and, along the way, engineer the takeover of the biggest studio in the industry.’
That whets the appetite, but what makes this novel zing is Stuart’s uncanny ability to scintillate the imagination, opening windows into the machinations of the adult porn industry! Would that a cinema adaptation of these two novels could be created…!!!
Merged review:
‘Imagine if people knew the truth’ – Inside the X-rated adults only industry!
California author Stuart Canterbury gained his fame and credentials for writing a book about the making of pornography as a veteran producer-director in the adult movie industry. Incredibly, he has over 300 major feature films to his credit and awards (not only from applauding audiences) but also from the industry. He has produced and directed titles for studios such as Penthouse, Hustler, Brazzers, Adam and Eve, Arrow, Video Marc Dorcel, among others. In other words, he knows this business `top to bottom' and here in his debut novel he proves he also knows how to write.
What Stuart has produced is a factual behind the scenes glimpse at the pornography (uh, X-Rated!) film creations where sex, money, entertainment and celebrity connect in a billion-dollar global industry. Continuing his stride that began with TURNING BLUE, he has written a sequel SHOCKING PINK, once again ‘validating’ his story with a chart of the cast of characters as the book opens, then revving up the excitement from page one – ‘ If anyone were watching Travis Lazar, one crisp January morning in Las Vegas, where the illustrious producer was attending the largest adult entertainment convention in the world, any observer would have been mystified…Travis weaved his way down the crowded aisles lined with a phantasmagoria of stands, displays, banners, and enormous advertisements to promote brands, studios, stars and movies which comprised the billion-dollar, global X-rated industry….’ The plot: Adult movie producer Travis Lazar, is a man who will always do the right thing – when he has exhausted all other possibilities. Tiffany West, the hottest porn star in Los Angeles, is hell for him to handle. When Travis is nominated at the bombastic annual awards in Las Vegas, the ceremony is full of unexpected twists, which propel Travis and Tiffany on a collision course. In this romp through the day-to-day life of a porn producer, the savvy dealmaker has to deal with the volatile Middle Eastern executives, mutiny by member so the crew, starstruck starlets, rival producers, angry moguls, the mob, the Vice Squad, the FBI, two court cases (one civil, one criminal) as well as the Diva herself and, along the way, engineer the takeover of the biggest studio in the industry.’
That whets the appetite, but what makes this novel zing is Stuart’s uncanny ability to scintillate the imagination, opening windows into the machinations of the adult porn industry! Would that a cinema adaptation of these two novels could be created…!!!
California author Stuart Canterbury gained his fame and credentials for writing a book about the making of pornography as a veteran producer-director in the adult movie industry. Incredibly, he has over 300 major feature films to his credit and awards (not only from applauding audiences) but also from the industry. He has produced and directed titles for studios such as Penthouse, Hustler, Brazzers, Adam and Eve, Arrow, Video Marc Dorcel, among others. In other words, he knows this business `top to bottom' and here in his debut novel he proves he also knows how to write.
What Stuart has produced is a factual behind the scenes glimpse at the pornography (uh, X-Rated!) film creations where sex, money, entertainment and celebrity connect in a billion-dollar global industry. Continuing his stride that began with TURNING BLUE, he has written a sequel SHOCKING PINK, once again ‘validating’ his story with a chart of the cast of characters as the book opens, then revving up the excitement from page one – ‘ If anyone were watching Travis Lazar, one crisp January morning in Las Vegas, where the illustrious producer was attending the largest adult entertainment convention in the world, any observer would have been mystified…Travis weaved his way down the crowded aisles lined with a phantasmagoria of stands, displays, banners, and enormous advertisements to promote brands, studios, stars and movies which comprised the billion-dollar, global X-rated industry….’ The plot: Adult movie producer Travis Lazar, is a man who will always do the right thing – when he has exhausted all other possibilities. Tiffany West, the hottest porn star in Los Angeles, is hell for him to handle. When Travis is nominated at the bombastic annual awards in Las Vegas, the ceremony is full of unexpected twists, which propel Travis and Tiffany on a collision course. In this romp through the day-to-day life of a porn producer, the savvy dealmaker has to deal with the volatile Middle Eastern executives, mutiny by member so the crew, starstruck starlets, rival producers, angry moguls, the mob, the Vice Squad, the FBI, two court cases (one civil, one criminal) as well as the Diva herself and, along the way, engineer the takeover of the biggest studio in the industry.’
That whets the appetite, but what makes this novel zing is Stuart’s uncanny ability to scintillate the imagination, opening windows into the machinations of the adult porn industry! Would that a cinema adaptation of these two novels could be created…!!!
Merged review:
‘Imagine if people knew the truth’ – Inside the X-rated adults only industry!
California author Stuart Canterbury gained his fame and credentials for writing a book about the making of pornography as a veteran producer-director in the adult movie industry. Incredibly, he has over 300 major feature films to his credit and awards (not only from applauding audiences) but also from the industry. He has produced and directed titles for studios such as Penthouse, Hustler, Brazzers, Adam and Eve, Arrow, Video Marc Dorcel, among others. In other words, he knows this business `top to bottom' and here in his debut novel he proves he also knows how to write.
What Stuart has produced is a factual behind the scenes glimpse at the pornography (uh, X-Rated!) film creations where sex, money, entertainment and celebrity connect in a billion-dollar global industry. Continuing his stride that began with TURNING BLUE, he has written a sequel SHOCKING PINK, once again ‘validating’ his story with a chart of the cast of characters as the book opens, then revving up the excitement from page one – ‘ If anyone were watching Travis Lazar, one crisp January morning in Las Vegas, where the illustrious producer was attending the largest adult entertainment convention in the world, any observer would have been mystified…Travis weaved his way down the crowded aisles lined with a phantasmagoria of stands, displays, banners, and enormous advertisements to promote brands, studios, stars and movies which comprised the billion-dollar, global X-rated industry….’ The plot: Adult movie producer Travis Lazar, is a man who will always do the right thing – when he has exhausted all other possibilities. Tiffany West, the hottest porn star in Los Angeles, is hell for him to handle. When Travis is nominated at the bombastic annual awards in Las Vegas, the ceremony is full of unexpected twists, which propel Travis and Tiffany on a collision course. In this romp through the day-to-day life of a porn producer, the savvy dealmaker has to deal with the volatile Middle Eastern executives, mutiny by member so the crew, starstruck starlets, rival producers, angry moguls, the mob, the Vice Squad, the FBI, two court cases (one civil, one criminal) as well as the Diva herself and, along the way, engineer the takeover of the biggest studio in the industry.’
That whets the appetite, but what makes this novel zing is Stuart’s uncanny ability to scintillate the imagination, opening windows into the machinations of the adult porn industry! Would that a cinema adaptation of these two novels could be created…!!!
May 11, 2023
Stuart Canterbury prefaces Shocking Pink with a quote from—seriously—Pope John Paul II: "The problem with pornography is not that it shows too much of the person, but that it shows far too little."
And that, indeed, is the power of this novel. Despite its subject matter—X-rated, adult-film making—and even with its occasional insertion (sorry, couldn't help it) of naughty language, body references, and spicy movie scenes that are more alluded to than described, the muscle of Canterbury's story is not that it shows too much nakedness, but that it shows a lot of humanness.
This is a story of people who, like the rest of us, struggle every day for food, shelter, freedom, and affirmation. That its characters just happen to be in the pornographic-movie business is secondary. Canterbury's heroes and villains are real, believable, and all-too familiar. They, like we, conspire for accomplices, build defenses to protect our careers and families, and, when necessary, concoct plans to destroy our enemies.
It's a story not of carnal desire, but of the will to survive.
Canterbury delves into the minds and motivations of his characters, their fears, internal and external quarrels, machinations for protection and revenge. He brilliantly uses descriptive details that make the reader feel part of the physical and emotional action (e.g., "...the little white [roulette] ball bounced from slot to slot, selecting its preference. ...the sound the wheel made clacking around, and the clatter of the stack of chips portioned in front of him as he toyed with them between his fingertips. ... Tiny reflections played on the grooves of the wheel.") And, despite the sometimes hilarious names of his film stars and producers—Mariana Trench; Blimp Pullman; Summer Rainfall; Ginger Vitus; Luigi Pinocchio; Oscar Lowport—his sense of humor is more ingenious wit than pornographic slapstick.
Examples:
"His signature floral muumuu blended well with the vegetation..."
"...the president of the studio himself lumbered over, with a swing to his stride that suggested his tuxedo trousers had just a little too much room in the crotch so as to prevent his presidential testicles from pinching."
"She peered at him through the veil which, coupled with the hat and gloves, made her look like a beekeeper."
"'It's going to be mostly doggystyle, so I don't have to look at your face.'"
"Tiffany realized that perhaps the best way to forget her woes was to throw herself into her work as a porn star, and get back to fornication."
"'I can't believe I had sex with you,' she commented. 'I still have bad dreams about it. Sometimes, on set, I think about you on purpose, if I don't want to come.'"
"Before the scene commenced, as was their right, the four performers discussed their various comfort levels on both physiological and political grounds."
Despite its apparent topic, Shocking Pink isn't a book for those seeking cheap thrills. Yes, it's fun, but it's also an engaging literary novel with compelling thematic meaning. Canterbury himself sums that universality up best on his final page: "...as was clear to everyone in the room, there was not enough pornography in the world. There were vast oceans. There were many briny rivulets conjoining with the voluminous swells. But the voracity was insatiable. ... It was plain human desire.
"It was railed against, it was vilified, and it was blamed for the fall of civilization, but it was demanded. The performers were shamed and demeaned by society but they were essential. In an eruption of provocative images, stimuli, temptations and bombardments, the world was in its own merry state of decay. Entertainment was not the cause of anything, it was a mirror. [It] had not contributed to the coarsening of a culture that was—all by itself—a carnival of vulgarity.
"The most fundamental thing in the world was sex. It was the quintessence of life, universal for all species, naked anthropology, basic nature."
And that, indeed, is the power of this novel. Despite its subject matter—X-rated, adult-film making—and even with its occasional insertion (sorry, couldn't help it) of naughty language, body references, and spicy movie scenes that are more alluded to than described, the muscle of Canterbury's story is not that it shows too much nakedness, but that it shows a lot of humanness.
This is a story of people who, like the rest of us, struggle every day for food, shelter, freedom, and affirmation. That its characters just happen to be in the pornographic-movie business is secondary. Canterbury's heroes and villains are real, believable, and all-too familiar. They, like we, conspire for accomplices, build defenses to protect our careers and families, and, when necessary, concoct plans to destroy our enemies.
It's a story not of carnal desire, but of the will to survive.
Canterbury delves into the minds and motivations of his characters, their fears, internal and external quarrels, machinations for protection and revenge. He brilliantly uses descriptive details that make the reader feel part of the physical and emotional action (e.g., "...the little white [roulette] ball bounced from slot to slot, selecting its preference. ...the sound the wheel made clacking around, and the clatter of the stack of chips portioned in front of him as he toyed with them between his fingertips. ... Tiny reflections played on the grooves of the wheel.") And, despite the sometimes hilarious names of his film stars and producers—Mariana Trench; Blimp Pullman; Summer Rainfall; Ginger Vitus; Luigi Pinocchio; Oscar Lowport—his sense of humor is more ingenious wit than pornographic slapstick.
Examples:
"His signature floral muumuu blended well with the vegetation..."
"...the president of the studio himself lumbered over, with a swing to his stride that suggested his tuxedo trousers had just a little too much room in the crotch so as to prevent his presidential testicles from pinching."
"She peered at him through the veil which, coupled with the hat and gloves, made her look like a beekeeper."
"'It's going to be mostly doggystyle, so I don't have to look at your face.'"
"Tiffany realized that perhaps the best way to forget her woes was to throw herself into her work as a porn star, and get back to fornication."
"'I can't believe I had sex with you,' she commented. 'I still have bad dreams about it. Sometimes, on set, I think about you on purpose, if I don't want to come.'"
"Before the scene commenced, as was their right, the four performers discussed their various comfort levels on both physiological and political grounds."
Despite its apparent topic, Shocking Pink isn't a book for those seeking cheap thrills. Yes, it's fun, but it's also an engaging literary novel with compelling thematic meaning. Canterbury himself sums that universality up best on his final page: "...as was clear to everyone in the room, there was not enough pornography in the world. There were vast oceans. There were many briny rivulets conjoining with the voluminous swells. But the voracity was insatiable. ... It was plain human desire.
"It was railed against, it was vilified, and it was blamed for the fall of civilization, but it was demanded. The performers were shamed and demeaned by society but they were essential. In an eruption of provocative images, stimuli, temptations and bombardments, the world was in its own merry state of decay. Entertainment was not the cause of anything, it was a mirror. [It] had not contributed to the coarsening of a culture that was—all by itself—a carnival of vulgarity.
"The most fundamental thing in the world was sex. It was the quintessence of life, universal for all species, naked anthropology, basic nature."
January 29, 2023
Disclosure: Got an advance copy of the book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review. Nobody has gotten a copy of this review before it went live.
This is a book for those 18+ (21+ in some areas) about the porn industry. If that doesn't appeal to you then don't read this review or book.
Trigger warnings for the book (does contain spoiler): pornography, sex, violence, suicide, hint of racism, courthouse, trial, driving / car decency, funeral, pyrotechnics
Stuart Canterbury is the perfect person to write this book, not only does he do a great job of covering the industry within this book, he was an writer, director and producer on many movies so he knows what happens.
The book covers not just what happens in front of (or behind) the camera, but also what happens outside of "action" and "cut". You see that everyone is a person, who has their own things going on.
"For a group who made a living out of make-believe, it was all too real now; even on such a flawless day in the flux of life, nobody could ignore what ending came to all."
"The story behind the movie was always more interesting than the story on the screen. "
The book seems to take place over the course of a year, but there aren't any exact date, which makes it a bit harder to read when periods of time seem to be skipped.
The author does include many details which helps with the book, and some places the author doesn't include any detail. For example, the author mentions that someone says thank you. The author didn't have to include that, but they did.
The industry and relationships may look good on the outside, but you don't really know what is happening. And there are many things that happen that you wouldn't see every day.
"Only does scenes with other girls. This always happens when the girls get involved in off-camera relationships with men. Very hard on the male to see her going off to work in the morning to swallow an anaconda.”
Travis did not want to get into such serpentine details. “Understood. You have to respect the girl’s feelings. Especially given the proportions.”"
"If any neutral witness had seen what he had written, the random list on the paper would have been baffling: Pegging. Uniforms. Secretary. Brazilian. Grandma."
The author does include multiple stories within the book, and I wish they had finished one story before moving onto the next one as it was confusing at some times (and to ensure the reader doesn't forget anything).
There were times the book seemed to be in third-person, and other times it was in first-person. But it was all done in a way that allowed to reader to understand what was going on.
The author includes a major quote from someone near the end of the book, that could have been used to end the book in a really powerful way, but the author chose to end the book in a different way.
"Sometimes, you think you really know someone well. And maybe you think the worst of them. But they can surprise you. It turns out that there can be good in everyone. But as far as I am concerned he should win an award, you know, as a human being."
This is a book for those 18+ (21+ in some areas) about the porn industry. If that doesn't appeal to you then don't read this review or book.
Trigger warnings for the book (does contain spoiler): pornography, sex, violence, suicide, hint of racism, courthouse, trial, driving / car decency, funeral, pyrotechnics
Stuart Canterbury is the perfect person to write this book, not only does he do a great job of covering the industry within this book, he was an writer, director and producer on many movies so he knows what happens.
The book covers not just what happens in front of (or behind) the camera, but also what happens outside of "action" and "cut". You see that everyone is a person, who has their own things going on.
"For a group who made a living out of make-believe, it was all too real now; even on such a flawless day in the flux of life, nobody could ignore what ending came to all."
"The story behind the movie was always more interesting than the story on the screen. "
The book seems to take place over the course of a year, but there aren't any exact date, which makes it a bit harder to read when periods of time seem to be skipped.
The author does include many details which helps with the book, and some places the author doesn't include any detail. For example, the author mentions that someone says thank you. The author didn't have to include that, but they did.
The industry and relationships may look good on the outside, but you don't really know what is happening. And there are many things that happen that you wouldn't see every day.
"Only does scenes with other girls. This always happens when the girls get involved in off-camera relationships with men. Very hard on the male to see her going off to work in the morning to swallow an anaconda.”
Travis did not want to get into such serpentine details. “Understood. You have to respect the girl’s feelings. Especially given the proportions.”"
"If any neutral witness had seen what he had written, the random list on the paper would have been baffling: Pegging. Uniforms. Secretary. Brazilian. Grandma."
The author does include multiple stories within the book, and I wish they had finished one story before moving onto the next one as it was confusing at some times (and to ensure the reader doesn't forget anything).
There were times the book seemed to be in third-person, and other times it was in first-person. But it was all done in a way that allowed to reader to understand what was going on.
The author includes a major quote from someone near the end of the book, that could have been used to end the book in a really powerful way, but the author chose to end the book in a different way.
"Sometimes, you think you really know someone well. And maybe you think the worst of them. But they can surprise you. It turns out that there can be good in everyone. But as far as I am concerned he should win an award, you know, as a human being."
September 14, 2022
‘Imagine if people knew the truth’ – Inside the X-rated adults only industry!
California author Stuart Canterbury gained his fame and credentials for writing a book about the making of pornography as a veteran producer-director in the adult movie industry. Incredibly, he has over 300 major feature films to his credit and awards (not only from applauding audiences) but also from the industry. He has produced and directed titles for studios such as Penthouse, Hustler, Brazzers, Adam and Eve, Arrow, Video Marc Dorcel, among others. In other words, he knows this business `top to bottom' and here in his debut novel he proves he also knows how to write.
What Stuart has produced is a factual behind the scenes glimpse at the pornography (uh, X-Rated!) film creations where sex, money, entertainment and celebrity connect in a billion-dollar global industry. Continuing his stride that began with TURNING BLUE, he has written a sequel SHOCKING PINK, once again ‘validating’ his story with a chart of the cast of characters as the book opens, then revving up the excitement from page one – ‘ If anyone were watching Travis Lazar, one crisp January morning in Las Vegas, where the illustrious producer was attending the largest adult entertainment convention in the world, any observer would have been mystified…Travis weaved his way down the crowded aisles lined with a phantasmagoria of stands, displays, banners, and enormous advertisements to promote brands, studios, stars and movies which comprised the billion-dollar, global X-rated industry….’ The plot: Adult movie producer Travis Lazar, is a man who will always do the right thing – when he has exhausted all other possibilities. Tiffany West, the hottest porn star in Los Angeles, is hell for him to handle. When Travis is nominated at the bombastic annual awards in Las Vegas, the ceremony is full of unexpected twists, which propel Travis and Tiffany on a collision course. In this romp through the day-to-day life of a porn producer, the savvy dealmaker has to deal with the volatile Middle Eastern executives, mutiny by member so the crew, starstruck starlets, rival producers, angry moguls, the mob, the Vice Squad, the FBI, two court cases (one civil, one criminal) as well as the Diva herself and, along the way, engineer the takeover of the biggest studio in the industry.’
That whets the appetite, but what makes this novel zing is Stuart’s uncanny ability to scintillate the imagination, opening windows into the machinations of the adult porn industry! Would that a cinema adaptation of these two novels could be created…!!!
California author Stuart Canterbury gained his fame and credentials for writing a book about the making of pornography as a veteran producer-director in the adult movie industry. Incredibly, he has over 300 major feature films to his credit and awards (not only from applauding audiences) but also from the industry. He has produced and directed titles for studios such as Penthouse, Hustler, Brazzers, Adam and Eve, Arrow, Video Marc Dorcel, among others. In other words, he knows this business `top to bottom' and here in his debut novel he proves he also knows how to write.
What Stuart has produced is a factual behind the scenes glimpse at the pornography (uh, X-Rated!) film creations where sex, money, entertainment and celebrity connect in a billion-dollar global industry. Continuing his stride that began with TURNING BLUE, he has written a sequel SHOCKING PINK, once again ‘validating’ his story with a chart of the cast of characters as the book opens, then revving up the excitement from page one – ‘ If anyone were watching Travis Lazar, one crisp January morning in Las Vegas, where the illustrious producer was attending the largest adult entertainment convention in the world, any observer would have been mystified…Travis weaved his way down the crowded aisles lined with a phantasmagoria of stands, displays, banners, and enormous advertisements to promote brands, studios, stars and movies which comprised the billion-dollar, global X-rated industry….’ The plot: Adult movie producer Travis Lazar, is a man who will always do the right thing – when he has exhausted all other possibilities. Tiffany West, the hottest porn star in Los Angeles, is hell for him to handle. When Travis is nominated at the bombastic annual awards in Las Vegas, the ceremony is full of unexpected twists, which propel Travis and Tiffany on a collision course. In this romp through the day-to-day life of a porn producer, the savvy dealmaker has to deal with the volatile Middle Eastern executives, mutiny by member so the crew, starstruck starlets, rival producers, angry moguls, the mob, the Vice Squad, the FBI, two court cases (one civil, one criminal) as well as the Diva herself and, along the way, engineer the takeover of the biggest studio in the industry.’
That whets the appetite, but what makes this novel zing is Stuart’s uncanny ability to scintillate the imagination, opening windows into the machinations of the adult porn industry! Would that a cinema adaptation of these two novels could be created…!!!
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