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Between The Sheets: Rise of a Working Stiff
SELLING SEX ON CAMERA isn’t for everyone, but for a select few, it’s a calling.Following his libido all the way to sunny Los Angeles, a recent college dropout becomes entangled in a web of porn, drugs, and a revolving door of lovers. With each passing scene he finds himself drawn deeper into the torrid underbelly of adult entertainment, tempted by sex and the prospects of fame. Success is closer than ever but so is the breaking point.Between the Sheets is the naked truth about life in compellingly normal, irresistibly weird.
214 pages, Paperback
Published October 10, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
July 28, 2021
Sex work requires a fortitude and an alternative view of labor, sex, and commerce that most people don't have. Logan Pierce, writing under the pen name J.R. Verlin, understood this from the beginning of his career as a straight porn star in Los Angeles, a career he bumbled into while on an internship during his final year as an undergraduate at Temple University. Between the Sheets: Rise of a Working Stiff chronicles his beginnings in the business and culminates with his AVN award win for Best Male Newcomer. Readers need to come to a book like this with their judgments held in check and ready themselves for a (kind of) joyride.
It does seem joyous from the start. One can feel the palpable glee Verlin/Pierce feels as he ditches the Rust Belt and propels himself into the world of porn where limitless sex, fun, and satisfaction await. One of the reasons for his rapid ascent in the industry is that he truly is what he appears on the surface: a diminutive, affable boy next door with a comparatively good head on his shoulders and a strong work ethic. Showing up is half the battle but it is especially important in such a topsy-turvy, fly-by-night industry. Verlin gives readers a rollicking story, albeit not as sexual or pornographic as one might expect. True, there are plenty of graphic sex scenes in this book but I've read hotter stuff in books that are much more literary. Drug use abounds in the book, with Pierce and his cohorts merrily smoking and snorting just about anything that will give them a high. Many cliches about the adult entertainment industry populate this book, but its faults go deeper than that.
Between the Sheets inhabits the hazy space between memoir and autofiction. The fact that Logan Pierce (his stage name) felt the need to adopt an additional persona (J.R. Verlin) to craft this self-published typo-riddled tale says a lot about the veracity of the story being told and which of his identities takes primacy. One of my problems with the book is that the author lacks enough self-awareness to see his actions and those around him as destructive or symptomatic of larger issues within themselves and society. One could argue that Between the Sheets emblemizes reinventions of Millennial masculinity, the cultural embrace of commodified sex, the legitimization of hedonism, or radical individualism gone too far. Those are big topics and they thrum beneath the surface of this text.
Pierce, like so many men of his generation, has decided to curate his life in such a way that long-term concerns (e.g. healthcare, career stability, retirement) simply don't factor into his life. He never touches on how lucrative his work is (I cannot imagine that it is) or how he is able to sustain a living in LA strictly on a porn star's salary. No one in the book ever challenges his choice to do sex work. The only people who come close are his mother and his ex-girlfriend Allie, and neither of their protests merit much consideration. This is folded into Pierce's notion that as a sex worker the judgments of others is just a work hazard, like STIs and rampant drug use. As engaging as the book is, it lacks much-needed perspective. I wanted to see Pierce defend his career and lifestyle a little more.
At the end of each book I read, I ask myself what the author wanted me to take away from the book, what's the lesson. I suppose one could claim that the message of Between the Sheets is to follow one's dream no matter what. Being a porn star may not be most people's dream come true, but Logan Pierce unquestionably loves his work. Straight men tend to have the longest careers in porn, and if he maintains a level head and keeps the darker elements of the business at bay, Pierce may very well continue working for decades, evolving his screen persona as he ages. Others have. Regardless of what "civilians" may think, this industry serves a function within society. It's dirty work but somebody's got to do it.
It does seem joyous from the start. One can feel the palpable glee Verlin/Pierce feels as he ditches the Rust Belt and propels himself into the world of porn where limitless sex, fun, and satisfaction await. One of the reasons for his rapid ascent in the industry is that he truly is what he appears on the surface: a diminutive, affable boy next door with a comparatively good head on his shoulders and a strong work ethic. Showing up is half the battle but it is especially important in such a topsy-turvy, fly-by-night industry. Verlin gives readers a rollicking story, albeit not as sexual or pornographic as one might expect. True, there are plenty of graphic sex scenes in this book but I've read hotter stuff in books that are much more literary. Drug use abounds in the book, with Pierce and his cohorts merrily smoking and snorting just about anything that will give them a high. Many cliches about the adult entertainment industry populate this book, but its faults go deeper than that.
Between the Sheets inhabits the hazy space between memoir and autofiction. The fact that Logan Pierce (his stage name) felt the need to adopt an additional persona (J.R. Verlin) to craft this self-published typo-riddled tale says a lot about the veracity of the story being told and which of his identities takes primacy. One of my problems with the book is that the author lacks enough self-awareness to see his actions and those around him as destructive or symptomatic of larger issues within themselves and society. One could argue that Between the Sheets emblemizes reinventions of Millennial masculinity, the cultural embrace of commodified sex, the legitimization of hedonism, or radical individualism gone too far. Those are big topics and they thrum beneath the surface of this text.
Pierce, like so many men of his generation, has decided to curate his life in such a way that long-term concerns (e.g. healthcare, career stability, retirement) simply don't factor into his life. He never touches on how lucrative his work is (I cannot imagine that it is) or how he is able to sustain a living in LA strictly on a porn star's salary. No one in the book ever challenges his choice to do sex work. The only people who come close are his mother and his ex-girlfriend Allie, and neither of their protests merit much consideration. This is folded into Pierce's notion that as a sex worker the judgments of others is just a work hazard, like STIs and rampant drug use. As engaging as the book is, it lacks much-needed perspective. I wanted to see Pierce defend his career and lifestyle a little more.
At the end of each book I read, I ask myself what the author wanted me to take away from the book, what's the lesson. I suppose one could claim that the message of Between the Sheets is to follow one's dream no matter what. Being a porn star may not be most people's dream come true, but Logan Pierce unquestionably loves his work. Straight men tend to have the longest careers in porn, and if he maintains a level head and keeps the darker elements of the business at bay, Pierce may very well continue working for decades, evolving his screen persona as he ages. Others have. Regardless of what "civilians" may think, this industry serves a function within society. It's dirty work but somebody's got to do it.
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December 8, 2023The thing about many celebrity memoirs is that the writing often fails to bring enough color to so large and public a life. Meanwhile some of the best memoirs are about small, quiet lives that are excavated for meaning, beauty.
This is neither, it is a slight book by a porn actor of no especial acclaim. The writing is flat and never sexy, if the book does anything well it assures the reader that being a porn actor is frequently as boring as your desk job - and pays less.
This is neither, it is a slight book by a porn actor of no especial acclaim. The writing is flat and never sexy, if the book does anything well it assures the reader that being a porn actor is frequently as boring as your desk job - and pays less.
June 7, 2019
I made an account on audible just to listen to the book. I was intrigued after listening to a podcast where he was interviewed, plus I've always been very curious as to what goes behind the scenes of porn and what the industry is like, specially in L.A.
The book was entertaining, the writing was good enough. My favorite parts were when he talked about the behind the scenes, the 'fuck bucket', the shooting stills, paperwork, getting tested, etc.
I didn't find it arousing at all, ha, but that's just me, I guess.
Wouldn't recommend the audio version of it, the redacted female dialogue was so annoying to listen to. Seriously.
The book was entertaining, the writing was good enough. My favorite parts were when he talked about the behind the scenes, the 'fuck bucket', the shooting stills, paperwork, getting tested, etc.
I didn't find it arousing at all, ha, but that's just me, I guess.
Wouldn't recommend the audio version of it, the redacted female dialogue was so annoying to listen to. Seriously.
February 15, 2019
I was truly amazed how good this book is. Read it cover to cover in 1 day. Such a genuine story and inspiring point of view on staying true to yourself.
Moreover, this guy knows how to entertain and visualize through a wide range of vocabulary.
Moreover, this guy knows how to entertain and visualize through a wide range of vocabulary.
January 4, 2020
Logan Pierce (alias, JR Verlin-in this instance) cuts an anomalous figure within the world of adult entertainment. With his small frame and unassuming good looks, he seems more the archetype of the dark sprite--or maybe the hopeless sidekick. The kind of guy that almost-- but never gets the girl in the movie. A persona that stands so much in contrast to his chosen craft that one might never believe (as many of Verlin's early acquaintances in the book are likewise in disbelief). It think that is what makes him, as a figure, so compelling and satisfying. And also why he has maybe the most likely shot at humanizing sex workers from props and into flesh and blood people.
This book certainly takes a heady first aim at this manner of personification. As Verlin guides the reader from his days as a somewhat lonely, porn-obsessed, teen... to his eventual commodification as a successful male performer, he wisely avoids the pitfall of purple prose. The writing style is refreshing and dependable. Particularly in the early passages of the book in which Verlin reveals his surprisingly conventional upbringing in suburban Philadelphia (complete with loving parents, drama class, and Catholic school honor roll)
After a mistaken screening of Baywatch in his boyhood home (while clutching a juicebox, no less), Verlin effectively captures the creation of a childhood schema in which sex equals death. (This proves prophetic when Verlin's involvement with adult films represents a kind of death to the freedoms and opportunities of his former life).
The protagonist overcomes the childhood fear of sex (no spoiler obviously needed there). Falling in line with the candid humor of the the book, Verlin is quick to inform the reader that he knows what we might be thinking..."The answer is NO. I was not a total loser in high school; I didn't spend all of my time jacking off in front of my computer...just most of it." Soon, though, Verlin realizes that his libido is anything but conventional as he seeks out experiences far more lascivious than what high school girls might provide.
The description of life in the industry is what you might expect and, in some ways, what you might not. The book was not as appealing to me in middle sections. This is when the sexual anecdotes come thick and fast to the point of overkill. Some parts seem almost lifted from crummy fan fiction (but I suppose that is to be expected due to the nature of the subject matter).
There's some drug use, but it's mostly benign. Verlin has some brushes with psychedelics and--later--a girlfriend's dependence upon methamphetamine. Chiefly, however, he remains a pothead who gets into only some charming, but low-level highjinx (a friend gets pepper-sprayed after defending the honor of a female pizza patron, he gets sketched in charcoal while high on mushrooms, etc.). These parts of the book were probably my favorite. There's a particularly well-written and heartbreaking scene in which Verlin's pre-porn girlfriend flies to visit him in LA. During their attempt at lovemaking, Verlin immediately approaches the act as he has been trained to for the camera. His partner then pulls away and is reduced to tears.
I think the book is a great first attempt. It's a quick, entertaining read that also manages to be honest and heartfelt. I do think, however, that the underpinning of Verlin's motivations have yet to be fully explored. Verlin hints at this in certain moments (particularly when he admits that he cannot provide his girlfriend a clear-cut reason on why he is dead set on being a porn star). What isn't said in the memoir is just as interesting as what is spelled out. I think the very nature of the writing style hints at a romantic sense of arrested development. The pointed nature of the hero's prose seems to stab in frustration at the delimiting nature of his industry--maybe in an attempt to reach a higher level creativity outside of his gilded box. Hopefully Verlin continues to write and find his voice upon the page. It will be interesting to see what he releases next.
This book certainly takes a heady first aim at this manner of personification. As Verlin guides the reader from his days as a somewhat lonely, porn-obsessed, teen... to his eventual commodification as a successful male performer, he wisely avoids the pitfall of purple prose. The writing style is refreshing and dependable. Particularly in the early passages of the book in which Verlin reveals his surprisingly conventional upbringing in suburban Philadelphia (complete with loving parents, drama class, and Catholic school honor roll)
After a mistaken screening of Baywatch in his boyhood home (while clutching a juicebox, no less), Verlin effectively captures the creation of a childhood schema in which sex equals death. (This proves prophetic when Verlin's involvement with adult films represents a kind of death to the freedoms and opportunities of his former life).
The protagonist overcomes the childhood fear of sex (no spoiler obviously needed there). Falling in line with the candid humor of the the book, Verlin is quick to inform the reader that he knows what we might be thinking..."The answer is NO. I was not a total loser in high school; I didn't spend all of my time jacking off in front of my computer...just most of it." Soon, though, Verlin realizes that his libido is anything but conventional as he seeks out experiences far more lascivious than what high school girls might provide.
The description of life in the industry is what you might expect and, in some ways, what you might not. The book was not as appealing to me in middle sections. This is when the sexual anecdotes come thick and fast to the point of overkill. Some parts seem almost lifted from crummy fan fiction (but I suppose that is to be expected due to the nature of the subject matter).
There's some drug use, but it's mostly benign. Verlin has some brushes with psychedelics and--later--a girlfriend's dependence upon methamphetamine. Chiefly, however, he remains a pothead who gets into only some charming, but low-level highjinx (a friend gets pepper-sprayed after defending the honor of a female pizza patron, he gets sketched in charcoal while high on mushrooms, etc.). These parts of the book were probably my favorite. There's a particularly well-written and heartbreaking scene in which Verlin's pre-porn girlfriend flies to visit him in LA. During their attempt at lovemaking, Verlin immediately approaches the act as he has been trained to for the camera. His partner then pulls away and is reduced to tears.
I think the book is a great first attempt. It's a quick, entertaining read that also manages to be honest and heartfelt. I do think, however, that the underpinning of Verlin's motivations have yet to be fully explored. Verlin hints at this in certain moments (particularly when he admits that he cannot provide his girlfriend a clear-cut reason on why he is dead set on being a porn star). What isn't said in the memoir is just as interesting as what is spelled out. I think the very nature of the writing style hints at a romantic sense of arrested development. The pointed nature of the hero's prose seems to stab in frustration at the delimiting nature of his industry--maybe in an attempt to reach a higher level creativity outside of his gilded box. Hopefully Verlin continues to write and find his voice upon the page. It will be interesting to see what he releases next.
July 10, 2025
My friend gave me this book and i just assumed that it was a critical, feminist perspective on the porn industry. It's not. Its mostly just about a guy who is obsessed with porn and lives his dream of being paid for having sex with others. The book glorifies being a porn actor. There are snippets later in the book where some of the bad stuff shines through, e.g. short-lived meaningless relationships, high side-costs (getting checked for STDs and for viagra pills), STDs.
I wouldn't have read it if I knew what it was about. Its an easy read but also quite surface-level. Even though its autobiographical, its not very personal and after more than 200 pages i still don't really know anything substantial about the writer.
I wouldn't have read it if I knew what it was about. Its an easy read but also quite surface-level. Even though its autobiographical, its not very personal and after more than 200 pages i still don't really know anything substantial about the writer.
January 28, 2022
It's cute.
I researched more than I should have.
Reminded me that I'm an Aging Millennial.
It's cute.
Hit up the SoundCloud around 18:00 to give you a sense of tone:
https://soundcloud.com/user-542327367...
Queue up Poliça's second album at page 118.
https://youtu.be/x7WApON7OGE
It's cute.
I researched more than I should have.
Reminded me that I'm an Aging Millennial.
It's cute.
Hit up the SoundCloud around 18:00 to give you a sense of tone:
https://soundcloud.com/user-542327367...
Queue up Poliça's second album at page 118.
https://youtu.be/x7WApON7OGE
It's cute.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 29, 2023
A quick, captivating read. It gives a great peak at the lives of adult entertainers. Something that, until this book, civilians like me could only wonder about. It was a touching moment when he found the empty notebook and wrote down his experiences. J.R. Verlin (AKA Logan Pierce) has a great voice in his writing. I look forward to seeing him develop as an author in his next books.
March 15, 2021
Nice and quick read that made me chuckle. I really enjoyed this sneak peak into porn industry with details that really helped to visualize that world. The writing itself is rather simple and way too brief.
March 4, 2018
I enjoyed reading it!
April 25, 2018
Unexpected and raw. 10/10 would recommend.
March 3, 2019
Quite matter-if-factly written but nonetheless an intriguing glimpse into a whole other world...
October 2, 2019
It’s understandably undisciplined, as many independently published works are, but the rapid style and glimpses behind the curtain of the adult film industry are undeniably entertaining.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews