The party will be held on Aug 8, which would have been Holmes’ 64th birthday, at Book Soup, located at 8818 Sunset Blvd. in West Hollywood, from 7-9 p.m. PST.
Afterwards, a free midnight screening of "Eruption," starring Holmes, will show at the Silent Movie Theatre located nearby, at 611 N. Fairfax Blvd.
Neither Nelson nor Sugar had any connection to the adult industry prior to writing the book. For Nelson, her curiosity was piqued after watching the 2003 movie “Wonderland,” starring Val Kilmer in the part of John Holmes.
“Part of my fascination was due to the fact that I had relatively zero knowledge about the adult film industry,” Nelson told XBIZ in a previous interview. “Prior to watching the movie — and like many other mainstream people — I had preconceived notions about the industry and the people in it.”
The co-authors researched Holmes’ life story through extensive interviews with family, friends and contemporaries of Holmes, including Laurie Holmes, Bill Amerson, Bob Chinn, Julia St. Vincent, Detective Tom Lange, Detective Frank Tomlinson, Paul Thomas, Ron Jeremy, Seka, Jamie Gillis, Marilyn Chambers, Candida Royalle, Rhonda Jo Petty, Dr. Sharon Mitchell and Bill Margold, among others.
“According to our research and the people we've spoken with, John Holmes was a chameleon; he had the ability to be whatever people wanted him to be at any given time,” Nelson said. “He could be very crafty, and he was street-smart, but he was also bright, funny and as most people know, he had the ability to fabricate and tell entertaining stories that would go beyond the realm of believability.
“He enjoyed seeing how far he could push the boundaries, which is probably one of the reasons he told outlandish tales,” Nelson added. “More importantly, he was smart in the sense that he knew how to sell his product, and the lies he told were actually a great marketing tool, as they served to perpetuate his legend.”
Several of the interview subjects will speak at the book launch event, including Holmes’ widow Laurie Holmes, classic director Bob Chinn, veteran industry figure Bill Margold and Cass Paley, who directed a video biography of Holmes.
Also slated to make an appearance at the event is adult icon Ron Jeremy, classic star Rhonda Jo Petty, and several behind-the-scenes personalities including cameraman Mark Novick, and photographers Joel Sussman and Kenji.
Director Julia St. Vincent also is on the list of special guests, along with fellow directors Don Fernando and Alan Colberg, and Hustler Video National Sales Manager Michael Glaser.
The event is sponsored by XBIZ, and a special cake will be created for the event by Cake and Art.
“John Holmes: A Life Measured in Inches” is available for purchase at JohnHolmesInches.com, as well as Amazon.com and BarnesAndNoble.com.
On the night before the gala event, Nelson and Sugar will make a radio appearance on Playboy Radio's Night Calls program with host Vanessa Blue on Sirius Satellite Radio.
Those interested in attending the Book Soup Gala Event can find more information at BookSoup.com.
To contact Nelson and Sugar, email johnholmesinches@yahoo.ca.
