Sugar teamed up with another writer, Jill C. Nelson, to write "John Holmes: A Life Measured in Inches," a biography of the industry icon who gained notoriety for his prolific performing and prodigious endowments. Holmes died in 1988.
A graduate of Michigan State University, Sugar first became interested in Holmes after seeing the 2003 drama "Wonderland," which starred Val Kilmer as Holmes. The movie followed Holmes during the investigation into the 1981 Wonderland murders, which left four people dead and cast suspicion on Holmes himself. Also appearing in the movie were Lisa Kudrow and Kate Bosworth.
Sugar's research began at the beginning: Holmes himself.
"I was curious really because he was a boy from Ohio who went out to Hollywood and became a porn star," she told the Lansing, Mich., State Journal. "It just seemed like he was an important person. ... A pop culture icon ... I wanted to see him as more than just a penis."
After that, Sugar dove right into the adult scene, meeting industry veteran Bill Margold and attending a 2004 party that honored Holmes' birthday.
Sugar's research also included an extensive trip through Holmes' filmography.
"Some of them were really funny," she said. "The more I watched them, the more I liked them. ... Then they got repetitive."
"John Holmes: A Life Measured in Inches" is available now.
