LOS ANGELES — Former adult star Penny Flame's autobiography "I Am Jennie" will be released on July 10 by Simon & Schuster imprint Gallery Books.
The memoir details the now 29-year-old's struggles with drug and sex addiction and her experiences in porn and as a reality show personality on VH1's "Sober House" and "Sex Rehab with Dr. Drew."
Flame, real name Jennifer Ketcham, quit the adult industry in 2009 to seek professional help for her addictions. She joined the cast of "Sex Rehab with Dr. Drew" that year, thinking to use the exposure it brought her as a springboard to a new career behind the camera.
"I wanted to go into the business side, and I thought 'Sex Rehab' would be a great promotional tool for me," Flame told BuzzFeed.com. " But once I checked into rehab... I realized I didn't have the coping skills a woman of 26 should have. It was time to make some changes. And, with all the feelings that started to come up during rehab, it was obvious that porn wasn't an option anymore."
In comments sure to inflame industry players, Flame opines that addiction is common in porn and keeps many from leaving the business, namely its female talent. "I don't think women would end up in porn for as long as they do if they weren't chasing something else," she said.
"Women can make $15,000 a month, and that's plenty of money to live on," Flame added. And you start looking into girls' finances and talking to people at agencies, and it's like, these girls can't pay their fucking bills ... it's pretty prevalent. But it's not talked about, because a lot of things aren't talked about.
"You don't know people's names, you just know if they have a clean bill of health and if they're willing to sign a W-2 to take it up the ass."
Those interested in keeping up with Flame, can do so by visiting her blog BecomingJennie.com.
