Karmen Karma pornstar

Karmen Karma Interview: Q&A on Her Book ‘Overcome’

Many pornstars have put pen to paper and shared their industry experiences in memoirs, bios, and tell-alls. Some have been glib and dishy, while others have taken a deep dive into the darker side of the industry. Pornstar Karmen Karma bared all on camera . . . and then she bared her soul in her new memoir, Overcome. Learn more about Karmen and her book in this new Q&A, exclusive to the Adult Empire Blog!

Describe your writing process.

When I started writing, I had no idea if I would ever get published one day. I had no writing experience or connections in the literary world. I just held on to the confidence that I had a story to tell and believed someone would agree. I started with writing an outline with the big events I thought were important to share. It just started flowing so naturally when I started writing although it took a long time to complete. I spent about two years writing my story before I felt it was ready to submit to a publisher. 

How did you choose the title for the book? What about the distinctive cover photo?

When I started writing my story I had no doubt what I would name it. I got “OVERCOME” tattooed on my knuckles years prior to writing my memoir because that was always the most powerful word to describe my journey. 

The book describes a number of harrowing experiences (abortion, drugs, abuse, and more). Which was the most difficult to capture in words?

A lot of the subject I wrote in this book was extremely hard to write about. The hardest part to capture was the ending of my relationship with my abusive mother. I found that getting it all down on the pages was therapeutic for me. 

You cite Ashley Blue’s Girlvert as the inspiration for Overcome. Did you read other pornstar memoirs as you prepared to write your own? If so, which ones were your favorites?

I think I’ve pretty much read every sex workers memoir there is! I was a big fan of Becoming Jennie By Jennie Ketcham and definitely Asa Akira’s books as well. 

Is there a particular passage or section of the book you are most proud of as a writer?

The epilogue was very profound to me because I wasn’t planning on including it. Writing my entire story out gave me so much clarity that I was compelled to write how I felt now after processing it all. I found that I was actually grateful for all of these struggles because if I wasn’t given them, I wouldn’t be the strong woman I am today.

Have you gotten any feedback, good or bad, from the people in your life that you discuss in the book?

That was the most nerve-racking part of this experience, the suspense of what certain family members and people in my life would think. I kept picturing my mother in law reading it and it made it hard to write all of the sexual details but I stayed true to my story. The only feedback I’ve gotten is positive from friends and family. It’s been an incredible feeling. I’ve had so much support from all my fellow performers which has shown me how many real friends I have made in this industry. I am so honored that people are loving my story this much.  

How many drafts of the book did you write?

Before I submitted to a publisher I did two full edits to make sure I thought it was presentable. Once I was actually working with my editor, we went through five MORE drafts. It was a very long process but totally worth it. 

What kind of feedback did the publishers give to the early drafts, and did you have to make any significant changes to the text?

For legal purposes, I had to change most everyone’s names. I also had to alter certain things that happened to protect myself from getting in any legal trouble. Other than that, they loved my story exactly how I wrote it and didn’t want to change much besides my grammatical errors. I had the best editor to work with! 

Was it difficult summoning the details of the many stories and memories contained in the book?

Absolutely.  I had to close my eyes and relive those moments to be able to write about them in great detail so it was a very emotional experience.

What sorts of reactions to the book have you had from industry friends?

I’ve had so many performers be able to relate to my story and that’s exactly why I wanted to share my story with the world. Being able to touch people and inspire them is the biggest accomplishment I’ve ever had. I’ve been pleasantly surprised by so many performers who ordered my book and that support alone is a dream come true.

What advice do you have for other stars who would like to pen their own memoirs?

My advice would be to understand this isn’t something that will happen overnight. It can take years but if you want it bad enough, you can do it. Just start writing and work on it as much as you can. I kept getting stuck during the writing process (especially when I had no idea if it’d ever get published) but I stuck with it. 

Would you ever consider writing a follow-up book?

That’s actually my current main focus, a follow up book. I’m brainstorming a few different scenarios for my second book but I have so many ideas. I definitely will still be an active sex worker but my focus right now is pursuing my writing career as well. As much fun as it is to be sexual, I enjoy the intellectual challenge of writing books. I can’t wait to share my next book with you all!

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