Having lived with psychological scars since childhood, screenwriter Nyswaner (Philadelphia
; Soldier's Girl
) recounts his struggles in this searing memoir. After writing the Oscar-nominated Philadelphia
, he was still tortured by emotional problems and turned to alcohol and drugs. As Nyswaner shuttles between Hollywood script meetings and caring for his ailing parents, his only source of pleasure is Johann, a cold-hearted male hustler who dominates him sexually and emotionally. Eventually, Nyswaner's obsession with Johann merges with his insatiable desire for drugged oblivion, leading him into a dangerous addiction. With unsparing honesty, Nyswaner conjures the sensation of a crystal meth high and the ensuing paranoia. His explicit accounts of sex with Johann aren't titillating, but rather tinged with the yearning for submission that Nyswaner so desperately craves. Finally hitting rock bottom after the death of a loved one and contemplating suicide, Nyswaner ends his drug dependency, although he doesn't tell readers how he did it. Did the "meetings" Nyswaner's therapist convinced him to attend finally work? Although the book is a compelling journey through the world of male prostitution and drug abuse, Nyswaner's recovery remains a mystery. Agent, Watkins Loomis Agency. (Oct.)
Forecast:
Alyson is targeting both the gay market (with ads in the
Advocate and a gay press review-copy mailing) and a general, film-savvy audience (with ads in
L.A. Weekly and the
Village Voice). The result could be moderate sales.
