I know where I will be this Saturday night—parked in front of my TV watching Love Sick: Secrets of a Sex Addict based on Sue Silverman’s second memoir, Love Sick. The book is a powerful account of addiction, recovery, and ultimately, hope. While reading this work I was struck by how compelling it was to hear such a difficult story told in such beautiful language. She is a writer of extraordinary talent and I was grateful to have the chance to speak with her this week.
Love Sick follows Sue through the 28 days she spent at a clinic for female sex addicts. Interwoven with memories of the long term sexual abuse inflicted on her by her father and her desperate struggle to find love in empty (and sometimes dangerous) one-night stands and affairs, we see her painful journey towards growth and cheer her progress towards recovery.
The TV movie stars Sally Pressman, of the Lifetime series Army Wives, as Sue and also features David James Elliott from JAG.
While surfing through Sue’s author website, I was fascinated with the pictures of her on the set of the movie, so rather than talk to her about the book (there are many good interviews with her about that already) I decided to ask about what it was like to have your book turned into a film, particularly one that deals with such poignant issues.
Please join me in talking to Sue and be sure to check your local listings and catch Love Sick: Secrets of a Sex Addict on Saturday, April 19.
Where were you with the book when you sold the rights to Lifetime? Was it already published?
Yes, the book had already been out for over a year. I was sitting at my desk one evening when I got a phone call from an independent producer in Hollywood who said she’d found a copy of Love Sick in the Los Angeles Public Library and wanted to put together a production company and make it into a movie! I said, “Yes!”
Did you have any involvement with the script?
Not really. Not in terms of writing it. However, the scriptwriter spent three days with me asking lots of questions. She wanted to get more of a sense of me, my story, than just what’s on the page. In fact, in the script, there are scenes/episodes in my life that really happened, that I’d told her about, that aren’t in the book.
What is it like seeing yourself played by someone else?
Surreal. Unnerving. But also very moving. But I haven’t seen the final movie yet. I’m basing this on what I observed visiting the set as well as from the coming attractions. From what I’ve seen so far, I think that Sally Pressman does an amazing job of capturing the “essence” of me — if that makes sense. Obviously she isn’t going to imitate me. But I feel very connected to the “me” she portrays. It’s kind of uncanny. She’s an excellent actress.
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