I walked back over to World Modeling Agency and told Jim I was ready and willing to do commercial work contingent upon my demands. Jim laughed out loud. He told me in no uncertain terms that my demands were outrageous. Only “stars” could demand what I was asking for. I said, “Fine, then I won’t do it.”

Two weeks later as I was sitting in Jim’s office again. (I spent a lot of time there so that I could meet prospective employers.) I hadn’t been there long when in walked a couple named David and Svetlana Marsh. They were producing two big budget films that would shoot on the island of Kauai. They were looking for an unknown actress who had “what it took” — as they put it.

We chatted for a while, and Jim told them of my needs in order to star in their films. They agreed to them all, and I was cast as the lead in Surrender in Paradise and A Little Bit of Hanky Panky. We were to begin filming in December of 1983 – only one month away.

I got home and the panic set in. What had I just agreed to do? My only onscreen role up to this point had been a girl/girl non-sex wrestling video with a porn star named Bunny Blue. I’d only seen one porno in my life up to this point. The film starred Vanessa Del Rio, and to this day I remember it well. Vanessa was beautiful, classy, sexy as shit, and a firecracker in the sack. I, however, possessed none of the above mentioned qualities. Vanessa was like a sleek exotic panther. I was more like a puppy that ran in circles and peed on the floor when you pet it.

I called Jim and told him of my fears and insecurities. I had no idea how to carry a film, much less how to have sex in front of a camera and a crew. He had a solution. Jim suggested I do a loop, which is a short, silent film shot on 8-millimeter tape. Jim booked me for two loops to be shot on the same day in the following week.

I drove to the small Santa Monica apartment still wondering how I was going to do this. I was petrified. The make-up artist was all set up when I arrived, and I was grateful for the hour I’d have in the make-up chair that would give me time to calm my nerves.

The first of my two male co-stars (neither of which had I approved of, so I’d already broken my first rule as a porn star) showed up on the set. He was young, handsome and charming. His name was Tom Byron.

Tommy and I took direction from our director, Michael Carpenter, and got into our first position. The whole scene, which took about a half an hour to shoot was magical. I loved everything about it, and about Tommy. I had no reason to fear my upcoming feature film debut. I was in my element.