New York City. The late 1980s.

On the eve of her graduation from The Juilliard Drama School, Sephe Haven is broke, hopeful, and certain of two things: that she’s destined for a lifelong acting career, and that somewhere in the world, love is waiting for her.

Then in one unforeseen moment, every open door slams shut.

With no money and years of college debt looming, Sephe makes a choice she swears will last only a week. Maybe two. Tops. She starts to work as an escort—just long enough to pay the bills, buy herself time, and get out before it’s too late.

But the deeper she ventures into this forbidden world, the more she discovers that the qualities about her, the “real world” dismissed, are precisely the ones most valued here. And soon, the farther she travels down this unexpected path, the harder it becomes to find her way back.

Written with irresistible wit, refreshing candor, and remarkable compassion, My Whorizontal Life: An Escort’s Tale is far more than a memoir about the escort industry. It is a heartwarming, profoundly moving story about chasing dreams, daring to hold fast to meaning, and discovering that love is not merely a feeling, but a way of being—often found in the unlikeliest places.

This is the story of a gifted young woman who found the wrong life for all the right reasons—and then had to decide whether it was wrong at all.