The End of Innocence: A Memoir

Chastity Bono has faced her share of battles as a spokesperson for gay and lesbian rights, both as the controversial former entertainment and media director for GLAAD, and before that in the early '90s when a national tabloid maliciously outed her. In this riveting memoir she recounts a story of love, commitment, and tragedy lived out beyond the glare of the cameras. At 23, Chastity was well on her way to establishing her own life separate from her superstar parents, Cher and Sonny Bono. Geffen Records had just signed her band, Ceremony, and she was poised for musical stardom. And best of all, a love affair began to blossom with Joan Stephens, one of Cher's friends whom Chastity had known all her life. In what began as an unlikely relationship, Chastity and Joan found and nurtured the sort of tender, loving partnership they had both been seeking. But Chastity's aspirations for a life in music were soon thwarted by internal struggles and record company machinations that threatened to destroy Ceremony. These problems, however, paled in comparison with the devastating news of Joan's diagnosis with life-threatening non-Hodgkins lymphoma. As Joan fiercely battled her illness, Chastity's musical career imploded. Chastity became both caretaker and lover, discovering a depth and beauty that intensified the feeling of loss as Joan succumbed to the ravages of cancer. A story of love won and lost, of dreams fulfilled and destroyed, Joan is a coming-of-age story that provides a deeply personal look into the private struggles of a very public and courageous woman.

Marketing Plans:
National media campaign to include NPR, TV Morning Shows, Afternoon Talk Shows, national newspaper and magazine coverage
Advance Reader Copies
National Advertising: The Advocate
Author Appearances: New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Atlanta, Washington, DC, Houston

Chastity Bono is the former Entertainment and Media Director for GLAAD a former reporter at large for The Advocate. She is also the author of Family Outing. Michele Kort is a freelance writer whose writing has appeared in the Los Angeles Times Magazine, L.A. Weekly, Shape, Redbook, Self,