**Amanda Brooks has always been drawn to the adult industry. During her last year of college, she began cocktailing at a top Dallas gentlemen's club. Six months later, she advanced to stripping, dancing her way around the major clubs in Dallas and Las Vegas.

At 26, still curious, she decided to place an escort ad online just for a weekend. That experiment was a success so she hung up her heels and began building her business as an independent escort.

Although based in Dallas, she worked in over 15 major cities during her escort career. She retired from escort work just shy of 29 and began working on a book for escorts.

The idea for her series -- The Internet Escort's Handbook -- was born only a few months after she began escort work. The general lack of reliable information led her to believe a reference about escort work would help others create and maintain a healthy and productive business. They would no longer need to learn the hard way!

The series covers ways to promote and market an independent escort business online as well as methods to maintaining a healthy personal life while escorting. The handbooks have crossover appeal, as more people want to learn the "behind-the scenes" life of a high-end escort told in a bold, frank and approachable manner.

Amanda has since become a popular celebrity and speaker, appearing on shows such as The O'Reilly Factor and CNBC's The Business of High End Prostitution. She is a well-known sex work activist and columnist, contributing to $pread Magazine, Desiree Alliance and SWOP-East.

A native Texan, she holds a Bachelor's Degree with a double major in photography and English. Her future plans include traveling to better understand sex work in a variety of cultures and legal status.

She does not have any cats.