Heather Hunter is a former porn star who has parlayed her past into several successful new careers: she is now a novelist, painter, gallery-owner and entertainer. Heather was the first African-American to be inducted into the AVN (Adult Video News) Hall of Fame in 2003, the porn industry's highest honor. She retired from the adult entertainment business over ten years ago, and since that time has recorded albums and held exhibitions of her works. Heather's first book is the semi-autobiographical erotic novel 'Insatiable,' debuting today.

Read an excerpt of 'Insatiable' below, and meet Heather Hunter in a way you've never seen her as she answers our Five Questions.

Hi, Heather, thanks for coming in. So tell us, what inspired you to write your semi-autobiographical novel, 'Insatiable,' and what is it about?

I can truly say I've been working on my book for the past 10 years. I've always wanted to write a story about my life, but not express it as a tell-all book. So I put it out as an erotic novel about a girl named Simone Young. She runs to the world of fame, because she has this insatiable desire to be famous and at the same time to be loved. She winds up in porn--pretty much fulfilling people's desires--and through porn she goes through these trials and tribulations of trying to find love in all the wrong places. At the same time she becomes an amazing, big, top adult star and breaks into the mainstream entertainment business. I don't want to give up the whole book, because it's an amazing book. It's also very steamy--very titillating as I would say [laughs].

Did you find pornography to be an empowering career and how did you get into it? Is there a story that begins, "One day..."?

Well, everyone has a destiny in life and either you're going to follow it or you're going to go down another path. I just happened to be intrigued by the erotic business, so by the age of 18 I was dancing and I did my first movie. I can truly say the adult business was definitely an amazing journey for me. It's something I don't regret. It was definitely empowering and I wouldn't be where I am today if I wasn't the "Vivid girl" [laughs].

How did it feel to be the first African-American inducted into the AVN Hall of Fame?

Yes, I was the first African-American inducted in 2003. That was amazing. I was like, "it took a long time, it should have happened earlier" [laughs], but at the same time, I'm happy and blessed that it did. It's a high compliment.

How do you feel about the state of black women in today in terms of our financial, political and other forms of power and representation?

Wow, that's a double-edged sword right there. At the same time it's a personal issue. I think with anything dealing with African-American women, and just women in general, we need to get together and stand up, come together as one and really have a movement to make us as equal as men. That's a really touchy subject [laughs]. I struggle even with how the erotica business has influenced the mainstream and how black women are being degraded in so many ways, in a sexual form, dealing with hip hop, commercials--everything. I think that we need to stop pointing the finger and we need to really give everyone education and school people in the proper way to treat us. If women could come together and put all our emotions aside, oh my God, we could be stronger than ever and I think that's where we have to start. Today--now--but you know how the world is. You can't hold the protest sign by yourself. [laughs] It takes millions and billions, so all you can do is just pray that we will see the light.

Do you think you might get involved in politics or political action?

It's so funny, everyone calls me an "erotic feminist" as it is. [laughs] No, I really like being on "the down low". That's where I get pure happiness.

Thanks, Heather, for answering our Five Questions!

Read: An excerpt from 'Insatiable,' by Heather Hunter with Michelle Valentine--out now!

Video: Heather answers the question 'What's Your Theme Song,' in honor of Black Music Month 2007