Nick Carter defends self-help book project

Backstreet Boys star Nick Carter has fired back at critics of his plans to release a self-help book, insisting he has witnessed enough pain and strife in his life to offer advice and support to others struggling with substance or alcohol abuse and family troubles.

The singer has battled his own addiction issues in the past and last year (12) he lost his sister Leslie to an overdose.

He tells Access Hollywood, "I am directly effected by it (alcohol and drugs), which is why I decided to write a self-help book."

Carter's book, Facing the Music and Living to Talk About It, will be released next month (Sep13), and it will include details about his own struggles with alcohol and drug abuse.

The pop star insists he's only here to write the book because of his other family - his bandmates.

He adds, "I always am going to love my family but, in some strange way, they (bandmates) are more of a family than mine have (sic) been to me over the years.

"I became the younger brother in this family when I was 12, when I met these guys, and they became a very good influence on me."