Practical, down-to-earth, explicit and fun, Hot Sex is the must-have sex and relationships book for every man and woman.

It's perfect bedtime reading for two, an easy-to-follow handbook that cuts straight to the nitty-gritty to deliver candid advice with a healthy dose of humor. Packed with tips and techniques that work, Hot Sex includes everything from a blow-by-blow, step-by-step guide to oral sex to finding (and figuring out) your G-spot.

Whether you're a beginner or an old hand, get into Hot Sex—the only how-to that really tells you how to do it!

Inside, there are tips on:

Foreplay: Not just the appetizer, it can be the main course (and dessert) as well!

Orgasm: The 30 (if you're lucky) seconds we go to so-o-o-o much effort for

Performance Problems: Some of the reasons sex goes wrong and how to get it lustily back on track

Everyday Couples, Exceptional Sex: I'm sorry, did you say monogamy or monotony?

Anyone can be good in bed. Genital size doesn't matter. Looks don't matter. You don't have to have legs up to your chin, arms like Schwarzenegger, drive a sports car, or be rolling in it to be the best lover your partner's ever had. But you do need a good, working knowledge of your subject. And that's easier said than done.

Nearly everyone talks about sex. We're always boasting about how fabulous so-and-so is in bed and hinting at the real reason why we look so tired at work (nudge, nudge, wink, wink). But it's a rare person who'll confess details or talk specifics. Jane might well confide that Brad gives the best oral sex she's ever had, but she doesn't launch into a lick-by-lick analysis of why -- and I bet you don't ask for one.

That's why we buy sex books -- to find out the nitty-gritty details about things we're too embarrassed to ask friends or lovers. Trouble is, few deliver what we really want to know. Sex manuals tend to gloss over the practical bread-and-butter stuff and, instead, talk in generalities -- like how women need clitoral stimulation and men's butts are a veritable hot spot. Great advice but, if you haven't got the foggiest of what to do with it, useless.

This is where Hot Sex is different. Instead of assuming you know everything, I've assumed you know nothing and have dished up all the gory details in an easy-to-follow, step-by-step format. The only way I could have been more explicit and specific is to be there in the bedroom with you, guiding your hands and whatever else you're using (and, to tell the truth, I'd really rather not).

That's not to say the book only deals with the basics. Experienced lovers will get loads out of Hot Sex because there are enough advanced tips, tricks, and techniques to keep even Annie Sprinkle happy. But I do suggest everyone read the introductory chapters. Very often it's the people who think they know what they're doing who need educating the most. Sex is a bit like typing. You can get by using two fingers, but you'll never be as good as someone who did the secretarial course and practiced every night. Going back to the grassroots level, even if it's just to check you're on the right track, isn't a bad idea for all of us. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise: sex skills can be learned and we can all improve on them.

I've written the book using everyday language for similar reasons. The correct, technical terms sound terribly authoritative but if you don't know that a wet dream is actually called a nocturnal emission, you wouldn't have a clue what I was talking about if I used this term. Sometimes, the words I use aren't even accurate. Most people say sperm when they actually mean semen, for instance. But, hey, if that's what you call it, that's what I've called it a lot of the time because I want you to relate to what I'm saying.

I'm also guilty of making some broad generalizations about sex. Hopefully, there aren't too many, but if you read something that you personally don't agree with, forgive me. If I covered every single individual preference, research finding, exception, and extreme, I'd still be madly typing away at my computer!

Hot Sex is designed to be read cover to cover but it is equally useful if you dip into it for inspiration when the mood strikes. Because good sex is only possible if both the people having it are committed to making it great, I've included guides for him and her wherever possible. Hot Sex isn't ageist either. There's info on all the different stages of our sexual lives: everything from first-time masturbation and losing your virginity to having sex when you're pregnant and taking the monotony out of monogamy. Add hints on ditching those inhibitions, tips on building effective communication skills, and loads of relationship advice, and you really can't help but shred the sheets!

Copyright © 1998, 1999 by Tracey Cox