I was finishing up my first book, How to Be the Best Lover: A Guide for Teenage Boys, when First Love started calling to me. My first book was written in response to my son’s coming of age and the dialogue we had begun about sexuality. It was the book I always wished I’d had when I was a teenager—one that wouldn’t shy away from talking about oral sex or making love but would also delve into the complexities of relationships and how to really connect with someone.

But one day I looked up and realized my son was already past that book. During his first year in high school he’d found a girlfriend who was a senior, and things were moving much faster than I had anticipated. Another book was needed.

I decided to do an interview book, to have people tell me their stories—about the first time they had sex, the first time they made love (often two completely different stories), and their first romances.

At the beginning of each interview, the fear was palpable - both for me and for the interviewee. But in spite of the fear, each person had decided to share this most personal story for one reason: each wanted young people to learn from what she or he had experienced. Each offered it as a gift.

This book is an attempt to open the door, to let young people see in how many ways you can begin this journey. My hope is that you will be able to make your own (hopefully better) choices, beginning your sexual experiences with your eyes and your heart wide open.