The Boudoir Bible (39 page)

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

THE BOUDOIR BIBLE
grew out of a miniature guide that I provided with my jewelry designs and the preparatory notes that I took before teaching my Sexual Skills salons. As the Paradise Found collection grew, the miniature guide no longer sufficed, and as my salons evolved, I realized that the only way to reach a wider public was to write a book. I would like to thank my ex-husband, Barnaba Fornasetti, for his ongoing support and friendship; Malaika King Albrecht, poet and my lifelong friend, for helping me to structure the first version of the text with her invaluable insight; and Terence Sellers, for helping me proof the second version of the text. Many thanks go to Charles Miers, the publisher of Rizzoli, and my editor, Dung Ngo, who believed in
The Boudoir Bible
and made sure it saw the light of day. Dung, I thank you, as well, for bringing Elizabeth Smith on board; with her magic word wand, open mind, and good sense of humor, the manuscript came to fruition. Richard Pandiscio, the book’s art director, and Francois Berthoud, my friend and the book’s illustrator, thank you for both for injecting visual vitality into every page of
The Boudoir Bible
.

I would also like to thank all of the couples and individuals who have sought out my support and
guidance during their sexual journeys, including those who have participated in my Sexual Skills salons in the U.K., France, North America, and Italy: you have my deepest gratitude.

I would also like to thank all of my ceremonial partners past and Paolo Canevari, the love of my life, as well as each and every one of my friends, for their love, patience, trust, and support. I would never have managed to finish this work without the sweet distractions that we share. Rhett Butler, Nigel Coates, Eric Trieber, Manuel Aymonier, Zsolt Rendetzki, Olivier Zahm, Mark Brazier-Jones, Claire Czajkowska, Alessandra Catella, Marianne Costa, Marie-France Boutet, and Alba, thank you for helping me push things along when the going got really tough. Aimee Mullins, my dear, dear friend, our epic discussions about the limits of categories and the power of differences helped me challenge and fine-tune my ideas. There are no words with which to express my gratitude for all of your precious input.

Finally, I would like to thank my father, for teaching me the art of possibility; and my mother, who is also my biggest fan, for championing my mission to empower men and women to enjoy and experience greater sexual pleasure.