carriemesrobian

I have an essay in this book, which came out last week. 

Here's what VOYA had to say about it:

A selection of seventeen women writers tell about their experience of first-time sex. The stories reveal a great diversity in age, situation, sexual orientation, gender identification, and even what counts as first-time sex. The resources section provides a bibliography, notes, biographies of all the contributors, and several essays. One essay gives straight-forward advice, empowering young women to be informed and to make their own choices about when and with whom. Kelly Jensen, a former teen librarian, suggests teen novel and nonfiction that deal particularly well with different sexual situations. Parents are also addressed with resources for them as well as advice on opening an on-going conversation with their daughters about their values and experiences around sex. The book serves young women as a kind of rite of passage with a bevy of older sisters telling it like it is, sharing experiences that are rarely talked about. Given the array of experiences (from wedding night to casual encounter) and identifications (hetro, lesbian, bi, and trans) some readers may have difficulties with some of the frankness, diversity, and language. The trade-off, however, is well worth it. The variety emphasizes how individual it is and how important it is for each young woman to make an informed and conscious choice for herself. It turns out the V-word of importance here is not so much "virginity" as it is finding one's own "voice." -- — Elizabeth Matson (5Q 5P J S NA)