Robert McGinley, PhD., President, The Lifestyles Organization
Here is a marvelous opportunity to see the truth of swinging through the eyes and experience of a woman.

Editor, Liberated Christians Newsletter, Phoenix, AZ
This is the first book that I can endorse as being a practical guide, especially for new and hesitant couples.

Editor, Liberated Christians Newsletter, Phoenix, AZ, September, 1997
Wow! ...this is the first book that I can endorse as being a practical guide, especially for new and hesitant couples. Some prior guides I've reviewed have been more personal fantasy experiences, which for some people are great, but this is the first book I've reviewed that is personal, concise, and very practical.

Book Description
Recreational Sex answers all your questions about the world of swinging: who swingers are and why they swing; the best ways to find partners; establishing your own pace; handling your emotions and improving communication with your lover; the joys of threesomes; different types of clubs, trips, and conventions and what to expect once you get there, along with contact information; eight pages of color photos from various lifestyle functions; and much more. The third edition, released in April, 2002, includes the latest information for a variety of clubs around the country and many exciting lifestyle events.

From the Publisher
Until now, reliable information about the swinging lifestyle has always been difficult to find. As managing editor of Connection Magazines, Patti Thomas has been involved in the swinging lifestyle on both a personal and professional level for 26 years. She has received a variety of awards from her peers in the lifestyle community for her positive contributions. Through Recreational Sex, Patti shares her knowledge and understanding of the lifestyle in her own friendly, common-sense style.

From the Author
The swinging lifestyle is obviously a very large part of my life, yet it isn't right for everyone. There are many couples and singles who are curious about this alternative lifestyle, but don't know where to obtain the helpful information they need to make informed decisions. My book dispels the many myths about swinging and truthfully answers the most common questions and concerns of newcomers.

About the Author
Patti Thomas is the managing editor of Connection Magazines of Cleveland, Ohio, the nation's largest and most respected group of personal contact publications for those interested in the swinging lifestyle. She has presented a variety of seminars and workshops dealing with swinging and bisexuality, and appeared on many television and radio talk shows to promote the lifestyle in a positive light. Patti is a member of the Board of Advisors of The Lifestyles Organization and a member of NASCA (North American Swing Club Association).

Excerpted from Recreational Sex : An Insider's Guide to the Swinging Lifestyle by Patti Thomas. Copyright © 1997. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Excerpted from Recreational Sex : An Insider's Guide to the Swinging Lifestyle by Patti Thomas. ©1997. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved. From Chapter 1: Why would a couple want to swing if they're happy together? One very important thing about swingers that most people have a hard time understanding is that one of the reasons that couples decide to swing together is because they are happy together. The majority of couples in swinging seem to have a number of things going for them that are sadly lacking in many "straight" (used here to define the opposite of swinging couples) relationships: a deep love for one another and strong commitment to the success and longevity of their relationship; excellent, honest communication skills with each other; healthy sexual attitudes; and a mutual desire to fulfill each other's wants and needs, not only in the necessities of everyday life, but sexually as well. By honestly sharing each other's sexual desires and fantasies, couples find that they create an intimate bond with each other. Depending on the individual personalities and the overall quality of the relationship, such intimacy could occur in the very earliest stages or could take several years. Whenever a couple reaches this level, however, discussions of fantasies often lead to the question of whether or not each would like to attempt to turn their fantasies into realities, and how to go about doing so. Once partners have admitted a desire for sexual variety, their first concern is (and should be!) what may happen to their primary relationship if they act upon their fantasies. Especially in a quality swinging partnership, each person must share the desire to preserve the relationship they have with each other above all else. The importance of always letting your partner know that he or she is number one in your life cannot be stressed enough! In our society, it is difficult for most people to separate sex and love. To swingers, physical acts of sexual pleasure with someone you respect, just for pleasure, and making love to one's lifetime partner, are two distinctly different things. Most couples I've met over the years felt that participating in the lifestyle had brought them closer than they had ever been, because they are intimately sharing not only their deepest desires, but also intimate sexual experiences. Swingers abhor the practice of "cheating" on one's partner, which, if discovered, will only result in hurt, loss of trust and confidence, and possibly the destruction of the relationship. They feel that the honesty and openness between swinging partners only enhances their bond.