When your computer has a thermal event, you contact the office IT professional, and when the pipes burst, you call in the plumber. When you need advice on how to delicately give your man directions in bed (‘cause God knows he won’t ask for them), of course you should find yourself someone who’s already adept at directing sex scenes on a day-to-day basis.

Candida Royalle, author of How to Tell a Naked Man What to Do and a former porn star, is now directing her own adult movies. Creator of Femme Productions, Inc., Royalle specializes in a line of erotic films that aims to show things from a woman’s perspective, focusing on female pleasure and the powers of sensuality. This makes her the perfect go-to girl for the job. Unfortunately, she also makes it impossible for you to forget that fact.

Though she has produced an intriguing piece of how-to sex literature for women, Royalle is first and foremost a film director, and she uses every opportunity to market her Femme line throughout this book. If there is a sexual situation or sexy wardrobe choice she’s trying to describe, there is coincidentally the perfect scene within one of her movies to illustrate it. When presenting a list of essential films for the reader’s erotic education, she posits that she would be remiss in leaving her own film line off the list. In the final resource section, which lists catalogs, books, etc., she’s quick to point out which arenas carry her movies. The constant and obvious self-marketing immediately chafes.

Once you can get beyond Royalle’s self-involvement, however, you’ll find yourself with a sex manual that is unexpectedly satisfying. This books takes you through the ideal sexcapade from beginning to end, using the format of actual film production to shape the layout of what should eventually become your regular sex ritual. Though chapter headings like The Script; Music and Lighting; Your Wardrobe; and Prepping Your Equipment can get a bit gimmicky, you’ll soon realize that it’s an incredibly apt way to plan out your erotic preparations.

For those looking to learn how to talk dirty or dominate in bed, the title of this book can be misleading. Rather than focusing on the main event, Royalle takes care to stress the importance of laying down some careful groundwork. She goes into great detail on topics like picking your location, choosing flattering lighting and decor, deciding which outfit is most appropriate for the occasion, and even the prepping of your libido.

By the time you make it to that final climactic scene, you’ll already have the confidence that it’s going to be a five star-worthy event.