CRACK! Okay,
people, sit up straight, hands on the desk, and cell phones off. My name is Sr.
Julie Assumpta and your summer of playtime is O-V-E-R. The new semester begins today and you may as well know
right off the ruler that this no chump course, you got it?
Good.
Because as a die-hard advocate of Kiss-ology, there’s nothing more annoying
than a pupil who doesn’t give her all to the
major component in a romance novel. I mean, give me a break! Would Gone With the Wind be the same if Rhett gave
Scarlett a handshake on top of that dusky hill? Of course not! Would Ryan
Gosling give you palpitations if he shoved Rachel McAdams to the wall in The Notebook just to push her out of the
path of a falling ceiling? Puh-leez!
Oh sure, and I suppose the sigh factor would go through the roof if George
Peppard kissed the cat in the rain instead of Audrey in Breakfast at Tiffany’s!
Come
on, people, this is romance, not women’s fiction …which means the kiss matters.
A lot!
BANG! Miss Logan Herne, spit that
chocolate out right now …
So
listen up. Ruth Axtell and I taught a workshop at ACFW last year entitled “A
Kiss is NOT Just A Kiss: Romantic Passion in Our Writing” and since ACFW is right around the corner once again, I decided it
might be fun to do a refresher course utilizing last year’s handout.
Of
course, Sister Ruth Axtell and Mother Superior (and, no, I am not talking about Tina this time!) agreed it would be both sinful and sacrilegious NOT to utilize excerpts from our upcoming releases, so what could
we do?? I’m already into Father Mac for upwards of 200 Hail Marys as it is for
rapping Ruthy Logan Herne’s knuckles, so I dare not disagree. Sheesh, who knew
that kid was related to the Pope??? Consequently, we have sneak peeks at
excerpts from Sr. Ruth Axtell’s Her Good
Name, hot-off-the-presses from Moody Publishers, and her upcoming March 2013
release from Revell, Moonlight Masquerade.
In addition, there will be excerpts from moi’s three upcoming releases, A Love Surrendered in October 2012, A Light in the Window: An Irish Christmas
Love Story in November 2012 and Love at
Any Cost in April 2013.
For
those A students who attended our workshop last year at ACFW, rest assured
there will be new material with enhanced ideas to keep you from falling asleep. Again. For those D students who did not attend our workshop, consider yourself lucky. All of the
material covered today should be fairly new and—praise be to God—you can bone
up on Kiss-ology without listening to me sing!
KA-POW! Miss Connealy—two demerits
for shooting spit wads and put that pea gun away this instant!
All
right, students—shoulders straight, eyes on the board, and Miss Dean, your hair
looks lovely, so I suggest you put the mirror and comb away, understood?
SIXTEEN "SUGGESTIONS" TO
WARM UP THE PAGES WITH ROMANTIC TENSION
Okay,
students, since there’s so much to cover, we’ll do it in three sessions—today’s
blog will cover points 1-8 (Kiss-ology 101); my Seeker blog for September 12
will cover points 9-16 (Kiss-ology 102); and finally just for fun, we’ll
feature excerpts of the TOP favorite kisses of the Seeker’s in my October Seeker blog (Kiss-ology 103) PLUS—Miss Harders, gives us a drumroll, please—the favorite kiss of one lucky Seekerville
commenter in my October Seeker blog (Kiss-ology 103).
Here’s what we’ll cover:
1.
Using Internal Male Dialogue
2.
Maximizing Use of Beats
3.
Making the Most of Touch and
Response
4.
Utilizing Dual Point of View
5.
Escalate Tension with Anger
6.
Using all Five Senses
7.
The Non Kiss
8.
Cashing in on the Kid Factor
9.
Using Emotionally Charged
Words and Active Verbs to Enhance Mood
10.
Capitalizing on the Element
of Surprise
11.
Exposing Desire in an
Unwilling Character
12.
Implementing the Concept of
Forbidden Fruit
13.
Effectively Using Dialogue
to Escalate Tension
14.
The Accidental Kiss
15. Reverse Seduction
16.
The Caveman Kiss
1.) Make the most of male “internal monologue” or what the hero is
thinking during the kiss scene. The male is key—his feelings/reactions
generate readers' feelings/reactions even more so than the heroine's because
his desire translates into the desire every woman wishes she could elicit. In
this scene from Ruth Axtell’s brand-new release Her Good Name, we experience
the memory of a kiss from the hero’s perspective, feeling the surge of his
pulse as he relives it in his mind. From anger and desire to heated passion and
finally shame, we feel the romantic tension simmering beneath the surface in a
way we could never achieve in the heroine’s perspective alone.
What have I done? His mouth went dry as memory tumbled into place.
Espy, running through the
dark woods, his frustration toward her, her teasing tone.
He relived the fiery red
light bursting in his mind during the kiss, like the fireworks earlier in the
evening.
He hadn’t been able to see
her, and yet perhaps that had made her presence all the more palpable, more
enticing. . . .
His heartbeat stepped up
again, remembering the whole evening. What had possessed him to kiss her like
that? Never in his sane mind would he have taken such an unpardonable liberty
with a young woman.
The way her body had slammed
into his. He’d been so angry one moment, and the next kissing her like a
thirsty man gulping water.
But in the unforgiving light
of morning, the folly he’d committed quickly doused any resurging passion. He
scrubbed his hand across his face, the roughness of his beard disgusting him.
He was no better than any of
the men he’d accused Espy of being free with. A girl no better than she ought to be…
In my upcoming release A Love Surrendered, Luke McGee just discovers his wife Katie O’Connor
is secretly being tutored by her former fiancé and coerces a confession to
learn the truth. After you read it, try to imagine the scene in the heroine’s
POV instead and I’ll bet you seven chocolate kisses from the teacher’s candy
jar that the romance—and the tension—would not be near as palpable!
He flipped off the light and
crawled into bed, pulling her close. She trailed a finger over his bicep and
down his arm, slowly circling his palm with her thumb. With a gentle kiss to
her head, he exhaled his stress, praying the encounter with Jack was only by
chance. “So … what have you and Kit been doing with your evenings?”
Her thumb ceased. “Nothing
much, lots of books, games, walks—you know, the usual.”
He paused, fiddling with the
strap of her gown. “You just stayed home all week? Didn’t go anywhere else,
like your parent’s or Lizzie’s?”
Her chest expanded and
released with a heavy draw of air before she responded. “Well, I did go out
last night,” she said slowly, voice breathless. “Mother watched Kit while I
studied at the law library.”
The air eased from his
lungs. “Alone?”
She hesitated a moment too
long. “Yes, of course. Meg couldn’t go.”
“Aw, you hate studying
alone.” He massaged her arm. “Run into anybody you know?”
He felt the shift of her
throat when she swallowed hard. “Uh … yeah.” She rushed to kiss him full on the
mouth, swaying her lips against his. “Mmm …”
Heat jolted, and he rolled
her over, kissing her thoroughly before trailing his lips to her throat. “Who?”
he whispered, the scent of her almost making him forget that he cared.
She moaned softly, ignoring
his question while she tunneled fingers into his hair. His lips wandered lower.
“Who, Katie?” he asked again, and her body went completely still. He looked up,
heart thundering. Tell me the truth,
Katie—please. “You all right?” he asked quietly.
Her mouth opened and closed
as if she wanted to speak, but nothing came out, blue eyes blinking so fast, he
thought she might cry. Please, Katie,
don’t lie …
“Luke,” she began with a
chew of her lip, “you know how I’ve struggled with Contract Law and you’ve been
too busy to help?” She avoided his eyes. “Well, I …” A shaky breath quivered
out. “Accepted someone’s offer to tutor.”
He didn’t breathe.
Disappointment stabbed when
she lunged to take his mouth with hers, pulling him down. “I love you, Luke,”
she whispered, “and I missed you so much, it hurt.”
Yeah, I know the feeling. Tempering his frustration, he gently fondled her
lips, taking his time with a languid kiss that made her go soft beneath his
hold. In a slow and measured tease, he explored her mouth with his own,
eliciting a moan deep in her throat when he gently tugged at her lip. “Who?” he
whispered again, mouth straying to the lobe of her ear.
“What?” Her eyes were closed
and her breathing shallow.
His mouth meandered the
curve of her neck, keeping pace with his hands as they skimmed the curve of her
body. “I was wondering who helped you?”
She tensed beneath his lips
and he knew this was it—the moment of reckoning. When Katie would tell him the
truth or lie through her teeth. Taut with both passion and anger, Luke coaxed,
trailing her collarbone with kisses while toying with the strap of her gown …
She shuddered beneath his
lips, voice barely audible and as soft as a guilty thought. “Jack.”
His lips stilled on her
skin. The lids of his eyes weighted down with relief before heat surged that
had nothing to do with the lure of his wife’s body. “Jack?” he rasped, the word
more of a hiss than a name. He jerked to a sitting position, shocked at the
venom that flowed in his veins. “You asked Jack
to tutor you?”
Wincing, she shot up, hand
clutched to his arm. “But you told me to get help …”
His mouth went slack. “From
your teachers, Katie Rose,” he ground
out, “not your former fiancé.”
2.) Maximizing use of “action beats”
(or character action … especially dramatic action). Instead of overuse of speak
attributions (i.e. he said, she said), try mixing it up with a healthy dose of
action beats and fewer speaker attributions. In scenes that require tension, I
have found I prefer using straight action beats alone instead of a combination
of speaker attributions and beats because I think it enhances the drama. Here
is an excerpt from A Hope Undaunted between hero Luke McGee and heroine Katie O’Connor (gotta love those
two ‘cause they’re always butting heads …) that shows it both ways—first
with speaker attributions and beats, and the second with beats only,
which I prefer because I think it elicits more tension. But … you be the judge!
SPEAKER ATTRIBUTION/BEATS EXAMPLE:
“Is that all this was
between us then?” he said, locking her wrist mid-air with a painful grip when
she tried to slap him. “A little fun while your rich boyfriend was off limits?”
“I never started any of
this,” she said, jerking her hand free, “and you know it. It was you.”
“No,” he said, his fingers
digging into her arms as he pressed her to the counter. “But you sure finished
it, didn’t you?”
ACTION BEATS ONLY (my preference):
She tried to slap him, but
he locked her wrist mid-air with a painful grip. “Is that all this was between
us then? A little fun while your rich boyfriend was off limits?”
She jerked her hand free. “I
never started any of this, and you know it. It was you.”
His fingers dug into her
arms as he pressed her to the counter. “No, but you sure finished it, didn’t
you?”
In
the following angry love scene between hero Collin McGuire and heroine Faith
O’Connor from A Passion Most Pure, I
relied heavily on beats instead of speaker attributions because for me, speaker
attributions can often slow the flow of a tense scene. I did use two speaker
attributions at the end, which are both underlined below, but only because I wanted a
strong response, such as Faith “screaming” or Collin speaking “quietly,” two
dramatic effects I needed to drive the emotion home.
She jerked her hand from his
and stood, quivering as she caved against the chair. “I can’t marry you,
Collin.”
He leaned forward. “I know
you love me. Can you deny it?”
She didn’t speak, and he
jumped up and rounded the table, gripping her arms to lift her to her feet.
When she wouldn’t look at him, he grabbed her chin and forced her. “Look at me!
Can you deny you love me?”
She stared at him through a
mist of tears. “Let me go, you’re hurting my arm.”
“Tell me you don’t love me.”
“I don’t love you.”
“You’re lying, Faith. I
would have thought better of you than that.”
“Well don’t!” she
screamed, “I’m not better than that. You’ve said your apologies, Collin,
now let me go.”
She tried to turn away. He
jerked her back. “I know you love me. Don’t you think I can feel it every time
I touch you?” He pulled her to him, and she cried out before his lips silenced
her with a savage kiss. She struggled to pull free, but he only held her
tighter, the blood pounding in his brain. His mouth was everywhere—her throat,
her earlobes, her lips—and he could feel the heat coming in waves as she melted
against him. She was quivering when he finally let her go.
“You love me, Faith,” he
said quietly. “You know that, and I know that. Your heart belongs to me,
and nothing can ever change that fact––not Charity, not you and not your god.”
3.)
Make the most of touch/response. This is Christian romance.
We’re limited in what we can say and do, and understandably so, but make the
most of what we can use—the caress of a thumb, a mouth going dry, warm words in
an ear, like this scene from Wild Rose by
Ruth Axtell.
He
pulled at the ribbon that held her hair. The heavy, silken strands fell at
once, surrounding her face. He stuck the ribbon in his pocket and burrowed his
nose in her hair, wanting to absorb the very essence of her. He grew still when
he felt her hands begin to explore his own face. Timidly at first, her fingers
touched the sensitive lobes of his ears, then swept downward more boldly,
exploring the contours in his jaws and cheeks. Caleb moved his head, giving her
better access and closed his eyes. Her slim fingers touched his lips softly,
and he kissed them in response.
4.)
Write a love scene utilizing both the
hero and heroine point of view: For me, getting inside the male head during “the
kiss” intensifies the “desire” factor. You can show his strength, his
dominance, his angst at falling in love with a woman he wants but can’t have,
which always enhances the “WOW” factor. Like Rhett with Scarlett in Gone
With the Wind or … ahem … Collin
with Faith in A Passion Most Pure.
But
… I personally believe you can ramp up
romantic tension when you show both
points of view in a love scene, the hero’s and the heroine’s. Here is a scene
from A Hope Undaunted that
looks at a first kiss through the eyes of the hero, Luke McGee, via his POV
utilizing both internal monologue and dialogue. At a crucial point in the
scene, I then flip to the heroine’s POV, Katie O’Connor, for her reaction.
A
word of warning: some
publishers frown on more than one POV in a scene because they believe it’s too
confusing. I, on the other hand, think it hikes the tension and sigh factor
when you incorporate both. However, you MUST follow some basic rules if you
plan to switch POVs mid-scene:
1.)
Always double-space to indicate a change of POV.
2.) Always begin the next POV with an action by the character whose POV is beginning.
3.) Keep POV switches to a minimum in a scene and always flesh out each POV with several paragraphs or pages (i.e. NEVER switch POVs every sentence or paragraph).
2.) Always begin the next POV with an action by the character whose POV is beginning.
3.) Keep POV switches to a minimum in a scene and always flesh out each POV with several paragraphs or pages (i.e. NEVER switch POVs every sentence or paragraph).
He plunged his hands in his
pockets and softened his tone. “Katie … is it me? Did I say or do something to
upset you?”
She shook her head, gaze
bonded to the floor. “No, Luke, really, please, I just need to—”
He nudged her chin up with
his thumb, and her lips parted with a sharp intake of breath. And then he saw
it. The gentle rise and fall of her chest, the soft rose in her cheeks, the
skittish look in her eyes, flitting to his lips and then quickly away.
Comprehension suddenly oozed through him like heated honey purling through his
veins. Could it be? Was it possible that cold, callous Katie O’Connor was
beginning to warm up? To him, of all people—Cluny McGee, the leper from her
past? The thought sent warm ripples of shock through his body, thinning the air
in his lungs. His gaze gentled, taking in the vulnerability in her eyes, the
fear in her face, and all he wanted to do was hold her, reassure her.
As if under a spell, his
gaze was drawn to her lips, parted and full, and the sound of her shallow
breathing filled him with a fierce longing. “Oh, Katie,” he whispered, no power
over the pull he was suddenly feeling. In slow motion, he bent toward her,
closing his eyes to caress her mouth with his own. A weak gasp escaped her as
she stiffened, but he couldn’t relent. The taste of her lips was far more than
he bargained for, and he drew her close with a raspy groan. With a fierce hold,
he cupped the back of her neck and kissed her deeply, gently, possessive in his
touch. His fingers twined in her hair, desperate to explore.
And then all at once, beyond
his comprehension, her body melded to his with an answering groan, and he was
shocked when her mouth rivaled his with equal demand. Desire licked through him,
searing his body and then his conscience. With a heated shudder, he gripped her
arms and pushed her back, his breathing ragged as he held her at bay. “We can’t
do this,” he whispered. He dropped his hold and exhaled, gouging shaky fingers
through disheveled hair. His gaze returned, capturing hers and riddled with
regret. “Believe me, Katie, as much as I want to, I’ve learned the hard way to
take things slow. I should have never started this, and I’m sorry. Will you
forgive me?”
Forgive him? She stared at him through glazed eyes, her pulse still pumping in her
veins at a ridiculous rate. She never wanted this, couldn’t stand the sight of
him, and now here she was, tingling from his touch and desperate for more.
Addicted to the “King of Misery.” The very thought inflamed both fury and
desire at the same time, muddling her mind. Dear Lord, she was torn between
welding her lips to his or slapping him silly. With a tight press of her mouth,
she opted for the second and smacked him clean across the face.
5.)
ESCALATE ROMANTIC TENSION WITH ANGER. I gotta be honest—I am not a violent person, but anger has to
be one of my favorite ways to up the
romantic tension in a story, I suppose because I’m a CDQ (caffeinated drama
queen) who likes lots of angst and drama. So, much to my husband’s relief, I
channel all of that churning drama into my books instead of my marriage, which
is good for my hubby, yes, but not so good for my characters!
In
my upcoming release, A Light in the
Window: An Irish Christmas Love Story, the hero and heroine’s first kiss is
prompted by anger. For me, this not only immediately ups the romantic tension between
these two right off the bat, but sets the tone for the rest of the book where
the Southie heartthrob is forced to slowly changes his ways to win the heart of
the woman who despises him. And, yes, that really is my daughter on the cover—didn't my artist hubby do a GREAT job? WAY better than my picture above as a nun ...
Seconds passed like eons
before she finally shook her head. “I’m sorry, Patrick, really I am. I like you
as a person, truly, but in the romantic sense. I have no desire to be involved
with a man like you, a rogue who so casually equates lust with love.”
A man like you.
A failure. A sinner. Someone not worthy of love. To his
parents, and now, apparently, to Marceline Murphy. Her pious judgment detonated
his temper. Fists clenched, he leaned in, eyes itching hot. “So you’re judge
and jury then, are you, Marceline? Condemning me without knowing me?”
Her jaw notched up, his tone
apparently sparking her anger as well. “I may not know you, Mr. O’Connor, but I do
know this neighborhood is littered with broken hearts and tarnished reputations
at your hand, so if you’ll kindly unhand my portfolio, you can be on your way.”
She might as well have spit
in his face. He stood paralyzed except for the white-hot fury that scorched
through him, stunned at her blatant rejection. Once again, Christian piety at
its very best—judging him, condemning him, telling him he would never measure
up. Deemed imperfect by imperfect people. The leather portfolio burned in his
palm like the angst burned in his gut, and he could hardly fathom that the one
woman he longed to know condemned him just like his father. The very notion
caused the blood to pound in his brain, and his response was swift, defiant and
rash. “Yes, I’ll unhand your portfolio, Miss Murphy,” he said with a strained
whisper, fingers taut as they fisted the leather. “But first … you revile me as
a rogue? I’ll give you a rogue …”
He hurled it to the ground
and jerked her close, temple throbbing as he silenced her with his mouth.
Stilling the lash of her arms with a dominant hold, he took his fill of a
beauty who had cut him to the core, wounded his pride and spurned him as
cruelly as his own blood. The stolen kiss of a rogue—just punishment for a
woman who had stolen his heart, crushing it beneath the heel of faith in a
so-called loving God.
His trigger reaction had
been prompted by revenge, making her pay, but she tasted of roses and
peppermint and a summer so warm, his anger flamed into desire, filling him with
a savage possession. Palm braced to the back of her neck, he devoured her with
a low groan, totally undone by the woman in his arms. “Marceline,” he rasped,
voice hoarse as he cupped her face in his hands. “This is not how I meant it to
be …”
Chest heaving, she lurched
away, the stinging jolt of her slap vibrating his jaw till his teeth rattled in
his skull. “How dare you!”
He blinked, the strike of
her anger diffusing his own and breaking the spell the kiss had cast. “How dare
I?” he whispered. A gloom darker than the blackest of nights crawled into his
soul. “How dare I do anything else, Marceline, but be all you’ve proclaimed me
to be?”
6.)
Use all five senses. As Ruth Axtell said in our
workshop, a kiss is not just about two sets of lips puckering up and touching.
Put yourself inside the head of both the hero and heroine when their lips first
meet. Try to remember your first
time. It’s not just about one point of contact, it’s about tasting, touching, seeing, hearing and smelling and all the jumbled
emotions going on inside. Usually you won’t use all 5 senses, but Ruth utilizes an average of 4 in most
of her kissing scenes. Here’s an unedited sneak preview from Ruth’s upcoming
March 2013 regency Moonlight Masquerade,
so see how many senses you can find!
“Here comes your shadow.” A
sudden thought occurred to him. “Perhaps you could fool him by pretending you
are here on an assignation—”
Before he could finish the thought, she took a step closer to him
until she was inches from him, her neck craned upward. “What a perfect ruse,”
she breathed.
The blood thundering in his ears, he bent lower.
She placed her
hands upon his shoulders. “But we must make it look convincing.”
His mind was swimming with the scent of her, the feel of her.
Whoever was following her would see her in an embrace. All he needed was to
stand still, hold himself in check and pray for control.
He was
unprepared for her whisper. “You may kiss me.”
Kiss her? Had he heard
aright? He stood paralyzed, the feel of her hands on his shoulders already
rendering him immobilized. She must hear the pounding of his heart.
Doubts assailed him. Kiss her? How? Where? A peck on the cheek, or
bend down just enough to make it look as if he was kissing her on the lips? No
one would be able to tell in the dark.
He lowered his head farther until his face was almost touching hers.
The sound of roses filled his nostrils. At once her hands left his shoulders
and her fingertips touched his face, drawing it down to hers. Too late, before
he could decide how to proceed, her lips met his full on.
No longer acting by rational thought, but by pure reaction, his lips
responded to hers tentatively, expecting her to pull away at any moment.
Instead her lips parted beneath his.
He lost all reason.
His fingers dug into her shoulders, drawing her closer. Her mouth
was more than he had ever dared dream—soft, pliant, warm, sweet. He couldn't
help himself. He wrapped his arms around her, until her body was flush against
his.
Instead of pulling away in shock, she only clasped him more tightly
about the neck, deepening the kiss.
For the next few minutes, all thought was drowned out by the roar of
his own blood. Nothing mattered to him but the warmth of her lips, eagerly
searching his.
He touched her cheek, soft as down, and trailed his fingers over its
curve, down her slim neck arched toward him, feeling the pulse at its base. He
rubbed her chin with his thumb as his fingertips caressed her earlobe, as if to
memorize every bit of her.
His hands moved downward, the length of her back, feeling her
contours through the thin silk of her costume. He forgot his purpose for being
there, forgot the war, his position at the Foreign Office, all his ambitions
and goals…all he wanted was Céline. He wanted to shout out her name.
7.)
THE NON-KISS OR ALMOST KISS. Okay, I don’t claim to be
real good at scenes without kisses, but I gave it the old college try in Love at Any Cost, which I hope shows
that romantic tension can be achieved without
a lip lock. Gosh, who knew??!! This scene takes place at the heroine’s uncle’s
Napa estate during a game of Midnight (Hide and Seek at night).
Jamie ducked behind a massive rhododendron into Cassie’s secret
crevice, a narrow corridor created by a deep sun porch on the south side of
Logan’s estate. Lips easing into a grin, he inched several feet back to where
she hid in the shadows with her back to the brick wall.
Even in the dark, he saw the whites of her eyes expand. “What are you
doing here?” she whispered, shooing him away. “This is my hiding place,
MacKenna—go!”
“Ten o’clock, eleven o’clock, midnight!” Liddy called.
Jamie chuckled. “Too
late,” he whispered, sandwiching himself behind her with his back to the wall.
He looped an arm to her waist, tightening his hold to quiet her when a flicker
of lamplight indicated someone just passed. Heady scents rose to taunt
him—lilac water and Pear’s soap mingling with the loamy scent of moss that
never saw the light of day—delicious perfumes all, tingling his skin. His smile
tipped at the soft absence of a corset that allowed him to feel the tension in
her body along with the race of her pulse, evident in the rapid rise and fall
of her chest.
Footsteps faded away, and she tried to whirl around, luring a grin to
his lips when she got stuck half way. “Jamie MacKenna,” she hissed in the dark,
“what in tarnation are you doing?”
Nudging her back around, he hooked her from behind once again, grazing
her ear with a low chuckle. “This is my hiding place, Cowgirl. Can I help it if
you stole it first?”
“Yours?!” she whispered loudly, her voice a near-squeak. “This has been
my hiding place since I was knee-high to a grape, you pickle-brained polecat.”
“I know,” he said with a grin in his voice. “Blake told me.”
She grunted and wrestled to get free. “Let-me-go! Have you forgotten
our agreement?”
“No, ma’am.” He firmed his grip, careful to brush his nose to the soft
flesh of her lobe before he breathed warm in her ear. “No kisses are involved,
Miss McClare,” he said softly, taking her hand in his. His thumb teased the
inside of her palm. “Hugs and hands only, I believe the fine print said.” His
fingers skimmed to her wrist, eyes closed to lose himself in the silky touch of
her skin, the chaotic sprint of a pulse racing along with his own.
Her shuddery breaths filled the darkened space
between them, matched by his own jagged breathing as he buried his face in her
hair. “Cass,” he whispered, unable to stop the heat that shimmered his skin.
“I’m in love with you …”
8.)
CASHING IN ON THE KID FACTOR. Dogs, cats, kids,
babies—doesn’t matter—put one in the arms of a good-looking hero, and you have instant
attraction for most women. Put a kiss in the middle of that hero and that dog,
cat, kid or baby and look out—you got
yourself a tender kiss that can warm the page with romantic innocence so sweet,
it will illicit a sigh. Hopefully I succeeded in doing that in this scene from
my upcoming release A Love Surrendered
where the heroine’s five-year-old sister has just given the hero a sweet kiss
on the lips after he was bamboozled by his matchmaking sister into driving her
and the heroine home.
“G’night, Glory.” He tapped her nose before Annie managed to
pry her away.
“Thanks again,” Annie said,
inching through the door with Glory in her arms.
“Wait! Aren’t you going to
kiss her too?” Glory spun around, eyes wide with the innocence of a little girl
who had no earthly idea what she was asking him to do.
He blinked, noting the
expanse of Annie’s eyes.
“Glory, no—” she whispered,
turning ten kinds of pale.
“Please?” The little
troublemaker stared at him with those wide eyes of an angel.
Heart thudding, he did the
only thing he knew to do—he kissed Annie right on the tip of her nose. Clearing
his throat, he stepped back. “Well, good-night, ladies.”
“No, silly,” Glory said,
“like this …” She demonstrated with a sweet little peck on her sister’s lips as
if he were too stupid to understand, then tilted her head. “See? It’s easy.”
Too easy, he thought with a trip of his pulse. Way, way too easy …
“Stop it, Glory, Steven
doesn’t want to—”
“Sure I do,” he whispered,
his words shocking him as much as Annie. Gaze holding hers, he slowly leaned
in, close enough to see the long sweep of her lashes, the pale gold in eyes so
green, he felt like he was in Oz, about to be granted a wish. He heard the soft
hitch of her breath when she stopped breathing because it coincided with the
halt of air in his own lungs. Cupping her face in his hand, his eyelids
sheathed closed at the touch of her lips—soft, supple and just a hint of
peppermint from the candy she’d offered him in the car. It was meant to be no
more than a peck like Glory had given him, but somehow his mouth wanted to
linger and explore … He stepped in close, body grazing hers and Glory’s till
they were one. A little-girl giggle broke the trance, and Annie’s lips curved
beneath his.
“His whiskers are itchy,
aren’t they, Annie?” Glory asked, patting his face once again. “Kinda makes you
wiggly all over, doesn’t it?”
Annie’s eyes glowed as she
caressed her own cheek. “Very wiggly,” she whispered.
Okay, that’s class for today, so your homework is
to leave a comment for a chance to win one of my books. Anyone who wants extra
credit, if you post a short sample of a kiss you’ve written, I will toss
your name into the pot for a chance to be included in Kiss-ology 103 in October
when I post a favorite kissing scene from each of the Seekers and YOU!!
So
… on your mark, get set ... PUCKER UP!
Hugs,
Julie
ABOUT JULIE:
Julie Lessman is an award-winning author whose tagline of
“Passion With a Purpose” underscores her intense passion for both God and
romance. Winner of the 2009 ACFW Debut Author of the Year and Holt Medallion
Awards of Merit for Best First Book and Long Inspirational, Julie is also the
recipient of 14 Romance Writers of America awards and was voted by readers as “Borders
Best of 2009 So Far: Your Favorite Fiction.” Chosen as the #1 Romance Fiction
Author of the Year in the Family Fiction
magazine 2012 and 2011 Readers Choice Awards, Julie was also awarded #1
Historical Fiction Author of the Year in that same poll and #3 Author of the
Year, #4 Novel of the Year and #3 Series of the year. She resides in Missouri with
her husband, daughter, son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter and is the author
of “The Daughters of Boston” series—A
Passion Most Pure, A Passion Redeemed,
and A Passion Denied. Book 1 in her “Winds of Change” series A Hope Undaunted ranked #5 on Booklist’s Top Ten Inspirational Fiction
for 2010 and is followed by A Heart Revealed and A Love Surrendered. You can contact Julie through her website at www.julielessman.com.
183 comments:
A spew alert was warranted. I pulled up Seekerville and Julie in habit was there on my extra large monitor.
HELEN!!!! HELP ME!!!!
YAY JULIE!!!!
Not only was I /at/ the class last September - I reported on it!!
:D
Love kissing scenes! Can. Not. Wait. for ALS to get here!
One of my recent faves has to do with a rock near a creek in Short Straw Bride by Karen Witemeyer. /sigh/
So a kiss of ours? Here's one...
[You know... as I think about it... some of my faves I've written are written in his POV - long before you told us [or me at least] this anyway - guess I'm doing something right?]
This one is from my Genesis semi-finalist, Finding Mr. Write [yes, they are married]. [It's also not been through much in the way of edits... ;)]
*
We still hadn't said anything when we reached the suite. I opened the door, Dorrie's hand snug in mine – unwilling to let go of her for even those brief seconds. As soon as the door shut behind us, I pressed her against it, kissing her as though my life depended on it.
And she kissed me back.
My hands pushed against the door, palms flat as hers slid up my chest and tangled in my hair. I couldn't say who gave the signal to take it a step further but her hands traveled around to my back and skimmed under my shirt, blazing a trail along my skin as my lips left hers and wandered down her chin toward her ear.
Under my shirt, her arms wrapped tightly around me, holding me to her. When I reached her ear, it took everything in me to whisper.
"If you don't want this, Cayman, tell me now."
Thought I'd come over here before bed and check out this Kiss-ology. How am I supposed to sleep now?
Question: You said try to remember your first kiss. What if one has never been kissed and is trying to write a kissing scene? How does one keep it from being cliche?
Julie, Julie, Julie!!!! I want to read the new ones coming out more than ever! & the other books you spotlighted! AWESOME, AWESOME, AWESOME!!!!!!!
Oh, boy.
I don't even know where to begin with these. A lot of grabbing and slapping and forceful clinches... DRAMA!
But I did laugh at the five senses one. Because my first kiss with my husband was right after I'd made roast garlic and French bread. Hey, how was I suppose to know it was THE DAY?? We'd been friends for half a year and I hadn't even gotten a hug.
He still teases me about my amazing garlic breath.
Man, I want to write a joke scene with bad breath and men who can't hold the girl down and shrugging instead of slapping.
MORNIN' ALL!!! We have a continental buffet today because we SHORE in the heck don't want to turn on any ovens in here ... Sr. Julie Assumpta is already too hot under the collar as it is, so we'll just go with a broad selection of donuts, bagels, peach cobbler and cherry cinnamon cheese coffee cake with hazelnut coffee and a selection of teas.
Be on your best behaviour, though, 'cause that nun can be a real pain in the habit, if you know what I mean!!
Hugs,
Julie
LOL, TINA ... sorry for the scare!! That's what my husband goes through every single morning ... ;)
WHOA, CAROL, did you bring the fire extinguisher like I told you too??? Because that scene was smokin' hot, girlfriend ... WHEW!!!
LOL, CHRISTINA ... Remember my post that mentioned peppermint tea??? I suggest brewing some, sweetie pie... :)
Hugs,
Julie
Oh dear! I'm a little hot and bothered now, and right before bed! Great post and love all the different types of kissing scenes. Who knew?!?
ecriggs1990(at)aol(dot)com
You know what, VANYA, when I proofed this blog tonight, it DID occur to me that there would be some writers in our audience that are not old enough or are saving that first kiss for Mr. Right, so I apologize that I didn't address that in the blog, sweetie.
If you don't have personal experience to go by, then do what every single writer on the planet does -- RESEARCH!! And, YIKES, I don't mean running out and kissing the first guy you see ... I mean study how your favorite romance authors write their loves scenes or analyze your favorite romance movies. What thrills you as a romance reader?? Take it from there and write, then have writer friends critique it, give you feedback. After all, I didn't know squat about Boston or WWI when I wrote A Passion Most Pure, but research and my imagination put me smack dab in the middle of both, and you can do the same!!
Oh, and I wrote 150 single-spaced pages of A Passion Most Pure at the age of 12 after reading Gone With the Wind, and trust me -- I had NO personal experience with kisses at that time, but I wrote 'em anyway, so you can too ...
Hugs,
Julie
ANDI, ANDI, ANDI!!! I just LOVE it when you come by, my friend, because you ALWAYS make me smile with your boundless enthusiasm, so THANK YOU!!! Only 1-1/2 months till ALS, 2-1/1 months till ALITW and a little over seven months till LAAC, so hang on just a little bit longer ... ;)
LOL, VIRGINIA ... WRITE IT, GIRL!!! And, HOLY COW, what awful timing for a first kiss, but apparently he liked it (and you) well enough to come back for seconds, right??
LIZ ... ooops, sorry!! But like I told Virginia above, a little peppermint or chamomile tea works wonders ... ;) Nighty-night ...
Hugs,
Julie
Sounds like research I could do. ;)
The fact that your name IS Julie Assumpta just cracks this Catholic girl up!
Ah, Julie, this is a teaser, a twinger, a keeper, just like you! What great excerpts and whoa... the scene with Katie????? And Luke????
Hiya Carumba! I'm hiking up the air as we speak! :)
And Ruth's excerpt about Espy... just lovely. Very rugged male writing, I felt his emotions. Wonderful, ladies!
Hey, it's morning, coffee's on and the Keurig is here, too! Gotta jump start Monday, don't we? I've got the most amazing peach pie for breakfast, a recipe I tweaked from Country magazine... Oh my stars, it is to die for AND NOT RUNNY!!!
Reason enough to celebrate life right there! ;)
Jules, what an amazing amount of hard work you put into this. You rock.
I just yell at folks. I'm so lame. ;)
And this reader thought a kiss was a kiss.
Oh on first kisses (and only kisses) If I was a writer I would be none the wiser cos the kiss I got from a holiday romance was like a wet fish. and i thought if this is what kissing is all about it is so overrated!!!!
Still waiting for my first real kiss.
Ok think I am heading to bed shortly (who would think gardening could be so exhausting but on the plus side I did get lots of free spring bulbs the neighbour was throwing out. oh only about a 5th are planted).
Julie my friend. I'm sitting here and I just have to confess that I had to leap over all your examples so I'll have to come back again later.
In part because Josh is right beside me and your blasted kissing scenes get me all flustered and also because he's now taken to reading stuff over my shoulder and reading them aloud in his best romance hero voice.
He's looking at me grinning right now! Time to go find me something dry like a grammar blog to read!
Hey Julie,
What a great class! Now I'm going to be late for work. Thanks!
Jackie L.
Julie!!!! The non-kiss???? That makes me smile. :-)
So glad I stopped by seekerville today for this post!!!
All right. I have a kiss to share, but I do so with a VERY, VERY heavy heart. Because I just got some revision notes back and I have to um, make it less intense. Here she goes:
Their lips brushed, and a wave of warmth started where their mouths met and travelled to her toes. She savored the moist, tender contact, the way time suspended as her lips rubbed softly and quickly against his. Then she sighed and pulled back.
“Not yet,” he whispered, taking her shoulders and covering her mouth with his own.
The man was controlled strength. No pretense, no hiding, no secrets. His lips were firm but not hard, demanding but not reckless. His muscled arms wrapped around her, their heat seeping through her clothing as he drew her closer. Of their own volition, her hands snuck up and clung to his neck while her fingers toyed with the fine blond hairs at the base of his head.
He kissed her slowly at first, unyielding but patient. Then his lips roamed over her check, along her jaw, beneath her ear. And with each brush of his mouth against her skin, he seemed to whisper a silent message. Let me help you.
#
Kissing Miss Wells was like unwrapping a present. Slowly drawing off the ribbon, then the wrapping. Taking the lid off the box, and digging through the tissue. She had so many layers—the proper lady, the dignified teacher, the steely politician’s daughter, the soft woman. He peeled them back, patiently, thoroughly, until her heart shimmered like diamonds in his hands.
He knew the moment he gained her trust. Her muscles relaxed, her breathing grew deeper and her hands became restless as they slipped from his neck to his shoulders.
He should jerk away, do something to stop the aching that stole through him. But instead of dropping his arms, his hands slid up her back and tangled in her hair, slipping her rich tresses from their pins and spilling it down her back and shoulders.
And what was he doing? Kissing her in a carriage, while she hadn’t even a chaperone? While her hair cascaded like velvet around his hands, and her body went limp in his arms? She was a city woman who lived thousands of miles from his ranch. A politician’s daughter, who faced bigger decisions than kissing him. A teacher who did unfathomable good for her students and didn’t need him getting in the way of her dreams.
He leaned back, abruptly breaking the kiss and letting his hands fall. But she hung on him, clinging to his shirt. Her eyes closed, her face upturned, her breathing erratic. Then her eyelids flickered open, and he stared into pure, dreamy hazel.
He should have never ended that kiss.
He should have never started it.
So Julie, Ruth, anyone, what do I cut??? I don't want to cut a single word. I love every last bit of it and worked on it forever to get it just perfect. What good is a "less intense kiss" anyway? Isn't the entire point of a kiss to be intense?. Grrrrr....
Oh, and can we enter the contest more than once? Cuz I got some pretty great kisses to pull out from my last book. :-)
Peach pie for breakfast, Ruthie? I can almost smell it from my house! Yum.
Oh, boy, Julie, I'm really EXCITED that your books are coming out faster now. Can't wait for those 3 upcoming releases.
I had to do a double take to see if that was really you in the habit.
Dear me.
There's a lot in this one. I started at 7.01 am and it'S now 7.23.
Good morning Julie!!
They asked to bring a fan today in class... and I see why.
Wow. I actually gasped at some of the scenes. Your friend is pretty good (gonna look her up, a.s.a.p!) And Julie...hats off to you! You've pulled it off once more.
Whoo-hoo!
Gonna read comments, now :-)
My gosh, Naomi and Carol! HEAT!
Sorry, is anyone else blushing?! Julie.. probably not..
I'm not only blushing.. I'm actually shocked.
Thanks for allowing everyone on the journey, Jules.
I'm not sure what to say anymore (speechless) but I'm smiling..
Hugs,
G.
Sister Assumpta just saved us the price of a workshop at conference...complete with teacher's notes!
Now that makes me feel guilty for cutting into ACFW profits... but I have no shame in sayingI have gone to 'the kissing queen's' pages when I needed to write 'the scene'--
And oh, how I love that title Moonlight Masquerade. Looking forward to Ruth's next book!
wonderful stuff here ladies. I guess a bunch of us will be printing this one off for the old binder (I'm up to two binders--two bursting binders--for my 'writing helpers' collection (most of which have come from Seekerville posts, of course.
happy NEW WEEK, new season (the back to school season) and now that the Olympics are over, you can all get to bed earlier...phew...
Thanks for the spew alert Tina but it came too late.
cherry cheese cinnamon coffee cake, you say?
Naomi, I feel your pain. I also had to revise a kiss that was "too steamy"...so I cut it. Completely. I made the characters put a lid on that steam and saved it for later. Actually, way off camera - after the epilogue.
It IS an Amish story, after all!
What a great post, Julie! I love reading all the sneak peeks at the books from you and Ruth Axtell.
Writing Amish stories means I need to keep my kissing toned down. Way down. Which works well, because I'm discovering a delayed kiss builds that tension even further.
In my WIP the characters have their first kiss in the last scene of the book, and I still leave a lot to the imagination, concentrating on the build up and backing off for the delivery.
Here's the first kiss from my as-yet-untitled first (!) book being published in May by Love Inspired:
"Bram was kissing her forehead, her nose, nudging her face up with each kiss until he caught her lips with his. She lifted her hand to pull him closer as she let herself drown in his kiss."
Someday I may write a story with more kissing, but until then I'll just have to be satisfied with yours :)
LOL, Julie! You are in your element, babe!!
There is definitely a reason your novels are referred to as: Not your mother's Inspirational Romance!!
Glad this kissing lesson is a 3-part series. I want to memorize every word.
AND, no ruler rapping on my knuckles. I DID NOT ditch your class last conference. I took scrupulous notes and review them often. Bring on the test!!
I attended your class last year, and when I saw your email on the loop about Kiss-ology 101, well, I clicked right to Seekerville.
Uh, WOW!
GOOD GRIEF. Not only do I wake up to steamy romance but to a Sister with a ruler. NOT FAIR.
I think I'll crawl back into bed. DH likes to help with the research. smile.
whew! nice steam factor, ladies.
Okay, you got me wide awake this morning, Julie. And my husband isn't here to do research with. Sigh. Great post. Since I do write, uh, women's fiction, I'll have to see how to incorporate some of this. :)
Love seeing your passion for pure passion. ;)
Wow, Julie, somehow with the nun outfit and the ruler......this blog post went kinda Fifty Shades of Julie on me.
I'm disturbingly intrigued.
And that first nun picture, that's photoshop, right? If you have an actual 'HABIT' at the house, I don't want to know.
And I certainly don't want to know WHY!!!!
Julie!!!!! Definitely a post I’m bookmarking!!! I’m gearing up to write several kiss scenes in my WIP and this all was so timely, so thank you! Love the excerpt from A Light in the Window (love the cover, btw) And the kiss scene from that book was WOW!! Can’t wait to read the whole thing!! How long is the novel going to be?
Okay, a kiss scene. Here goes! The actual kiss scene is quite a bit longer than this, but this is half of it.
Without pausing to think, to consider, as he’d done so many times before he drew her against him. Tipping her chin up, he looked into her eyes. The longing in their depths mirrored his own.
She wanted him to kiss her.
The moment his lips touched hers, everything faded in comparison. He should have stepped away, after a brief, gentle kiss, but he couldn’t. He’d waited far too long. Wanted her far too long.
Now that she was in his arms, he had no intention of pulling away.
His mouth claimed hers, as he cupped the back of her neck, intertwining his fingers amongst the soft, damp curls hanging down her back. He inhaled the scent of her, an intoxicating combination of rain and rose water, drawing her against him. Wanting with everything in him, for all distance between them to be bridged.
Naomi - wowza!! I don't blame you for not wanting to cut any of it!!!!
Wow, Naomi, I love that scene! Whatever gets cut should definitely be put in a “for later” folder, because that’s one really well-written kiss!!!
Julie, you and Ruth are the absolute BEST at this romance stuff! LOL! Ruth's Wild Rose is one of my all-time favorites for sheer romantic emotion.
I guess I will try to post an "almost kiss" from my upcoming Dec. release, The Fairest Beauty, based on Snow White. I have a ton of almost kisses in that book. And more kissing than in my other books!
VANYA ... YES, it IS, so go for it, darlin'!!!
RUTHY!!! Sorry about the rap on the knuckles, sweetie, but you can be SUCH a troublemaker in class, you know??? And PEACH PIE???? AI CARAMBA, MY FAVORITE!! Bring it on ...
JENNY, LOL!!! "A wet fish" ... that made me chuckle, you sweet thing. I pray the next one is WAY better than that ... And, HOLY COW, you're planting bulbs just a month or so out of the hospital??? What, are you crazy??? That's killer work -- I know 'cause I used to be a heavy-duty gardener till I traded it in for writing books. Now the only thing that gets tired on me is my posterior! ;)
Hugs,
Julie
From The Fairest Beauty, coming out in Dec.
Now that Gabe was better, would he leave her to go visit his betrothed, Brittola? And Walther, if he traveled hard and didn’t stop back by the Cottage of the Seven, could arrive in Hagenheim ten days from now and tell Gabe’s brother, Valten, where they were. He might send men to fetch her immediately. Or he might come for her himself. The thought of marrying him, instead of giving her a feeling of anticipation, filled her with dread. What if she didn’t like him? What if he was gruff and mean? Would he make her feel safe the way Gabe did?
Or Valten might not even believe she was the duke’s daughter and his betrothed, and therefore might never send for her. She could stay here and take care of the Seven’s house and cook for them. And Gabe would marry Brittola.
She had been so engrossed in her thoughts she hadn’t noticed that everyone had finished eating and were beginning to stand and clear off the table. She stood too quickly and knocked her small bench to the floor behind her with a crash, which drew every eye to her.
Ducking her head, she picked up the pitcher of milk and carried it back to the kitchen, along with the leftover custard. She knew without looking that all eyes were on her as tears pricked her eyelids.
As she set the pitcher and pie on the table in the kitchen, a tear tracked down first one cheek, then the other. She didn’t even know why she was crying. She should be happy. Gabe was better, his fever was gone, and he was back to looking like himself again. The seven men were happy with her cooking and treated her well. She was safe from the duchess. She was free. She could be getting married to her betrothed, the oldest son of a duke …
Her tears came faster. She placed her hands on the side of the rough wooden table, leaned over, and stifled a sob.
Sophie brushed the tears away with the back of her hands. She hated crying. It did absolutely no good and was embarrassing. “Stupid.” Perhaps the duchess was right. She was stupid, too stupid to force herself to stop loving—
“Sophie?” Gabe’s voice came from behind her.
She rubbed her face to get rid of the tears.
“Do you need something?” Her voice shook. She cleared her throat and kept her back to him.
“Are you all right?” He laid his hand on her shoulder and she jerked away instinctively.
She never let men touch her. Never. She had to protect herself. But she regretted it when Gabe took his hand away. She didn’t have to protect herself from Gabe.
No. That was wrong. She had to protect her heart.
“Did one of the men say something wrong?”
“Of course not. Nothing is wrong.” She still refused to turn around and face him. She continued trying to look busy, washing out the milk pitcher. She wondered what he was doing behind her, what he was thinking, and if he had left. His hand touched her shoulder again.
She didn’t flinch this time, but stopped what she was doing.
Gently, he placed both hands on her shoulders and turned her around to face him. She looked up into his eyes. A strangely intense, pleading expression in his warm brown eyes, his gaze traveled down to her lips, causing her to shiver. She couldn’t let him kiss her—but oh, how she wanted him to. She slipped her arms around him and buried her face in his chest. But it only made her heart ache more.
His arms wrapped around her and pulled her close. He laid his cheek against the top of her head, bringing back memories of their riding together, the three days they’d spent in the same saddle.
He felt so solid, so strong, warm and wonderful. Was he thinking of her as a sister? Because she certainly wasn’t thinking of him as a brother. She could feel him taking a deep breath as he hugged her tighter, his heart beat pounding almost as hard as her own.
From the other room came the sound of chair legs scraping the floor of the dining hall. Were the Seven coming to help her clean up? Of course they were. They always did. Just as the footfalls reached the door, Sophie broke away from Gabe and spun around to the kitchen sink.
KARA, LOL!!!! What a cutie Josh sounds like, my friend -- at least he takes an interest, even if it is with a twinkle in his eye ... ;)
:) JACKIE ... hope you weren't TOO late, my friend ... thanks for stopping by first, though, and GOOD LUCK!!
NAOMI ... CRACK ... OUCH!! Now see what you did ... you broke my ruler!!! Sweet smoldering kisses, darlin', this is Kiss-ology 101, not 105!!! HOLY COW, girl, that was TO DIE FOR in the realm of kisses, so GREAT JOB!! And, YES, by all means, share away because we'd love to read them, but unfortunately I can only give one entry per person for a scene or else it would take forever for me to pick one ... :)
Hugs,
Julie
Fun ideas! Thanks so much for the great examples.
Blessings,
Carrie
:( Naomi, I don't like the "less intense" kiss revision note. :(
Naomi's always telling me to add more kisses in my WIPs, so I took notes from the post though I've got the conference on CD but I haven't listened to this class yet, does that give me at least a C for having bought the class or an F for being almost a year later and still have not listened to it?
Ok, this is a kiss from a book of mine that may not see the light of day, so I'll share here (Naomi made me turn this from an almost kiss into a real one :) It's a marriage of convenience story, btw
Her warm breath on his neck sent chills through his body. No more fancy dance moves, just the two of them, swaying to a non-existent beat. He unlaced his fingers from her waist and tilted her chin, letting his thumb trace her upturned jaw.
She pulled away, but he brought her back. She stared at his shirtfront where her balled fists pressed against him.
He tucked a feathery strand of hair, the color of a robin’s wing, behind her ear. What went on in that head of hers when he drew this close? Did his nearness erase any of her reservations, or did they race about in her mind all the more? She thought too much. Cared too much about what everyone else thought. Always measuring what she did, who she talked to, and how she lived using other people’s standards.
His fingertips trailed down her velvety temple to her jaw, and his pulse quickened like the thundering of a thousand stampeding hooves. She closed her eyes, and the tension in her muscles dissolved. His fingers explored the hollows of her throat and found an accelerated heartbeat, matching his beat per beat. He did rouse her senses. What a lovely thing.
He lowered his mouth within a hair’s-breadth from her lips. They were his to kiss, were they not? Her breathing quickened, and like a butterfly alighting on a sprig of new spring grass, he kissed her soft on the mouth. Her lips tasted like sugar and vanilla, but this evening’s apple dumpling hadn’t tasted this luscious.
She voiced a tiny moan and pressed closer. With his pulse pounding in his ears, he deepened his kiss, the taste of her like bracing nectar. Only the space of a few heartbeats passed, but if he didn’t break off, he wouldn’t stop. He took a step back and struggled to catch his breath.
Her gaze remained on his chest, and her cheeks heated beneath his palms.
“How should we end this evening, Ann?” He choked on the words he hadn’t meant to voice.
“Not the way you want it to.” Her emotionally wrought whisper turned his heart to mash. Her gaze traveled up to his. She bit her lip, and her breathing grew frantic. “Not yet.”
He let his hands slide down her arms and capture her wrists, his eyes beseeching hers.
Her gaze dropped back down to his chest. “Sometime soon. I just don’t know when.”
He pulled her closer and kissed her forehead. “I’ll wait, Mrs. Hendrix. I can wait.”
MAN, reading that I want to save this WIP again.
LOL, JULIA ... now you see why I didn't enter the convent ... I would have been an ugleeeee nun. Well, that and other reasons, of course ... ;)
GANISE ... that's the good thing about blushes ... you can't see them over the Internet!! I think romance scenes like this are all the more potent when grouped together out of context, you know? When you only have a handful throughout a big book that also has LOTS of spiritual scenes, it's a very good mix ... like sweet and sour. Thanks for coming by, my friend, and you should have seen how long this blog was BEFORE I cut it into three parts ... ;)
DEB ... yeah, maybe I should have put "spew alert" in the header, but oh well ... Thanks for your sweet comment about Seekerville and this blog -- love you to pieces!!
Hugs,
Julie
Steamy morning in Seekerville. I love it. When I grow up, I want to write kissing scenes like Julie and Ruth.
Wow! Naomi, it’s a shame you have to change it that kiss, sizzles.
Enter me in the drawing. I'm off to search my work for kiss to post....
LOL, JAN ... sorry about the cut kiss, but laughed out loud at the line, "It IS an Amish story, after all!" What a boring world it would be without the soft and sweet romance of Amish books mixing with the more volatile romance, eh? Kind of like a buffet with only one item ... And, WOW, that was a BEA-U-TIFUL kiss, my friend, tender and yet potent. GREAT JOB -- can't wait to read it ...
AUDRA, LOL ... "bring on the test"... You always get an "A" in my class, darlin', for "A"bsolutely WONDERFUL friend!!
Hugs,
Julie
Hey, SUSAN, thank you for attending last year's workshop AND coming by today. Yeah, it's more of a "WOW" reaction when you lump intense romance scenes together in one blog like I did here, but like I told Ganise up above, romance scenes like this are all the more potent when grouped together out of context because in the actual book, they are only sprinkled here and there amid the story among spiritual scenes that are, hopefully, just as passionate.
ROTFLOL, SANDRA!!! "Research," indeed!! You are toooo cute ... and so is Ed!!
Hey, MICHELLE, thanks for coming by for some "steam" in your coffee, darlin'. :)
Hugs,
Julie
HA!! JEANNE ... glad we could give you a jolt along with your coffee, my friend, but think about it -- woman's fiction could be just as potent with a shot of romantic tension here and there amid the stress and angst of real-life problems, right???
ROTFLOL, MARE!!! "Fifty Shades of Julie" ... what a scary thought!!
And, MARE, to be honest, Keith and I went to our local Wal-Mart after church to get me black and white material to make a slap-together nun outfit, but we found out when we got there that they stopped selling material. Went to a few more stores and couldn't find ANY, so Keith just decided to Photoshop me, so I'm "heavier" than I like. :) But seriously, when I was Moms in Touch leader at my kids' Christian school, me and the other moms lip-synced "I Will Follow Him" from Sister Act in the school talent show, and we made our costumes. It was SO much fun and I have it on DVD, but don't know how to transfer it to video. It was a royal hoot, though, and the next year we did the same act, but using our 1st-grade daughters in it dressed up as nuns instead of us. Like Ruthy would say -- "Stinkin' adorable!!":)
Hugs,
Julie
BTW this post is full of the greatest covers, yours and Ruth's. Wow, and I LOVE the new one for A Light in the Window.
Kissing scenes? We're posting kissing scenes? I have one of those.
Here's the first kiss between Seth and Callie in Over the Edge.
"Seth, why did you leave? What happened?"
His crazy eyes, so vulnerable she'd been done in by them from the first, looked sad. "I'm sorry, Callie. I don't even know what happened. I—when did I leave, was it—I don't remember there being a baby." He shook his head as if denying he'd done such a thing.
"You don’t even remember there being a wife. Connor wasn’t—well, I wasn’t up to traveling for a while, that’s why it took me so long to come after you."
"He's beautiful. I have a son." He leaned close and kissed her.
No warning.
She was sure she'd have refused his kiss if she'd had a chance. The kiss deepened. It hurt, but it was so wonderful to be with him again. Which didn’t match with the burning desire to fill his belly full of led.
AMANDA!!! How are you doing, my friend -- it's been WAY too long!! Love, love, LOVED the kiss scene, but then we have such similar styles that it's no great shock!! Especially love the line, "She wanted him to kiss her," because to have the hero realize like that, think it, is soooo romantic to me!! GREAT JOB, my friend!! And thanks for your sweet comments on the blog and my cover for ALITW -- I love it, too, I guess because my daughter is in it and my hubby did it. :)
Aw, MEL, thanks SO much for your kind words, all the more weighty coming from a dear friend and two-time Christy nominee!! And, WOW, that "almost kiss" was WONDERFUL!! It completely swept me away while I was reading it, as your books always do. :)
Hey, CARRIE, sooooo good to see your sweet face pop up, my friend -- ALWAYS a pleasure! Blessings right back ...
Hugs,
Julie
MELISSA!!! You will get three raps from my ruler if this book DOESN'T not only see the light of day, my friend, but the full blaze of noon. IT. IS. WONDERFUL!!!! EXCELLENT kiss, EXCELLENT writing, truly!! Very impressed ...
LOL, BRIDGETT ... well, Ruthy and I are certainly doing our level best to pave the way, darlin', in a market where kisses are slowly getting more and more attention. :) Looking forward to your clip ...
Thanks, MARE!! Yeah Ruth's Moonlight Masquerade is a Revell regency, and Revell is really putting out some drop-dead gorgeous covers, just like Bethany.
Your kiss scene between Seth and Callie is SO good, but then all of yours are, although my faves are the "caveman style," which will show up in next month's blog. The realllly unique thing about your kisses, Mare, are they are not only "hot," they are downright cute at times too, as evidenced by the last line, "Which didn’t match with the burning desire to fill his belly full of led." LOL ... you are SUCH a hoot!!
Hugs,
Julie
Wait a minute. If Melissa wins the "Julie Lessman" kissing contest because of kiss I forced her to put in the book and then edited for her, do I get some kind of prize too? Surely I deserve a little credit. :-)
And as for editing my kiss, I pulled out most of the references to where the H/H hands and arms were and left all the "feel good" and emotional stuff. Hopefully that will work! But in all honesty, I didn't have the guts to reread the neutered version.
Seriously not fair, my two hours at the local library computer is nearly over!!!! And talk about having a fire extinguisher handy -- how about the whole fire department????? LOL. Gotta run before this poor computer fogs up so badly I can't see to log off. But I'll be back tomorrow to catch up!!!
What a kissing-great time we're having today! There are some GREAT kissing scenes here.
Naomi, loved yours. Such a shame you have to tone it down - I didn't think it was too intense at all!! Just right!
Melissa, great scene! I think you should resurrect that book!
And Melanie - even though there was no kiss, GREAT romantic scene!
And of course, Julie and Ruth's examples are wonderful.
Makes me want to rush home and write a kissing scene! LOL.
Might post something later - at work now!
Cheers,
Sue
MELISSA,
Even if that WIP doesn't make the cut, that kiss needs to.
:)
Mmmmmmmmmmmm.
Aw, thank you Julie and Sue! It means so much to me coming from two such great writers! :-) I had the hardest time keeping those two characters from kissing too soon! Gabe especially was hard to wrangle! LOL
Great great post, Julie. Thanks for sharing your secrets. I now see that using the heroes POV is the way to go. Or both POV's. My example is from the heroines but I'd still like a shot at your guest kissing scene. Loved your "Hope Undaunted" and really want to get your Irish Christmas love story. Beautiful daughter. Okay, here's the example:
The room was darkening. His voice was husky against her ear. “Give me another chance?”
She stepped away. Finally she replied, “Well, you were pretty tolerable on Saturday.”
But his touch wasn’t, it was deadly. Irresistible. As if he could read her mind, he took her hands and pulled her close again. But she bumped his tool bags and the sharp edge of a square dug into her hip bone. “Ouch.”
“Sorry.” He fiddled with the belt and dropped into onto the floor. He reached for her again, and his touch thrilled and completed her. The question was no longer applicable.
They entered an embrace that removed the last shred of debate. It was just the two of them, and a place of contentment she’d thought was gone forever. Longing for more, temporary as the fix might be, she looked into his face and saw his desire.
Thanks!
Usually I'm disciplined about writing scenes in order, but this class has me wanting to skip ahead to the kiss scene! Can we, Sister Julie A.? Pretty please with chocolate kisses? I'm inspired!
Here's my fake one, just for you Julie...
He was in the middle of saying something, but she wasn't listening. Something about his drill, or his hammer, or whatever. She lunged forward, her lips making contact with chin and working their way up. Their teeth banged together like procelain dishes in the sink.
She saw his eyes go wide before her vision faded, blissfully lost in the moment. Soon, too soon, he pulled away.
"Wow. Was that... garlic?" His voice was raspy, breathless.
She tipped up her chin to his, hoping for more. "Oven roasted," she whispered, enuciating every word. She moved forward, eyes slipping closed.
His hands gripped her wrists tightly, holding ehr back, and her lids opened with a snap.
"Julie", he said, and turned his head to cough. She saw the apple in his throat bob. Could it be there were tears glittering at the corners of his eyes? He must have been dreaming and longing for this kiss.
He spoke without looking at her. "I deed do go." His words came out in a muffled nasal, as if he had a bad cold.
His muscles felt taught under her hands and she reveled in the retraint it took for him to step away, backing into the hallway, until he reached the open window.
This is from a working draft and from her POV.
Tonight, as he held her hand and prayed, she connected with him on an intimate level. For the first time in her life, she wanted a man’s touch. Not just any man’s but Cole’s. His gaze locked on hers. What would he do if she kissed him? His lips parted. His collar was undone. White knuckles gripped the steering wheel.
“Cindy.” His voice was gruff. He cleared his throat. “Come on, I’ll walk to your door.”
His fingers did their familiar tease against her palm before entwining with hers. Without letting go of her, he led the way up the narrow steps. In the shadows, his jeans fit snug against him. She quickened her step and brushed their claps hands against his back pockets. He stumbled. While grinning behind his back, she muttered an apology.
Light from Sara’s patio faded as they climbed higher. Cole’s steps slowed.
She offered an explanation. “Sorry about the dark. The bulb blew and I couldn’t find a screwdriver to remove the cover to replace it.”
Winded, he replied. “I’ll fix it tomorrow.”
Immersed in total darkness, she squeezed his hand afraid to let go.
“I’m here.” His words reassured her. “Where’s your key?”
His closeness confused her thoughts and his body heat burned though only their palms touched. She released his hand and fumbled in her purse. The single key was hid in a zipper compartment. Clutching it, she reached for the doorknob and bumped against him. “Sorry.” She bit her bottom lip and ignored his hissing breath. Male energy surged through her shoulders as he maneuvered her around the landing. With Cole pressed against her back, the key trembled in her hands. She gripped the knob and struggled with the lock. The door opened. Dim light flowed from a lamp, illuminating the bed in her studio apartment. Cole’s breath zinged across her neck and she turned without stepping into the room. Propped on the doorframe, he hovered mere inches above her. She swallowed her fear of rejection. “Do you want to come in?”
His lips curled. “That wouldn’t be a good idea.”
“Oh.” He wouldn’t kiss her goodnight, though desire clearly shown in his eyes. What would it take to break through his control? She’d think about it later but for now she wanted to taste his kiss. Her fingers reached out and caressed the pulse beating at the base of his throat. Something flashed in his eyes. A warning maybe but she pressed on and slid her hands up his shoulders and stretched on tiptoe. His lips were soft and pliable yet his body hard as stone. She closed her mouth over his bottom lip. He tasted like the wind. Clean and fresh. She lifted her head and studied his face. His breaths came faster. Short and quick. Maybe, he wasn’t such a man of steel after all.
“Thanks for walking me through the dark.” Her raspy whisper dried her mouth and she wet her lips.
Hungry eyes followed her tongue.
Encouraged, she accepted the challenge of the dangling hands at his sides. She pressed against him. He stood still and allowed her kiss. Time and again. Perseverance and her next effort were rewarded as gentle hands gripped her waist. A sigh escaped her. The man was like rock. “See you tomorrow?”
Bands of iron held her captive. Smokey eyes blinked. In anger? Or desire? She couldn’t tell. “Don’t move.” Agony radiated from his raspy whisper.
Her fingertips played in the soft waves of his hair while her eyes surrendered. She was his captive. She could stay here forever.
His head lowered in slow motion. She thought she’d die when his mouth hovered above hers. She opened to him and they melted as one. Oh my heavens, the man could kiss. Her knees turned to jelly and stars burst in her head. There was no mistaken his desire now. In her mind he lifted her and carried her to a bed of roses. His kisses drugged her into a state of euphoria. She was hallucinating, but oh what a dream.
“Marry me.” His plea rocked her. Gasping for breath she struggled for comprehension. Despite her fantasy, they hadn’t left the doorway. “Mark is ordained. He’s downstairs. He can say the words and tomorrow we’ll get a license.”
This blog post and the comments have fogged up my monitor, LOL. :-p
Carol, the rock is one of my fave short straw bride moments too.
Naomi, I wouldn't want to cut anything either.
Julie, can I possibly bribe you for an ARC of ALS??? With chocolate?
I looked for a short one and this is from the MS I just finished, a historical romance between my blind heroine and her seeing-eye slave, and its from the last chapter, at the HEA. =)
“Laelia?” The uncertainty in his voice tugged at her. “Will you wed me?”
With her hand, she followed his arm to his shoulder and found his chin. “Yes.” She leaned down, bringing her mouth to his. She wanted to move slowly, explore him with her lips as she had so ofter her fingers, but her body wouldn’t listen. Her hope and her love poured out into him and in her kiss was I love you and I need you and I am yours forever. He responded in kind, until finally she had to pull back to breathe.
She tried to regain her breath, like a chariot horse after a race. “Is it always like that?”
He chuckled and traced the shape of her face. “Not always. Let me show you.”
He pressed his lips to hers, a feather light touch, before kissing her chin and then the tip of her nose. His thumb caressed her throat as he brushed gentle kisses over her cheek, and even her eyes, before tucking her head against his chest and surrounding her with his arm.
That kiss is meant to make the reader sigh in happy relief and closure. The one to rev the engine is in the epilogue, LOL. ;-)
LOL, NAOMI, you bet!! Keep kicking her in the backside, girl, to get her moving on the ms. And, MELISSA??? LISTEN TO HER -- the woman knows what she's talking about!!
KAV!!!! Grinning here, you sweetheart you!! HA! A fire department ... now if THAT doesn't conjure up research for warm romantic scenes, I don't know what does ... ;) Thanks for checking in, my friend, but I sure hope you didn't use the WHOLE TWO HOURS on my blog!!! I know my blogs tend to be long, but PLEASE tell me they're not THAT long!!! ;)
SUE ... yes, PLEASE DO post something later, my friend, and thanks for stopping by during your breatk. :)
Hugs,
Julie
MEL SAID: "I had the hardest time keeping those two characters from kissing too soon! Gabe especially was hard to wrangle!" LOL ... you're a better woman than me, darlin' ... ;)
Thanks, DIANNE, and shame on you, young lady!! Teasing us with that tempting scene and then leaving us high and dry!! GREAT job!!
LOL, CATH ... yes, you may, young lady, and I have NO DOUBT it will be wonderful because I've read your work, remember??
Hugs,
Julie
Oh Julie, what a great post! LOVE IT!
You mentioned remembering your first kiss... well, my first kiss was nothing like one of your heroine's first kisses! I had been dreaming of my then-boyfriend kissing me for so long, that when he finally kissed me goodnight, in my parents' driveway, I was so shocked and embrassed that I ran away from him into the house! And he had driven two hours to come see me for that date! He told me later that he spent the whole drive home wondering if I liked it or not. Well, we are married now, so I hope he's no longer wondering...
No kissing scenes to post right now since I'm at work, but I'll look at my WIP when I get home. Love the cover of your Christmas story, and can't wait to read it!
Oh, Melissa's already finished with that ms. She's just got this habit of slaving over these wonderful manuscripts for a year, getting them finished, and then deciding they're no good all on her own without showing them to anyone. Case and point: she signed with her agent on a manuscript that "Wasn't any good and she didn't want to embarrass herself by showing anyone." This manuscript had been sitting on her computer for a year and a half.
Then there's me, the utter and complete opposite, who finishes a ms, thinks it's wonderful and I should have a contract within two weeks time. And don't anybody tell me to change a blasted thing, because my story is already PERFECT!
So you see we complement each other very well--when we're not arguing that is. ;-)
Oh goodness, Virginia! Too funny!!!
ROFLOL, VIRGINIA!!! LOVE IT!!! Died laughing when I read the line: "She tipped up her chin to his, hoping for more. "Oven roasted," she whispered, enuciating every word. She moved forward, eyes slipping closed." Freakin' ADORABLE!! :)
WHOA, BRIDGETT ... you said, "I want to write kissing scenes like Julie and Ruth." Uh, honey, you're there and beyond -- that was a four-alarm kissing scene in my opinion that I suspect would see a wee bit of editing before it got past a CBD publisher, but WHEW!! You're warming up the place, girl ... ;)
NANCY ... BIG GRIN HERE ... chocolate works ... ;) And your scene??? VERY, VERY nicely done, my friend!! You said, "That kiss is meant to make the reader sigh in happy relief and closure. The one to rev the engine is in the epilogue, LOL. ;-)" Uh, I don't know, girlfriend ... I think this revs PLENTY, so the epi one must be a doozy ... ;)
Hugs,
Julie
STEPH!!! Thanks SO much, sweetie, and that story about your hubby and you is PRICELESS!! HUGE grin at your line, "He told me later that he spent the whole drive home wondering if I liked it or not. Well, we are married now, so I hope he's no longer wondering..." I should hope not ... ;)
Gosh, NAOMI, you and Melissa ARE a pair for sure -- you two sound like a PERFECT fit for crit partners!!
Hugs,
Julie
Naomi is tattling on me AND trying to nose in on the credit for my kiss.
She's feisty today! :)
ha ha Virginia, "oven roasted" me and my hubby LOVE garlic, so much I keep having to up the amounts in my recipes because we get used to the amount and need more, I'm not sure either of us would find it a turn off exactly... :)
Thanks, Julie.
It's not written yet, but it WILL BE spectacular. =D
It's funny because a short one I like is from my first MS but because it's unrequited and ends in a bite and then a beating, I decided it was not in keeping with the tone of the post today, haha.
My all-time favorite kiss I've written is from that MS also but it's 335 words and I don't want to hog you, LOL
I HATED having to write that kiss because I did NOT want to let the hero kiss the "other woman" but thankfully my characters and my crit partner made me. It's just so raw and honest that he falls to temptation in a shattered emotional wreck moment and the reader understands/forgives him for it but I agonized over it for weeks and it still ticks me off it happened at all. And yet, it's my favorite. I'm crazy, I know. :-p
My goodness! I think the temp in Southern Cal just went up and it's already hot. I have never written a kiss scene before so don't cringe too much. I have't got to this point in the story but I decided to go ahead and take the plunge. It' s pretty sweet because my book is YA. Also it has to be in the heroine's POV because it's a diary entry. The story is set in the WWI time period and the hero is going to fight so as you can see the stakes are high.
"Mary."
Ralph's voice sounded different to my ears and I took in an unsteady breath. I could not speak for the words seemed to die in my throat.
"Mary, I love you." He bent his head and for an instant our breath mingled in the twilight air heavy with the scent of flowers.
His lips touched mine; at first lightly as if I was a delicate object, easily broken. Then with deepening warmth until
my head whirled away in chaotic thoughtlessness.
I flung my arms around his neck and for a minute clung to him. I drew back and whispered, " What shall we do? You're going away tomorrow."
He pulled me closer and said in a tone as full of mixed emotion as mine had been, " I don't know, Mary. I don't know."
llmarmalade@yahoo.com
Julie, you're right--women's fiction can definitely get away with some great kissing scenes between husband and wife......I'm going to have to re-read your post and all these amazing scenes for inspiration (since hubby is gone and all). ;)
This was amazing! This is my first time to this blog I was looking for writing inspiration and I found it. Making the Use of Beat really taught me something. I have one YA novel finished working on a Contemporary Romance and was struggling. Thank you so much I have you on my favorites and will be visiting quite often.
Jeri
Buena Park, CA
Who writes Kissing scenes?
I am very staid in my writing. Like a good girl.
Okay sometimes I do write kissing scenes, and this one is sort of one.
From In the Manor of The Ghost.
Devlin's viewpoint. He's been sick and Kaitlin the wife he married out of convenience, so his son would have a mother, has been taking care of him.
It said a lot for his will power when he wanted to face her. Touch her. The way she looked with her hair disheveled and laying over her shoulders was more than he felt he could bear. He kept his back turned.
He heard her deep intake and sighed.
"I'll be reading from Psalm fifty-four," she said after a long silence and another deep breath. "Don't think you'll hurt my feelings any if you decide to sleep again."
He could almost hear her hoping he would, and bit his bottom lip to stave his laughter. He sobered quickly, when the bed gave beneath her weight as she moved. It took every ounce of his strength not to turn, every ounce not to draw the woman into his arms and feel her lips against his.
At the sound of her voice the desire grew, and yet, strangely, while the desire for her remained, the desire to listen to the words she spoke grew stronger.
"Save me O God, by thy name, and judge me by thy strength. Hear my prayer, O God: give ear to the words of my mouth. For strangers are risen up against me, and oppressors seek after my soul. They have not set God before them. Selah."
She paused, coughed and continued. "Behold God is my helper. The Lord is with them that uphold my soul. He shall reward evil unto mine enemies; cut them off in thy truth. I will freely sacrifice unto thee: I will praise thy name O Lord for it is good. For he hath delivered me out of all trouble: and mine eyes hath seen his desire upon mine enemies."
She continued into Psalm fifty-five. Her voice seemed distant as he considered what she read. He thought of his enemies and wondered if it wasn't time to lay the anger he'd been harboring for them at the Lord's feet.
But in the next breath, he wondered if God would really care if he did. Did God care enough about him to answer his prayers? If so, why had his first marriage failed so miserably? Why had He taken Deanna away? Why did his own son shy from him?
And why had a woman like Kaitlin become his wife? Why did she care for a child that was not even her own? Why had she taken care of him and why was she, even now, lying next to him? Could a woman truly be trusted?
He hated himself for letting that thought have free reign.
With the desire for her still on his lips and the questions burning in his mind, he turned. She was sleeping.
"Kaitlin," he whispered as he moved the Bible she nestled against her chest and drew her into his arms. She snuggled against his warmth.
In that instance, he saw the hands that she kept so deftly covered with her gloves and saw what his son lovingly held and kissed. Following the example of his son, he felt compelled to do the same. His heart broke as he touched the scars to his lips. Broke to know that he knew nothing about the woman he called his wife.
With her warm against him, her breath falling on his neck, he felt the wall that had been breaking since he married her crumble further.
He knew beyond the shadow of a doubt he was falling in love with his wife, falling in love with a woman who had given of herself and brought joy to his home. He was falling in love with a stranger whom he felt like he'd known forever.
Would she feel the same? Could she love him back? Love him like she did his son? Or would she be like... He couldn't bring himself to say her name, didn't want her memory to touch the moment, a moment filled with Kaitlin.
Pieces of Anna remained in the unanswered questions. In the unspoken secrets that would have heavy bearing on the relationship he wanted with the woman in his arms. What would she say when she learned them?
"What will you do with my heart, Kate?" he whispered, kissing her hair.
Oops fogot to say that anonymous person with the scene from In the Manor of the Ghost was me.
Tina Pinson
Wow, I'm AWOL from Seekerville all day and I open the blog to find Julie in a nun's habit!!!!
Preaching about kissing, no less!!!
(Do you need to go to confession, dearie???)
Well, let me tell you, it got a little steamy in my office as I read this post. Next time I need to ramp up a kissing scene in my wip, I know exactly where to go for advice!
Absolutely loved this post, Julie and ladies. I love reading kissing scenes although they're hard to write. BUT getting better at it. This post prompted me to up the intensity in a few scenes I've been trying to get right. Nothing yet that compares with the more romantic souls here. There's definitely an art to doing this. WOW! Thanks, ladies.
Your books have romantic tension down pat! I'd love to win:) clp1777(at)aol(dot)com
By the way, I've started a book blog, and I'd love for anyone to stop by and comment:) its just starting, so I'd love to enjoy books with others who love them just as much. It is alwaysreadingblog.blogspot.com.
:)
Your books have romantic tension down pat! I'd love to win:) clp1777(at)aol(dot)com
By the way, I've started a book blog, and I'd love for anyone to stop by and comment:) its just starting, so I'd love to enjoy books with others who love them just as much. It is alwaysreadingblog.blogspot.com.
:)
Julie its 6 weeks. I only did a little gardening in short bursts. It helps having wet soil. We have had a wet wet winter so far like the old fashioned winters that we had forgotten about.
This is a great post. I just love Julie's sneak previews. And now she's sneaking in other people's work.
Julie, are you getting a cut of Ruth's Royalties on those books?
All these kisses are making me dizzy.
I don't have many kisses written, but I'll offer the one I have. It's actually from a dream/memory. My heroine reliving the day her husband was sentenced to 10 years in prison. They're standing on opposite sides of the banister that separates the defense from the gallery.
These moments would have to last, to carry her through the next ten years. Placing her shaking hands on either side of his face, she stared into his watery blue eyes. Fear and anguish stared back at her as the tears spilled over, the same fear and anguish he must see in her eyes.
They moved together, their lips meeting in a blaze of need. She was there. He was there. No one else was there. Where were they? Did it matter? She hadn’t held him in weeks, and she poured every ounce of herself into that kiss.
Then he was gone. She cried out, almost in pain at the loss and opened her eyes to see the Sheriff’s men pulling him away from her.
It's not anything real great, I guess, but I like it.
Since her husband is not the hero (he dies before the story starts), I've cut this from my ms. Hopefully her kisses with her new love will measure up.
andeemarie95 at gmail dot com
Oh, I forgot to mention...the almost kiss is a favorite method of mine as a reader. Nothing maintains the tension between characters quite like getting them to that threshold and then jerking them back. And nothing makes the real kiss so sweet when it finally happens either.
Reading that section I thought of Audra's Rocky Mountain Hero. She did enough of it in that story that it made the comments in my review.
Every time you write an instructional blog, I have to print it! So very informative...love it! Of course, the nun rapping on my desk also helped me to take better notes. Thanks for the info...and teases from books I've yet to read.
I am late to the game. I have actually been writing most of the day!
But I still haven't written the first kiss. I have been afraid to, kind of like "real" first kisses.
You are now printed out, Passionate Julie!
Thanks for a great post and FABULOUS comments.
Peace, Julie
MELISSA SAID: "Naomi is tattling on me AND trying to nose in on the credit for my kiss."
LOL ... Kids, play nice ... :)
NANCE ... "unrequited and ends in a bite and then a beating"??? HOLY COW, girl, that's some kiss ... :| And, aw, go ahead, Nance -- post the 335-word scene! We've already had one that's over 700 words, so why not???
LMARLAMADE, that was your first kiss you ever wrote??? WOW, girl, pretty darn good for a first try, sweetie, seriously!! The only thing I want to point out to you is something that I got nailed with at my first ACFW conference. It's called "moving body parts," and what I mean by that is your line that says, "my head whirled away in chaotic thoughtlessness" sounds like her head whirled away, off of her neck, which is not what you meant, I know, but that's what a "moving body part" will do. All you have to do is change "head" to "mind" and you're golden, so GOOD JOB and SOOO PROUD OF YOU for posting here today, sweetie!!
Hugs,
Julie
Hi Julie! **Waving profusely, girlfriend!**
Shamesty, shamesty, shamesty on you. All because of you, I am now going to go broke investing a ton of books. OOOO and I can't wait! hehehe
Love, love, love the post.
Okay, so here's a scene from my upcoming release, FOREWARNED....
With a jerk, Jasmine twisted around. In the confines of the pantry, only a hand’s length separated her face from his. Her wide eyes stared up at him, blinking. Her eyes slid from his to his mouth. His did the same. Nothing had ever felt so right or so natural. Without really thinking it through, Jack leaned toward her, and his lips parted.
As if caught in a trance, Jasmine tilted her chin upward, inviting him to kiss her. Jack thought for sure his heart had stopped beating as his dream was about to come true. Careful to not give in to the strong urge to kiss her with all the pent up passion he had bridled inside of him, he gently lowered his mouth on hers. Their sweet contact caused his insides to tremble and his heart to soar to the heavens. Jack drew her closer and deepened the kiss. As his lips played over hers in a loving caress, a massive firework display exploded throughout his body.
Jasmine matched his every caress, and he battled to tamp down the deep groan of contentment aching for release as his mouth continued to taste of her sweetness. Jasmine slipped her fingers through his hair and captured his lips in hers, sending his insides into fits of shuddering spasms, and this time he could do nothing to stop the moan from escaping.
********
And now, I'm off to spend some money. Sigh.
Luv ya, girl.
Debra Ullrick
'Afternoon, Julie, everyone..
Hopefully you're having fun??
It's ALWAYS a good day when the Queen of Passion in Christian Fiction stops by.
Bless you sweet Julie. (AND I do agree with your response. But hopefully my 'shock' comment didn't worry you?) It's all good people. Romance is always good especially when God is included!!
Just wanted to say hello, I'm gonna see if I can keep reading here. Good job, everyone!
:-)
JEANNE, YES!!! I swear on a stack of Bibles that if WF would just add more romance, I would gobble it up more often instead stuck in a rut with just romance ... :|
JERI, WELCOME TO SEEKERVILLE, GIRL!!! Soooo great to have you drop in today and sooooo glad we could help. That's what Seekerville is all about, a community of writers encouraging, teaching and praying for each other on the road to publication and beyond, so DO come back, okay? And GOOD LUCK in the contest, my friend.
TINA!!! VERY, VERY NICE, my friend, and what a tender scene!! Especially love the line, ""What will you do with my heart, Kate?" he whispered, kissing her hair." Ooooo, warm chills!!
Hugs,
Julie
I thought I'd get back mid-day as I watched comments through my magic phone that is SO MUCH SMARTER THAN ME!!!!
But no way could I post from there, comment from there. Weird words kept jumping in, then it would skip pages and eventually I just sighed...
And played with sweeeeet babies!!!
:)
Naomi, I'm laughing out loud at your request for help because I'm the LAST PERSON ON THE FACE OF THE EARTH that can help because my kissing scenes are so much shorter than yours or Julies.
Shoot, I feel like they're non-existent, comparatively!
But (and Julie knows this about me, so she won't be offended at all, right, Jules????) when it comes to kissing scenes, for me less is more. I want my drama in the whys and why nots, the emotions of the moment so I go Ruthy-Lite on the kissy-face stuff, and I still have to trim sometimes.
Having said that, you can turn that whole thing around by having them LONG to kiss each other like that...
Instead of actually culminating in the physical kiss, have them imagine how lovely it would be...
Whaddya think? Possible? And keeps it where you want to go? That way you're turning the emotion of the moment inside out and making it personal and internal rather than external and physical. And sometimes longing is way more powerful than the culminating moment.
Does that make sense to anyone except me????
MYRA SAID: "Wow, I'm AWOL from Seekerville all day and I open the blog to find Julie in a nun's habit!!!! Preaching about kissing, no less!!! Do you need to go to confession, dearie???"
LOL, MYRA ... been repenting all day, darlin', so I'm good ... ;)
PAT JEANNE!!! WHOO-HOO, you go, girl!! Glad we could inspire you to "up the intensity" because you only live once and you only read a book once. Uh, except for the realllly intense ones, then you read them over and over and over ... ;)
Hey, COURTNEY, THANK YOU, sweetie!! And good luck to you and your new blog -- I'll sneak over there soon ... :)
Hugs,
Julie
Oops, that sounds really strange. Comes from doing it on the spur of the moment. You have been giving such great advice. Can' wait for part 2.
Oh, my! I am really looking forward to your new books, Julie! I think I will have to put Ruth's books on my to-read list as well. I enjoyed all the excerpts. I don't even pretend to be a writer, so no kissing scene from me.
That was a great class at ACFW and this is a wonderful blog, Julie! Really helpful information!
Ruthy, it makes sense to me and I like both kinds. =)
Okay, Julie, here you go! The best kiss I've ever written that I have a serious love/hate relationship with. The hero is desperately in love and betrothed to a woman he believes he will never see again after the sacrifice he just made to save the life of a friend.
The woman in the scene with him has had serious hots for him for a long time.
Caelina came and knelt beside him. He looked up at her to beg her to go away but those weren’t the words that came. “I’ve lost her again.”
She touched his arm and with her other hand, stroked his hair behind his ear. “You don’t have to always be strong.”
“But I do, don’t you understand that?”
From her expression, she didn’t.
How could she? No one understood him—except Nessa. He buried his face in the sanctuary of his hands and spoke from behind them. “Please go.”
Rustling wool signaled her movement, but no footsteps followed. Instead he felt a hand on his back and an arm loop around his body above his belt. The weight of her head came to rest against the curve of his neck.
She held him, and he let her. No more strength remained in him to fight.
In minutes, the heat of her breath became the heat of his skin where life pulsed in the cord of his throat. She turned and kissed him there, her lips soft and warm. He raised his head and turned toward her. Her lashes swept down an instant before she touched her lips to his. The tide of sensation swept away the last of his reason and its torment of emotions with it, faster than the most potent opium. His eyes closed as he cupped her face in his hands and laid siege to her surrendered mouth.
The intensity of her response to his unrestrained desire stoked the flames of his passion, cauterizing everything in him but physical need—until she whispered his name. The voice in his ears didn’t belong to the woman his shattered heart had conjured a vision of the second he closed his eyes. It belonged to the woman between his hands.
He pulled away, tipping his head back and breathing deep in an effort to clear his head. But even that failed, because her perfume swam in his lungs as much as the taste of her lingered in his head. Jesus, help me.
Her fingers slid along his jaw toward his chin. “What’s wrong?”
“Me.” He opened his eyes and met her gaze. “I’m what’s wrong.”
She studied him for a long moment before her hands fell away. “I’m not her.”
She’d seen right through his answer. What could he say that wouldn’t wound her more than he just had?
Just one thing to say, "KEEPER"! Thank you Julie!
Smiles & Blessings,
Cindy W.
countrybear52[at]yahoo[dot]com
Hey Julie, what a laugh.....you have made my day!! Love the cover for A light in the Window...can't wait to read it. I want to be "in" for ALS.
Jackie S.
I happened to have a few minutes to get on here today and boy, am I glad! I knew by the title this was one of Julie’s posts. Had to be! I love these kissing posts. Makes me think of The Princess Bride… “Is this a kissing book?” No, but it’s a Julie-style-kissing-post!
Thanks for the kisspiration and encouraging my writer self today. Miss you all. I really do!
road_to_avonlea_17(at)yahoo(dot)com
Whitney
Whoa, Julie! Is everyone around here having to fan themselves today??
What a fun post! and great excerpts! I can't wait for future tips!
JENNY SAID: "We have had a wet wet winter so far like the old fashioned winters that we had forgotten about."
Oh, I am sooo jealous!! We are having drought right now and between the deer, the squirrels and the drought, I'm thinkin' ... what flowers???
ANDREA!!! How you doin', girl??? Seems like we haven't chatted in a long time!! Oh, man, girl ... I LOVE that scene, especially the line, "They moved together, their lips meeting in a blaze of need." WOW, very nice!!
EILEEN, LOL ... so the crotchety nun got to you, did she??? Well, praise be to God because she got you to print notes, so YAY!! Thanks for coming by and for your sweet comment. Good luck in the contest, darlin'!!
Hugs,
Julie
LOL, Virginia!! I need to share your garlic breath story with my hubby. :)
YAY, JULIE, all printed out for when you tackle that first kiss, eh?? HA!! With me, it's not trying to get myself to that first kiss ... it's trying to hold myself back ... ;) Glad you got some writing down, though, girl. That makes one of us!!
DEB!!! Oh, gosh, girlfriend, it is SOOO great to see your pretty face pop up!! How the heck are you doing?? And, WHOA, BABY, what a kiss, my friend!! Sigh ... gotta love those escaping moans ... :)
Hey, GANISE, the worry you sensed in my tone actually came from another source, my friend, not you. You see, right before your comment came, I received a comment on another blog reprimanding me for the post, which happens from time to time, so it made me extra aware of the danger of lumping all the love scenes together like this, out of context of the rest of the book. You've read a lot of my books, so you know how these love scenes fit in to the whole of the plot, but there is something a wee bit shocking about bundling them up like this. :|
Hugs,
Julie
Hey, RUTHY, NO OFFENSE TAKEN, DARLIN', I assure you!! That's the beauty of Christian romance ... we can write and read what we prefer and there's a wide of range of people who like some things and not others. I wouldn't like it if all there was in the CBA were tame, sweet romance because that's not my specific cup of tea, although I do enjoy reading a really good book regardless of the level of passion involved. The mix of styles and preferences makes it soooo interesting and fun and heck, romance is romance, right???
And your statement, "And sometimes longing is way more powerful than the culminating moment"?? I TOTALLY agree with that, my friend, seriously. I just don't have the will power to do it very often ... :|
LMARLAMADE ... girl, we've all been there with those moving body parts, so you're in good company!! ;)
PAM, you would LOVE Ruth's books, truly, so do give them a try!! Thanks for coming by, my friend. :)
Hugs,
Julie
Thank you for this post, Julie! I can't wait for the next one to see what you have to say about The Caveman Kiss...
Virginia your story was too cute! Loved it! Bridgett, wow is all I can say about yours! They were all great, I read every one.
Thanks, CARA!! I remember you saying that at ACFW and I appreciate you saying it here. Now get back to that kissing scene ... :)
Oooo, Nancy, I can see why you like that kiss because it's right on the edge of falling, but he pulls back, which only heightens his attraction and the depth of his love for the other woman. Edgy and tense. LOVE IT!!!
CINDY, THANK YOU!!! Gotta love those "keepers," eh? Good luck in the contest, my friend!
Hugs,
Julie
Hey, JACKIE, and you made my day coming by, my friend -- ALWAYS a pleasure to see you!! And I'm excited about ALITW, but I will warn you, it's a lot sweeter romance than my typical passionate ones. Just turned out that way because I couldn't bring Marcy and Patrick together till the very end. Sigh.
WHIT!!!! LOVE seeing you here, darlin' -- it's just not the same without you, so thanks for coming by. And LOVE the term, "kisspiration," so I may use it for a future blog, with your permission!! :)
Hey, Missy, all I can tell you is it got a little warm for me today, so that's saying something!!
Hugs,
Julie
DONNA, TRUST ME -- you're gonna LOVE the caveman kiss, and the queen is Mary Connealy, so we have some fun clips for that. :)
Hugs,
Julie
Hey Julie. Aren't you sweet. And how the heck I'm doing is awesome. Loving life and keeping busy. Well, maybe I'm not doing great because of you I'm now broke. I need to take up a collection now. Teehee. Just jivin' ya, girlfriend. hehe
((MEGA HUGS))
Deb
Great excerpts! Looking forward to the rest of the series ... and the books.
I read a few of the comments and decided they are not something to speed read. I'm glad I can stop by later and give them the depth of attention they deserve :-)
Nancy C
Great post, Julie!!! I wrote this bit during Speedbo and haven't much edited it since, so please forgive any errors. The heroine is tending the hero's healing bullet wound. I originally intended it for a married couple, but with rewrites, I may have to tone it down, 'cause they're not gonna be married yet by this scene.
Blane glanced at Abby to see if she’d read is thoughts. Focused on her task, she hadn’t noticed. Her brow lowered and her full bottom lip retreated between her teeth, warming him considerably.
He watched a stray curl fall from over her ear and seized it between the fingers of his right hand.
Toying with it’s delicious softness, he stroked it on his lips and heard her draw in a breath.
He worked hard to keep the grin from his face.
He continued his deliberate game, coaxing her to look at him, but she silently refused until she was finished with her ministrations.
A light brush of her neck with his hair-wrapped knuckles sped her breathing and hued her face pink. Satisfied thus far, he released her hair and drew two knuckles up the creamy soft skin of her arm and massaged her shoulder. Her lips parted-—to make breathing easier, he supposed—-and her doe-in-the-cross-hairs eyes blinked and darted anywhere but back to his.
He trailed his hand back down to join his other at her waist. The touch was feather light, but still she gasped. Pulse roaring, he gave up subtlety and ran his palms up and down her sides. She’d left off the corset.
He smiled. He loved her this way. Soft and pliable.
With the final registry that she still wouldn't look at him, he pulled her gently flush against his chest. Their eyes met and her heartbeat tripped against his. He struggled against crushing her to him. This was as much as his wound could stand.
He captured her mouth.
By heaven, she was sweet.
With a tiny sigh, her lips parted beneath his.
Blast his wound.
Abby weakly clasped her last thread of decency. They shouldn’t.
His mouth left discovering hers to light on her cheek, her earlobe, her neck.
Fierce hands pressed her waist to his middle as he returned to deeply explore her mouth.
She sighed into him.
Julie, I was encouraged by what you said about writing kisses for someone who's never had that first kiss. That's me. Saving it for Mr. Right. But I've read a BOAT LOAD of Christian romance and tried to pay attention. Hopefully that will pay off.
Wow! Just finished reading all the comments! WONDERFUL writing!
Virginia, I literally laughed out loud. Thoroughly enjoyed it!
I agree, Melissa! I'd love to read that book and hope it does see the light of day--on my bookshelf someday! I love the marriage of convenience stories. My favorite.
All these examples are so good, but the downer is today just happened to be the day we switched from using our air conditioner to opening the windows and turning on the attic fan, which makes it several degrees warmer in the house. I guess that's a good excuse for all my constant fanning, though, lol.
I love this! I missed the class last year but the tips here are solid gold. I have never commented before but I am neighbors with someone in your family. (Matt and Nan Smith) When I told them that I write Christian Fiction they linked me to you. Small world!
Here is my kiss scene...one of many :) Finn and Joselyn are supposed to be pretending for the media, but their long-standing hatred has tip-toed over the line into dangerous territory.
“What are you doing?” Putting up a pathetic attempt to resist him, she glared from an inch away, her eyes darting to the photographers just catching notice of their slip.
“This is called kissing, Joss. You do it quite well. Now stop stalling, and make me happy.” He loved having an excuse to do this.
Backing her against the brick store front, he leaned his body flush against hers in a way that was none too innocent.
His pulse thundered in his ears. Their breaths billowed white in the night air as he breathed her in, hovering a skin-tingling whisper away before he captured her lips again.
This time, she surrendered. Her touch lit a trail of fire on his skin. The flame skittered across his jaw, wove into his hair where her fingers gripped tight. She arched her back, allowing his arms to surround her and mold her into him. When he angled his head, deepened the kiss, and her instant response sent a rush of electric shock through him.
A tiny moan of pleasure escaped from her throat, and the clicking and flashing of approaching press faded away leaving nothing but Finn and Joselyn—their breaths, their souls intertwined, lighting up the dark world with the kiss of a lifetime.
She tasted so sweet, like the Italian Crème dessert they’d sampled after dinner had lined her mouth with silken sugar. His appetite was suddenly ravenous, spinning out of control. Breaking from her lips, he let his kiss do the talking for how beautiful she was, how precious and desirable. How loved. All while indulging in the skin of her neck, her cheeks, her eyelids, her ear. Her candied breath warmed his skin as he explored the satiny planes of her flawless face.
“Finn.” His name ached out on a breathless sigh that unraveled his brain, sent his God-fearing mind to a dangerous place.
Loved the post & the comments thank you.
marypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com
Julie,
Whew! Be still my heart.These guys know how to kiss!!
Fabulous lesson! Looking forward to parts 2 & 3.
oh, Julie... only you! I didn't know that nun was you! so glad that God had other plans for your life... lol... we need your "kisses"! LOVE the excerpts... can't wait to read your new books!
Julie! I love your kiss scenes. Always very swoon worthy. :)
Here is my example:
She plumped her hands on her hips, elbowing him in the process. “How come I’ve got to practice anything, but you don’t?”
He gave her a slow grin, leaned in close and stared at her blue eyes until they started to flutter. This was gonna be a cinch. He reined in his smile and let his gaze drift across her face. A faint sprinkling of freckles across rosy cheeks, delicate brows and those clear gray eyes. Yep, she had the ‘princess priss’ look down pat. “Because I can look the part.”
Jane leaned toward him with a soft sigh. Tyrone shifted the reins into his right hand and cupped her head with his left. If he could just get her to keep lookin’ like that she’d bluff anyone, including him.
He bent down and brushed her lips with his. Jane wrapped her arms around him. He kissed her again. Long as she kept any feelings to herself, they’d be all right. Kissing her was fine, as long as she didn’t want to drag anything else into it, like four letter words. Especially ones that start with the letter ‘l’. His fingers explored her jaw, smoothing the rich cream of her skin. Everything about was soft, sweet and dainty. A teacake that said ‘look, but don’t touch!’
The best kiss is the stolen kiss!
DEB ... thank you SO much, darlin', but don't look at it as "broke" ... look at it as rich in "passion," right?? ;) As if you don't already have enough of that, girl -- I've read your books AND seen your hubby and you together ... :)
Hey, NANCE ... smart move. Speedreading comments or clips on kisses is NEVER a good idea 'cause you can't rush a good thing, eh?
Hugs,
Julie
WOW, NATALIE, reallllly EXCELLENT job, girl, and you've yet to experience your first kiss??? You have it down, girl, and I think it's SO powerful from the male POV, don't you?? And the POV switch too -- VERY nicely done!! Oh, and sorry about the lack of AC!! :) You're right -- not a good day for it ... ;)
AMY LEIGH!!! Goodness, your name is the exact same as my daughter Amy, whose middle name I named after Vivian Leigh of GWTW fame!! Matt is my great nephew (gosh, that makes me sound soooo old!! Oh, wait ... I am!! :|), but I don't get to see him or his grandmother (my sister) very often. What a small world, huh?? EXCELLENT writing, Amy, truly -- VERY nice job. You may have to tone down some of your wording for a CBA publisher(i.e. She arched her back, allowing his arms to surround her and mold her into him), but otherwise you got it down, girl!! Thanks for coming by and GOOD LUCK!!
MARYBELLE, thank you!! And GOOD LUCK in the contest, sweetie!!
Hugs,
Julie
Hey, EDWINA, thanks, sweetie!! Lessons 2 & 3 should be fun, I hope!! Good luck in the contest, my friend.
JO!!!! ALWAYS love it when you come by, my friend, and I fooled you, did I??? SO glad I was able to do pull the wool over your eyes, but not for long, though. And I can't wait for you to read them either, sweetie! :)
Hugs,
Julie
LUCY, VERY, VERY NICE, my friend!! Especially LOVE the line, "A teacake that said ‘look, but don’t touch!’" :) And I'm thrilled to see so much of the male POV today -- it sure works for me, both in reading and writing!!
SHEILA SAID: "The best kiss is the stolen kiss!" Oh, girl, I am with you on that one -- LOVE those stolen kisses, along with the "push to the walls" ones too ... ;)
Hugs,
Julie
I always know I'm going to smile, laugh, and sigh when Julie is here! :) Too much fun to dissect all these kisses...and shake my head at some, smiling all the while, also!
Looking forward ever so much to reading Patrick and Marceline's story!
Sister Julie, sorry to be late to class! Loved the post and excerpts! Let me assure you that it wasn't me combing her hair. Mine is sprayed into compliance before I leave home. So put away your ruler. Please.
Janet
Sister Julie, sorry to be late to class! Loved the post and excerpts! Let me assure you that it wasn't me combing her hair. Mine is sprayed into compliance before I leave home. So put away your ruler. Please.
Janet
I'll never read a kissing scene the same way again, Julie. Thanks.
LOL, RACHELLE ... smile, laugh, sigh and shake your head -- you sound like my hubby!! :) Glad I could brighten your day, my friend -- have a GREAT one!!
Hugs,
Julie
LOL, JANET, I don't think I've ever seen you comb your hair before, but you always looks so perfect and pretty, I couldn't resist. So, does it count that I picked on you because you're so cute???
MARIANNE ... LOL, not sure if that's good or bad, sweetie, but I'll take it ... ;)
Hugs,
Julie
I was at the class last year and enjoyed it immensely. I love kissing scenes.
My MS's are on another machine, so I can't post one of mine today, but maybe later. :)
Ginger
ginger dot solomon at gmail dot com
LOVED this posting...Hugs to you, Julie :)
karenk
kmkuka at yahoo dot com
GINGER, the contest runs till early Friday, so have at it, girl, and thank you for your sweet comment!!
KAREN!! JUST put your bookplate in the mail NOT five minutes ago, so you should get it in a few days, sweetie. Thanks for coming by!!
Hugs,
Julie
Here are 2 attempts from one of my stories:
“This has been the best Christmas ever” she proclaimed.
“Same here” said Titus. “And I’m pretty sure that’s your fault.”
She giggled. “Why, whatever you do you mean, Titus?”
His eyes darkened in passion as he lowered his mouth to hers. “I think you know quite well.” Their lips met and Sarah basked in the ecstasy of it. He deepened the kiss and his hands wrapped themselves in her hair. Sarah’s arms slid around his neck. He gasped and pulled back.
“Sarah, I can’t do this. I can’t lose control like this.”
“I agree Titus. I lose all sense and reason when your lips touch mine.”
Titus smiled at her description, but continued. “We’ve got to set boundaries. I love you Sarah. Love. And love doesn’t take. It gives. I don’t want to take your virginity from you. I want to respect you.”
“Brrr!! That’s cold, Titus!” Meanwhile Nellie was making a run for the house but Silas easily caught her and smeared the snow in her face too. An instant snow fight erupted, ending when Sarah’s high heels gave out and she collapsed in the snow.
“Boy, you’d better be glad I have a long coat on. If you got this dress dirty you’d be in serious trouble” Sarah chewed out Titus as he helped her up and started brushing snow off of her.
“Here, let me get that” he said as she started to wipe the snow from her face. Titus bent down and kissed her forehead, her cheeks, finally making his way to her lips.
“You taste like snow” he said against her lips.
“That’d be your fault” she replied as she closed her eyes in response to the feel of his lips on her face. “
“No, I think you and Nellie can take credit for starting that one” he whispered.
She would have argued but he kissed her again.
“Come in here you four. You’re going to freeze staying out there in the cold” called Mary from the door.
Sarah glanced over to see that Silas had taken the same strategy as Titus and had Nellie wrapped in his arms.
egilkinc @ juno . com
EGILKINC ... fun clips, girl and thanks for stopping by to share them!! And aren't kiss scenes just the most fun to write?? Check back on Saturday to see who the winner is in the contest, okay? And GOOD LUCK, sweetie!!
Hugs,
Julie
Late to the post - but adore it. Love reading all the kissing stuff as well. I don't have any kisses in my MS yet to share, but I certainly remember an early kissing lesson:
He: pre-law student going over Torts lesson
Me: girlfriend trying to distract
I wanted to "help" with his Torts quiz and he explained Assault and Battery this way:
Assault is the "threat" of an action of one person towards another. He demonstrated by hovering his lips close to mine.
"This is assault... the 'threat' of a kiss."
Then he kissed me, locking lips for a nice interlude of time before backing away.
"THAT, was battery." he grinned.
"Can I have a repeat lesson?" (me)
We had a few repeats. For the life of me, I cannot remember any of the other Tort definitions - just Assault and Battery. *sigh*
Julie - you crazy sister, you!
Love this post and love the examples!
Zingers, all of them!
Molten lava.
I'll be back with a scene from one of my own books - what a fun contest!
Thanks for having me in your class!
Becky
OMIGOSH, DEB, is that a true story between your honey and you??? If so, you MUST incorporate that in a book, God's truth -- SOOOO cute and fun!! Thanks for sharing. :)
Hugs,
Julie
BECK!!! "MOLTEN LAVA" ... LOVE IT!! Can't wait to read yours ... ;)
Hugs,
Julie
julie
yep. true story.
i think Assault and Battery was his favorite Tort that semester. :)
he's a lawyer somewhere now. we lost track of each other.
still, fun memories...
will have to come up with a story to integrate that kiss scene though. funny thing, i'm never that interested in lawyer hero stories. any seekers are more than welcome to use the idea - you'd probably do it more justice than i ever could.
DEB!!! Are you serious??? I am in the middle of writing book 2 of "The Heart of San Francisco Series," and I have the PERFECT place to use it!! The hero from book 1, Love at Any Cost is a lawyer now engaged to the heroine in book 1, and he's always trying to sneak a kiss before the wedding, so I'm pretty sure I could use it someplace if you're realllly sure???
Hugs,
Julie
julie
i'm serious. i'd love to see something from my life in print.
i'm so far from anything getting pubbed (i haven't even gotten stranded on unpubbed island yet) a kissing scene like it wouldn't see light of day anytime soon. have at it!
of course, this means your book will move to the top of my wish list (even ahead of one of Mary's...) *heh*
LOL, you got it, girlfriend ... I'm writing a note RIGHT NOW to include it!!
Curious ... have you read any of my books yet, because if not, we are going to have to get one in your hot, little hands, my friend ... ;)
THANKS for the loan! I'll try to do it justice ...
Hugs,
Julie
This is a kiss/almost kiss scene from The Fire Starter. The set up is that Valryan Molan and Amaryllis are married by proxy and he's trying to convince her to make it real.
He barked one short burst of laughter and backed off. He walked to his chair, picked up his towel, and rubbed his upper body dry. He slid his arms into soft-looking black cloth and fastened it at his mid-chest. "I'd hate to be a distraction."
Distraction, nothing. Amaryllis shot forward. What had he used to fasten his top? For it wasn't a full tunic that he wore, but a short piece that matched the britches he'd been wearing when she entered. Her hand connected with his chest. "Burn it all," she breathed, "it's the same material as my nightgown, but how did you fasten it?" She slid her fingers into the material.
Hard, round disks were sewn into one side and slid through stitched slits in the other side of the material.
"Buttons, Sparky." Molan's voice was tight. "They're not a new invention."
She released one, then slid it back through the hole. There were three lower buttons that he hadn't bothered to fasten. She did. "So simple. Why do we not have buttons? Are they difficult to manufacture?" She glanced up, her hand still resting against his chest.
His blue eyes had darkened. His humor had fled.
Amaryllis knew she should give him space. She didn't understand men well, but she could see something had shifted between them again. Was it her touch? Did her touch affect him as his did her? She'd been meaning to try the hypothesis and see how it played out, but she'd gotten distracted with Geryan's symposium, Mino's death, and all these thoughts of marriage. She slid her hand upward. The cloth was soft, but the muscles underneath bunched and hardened.
"Think about what you're doing, Princess."
But he didn't stop her.
She smoothed the cloth over his shoulder. She slid her fingers down his arm, fascinated that even the muscles there responded to her touch through the soft cloth. So he might be as distracted by her touch as she was with his.
She walked her fingers back up his arm, across his shoulder, then rested her palm against the warmth of his neck. She should stop. She had her answer, but a curiosity to see how far she could go tempted her. As he had done to her in the past, she rubbed her thumb across the smooth skin of his jawbone. He'd just shaved.
"Did you come to talk about marriage or consummate the one we already have?" The low question jerked her gaze to his.
"Does my touch stir you?" She could tell that it did, but how much was another question.
"Yes."
She moved her palm to his cheek and rubbed her thumb across his lower lip. "Can you still think when I do this?"
He nibbled at the soft pad of her thumb.
Giggling, she jerked back, and he captured her hand to press a kiss into her palm, the inside of her wrist, the inner curve of her elbow.
"Stop!" She pulled back. "Stop before we both lose our minds."
His free arm slid around her waist and hauled her length against him. "Maybe we think too much, Sparky." His lips found her eyebrow, and when she turned from him, they streaked across her cheek and down the column of her throat.
At the pressure and the heat, she quit breathing. These were not the soft kisses of earlier in the day when he had treated her like blown glass. These were not the tentative kisses of a man learning how to please a woman. He knew where to touch to draw out half-sobs she hadn't even known she could make.
"Say, yes," he rasped, one hand fumbling with the pin at her shoulder.
No. No, she couldn't do it. She wasn't ready. She'd thought she could perhaps handle marriage in name only as he'd promised earlier. But this? No.
She pushed out of his arms and stumbled backward until the wall caught her.
Thanks for all the fun kiss scenes tonight. Good reading from everyone!
i've read a Hope Undaunted (which i loved - stayed up way too late because i didn't want to put it down without finishing it). your other books are on my wish list because i don't have the budget to get books right away (lots of seekers on that pesky list... working on whittling it down) my toddler sort of limits my reading time (mama, book down! no touch! play with me... heh)
i sneak Seekerville in on breaks at work because of the wealth of knowledge you ladies share.
Thanks!
GLORIA, WHEW!!!! What a warm, WARM scene, my friend -- GREAT job!! Out of curiosity, what genre and time period is this? Whatever it was, you had me from start to finish ... ;)
Hugs,
Julie
DEB H ... gosh, girl, with a toddler, it's a wonder you get any reading done at all!! Well, we need to get another book in your hands for those moments during your toddler's naps, so GOOD LUCK and if you don't win here, my friend, I have another giveaway this Friday on Hardcover Feedback blog and another the week after that, so check out the links on my website calendar, okay?
Thanks again, Deb!!
Hugs,
Julie
I just got done buying Her Good Name off of Barnes & Noble about 5 minutes ago. It is only $0.99 right now for ebook!
I would love to win one of your upcoming books. They can't be released soon enough!
battles2001@hotmail.com
WOW, MELISSA, thanks for letting us know -- appreciate the info AND the sale on Ruth's behalf!!
And thank you for your incredible support for my books as well, my friend -- MUCH appreciated!!
Good luck in the contest, sweetie!
Hugs,
Julie
Thanks, Julie. The Fire Starter is the 2nd in my speculative romance series, Children of the King. It's set in the future -- on a made-up island called Celosia (on earth).
So I get to play with a fun mix of making up a culture and a back story (in this case, Greek) -- an island that has fire weapons, but doesn't use buttons. :-)
WOW, GLORIA, LOVE the name of the book and the concept, and I am not even a speculative romance reader generally, but it sounds great! You go, girl!!
Hugs,
Julie
I just love all those scenes! Can't wait for the next two parts!
marissamehresman(at)aol(dot)com
Julie,
Thanks for sharing the excerpts from your new books - they are amazing! Reading this post makes me want to read them even more - if that's possible:) I can hardly wait!!! Please enter me in the giveaway.
MARISSA, THANK YOU!! The next two parts should be fun, especially seeing the Seekers' favorite love scenes!! Thanks for coming by and GOOD LUCK in the contest!!
MEGAN!!! Hard to believe I have THREE books for you to read in the upcoming six months--YIKES!!! I have to admit, I'm really falling in love with the McClares, so I hope you do too. :) See you on Friday!!
Hugs,
Julie
That was cool!!!!!! I've never been kissed so I don't know how it feels. I did write a scene with a kiss just the other night but it isn't as blood-pounding as the ones you write!!! But I am curious to see what you think. It is between two minor characters who had just fallen in a stream.
"He stepped on shore hoisting her up. She looked at all the water dripping from her and said,'Oh dear.'
They both stumbled along the shore. He held her firmly and she landed in his arms, inches apart. His breath stilled. They were gazing into eachother's eyes and his heart was beating wildly. They had been this close before but she had broken the spell. Before she could pull away he held her tightly and moved his lips to her's, closing his eyes. He paused over her lips like the night they had fooled the soldiers but this time he pressed his lips down, deepening the kiss. His breath was taken away and after a few seconds he moved away and opened his eyes, still holding her in his arms."
It needs a little refining. Thanks sooooo much for this post I LOVE your books!!!!
Jacinta Rose Swindell
magent321mysteryreader@gmail.com
Hey, JACINTA, thank you SO much for your sweet comment and you go, girl -- that's a GOOD start to a great love scene, sweetie!! :)
HUGS,
Julie
I don't know if I should be reading any of this..... *G* Figured I'd throw one of mine out here. This is from the rough draft of the book, so forgive some mess.
--
Dax lay awake well into the night, battling against temptation that lay so willingly in his arms. He’d known since day one that his attraction was strong, but the sheer force of it when she responded so willingly caught him completely off guard. He couldn’t believe he’d kissed her. He hadn’t intended to. That had been the furthest thing from his mind when he cradled her to him to comfort away her fear. He’d meant only to give her comfort. Nothing more.
What were you thinking, kissing her like that?
He felt her relax against him, heard her breathing level off in sleep, but still he couldn’t sleep. All he could think about was how much he wanted to kiss her again. To taste that sweet mouth.
He forced his thoughts away from the path of temptation. That would only lead to serious trouble. He had enough trouble already. They had to get out of here. First thing in the morning. They’d pack up and get off this mountain first thing come daybreak. To do otherwise would be dangerous, though he wasn’t sure which of them was in more danger if they stayed on this mountain alone another day. Another night.
Besides, she thought he hated her. He very much doubted she’d want to kiss him again if she wasn’t caught off-guard. He hated himself for taking advantage when she was so terrified. He frowned. He needed to stop listening to his parents’ stories, certain their claims about his dad kissing away his mother’s fear of thunderstorms was responsible for this.
But... it had worked.
DAWN, Ooooo, I LOVED it -- very nice clip, young lady. Sounds like a good book ... :)
Thanks for coming by, sweetie, and good luck in the contest!
Hugs,
Julie
Thanks, Julie. :-) Dax and Holly are two of my favorite characters ever of my own creation. The kiss scene itself is in her POV, and she wakes up the next morning thinking it was just a very vivid dream. Needless to say, she ain't saying squat to him about THAT "dream". *G*
I think I'll be giggling all day. Julie in a habit!
The new cover is beautiful!
Diana
dlbrandmeyer @gmail.com
Would love to get one of your books on my Kindle so I can nominate it to TBCN next month : )
Let's just say there was a lot of sighin' going on as I read this post, so much so I think my brother who's on his computer right beside me was wondering what the heck was going on! Wow! Who knew there was so much to a kissing scene? They are well worth all the hard work you writers put in it IMO. ;-) Can't wait to read Ruth Morren's new book. It's been a while since I've read her work but I'm really excited to read about Espy!
xoxo~ Renee C.
steelergirl83atgmaildotcom
okay okay, now I know I missed the course...do they one for sixty-somethings!!!!!!!!! with lots of pictures.....LOL
love ya Julie vrush729@aol.com
WOW! What an exciting and funny post! :D
Thanks for a chance to win!
Michelle
scraphappy71 at sbcglobal dot net
what a great informative post! i loved reading all the insights [+ examples!!] :) thank you for a FuN post and the giveaway generosity is pure BONUS!!
faithhopecherrytea at*gmail.*com
What a fun and amusing post! After the hectic day I've had, I needed that. Thank you!
Campbellamyd at gmail dot com
Took me all week to get to it, but that was defininitely interesting (especially "A Surrendered Love," which is my favorite of your covers).
I'm not big on switching POVs in the middle of scenes, but it works well the way you do it.
Woo! That was one of the best posts I've ever read (be still me beating heart!) All of those great scenes in one - what a treat! I cannot wait for "A Light in the Window" and I don't know, I kind of like you as a nun...The Sound of Music is one of my favorite movies... :)
kohlert@vet.k-state.edu
Nothing like the last minute!!! I want this book so much!!!
Crandallberries at gmail dot com
If I were a writer .... ;) Anyway, thank you for excerpts! Just added Moonlight Masquerade to my list and I'm even more excited for the Cousins McClare series!
Jafuchi7(at)Hawaii(dot)edu
Oh, DAWN TURNER ... what a WONDERFULLY clever idea!!! Fun, FUN premise!!
Hugs,
Julie
Aw, thanks, DIANA, and have a good laugh, my friend, because you ain't EVER gonna see me in a habit again, unless it's a "bad habit"!! Ouch ... bad pun ... ;)
Hugs,
Julie
NIKKI!!!! HOLY COW, it is SO cool to see you here, my friend, truly!! Thank you for taking the time to come by (I know you are slammed right now) and for your willingness to nominate me for TBCN. I would love that and will shoot you an e-mail about it, okay?
Hugs,
Julie
RENEE, LOL!!! Sorry about all the sighin', but this IS romance, after all, right???
And, YES, I cannot WAIT to get my hands on Ruthy's book either. Sigh.
Thanks for coming by, my friend -- always good to see you!!
Hugs,
Julie
LOL, VIRGINIA!!! You bet, sweetie, with diagrams!! ;) Hey, I'll be teaching it and God knows I will never see sixty again ... :|
Thanks for coming by, my friend. :)
Hugs,
Julie
MICHELLE!!! Twice in one day -- I am BLESSED!!! Here's hoping I can pull you out a win in this giveaway or the other one. :)
Love you!
Julie
FAITH,HOPE & CHERRYTEA!!! Why am I always thirsty when I respond to one of your comments??!! ;)
Thanks for your sweet words, girl, AND for sharing my Hardback Feedback giveaway on FB too -- you are SUCH a doll and I appreciate it. Good luck in this contest, girl -- you deserve it!
Hugs,
Julie
Hey, AMY, well look at that!! You didn't have to go to my EXCERPTS tab after all because you got a hefty dose of my writing style right here in this blog, so YAY!! But I would like to stress that since this is a blog on romantic passion in our writing, it sounds like my books are all kisses and romantic passion, but the spiritual passion in them is even stronger, so I hope you check those spiritual excerpts out, okay?
GOOD LUCK!! I would love to see you win!!
Hugs,
Julie
WALT!!! Well I am sure glad you got to come by before I pick a winner because I am getting ready to do that RIGHT AFTER I finish my comments here, so GOOD LUCK, my friend!!
And you now what??? I switched POVs in scenes TONS in my earlier books, but have found myself doing it less and less, especially in The Heart of San Francisco series, which is a less complicated book with only four POVs represented per book. But I have to be honest -- I LOVE doing it and reached my peak in A Hope Undaunted when I think I had eleven ... count 'em!! ... POV shifts in ONE scene!! But it was a hospital scene where I wanted to show the tension of every O'Connor AND sow in their individual stories while I was doing it, so it was a BLAST!!
Hugs,
Julie
LOL, TIFFANY!!! The Sound of Music is one of my favorite movies, too, so I totally understand!!
And THANK YOU for your kind comment. This was a fun blog to write. Be sure to check my website calendar next month and the month after because we will have parts 2 and 3 of this Kiss-ology blog, okay?
Hope to see you then and GOOD LUCK in this contest. :)
Hugs,
Julie
DAWN CRANDALL!!! Sooooo fun to see you here, darlin' -- I've been praying for your publication, so I hope we are getting closer!!
And thanks for coming by to read the clips. They were fun to do, and PLEASE check my website calendar next month and the month after because I will be doing parts 2 & 3 of this blog. :)
Hugs,
Julie
LDK!!! Hey, girl, how the heck are you??? Hope school went well last semester and you're probably getting ready to start all over again, right??
Gosh, I hope you're not to busy to read A Love Surrendered and A Light in the Window!! ;)
Good luck in the contest, sweetie. :)
Hugs,
Julie
This is fantastic information & will take more than a quick read.
Jan
Hey, JANET, thank you!! Appreciate you coming by and taking a look.
Happy weekend!
Hugs,
Julie
Hi *Ms.* Julie! Just caught up with your journal jots and if I didn't mention it earlier, congrats on your granddaughter! She's adorable. :) Last semester went very well, though summer flew by much too quickly for me. I start at university this Monday, and though I'm anticipating a larger course load, I'll be spending 4 hours on the bus everyday, so I'm hoping to use that time for reading. ;)
WHOO-HOO, LDK, sooooo glad you will have time for reading!! Who would have thought a 4-hour transit would be a blessing, eh?? Well, I'm certainly doing my part to keep you in reading material, my friend, so HAPPY READING!!
Thanks for the congrats on Rory -- she is a gift from heaven, truly!! God bless your next semester and you, my friend and GOOD LUCK in the contest!!
Hugs,
Julie
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