How to Write a Kiss

One of the things I have to do as a writer of erotica romance is describe the art of a kiss.  After all, a kiss is everything.  The dictionary defines a kiss as to join lips in respect, affection, love, passion.  How romantic does that sound, eh?  There is a Chinese Proverb that says “kissing is like drinking salted water, you drink and your thirst increases”.  After all, a first kiss represents the spark of love, the hope of the future, quivers in the belly, and tingly sensations all over the body. 

It should be easy, right?  Writing a kiss should be the easiest thing in the world for someone like me.  But capturing the beautiful act of kissing can be extremely difficult to describe.  A written kiss has to be just the right blend of romantic and Oh la la! with no hint of being wet, sloppy or smacking (as I’m sure we’ve all experienced at least once in our lifetime!)

In my first novel, Black Leather Pants, this is how I wrote Kiley and Penny’s first kiss:

“Kiley's tongue slid into her mouth, twined with hers, danced, jolting a salacious moan from her. He explored each hidden corner. In and out he plunged, sweeping aside any doubt that this was exactly where she needed to be at this moment.”

Also, writing such a monumental step as a kiss in the love story of two people has to be stimulating for the reader.  It’s my job to not only write a believable love scene, but to bring that love scene to life.  So sometimes dragging out that first prolonged moment can be sweet torture. 

In A Silver Lining, my current release, I wrote:   “His hand hit the wall next to her head, trapping her. He leaned in so close that she felt his breath on her face. An answering need rose sharply inside her, and she itched to touch him, to bring his lips down upon hers. Fire ignited her blood. Her heart thumped almost painfully while her pussy creamed for the hard cock that pulsed through his heavy denims, pushing against her thigh. The overwhelming urge to fall to her knees and suck him into her mouth for a feast had her reeling.”

So how does a writer write a kiss?  We close our eyes and jump back to that first moment, when we experienced that soul shattering kiss that changed us forever.  We write them from our heart, from our hopes and wishes, we draw them out from every movie and book that turned us on.  We study kisses, deconstruct them, fantasize about them.  And we read…a lot!

While there are many ways to write a kiss, and many different scenarios to engage in a kiss, perhaps the most rewarding is that kiss when the happily ever after starts.  Love stories start with a kiss, and though they may not end specifically with one, the reader knows that the kiss is there, waiting in our imagination when we turn the last page.

Please Welcome Donna Confer!!

Good morning! I’m Lorelei Confer and I write romantic suspense.

I wrote my first story in the fourth grade in the form of a play which actually was produced by my teacher for parents and students. I continued writing and majored in English in College. I practice every day to improve my craft.

An author of romantic suspense I love reading almost as much as writing. I have filled my book shelves with my favorites, i.e. Harlan Colban, Eliza March, Johanna Lindsey, Kathy Carmichael, Kathleen Woodiwiss, Andrew Gross, Terri Garey, Karen Rose, LuAnn Rice, and Bobbi Smith just to mention a few, as well as all the classics.

I live on a peninsula in the mid west coast of Florida with my husband, two cats, and AJ, my long haired Chihuahua.  I love hearing from readers so please visit my website: www.loreleiconfer.com or blog at www.loreleiconfer.blogspot.com.

In doing research for my first book, Deadly Deception, I learned so much about Human Sex Trafficking and I really wanted to get the message out that this horrific crime is happening in your own backyard. I met with an undercover detective assigned to our local task force for human trafficking and from all the information I gleaned from him and numerous other interviews I have been able to put together realistic stories.

My second book, Deadly Revenge, happens in the North Carolina mountains which is the eighth likely state for human trafficking due to their interstate going north and south and east and west. Who knew?

I’ve just finished my third book in the ‘Deadly’ series, Deadly Deliverance, which is also about human sex trafficking from an investigators point of view. It’s primarily located in the Washington, DC area and is available from Siren Bookstrand Jan 17th, 2012.

I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I enjoy researching and writing them.


***Donna is giving away one of her ebooks to a lucky commenter!!!  So make sure you leave info for her to contact you!!!****

BLURB:

Things get personal for Sam Brower, undercover task force detective for human trafficking, when his niece, Autumn, goes missing. To make matters worse, he’s forced to work with his ex-girlfriend, Lisa Conover, former DC cop, when she’s assigned to a cold case involving his long lost brother.

After infiltrating the gang responsible for the multiple abductions, Sam and Lisa try to unravel the stories behind the kidnapping of Autumn and the disappearance of Luke before their cover is blown.

Undercover work doesn’t lend well to trust. Even if they work together like a fine tuned instrument, will Lisa and Sam be able to salvage love after all they’ve been through?

EXCERPT:

“Ahh!! Oh!! Yes! Yes! It feels so good! Right there! Please, don’t stop, please,” Lisa Conover muttered. “Harder, harder! No! Don’t leave now!” She groaned as she pounded her fists into the hardwood floor. “Damn it! Why did you stop?” she asked Godiva, her twenty-two pound silver tabby cat, who had jumped off her back and now sauntered over to a sunny spot on the carpet, flopping down in a very unladylike manner. Just like Sam used to do years ago, gets me feeling comfortable and then he takes off.

Lisa’s aching back muscles were so tight from hunching over her computer ten to twelve hours a day every day for the past weeks. She needed a massage. Better yet, she needed a vacation.

She rolled over onto her back and stared above at the open-beamed ceiling of her log cabin in the North Carolina Mountains outside Hickoryville. She studied the accumulation of dust bunnies along the beams.

The setting sun cast shadows across the room as she gazed out the two-story floor to ceiling windows on one wall. The view of the tranquil scenic mountains in its resplendent fall glory replaced some of the angst she felt about her work. She relaxed and stretched her arms above her head. Her stomach growled, reminding her she hadn’t had any lunch today.

She stood, trying to stretch her still-aching muscles by turning side to side at the waist, touching her toes—or attempting to anyway.

Then maybe she could get a few more hours of work done before bedtime.

After putting down fresh water and food for Godiva she opened the fridge hoping to find something for dinner. She knew what she would find but she looked anyway. It was empty except for a couple of eggs, and an older-than-she-knew container of yogurt she couldn’t trust anymore.

She glimpsed down at Godiva who had already finished her dinner. “I think I’ll run down to The Barn and get something to eat. You can hold down the fort here for a while, right?” she asked Godiva who sauntered away licking her lips.

She walked the short distance from the kitchen to the corner of the large open room to her desk which held her state-of-the-art computer system with three screens and a laptop. She sat down to start turning everything off when the phone on her desk rang.

“Conover Investigations, Lisa speaking.”

“Hi, is Sam Brower there?”

“Sorry, but I haven’t heard from Sam in years. How did you get my number?”

“This is the last number I had for him. I really need to talk to him ASAP.”

“Maybe I can help you. What’s the problem?”

“No, I need to talk to Sam.”

“I’m sorry I can’t help you. Give me your name and a number where he can reach you, and if I hear from him I’ll let him know you’re trying to get in touch with him, okay?”

“My name’s Luke and he can reach me at …” Then the phone line went dead. He had hung up.

What is it about men? They never say good-bye.

ADULT EXCERPT:

“Sam, have you really thought this through?” Lisa asked as she pulled her hair away from her face.

“Of course I have. Do you think I really want to give up what we’ve just renewed?”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, back the truck up,” Lisa said as she pushed away from him, her hands on his chest. “What do you think has been renewed? Yes, we shared a couple of ‘hello’ kisses for old time’s sake, but that’s all.”

Sam turned and moved closer to her. “Let’s take care of that right now. I know I want more out of our relationship, maybe even something permanent, don’t you?” He put his hands on her shoulders and attempted to pull her closer. She resisted.

He leaned in and kissed her shoulders, moving to her neck. She moved away. He pulled her closer and continued kissing her long neck, ears, and cheeks, moving toward her open and groaning mouth. Her hands moved to his elbows and then up to his shoulders until they were around his neck where she hung on for dear life.

His mouth moved to encompass hers, his tongue tangling with hers. He groaned as he pulled her closer to rub against his erection. He walked her backwards toward the bed until the back of her legs could go no farther. They slowly tumbled to the bed without breaking the kiss. He held her in his arms, plundering her mouth. His hands moved up her side and found her breast. She wiggled. His fingers found her nipple and gently squeezed until it became erect and hard. He pulled up her blouse and broke the kiss to take his wet mouth to her breast. He moved her satin-and-lace bra out of the way and plundered her nipple. She groaned and arched toward him. His hand pulled up her skirt and reached for her feminine curls finding soft, satin-and-lace matching panties. He pulled them aside and reached for her hot wet spot waiting and ready for him.

His hand slid between her legs and brushed the dewy petals of her damp folds, sending a zing of electricity through her entire body. Working a finger inside her, he growled, “Keep going,” with a jerk of his chin at her still hands.

He worked two fingers into her wet passage and stretched her wide. Her back arched as delicious tremors and hot shocks of pleasure streaked through her body. His eyes as deep and dark as night, his gaze caressed her, traveling over her body to rest where his hand had disappeared between her legs.

Eyes heavy-lidded, he murmured, “I want to lick you all over like an ice cream cone.”

His heated look inflamed her blood, and a film of perspiration covered her skin. She tried to fill her restricted lungs, but there wasn’t enough air in the room.

He moved his fingers inside her. He was huge, jutting past his belly button, a network of veins distended in stark relief along the length.

He was stroking himself while he was pleasuring her. He rolled on top of her and, finding the exact spot, he thrust inside her. She arched her hips toward him, wanting more, and he thrust deeper. In and out, in and out, their rhythm soon matched until they both spiraled out of control and into ecstasy.

Sam moved off her but lay close beside her, wrapping his arms tightly around her. He didn’t want to let her go. 

-Donna Confer

writing as Lorelei Confer (WWW.loreleiconfer.com)orwww.loreleiconfer.blogspot.com

Amazon.com: CHRISTMAS AWAKENINGS eBook: Lorelei Confer: Kindle Store

www.bookstrand.com/DEADLY-DELIVERANCE (Jan 2012)kindle

www.bookstrand.com/DEADLY-REVENGE (June 2011)

www.bookstrand.com/DEADLY-DECEPTION (Nov 2010)

Stop by on Valentine's Day!

Drea Becraft will once again be hosting a blog hop, this time for Valentine’s Day!  The contest will start February 11, 2012 and go till midnight February 14^th, 2012!  There are over 200 authors participating, giving away free goodies!  Make sure you stop by at

http://thebloghopspot.com/event-page/  for more information!

As for me, I will be giving away one of my ebooks as a pdf file to someone, winner’s choice! 

But between now and then Donna Confer will be a guest with me on Tuesday January 24^th…giving us an exciting peak into her latest book, with a free give-a-way!

On the 27^th I have Christian Jensen blogging with me.

And on February 1^st, I will be with Alexandria Christian to give a HOT excerpt! http://lexxxchristian.wordpress.com/

Welcome Cara Bristol!

Cougar Relationships 



If a woman is only a few years older than the man she's dating, that passes muster. But as the age gap widens, eyebrows rise and people begin to whisper, “cougar,” the somewhat derogatory name for a woman who deliberately targets much younger men.

In nature, a cougar is a large wild cat that is especially good at stalking and taking down prey.
But “cougar” also connotes other meanings such as erotic, hot and sexy. That it seems taboo or risqué makes even more enticing. In a 2003AARP survey, 34 percent of single women over the age of 40 were dating younger men. (The survey also said that most cases it was the younger man who had made the first move and pursued the older woman, in contrast to the connotation of the word cougar).

For the woman, the benefits of dating younger are that she gets a man who is likely to be more open, more sexually adventurous than her contemporaries - and who has a hot bod. The man gets a woman who is more sure of herself, more confident and more sexually adept than his contemporaries.

In my erotic cougar romance Reckless in Moonlight, divorcee Dana Markus didn't set out to be a cougar - especially not after her ex husband had left her for a much younger woman. But when the full moon rises - as well as the neighbor's sexy twenty-something son, Dana finds she's finally able to give rein to the desires that have been within her all along. 


Reckless in Moonlight Blurb:
Forty-five-year-old Dana Markus knows a full moon makes people act crazy. It's why they call the power company with stories about aliens disrupting the earth's climate. It probably explains why her ex-husband left her for a girl scarcely older than their college-age daughter. It definitely accounts for why she impulsively invited the neighbor's hunk of a son over for a skinny-dip. And why 28-year-old Lon Corbin accepted.
Lon doesn't think much of the mass of rock orbiting the earth, but he does think he's the luckiest man alive when the sexy divorcee he's admired from afar invites him into her pool. He knows she has reservations about their age difference, but he's planning to show her in a very physical way how good they could be together if she'll give him the chance.
But when their simmering private passion boils over into a public relationship, family pressures and schemes threaten to split the couple apart.
The moon brought them together --  but will it save them? 


Reckless in Moonlight Excerpt:
Back and forth, back and forth, Lon Corbin ran the sea sponge over the hood of his car. If it seemed odd that someone would wash his vehicle at night, well, the moon was full, and no one knew better than Dana Markus that moonlight compelled people to do strange things. Why else was she ogling the neighbors' twenty-something son like he was a strawberry dipped in Godiva chocolate?

And Lon offered so much to enjoy. A tiny moan of appreciation escaped her lips. From the top of his head, covered by thick amber hair, to his bare tippy toes, his majestic, youthful body inspired her to stand and salute. Strong, broad shoulders and a smooth chest decorated by lickable flat nipples tapered to slim hips and powerful thighs that were hugged by faded blue jeans. His legs weren't the only impressive body parts the fabric molded; the heavy denim cupped a massive bulge further showcased by the wetness of the fabric.

He'd soaked himself clean through with the hose. Water droplets sluiced down his arms, his chest, his flat abdomen…and led the way to his thick sex.

Lon dipped the sponge into the bucket again, then swirled it over the hood, round and round, making circles to ensure he got every spot. Every one. Dana admired a conscientious man who paid attention to detail, who took pride in a job well done.

He dipped again. Oops. He splashed himself with the soapy water. Dana licked her lips as her gaze followed the bubbles' journey over his chest and down his ripped abdomen, where they soaked into the waistband of his low-slung jeans.

Oh, to be those bubbles!

Another moan, louder this time, erupted from her throat and drew Lon's attention. Their eyes met across their adjacent driveways, and he flashed an all-American, 100 percent sexy grin.

“Hot, isn't it?” His low voice vibrated like distant thunder, and Dana knew he wasn't talking about the air temperature but rather the sexual tension that snapped and sizzled like a lightning strike between them. She almost could smell the ozone.

“Scorching,” she agreed. “Can I give you a hand with that?” She eyed the dripping sponge he held in his large hands.

“I was hoping you'd ask,” he said, with a grin. His ready acceptance of assistance lit a fire in her stomach. For months she'd watched Lon from afar, never exchanging more than a polite hello, never imagining she'd have a chance at anything more than a greeting. Dana glided across the driveway, tugged by the seductive promise of
Lon's gaze as if she were tethered to him, and he was reeling her in. Every step heightened her arousal. Her breasts felt heavy, her nipples tightened, and between her cream-slickened thighs, her swollen cunt pulsed hungrily.

Standing next to him, she could smell the detergent in the bucket and a manly, soapy scent that emanated from him, along with the even sexier aroma of clean sweat.

“Do you have another sponge?” she asked as she scanned the dark street for activity. No traffic. No late-night dog walkers. Perfect.

“You don't need one.” Lon tossed his into the pail and propped his sexy ass against the car's fender.

“No?” She ran a finger over his chest and circled the nipple. It perked under her touch. A sharp current of desire zinged through her clit. “What do I need?”

“You need cock,” Lon said and unzipped his pants.  

Reckless Buy Link: http://www.loose-id.com/Reckless-in-Moonlight.aspx
Website/blog: http://www.carabristol.com
Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Cara-Bristol-Erotic-Romance-Author/178661122147994
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/carabristol

Welcome Sara York!!

Hi I’m Sara York and I’m so happy that Beth invited me to her blog. I write mostly

Male/Male romance books with a few females thrown in for fun. On January 16th

Zane’s Inferno in His Hero Anthology releases. Zane is a gay firefighter in south

Texas and he’s not out of the closet. When Zane is almost killed in a fire he finds out

that his secret isn’t a secret to everyone.

Zane's Inferno by Sara York

Zane's Inferno—when burning, hot lust ignites into raging love.

After being trapped in a fire, Zane Wilson is shocked by the heat directed his way

by Nick Dubois, the fire department's top paramedic. Nick comes on to Zane, kissing

him in the bunkroom and surprising the hell out of him. The next day, Nick shows

up at Zane's house and the fireworks really begin. The sex is rough and hot, not at all

like anything Zane has had before.

Their relationship began because of a fire then almost ends because of one. When

Zane is trapped in a forest fire and almost killed, Nick moves in and doesn't leave his

side. But a jealous ex is setting up Nick...and gunning for Zane. Will they survive they

survive the firestorm created by their relationship, or succumb to the flames?

Excerpt

Zane Wilson inched forwards, barely able to move. Heat from the fire was baking his brain through his helmet. They were going to call him back any second. The swirl of the fire and the intense heat meant only one thing—this building was about to collapse. The stairs were engulfed in flames, blocking access to the upper floors. This had to have been deliberately set.

“Portable One, this is Command. You copy?”

“Command, this is Portable One, Zane here.”

“Heat’s built up in the attic. Come out now. Over.”

“Portable One exiting the building. We’re coming out. Over.”

James, his hose man, slapped him on the back. They’d moved back three feet when he heard the loud crack over the roar of the fire. The three-storey mansion was coming down around them.

“Run!” James shouted over the intercom just before he slapped Zane again, this time on the shoulder.

Zane dropped the hose then turned to run. They both dashed for the door.  Zane saw a huge beam fall and he shoved James out of the way before he jumped back. A wall of fire surrounded him, blocking his exit. His oxygen tank alarm went off, signalling the end of his air supply. He would die in a few minutes if he didn’t escape the raging beast. Smoke seared his lungs, leaving him nauseous and dizzy. His tank should have lasted longer. Someone had given him an empty

one. His stomach turned as he fought to remember who had given it to him. The flames grew stronger so he forgot about the tank and searched for a way out.

The fire died down to his right for just a few seconds. He braced himself for the heat and leapt through the uneven wall of flames. The fire burned him but he kept going, pushing his way into the living room. The heat was less intense as he made his way through the smoke-filled room. On the far wall he saw a window.  He grabbed his hooligan tool and tried to smash out the glass. The bar bounced back, smacking his visor. Shit, Plexiglas.

Zane pulled the lock on the window and tried to shove the pane up, but it wouldn’t budge. The heat, maybe paint…something was making the window stick. He tried again as chunks of house dropped to the floor behind him like bombs on a battlefield. He reached up, grabbing the sides of the window frame. There was a security rod preventing the window from rising. He pulled out the metal rod then slid the window up. Oxygen rushed in, fuelling the fire. The blaze snaked its way across the ceiling, straight towards him.

The curtain around the window burst into flames. He jumped back. Pain seared his shoulder as a beam fell and crashed into him. This was his one chance. Zane jumped forward, diving through the smoke and fire, landing and rolling to his knees. He ignored the pain racing through his body as he crawled to a standing position.

Noise split the air as an explosion ripped through the house. Heat pushed him forward, and for a brief second he was airborne. He hit the ground with a solid thud. Fire and ash rained down around him.

Website http://sarayork.blogspot.com

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/sara.york1

Bio - Sara York lives in the southern United States with her family and 

dogs. Sara loves romance that takes you to distant worlds where you 

could be a princess or a warrior. She enjoys reading about far away 

places, but writing erotic romance is her passion.

Sara York writes erotic scifi romance that takes place on sex planets 

where pleasure is the mainstay. With pleasure planets and deserted 

planets anything can happen. It is erotic fiction!

Writing M/M, gay romances is new to Sara York, but the passion and 

freedom of expression in the gay world is refreshing.

Sara also writes menage a trois and cougar stories. Take the passion of 

two and ramping it up to the passion of three.

Sara's favorite vacation would be to spend the day at the beach while 

reading or writing a good book. I love beach reads!

Link is http://sarayork.com

Bromance

Having just finished watching one of my favorite movies, The Eagle, with Channing Tatum and Jamie Bell, I was inspired to blog about bromance.  I love a good bromance, two beautiful men who find each other due to whatever outside force is driving them together.  Originally, bromance was described as two heterosexual men who are friends, but come on…really?

There are the obvious bromances like Spock/Captain Kirk (both the old and new actors), Ben Affleck/Matt Damon and George Clooney/Brad Pitt.  Now, I don’t claim to be an expert at knowing every single bromance out there; I don’t watch a lot of television or see many films, but here are a list of my top five bromances of the television or film age.

1)      As mentioned before, Channing Tatum and Jamie Bell in The Eagle.  Why?  Two men, 

epic adventure, ancient Rome.  Need I say more?  Well, okay, how about the first time Channing’s 

character, Marcus, lays eyes on Jamie’s, Esca.  Esca is fighting in a “gladiator” type of sporting event 

because he’s a slave.  He refuses to play the game, defying the champion by daring to be killed instead of 

fighting.  His actions of bravery earn Marcus’s admiration and Marcus votes “thumbs up” to save him.  

When the two make eye contact…

       wowser!  Of course, Esca is bought to become his slave and the 

       two head off to find a long lost Roman statue, bringing the two men closer together.  At the end they walk off into the sunset together.  

       It’s just lovely to see!

2)      Next is Denny Crane and Alan Shore, two characters from Boston Legal played by William Shatner and James Spader.  Why?  These two characters always finished the episode by sitting and drinking together after the end of a long day.  There was a love between them that defied age, gender and beliefs.  At the end of the series, they even marry so that Alan can take care of Denny in his old age as forgetfulness began to set in for him.  I adored the ending, perhaps the only tv ending that I really loved.

3)      Then there is Meriadoc Brandybuck and Peregrin Took from LOTR, a far better bromance than between Frodo and Sam, IMHO.  Why?  There is something special between two men who think up First Breakfast and Second Breakfast.  Their reunion is nothing short of tear jerking as Pippin frantically confirms that Merri is alive.  "I knew you'd find me.  You can't leave me," Merri says.  "No, I'm going to take care of you," Pippin answers.

 

  4)      Eric Northman and Bill Compton.  Really, do the names need any more introduction?  Okay, two vampires fighting over the same woman, but we all know vampires are very promiscuous so why don’t they all just get along?  So why?  In the books the two men hate each other but on the screen their chemistry lights up.  The fantasy Sookie has where all three of them are getting ready to oo la la was wow wow wow! 

5)      And last, but not least, Holmes and Watson, as portrayed by Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law.  Why?  The first movie is full of long suffering glances and pauses from Holmes each and every time Watson mentions his forthcoming marriage.  The two men gravitate toward each other in each scene they are in, as if a magnet is bringing them together.  Yes, each one has a woman but we all know that these men could never live their lives without one another.  I’ve not seen the second film yet, but I heard it’s really good!

As I said, there are many bromances I’m overlooking.  In LOTR alone there are about half a dozen!  And Yes, I didn't include Harry and Ron.  The ones I've mentioned are just five of my personal favorites.  They are men that when you think of one you can’t help but think of the other.  Sexy on screen, sexy in fan-ficiton!

Everneath - out Jan 24th!

Head on over to my friend CJ Redwine to read a great interview from author Brodi Ashton!!

http://cjredwine.blogspot.com/2012/01/interview-with-brodi-ashton.html?showComment=1326157218919#c5657531362135794892

The Heathcliff Syndrome

I have a confession.  I do not like the book Wuthering Heights.  I know, I know…I hear it every time I say that sentence.  WTF?  Aren’t you a romance writer?  You don’t love Heathcliff? No, no I don’t.  While many consider Heathcliff romantic, I found him to be an angry, brutal, hate-filled character. 

And yet there was a time when romance novels epitomized Heathcliff as the role model for the hero.  I grew up reading Harlequin Presents in the 1980’s; my favorite author being Carole Mortimer.  I was swept away by the passionate love displayed between the covers, always told through the eyes of the heroine.  The women struggled to be strong, even the ones who had been beaten down by cruel circumstances, and managed to find passionate love.  I thought I would find one of those handsome, rich, stoic men and live happily ever after.  Back then, in my young girlhood mind, I didn’t see how these heroes between the pages of my favorite romance books, all resembled Heathcliff. 

 

Harlequins were littered with such dialogue tags like “..he growled at her” or “…he looked at her coldly”.   He was forever driving her up a wall or being unnecessarily cruel to her in an effort to hide his feelings.  There was always something that prevented him from opening up to her, being nice, or admitting his love. 

Now, I do understand Heathcliff’s pain, his embarrassment at being an outcast, and the hate he must have felt at Catherine’s betrayal at picking Edgar Linton for money over his love.  That is tragedy and I get that.  But it’s the bastard he became after he came back to enact his revenge that turned me off of him being a romantic figure. 

I’m very careful in my own books to not encroach my heroes or heroines so far that they are unredeemable, as Heathcliff was.  I love conflict within my characters, for instance, in my novel A Silver Lining, Heather Hart is a woman who has had a shitty life.  And that pain has turned her in a foul-mouth, unlikable character.  But she’s strong enough not to give into the blackness that surrounds her soul so when true love finds her she is redeemable.

What I love about romance is that you can type into Google “The best romance story ever” and you’ll get a bazillion different opinions about what is love and how it’s shared.  Heathcliff will forever linger in minds as romantically tragic, and even thought I may not like him, I appreciate what he did for the genre I write today.  I fell in love with the harsh, angry heroes from my precious Harlequins and they inspired my addiction to romance.  Heathcliff made me want to rescue every single man out there in pain and in anger, so I do my best, one story at a time.

Why do I Write Romance?

**These are not my words, a wonderful woman named Diana Duncan wrote them.  However, they convey PERFECTLY why I write romance. **

"Some people belittle writers and readers- especially of romance.  They think we’re living in a make believe world.  They condemn us for wasting time with “trash”.

But when I write, I’m reaching out to women – and perhaps a few men- but it’s mostly women who read romance.

Women who’ve had the worst day ever.

Women with nasty bosses.

Women with broken hearts.

Women who are sick and suffering.

Abused women who’ve been humiliated and hurt.

Women trying to overcome terrible circumstances I can’t even begin to imagine enduring.

I hope that through my stories, I can help ease these women’s sufferings a little.  I hope they forget their own troubled lives and take off on an adventure with my characters.  That they escape from the real world.

And when they finish, when they reach “the end”, and close the covers of the book, they go back to their own lives with a little more peace in their hearts.

Refreshed.

Uplifted.

Better able to cope.

Because in romance novels, good always defeats evil.  Tomorrow is a better a day.  Relationships are mended, hope is restored, love triumphs over all.

This is why I write.

For the angst-ridden adolescent who wonders, “what does real, lasting love look like?”

For the office administrator stuck on the commuter bus forty minutes a day.

For the weary nurse on the cancer ward who’s lost one too many patients.

For the young mother with three kids under three and reaching the end of her rapidly fraying rope.

For the elderly woman trapped in a body that no longer works, with a still-young mind that cries out for companionship.

What an incredible gift.  What a humbling responsibility.

What a privilege.

Write on."

-Posted by Diana Duncan 

Sara York Guest Blogging Jan 13th!

Sara York lives in the southern United States with her 

family and dogs. Sara loves romance that takes you to 

distant worlds where you could be a princess or a warrior. 

She enjoys reading about far away places, but writing 

erotic romance is her passion.

Sara York writes erotic scifi romance that takes place on 

sex planets where pleasure is the mainstay. With pleasure 

planets and deserted planets anything can happen. It is 

erotic fiction!

Writing M/M, gay romances is new to Sara York, but the 

passion and freedom of expression in the gay world is refreshing. 

Sara also writes menage a trois and cougar stories. Take the 

passion of two and ramping it up to the passion of three.

Sara’s favorite vacation would be to spend the day at the beach 

while reading or writing a good book. I love beach reads!

You can find Sara York Ebooks at Amazon or other ebook retailers.

http://sarayork.com

Meet Vespa Nyx!

Being Released Aug 14th, 2012...Tiffany Trent's new novel The Unnaturalists...

In an alternate London where magical creatures are preserved in a museum, two teens find themselves caught in a web of intrigue, deception, and danger.Vespa Nyx wants nothing more than to spend the rest of her life cataloging Unnatural creatures in her father’s museum, but as she gets older, the requirement to become a lady and find a husband is looming large. Syrus Reed’s Tinker family has always served and revered the Unnaturals from afar, but when his family is captured to be refinery slaves, he finds that his fate may be bound up with Vespa’s—and with the Unnaturals.

As the danger grows, Vespa and Syrus find themselves in a tightening web of deception and intrigue. At stake may be the fate of New London—and the world.