1/10/10

Heart-pounding Soul-wrenching Scenes



I'm staring at a blank page and an extremely cold day. In fact, it's been so cold and snowy here for so long I'm growing use to it-- not! And just as I complain, the sun comes in through my window! Ah well.

If it doesn't make you crazy, being snowbound isn't so bad if you use the time wisely. Who ever said I could do that must be crazy! No really, if I don't feel trapped and I focus on my writing then I'm okay. In fact, the time goes by rather quickly-- that is if I don't have to go out for staples or supplies and I can just stay cuddled up under a down comforter, my cats sleeping peacefully at my feet and my laptop buzzing along. It sounds much dreamier than it actually is though.

On the other hand, it can also be a good time to concentrate on love scenes. And what is it that makes up a heart-pounding soul-wrenching scene between a hero and heroine? Is it sex? Not always, not really. Lovers must be connected, attracted and all out to die for overwhelmed with each other, no matter the level of heat involved, don't you think? 

With that said, we know love scenes aren't always about the sex. But our lovers always have an underlying, almost unrelenting sensual pull toward each other, no matter where we set our stories, be it on a futuristic world, an historical past, or heartland America. 

So in the spirit of characters and lovers, and in an effort to understand the bond we need to convey between them, I'm sharing part of an excerpt in the hero's POV featuring the endearing 'galaxies apart' T'Kon and Maya from my upcoming sci-fi romance,

Forbidden Love

...She was upon him so close he could feel her breath, sense her warmth. She reached out and ran a hand through the air, searching the length of him as if to make sure he was still there.

“Maya,” he blew her name on a sigh.

“Take me with you," she implored, as water filled her astounding tawney eyes. "I have no ties here. I want to be with you, T'Kon.” She melded her body against his invisible one.

“You know nothing of me or my world.”

“Teach me, show me everything.”

He felt her heat burning inside him, yet the absurdity of her request burned brighter. “What you ask is not possible.”

“Will you please become visible so I can look at you?” She asked. “We need to talk about this before you go flying off into the universe.”

He unshielded his body so she could see him. “I cannot take you.”

“Why not? You can’t say it was coincidence that you happened to crash land in my back yard.”

No, an unfortunate accident. The truthful certainty traced across his mind. Yet his arms enclosed her and he lifted her up. Her legs straddled his waist, and he pulled her against him, a fit so right he could not deny it. An uncomfortable feeling wrenched his soul. Pain. He felt the pain of emotional withdrawal. From her? It was ridiculous and unnatural, the incomprehensible feeling he had for this Terrain female and he almost cried out with the anguish of it.

“I wish it were not so, but it is,” he whispered, breathing in her pungent scent. “You would not survive on my world. The environment is too harsh, the inhabitants too disapproving.” He dropped his head to taste her lips before she had a chance to counter his words. “Just one last kiss.” Her mouth opened to allow his tongue entry and he explored the soft moistness, losing himself in her tang.

The stars help him. He did not want to leave her...

~~~~~~
There you have it. A short and bitter sweet encounter that I hope reveals the desperate need developing between T'Kon and Maya. How about you? How do you convey that heart-pounding, soul-wrenching draw between your hero and heroine?

Kaye

15 comments:

Helen Hardt said...

Beautiful, Kaye! I agree -- the love scene is not about the sex. If the emotion is there, I can get a belly tug from the brush of a hand.

Linda Banche said...

That's the idea, Kaye. There are sex scenes and there are love scenes. Sex scenes are just sex. Love scenes are two people making a commitment to each other, and the emotion is what brings them, and eventually their bodies, together.

Kaye Manro said...

Thanks Helen! You are so right-- the emotion is the glue. I feel the same way about those belly tugs.

Linda, how true that is! Again, it's emotion that plays the main role. And it works no matter what heat level we are writing.

Shelley Munro said...

Awesome excerpt, Kaye. I agree with Helen and Linda. It's not about the consummation, it's about the emotions.

April Vine said...

Hey Kaye.
Lovely excerpt! And I agree emotion is the only key to unlock all those tummy twirls. Gratuitous sex leaves me unmoved. Love scenes demonstrating emotional growth, and moves the story closer to its fairytale ending is what gets me all aglow : )

Unknown said...

Excellent scene Kaye. I can't wait to read the whole thing.:-)

Jemi Fraser said...

Great scene - it certainly makes me hope there's a happy ending in their future!

I agree - love scenes are all about the emotions - the pressures on the couple to stay apart, but the inevitable pulls that insist they be together.

Great blog Kaye - I've added myself as a follower :)

Sarah Simas said...

How lovely, Kaye!

That's one of the many things of romance novels I love- the romance!

Thanks for sharing! I enjoyed the excerpt A LOT! You got it, gal!! :)

Kaye Manro said...

Shelley, coming from you I know it's spot on!

April, how I love those tummy twirls too!

Kat, I can't wait for you to read it!

Jemi, glad you stopped by and thanks for following.

Sarah, aren't you the sweetest to say that.

I'm so glad everyone is enjoying the blog post and excerpt.

Kamie Myles said...

Ah, Kaye. I need to congratulate you and wish you well with you new contract! What an awesome excerpt. I can't wait to read the entire story. Let me know the release date, please since I've been out of the loop lately.

Cari Quinn said...

What a lovely scene, Kaye!

You're so right. It's not just about sex. A love scene is, among other things, a demonstration of the couple's feelings for each other. And that scene doesn't have to include swinging from the chandelier to be gorgeous and romantic. ;)

Kaye Manro said...

Thanks Cari-- you have lovely scenes too.

It's so true, and I've worked on it a lot-- emotion is the key and the glue to bond our characters together.

Deborah Carr (Debs) said...

I loved that excerpt and have to say it's the emotion that draws me in every time.

Kaye Manro said...

Good to see you here, Debs! And you are so right. It is for me too.

Christina Phillips said...

Beautiful excerpt, Kaye. I'm so looking forward to reading all of Forbidden Love.

And yes, I'm with you and everyone else on the emotion. That is SO important. I love writing the sensual emotional foreplay, showing how my hero and heroine are irresistibly drawn to each other no matter how they try to deny it. *Happy sigh*!