A Shadow’s Kiss Book Tour

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❤ Kirsten

The Cardinal Sin of Romance

Posted on June 24, 2014 by Kirsten S. Blacketer | 17 Comments

I love my fellow writers on this site. They offer me support and encouragement when I need it the most. Every one of them has read my work and offered invaluable feedback. But I must say, both Michelle and Amanda are quite…selective in their reading. Neither of them favor the romance genre. I truly believe that neither of them would have ever read a romance in their lives had I not requested their assistance in beta reading/editing my work.

I love them dearly, but I get the feeling that romance disgusts them on a fundamental level. They’ve asked me to kill my characters. But that would NOT a romance make. They take the phrase “kill your darlings” literally. I merely torture mine, then ensure they at least have a happy ending for the moment. I don’t think I can even write anything but romance. It’s not in my blood to spill blood.

Michelle and Amanda tease me incessantly about my inability to commit MC (main character) murder. I cannot do it. Well, at least I haven’t yet. I may at some point in my career, but today is not that day and tomorrow isn’t looking good either.

By definition, romance must have a HEA (happily ever after) or a HFN (happily for now). You cannot kill the MC or multiple MCs and still have the story remain a romance by definition. It may have romantic elements, but it’s not by trade definition a romance.

Some of the best stories have elements of romance in them but the MCs die.

Romeo and Juliet ~ NOT a romance.

Terminator ~ NOT a romance.

Titanic ~ NOT a romance.

See where I’m going with this…the stories themselves have romance elements, but they are obviously not the main plot. Although Romeo and Juliet could be contested otherwise…but it’s obvious love is NOT enough…especially when you have a sadistic writer. Yes, I’m looking directly at you guys (you know who you are).

Serial murderers you are, the lot of you. I swear sometimes I think you do it just for fun. Okay, so I know you don’t just do it for shits and giggles. But the thought of killing off one of my main characters gives me feels deep down to my bones. I…*sniffles*…I can’t do it.

But I’m going to take my own advice and put myself out there, try something I’ve never done before in my own writing, slip outside my comfort zone and test the limits of my strength as a writer.

~ Kirsten ❤

The Dance of Words and Euphemism in Intimate Scenes

Posted on June 17, 2014 by Kirsten S. Blacketer | 11 Comments

After the exciting post from last week, I decided continue along the same vein as promised.

There’s a delicate art to writing a moving and effective love scene. It’s like a dance between action and emotion. Every word is a choreographed move. Combined together, they create a graceful partnership to the music of the moment. This is how all writing is honestly, but I’m focusing predominantly on the intimate scenes.

Romance is more than just sex. It’s the emotional journey of the characters as they find their soul mate. That’s what sets romance apart from all the other genres. It focuses on the relational conflict as well as whatever internal and external conflict arises in the story. So the love scenes (if included) are important to the story.

Using the wrong words in a love scene can instantly pull the reader from the story, make them disconnect completely, or even worse cringe in distaste. Unless that was what you were going for as the emotional tone of the scene, I suggest choosing your words carefully. We’ve all run across those words…the euphemisms that make us laugh out loud, cringe, or just gross out.

Let me be clear up front. I do not think euphemisms are bad. I’m not bashing authors who use these terms. In fact, I use some of them myself. This article is about choosing words carefully when writing an intimate scene.

I asked my fellow authors at Breathless Press to give me a hand and come up with some of their “pet peeve” words or euphemisms used in romance. They came up with some amazing words and phrases…and had a good laugh in the process. The things writer’s talk about, right? *grins*

Here are some Adjectives proposed that triggered some readers:

A woman’s arousal: sopping, creamy, oozing, moist.

A man’s arousal: throbbing.

Breasts: globular.

Euphemisms for body parts that are either overused or irritated readers:

“nether” anything

manhood

pelvis

taint

turgid coumn

secret place

flesh wand

instrument of pleasure

dick

prick

phallus

cream

juices

mushroom tip

flowers and petals when referring to ladies parts

Also, all medical terms when used in a love scene. I’m reading an intimate moment, not studying a medical journal. While we’re on the topic for a moment…do not merely describe the act, “Insert Tab A into Slot B”. If you’re doing that, then you might want to consider leaving the scene out because you’re not touching on the emotional reasons for the scene to exist in the first place.

Moving on…Verbs:

“coating her womb”

“banging into her cervix” ~ OUCH!

when a woman’s womb “contracts with arousal”

plowing the field

tweaked her nipples

plumbed the depths

spurted

Once again, I’m not saying any of these things are WRONG to use. I’m saying be careful of the words you choose when you write your love scenes, does it fit the scene, the mood, the tone, the moment, etc. Don’t take it personally if your betas or your editors tell you to change a word or phrase in the scene because it “pulls them out of the moment”. (Oh, ehehehe, forgive the pun.)

I purposely left out the obvious euphemisms that you shouldn’t use. Nothing says sexy like “purple headed yogurt slinger” or “muff”. But there is a word that came up a few times in my time as a writer that I want to address in and of itself.

Cunt. Yes, I realize it may be a vulgar term to some of you. While I don’t use it often, it does have it’s time and place in writing if used correctly.

It seemed to be the overwhelming majority agreed that when cunt is used in dialog it’s more efficient than when it’s used in prose during a love scene.

For example, my friend Jen is writing a series where the hero, Crispin, is quite cocky, overconfident, and uses what he calls “his wicked whispers”. He uses the word cunt in his whispers to get a rise out of the heroine. It’s his version of “dirty talk” and it’s quite effective. It’s used for shock value…admit it, it works.

Choosing the right words in a scene can make or break it. I hope this provides you with some ideas and inspiration as you move forward with your own writing projects.

Feel free to leave questions or comments.

Thanks.

~ Kirsten ❤

Sex or No Sex…That is the Question

Posted on June 10, 2014 by Kirsten S. Blacketer | 8 Comments

So you want to write a love scene, huh?

Let’s see if we can break it down to make it easier for you to tackle that dreaded love scene you’ve been avoiding for months.

First thing’s first, let’s ask ourselves a few questions.

Is the sex needed? Does it push the plot forward or help your character’s grow? I personally only write a sex scene if it pushes the story in the right direction or if it forces the characters to grow, either positively or negatively depending on the story. So, is the sex necessary to SHOW their journey? I emphasize show, because it’s too easy to tell. That’s the point of writing the sex scenes, to show the intimacy and how it affects the characters, not to mention the plot. The sex isn’t porn to get your reader turned on, it’s to show the connection, the bond between the characters.

What are your character’s telling you? Yes, I realize this makes you sound crazy, but I’m dead serious. Your characters will lead you if you let them, and going against them will make the story or the scene sound forced. Trust your characters to know their own story and lead you down the right road. Believe me, some of the best scenes I’ve ever written have come from letting them take control, and not just in the bedroom. *wink*

What is the point of the scene? Really think about this…is it sex for the sake of titillation or is it a dynamic revelation of emotion for the characters? This always comes at the editing phase for me. You really have to think about it. If you’re writing a romance, this is important because the entire focus of the story is on the relationship between the characters. Sex is a major factor in that so you have to take it into consideration. Do I need to show the intimacy to really portray the emotions and conflict of the story? It comes down to personal preference of the author to be honest. You can’t write something you don’t feel coming from your characters. Don’t sell your soul by adding sex just to have it there. If it doesn’t work, don’t do it.

What’s your heat level? There are many different types of love scenes with heat levels ranging from sweet to erotic. When I say sweet, I don’t mean closed door sex (when you lead the reader to the bedroom door and then slam it in their face.) I mean generalizing the experience, a soft touch here, a vague euphemism there. Let the reader know they had sex, but don’t go into detail. Erotic is going into hard core detail, drawing the scenes out, making them encompass most of the story. Erotica itself is about the sex more than the plot. Romance is about the plot more than the sex.

My publisher, Breathless Press, has a Heat Level Chart (this is taken directly from their submissions page HERE):

0 – No love scenes.

1 – Sweet Confections: Unconsummated sensual scenes, or love scenes that contain no description of actions.

2 – Monogamous couples. Infrequent loves scenes with no graphic language.

3 – Explicit love scenes with graphic or strong language.

4 – Frequent and explicit loves scenes/graphic depictions of sexual situations. May include BDSM, D/s, homoerotic sex acts.

5 – Diablo Delights: No holds barred high frequency of sexual interactions with strong erotic content. Extreme BDSM, group sex, ménage, ménage a trios. No HEA (Happily Ever After) required.

My stories normally hover around a 2 or 3, depending on the language I use. This chart may help you figure out how “hot” you want your stories to be. I will be writing a post in the next few weeks about the language we use in romance and some of the “trigger” words that make me cringe as a reader. (Everyone has their own trigger words, but I’ll only address mine.)

Another thing that may help you determine your heat level is your comfort zone. It’s kind of hard to write BDSM or ménage when you’re not comfortable with it. So make sure you write what you’re comfortable with, or your discomfort will show in the prose.

If you enjoyed this post, please leave a comment or questions. I’d love to discuss this more, but I don’t want to bore everyone. *giggles*

Until next week…

❤ Kirsten

Another One! A Shadow’s Kiss…Coming Soon.

Posted on June 3, 2014 by Kirsten S. Blacketer | Leave a comment

I’ve been a terrible blogger. Just down right, absolutely horrible. I have not posted in a long while and for that I apologize.

But in my defense, I have been productive.

My second book is in the finalization process with my publisher right now and will be hitting the market on July 4th!

That’s how I feel right about now. A little goofy, a tad giddy, and all kinds of relieved. I’ve put the work into the story. Now it’s time to let that story shine.

I did a cover reveal last week…so I’m happy to share the cover with you here, along with a snippet from the story.

Gorgeous isn’t it? One of the things that drew me to my publisher was their cover art. They are dedicated to making sure your cover art is gorgeous and represents your book in a way YOU want it. ❤ Makes me so happy.

Now…would you like a teaser? A taste of A Shadow’s Kiss….ehehehe.

Here you go…

Madeline spotted the archery targets near one of the tents. A line of bows and quill of arrows sat against the tent. While Evelyn had trained with her bow, Madeline participated in a lesson or two but only rarely since many disapproved of a lady indulging in such an activity. Her palm itched for the feel of the smooth wood in her hand, to feel the tension coil as she drew the arrow back. With a soft curse, Madeline picked up a bow and a single arrow. She glanced around and saw no one.

She was alone.

The wood slid against her skin, comforting and familiar. Nocking the arrow, she pulled the bow up and slowly drew it back. Her arms trembled at the pull of tension. Aiming at the target, she exhaled and released the arrow. With a solid thwack, her arrow sang true, striking just below the center of the target. Her heart raced as she picked up a second arrow. She aimed and sent it to join the first, but it hit too low again. Furrowing her brow, she reached for a third.

“Aim just above where you want to hit when shooting from this distance.” A deep, familiar voice rumbled behind her. Madeline spun around, the bow dropping to her side. Alexander stood with his arms crossed, his expression unreadable. “Here,” he said, stepping toward her. “Let me show you.”

Madeline stepped back as he approached. “I thought you left,” she stammered, her heart fluttering at the sight of him. His broad shoulders filled out the linen shirt, and his body wrapped in layers of plaid. She licked her lips. He appeared more dangerous now than he did when clad in chain mail and a coat of plates.

“Your brother, Angus, made a very convincing argument for why I should stay.”

Her mouth hung open. Before she could ask him what Angus said, he put his hands on her shoulders and turned her around. Facing the target, she took a breath to steady her hands.

“What are you doing?” she asked as he stepped up behind her. His heat melted into her back, she wanted to sway into him, lean her weight against his body. But she forced herself to stand straight. He tipped the bow up.

“Nock your arrow,” he said, as he guided her fingers to position it. “Aye, like that.”

His breath caressed the side of her face as he leaned beside her. His left hand covered hers on the bow, while the light caress of his right hand guided hers as she drew the string back. Her heart raced, thundering as a storm of desire raged inside of her. His scent of leather and horse mingled with the highland air. She forgot to breathe.

“Now aim just above where you want the arrow to strike,” he whispered. Her eyes drifted closed. “Release.”

She let the arrow fly. It struck the target dead center. He stepped away. A small groan of disappointment left her lips as the moment ended. She turned to face him, not caring about the damned target anymore.

Alexander watched her, his lips curved into a hint of a smile. “With some practice, you could become proficient with a bow.”

Madeline put the bow back with the others. “Why are you still here, Alexander?” She sighed. Her heart ached at the sweet torture of him standing so close. She had resigned herself to her fate. She would marry the winner of the tournament out of duty and respect for her family name. Taking a deep breath, she faced him again. “Have you nothing better to do than torture me with your presence?”

“You wish me to leave then?” His eyes betrayed nothing, but his voice held a hint of regret.

“Aye.” She turned away from him. Why must he do this to her? What pleasure did he get from seeing her torn with indecision and sadness? For two months, she prayed he would take notice of her shy glances, her flirtatious smiles. Now she was promised to another, he spoke to her. How cruel could fate be? “Leave.”

I look forward to sharing the story with you soon. 🙂 Thanks for stopping by.

~ Kirsten

The Sarcastic Muse

Writing. Information. Inspiration. Sarcasm guaranteed.

Category Archives: Romance

A Shadow’s Kiss Book Tour

The Cardinal Sin of Romance

The Dance of Words and Euphemism in Intimate Scenes

Sex or No Sex…That is the Question

Another One! A Shadow’s Kiss…Coming Soon.

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