On Writing Romance_ How to Craft a Novel That Sells - Leigh Michaels [83]
warm. He stretched his arm over the back of the futon, his fingertips draping down to brush my shoulder.
Half-lit room. Wine. Fire. Quiet music. Couch. The classic setup for a smooth slide from conversation to kissing to petting and to that moment when he drew back with a question in his eyes, wanting to know if tonight meant sex. ...
But oh, he did smell so very good.
Sight, sound, taste, touch, smell—all are used, some of them multiple times, to create a picture the readers can relate to on many levels.
The level of sensuality and physical description in love scenes varies from category to category, and even more from category books to single titles. But no matter what the type of story, the emphasis in romance is on feelings rather than on technical description. A catalog of body parts is pornography, not a romance novel.
How much detail is too much? Sometimes even well-established authors aren't sure where the limits are. Jacqui Bianchi, editorial director of Harlequin's Mills & Boon division in the 1980s, told of sitting down to lunch with an experienced author at the Ritz Hotel in London, in the early days of spicy romances. Just as the waiter was setting her appetizer in front of her, the author leaned across the table to her young editor and boomed, "So tell me, dear, just how much sex can I have? "
The answer, of course, depends on the publisher and the type of romance. But it depends even more on the kind of story, the age and experience of the characters, the setting (for example, a couple stranded alone in the wilderness vs. a couple staying in a family member's house, where respect for the host and the lack of privacy have an impact), and the readers' comfort level (for instance, many readers are uncomfortable with unmarried lovers when there is a child nearby).
Today's heroine—no matter where her story falls in the spectrum of romance novels—is far more likely to go to bed with her hero before the wedding than was a heroine of twenty years ago. (Inspirationals are the exception here; in that case, "bedding before wedding" is forbidden.) But common sense is the key. An older and more experienced heroine is more likely to have premarital sex than a younger, virginal one. The heroine's actions must be consistent with her character and her circumstances.
SAFE SEX AND BIRTH CONTROL
Safe sex can be a troublesome issue for authors of contemporary romance. Should your heroes carry condoms? Should your characters talk about birth control, use it without discussing it, or ignore the subject? Should you give the details or assume the readers will fill in the blanks from their own imaginations?
Some readers are touched by the hero who looks after his lady by asking if she's protected. Others are turned off by the idea that these people have
gotten as far as the bedroom and still know so little about each other that they have to ask.
Not only do categories vary on these issues, individual editors have distinct views on the subject of birth control and safe sex. How birth control is addressed will also depend greatly on your specific characters, their history, and their story. If a heroine already has a child from a failed relationship, she's likely to be very careful about birth control in the future.
Study books in the category you're aiming for—or books similar to your style, length, and subject matter, if you're writing single title—and then decide what your characters would be likely to do. And remember, however you opt to handle the birth control problem, your readers are looking for fantasy and escape, not instructions on how to avoid HIV
In her romantic comedy Catch and Keep, Hannah Bernard uses humor to make sure we know that her characters aren't taking any chances with birth control:
"Jake ..." she muttered and he kissed his way up her body to her mouth, then knelt and reached for the foil package on the bedside table and ripped it open with his teeth.
"Let me ..." She grabbed the condom away from him and sat up, the rosy look of sensual excitement suddenly replaced by a serious look of determination.