On Writing Romance_ How to Craft a Novel That Sells - Leigh Michaels [85]
Rape is only incidentally about sex; it's much more about power and control. Many a past romance novel—and a few current ones—excuse a violent or coercive hero by saying that love for the heroine drove him to his actions. But today's authors—whether they are writing historical or contemporary stories—must think carefully about whether the action they are portraying indicates love or abusive control.
THE SPECTRUM OF LOVE SCENES
Just to show the wide range of love scenes and story types, here are a number of love scenes from various categories and kinds of romance novels, starting with the least explicit (inspirational) and moving to the most explicit (erotica).
These scenes are examples, not illustrations of what a particular category of love scene should be. Not only do the types of books differ in their sensuality, language, and approach to lovemaking, but each author within a category or type of romance will make her own love scenes unique.
Inspirational
In her historical inspirational Chloe, Lyn Cote shows a heroine who's not only personally inexperienced but also lacks general knowledge about the whole subject of lovemaking:
The mystery of what intimacies a wedding night entailed loomed before her and uncertainty sluiced through her like ice water. "Theran ..."
He came up behind her and wrapped his strong arms around her, nuzzling her neck. "Don't be afraid of me, Chloe. I'd never hurt you."
"I know that." But her voice sounded low and slid over her throat like splintered wood. "I'm going to lie down and turn my back to you. ... I'll be waiting, dearest, but take your time."
A problem presented itself. Her mother still insisted Chloe wear an old-fashioned corset that laced up the back—she said it was the mark of a lady to need a maid to dress herself. But ... there was only Theran.
Like a naughty child, she tiptoed over to the side of the bed where he lay. "Theran," she whispered, "I need you to loosen my corset laces." Her face burned. She was afraid he'd say something bold and embarrassment would kill her.
He said nothing. But the bed springs creaked as he sat up behind her. Then he tugged her gently and made her sit down on the bed. ... She felt him untie the laces and then slowly stretch them, crisscross by crisscross, his fingers brushing her spine. ...
Before she could rise, Theran kissed the back of her neck and drew her back against him. "Don't go away, my sweet bride," he murmured. "Stay with me."
She didn't move, her breath suddenly difficult to find. As he kissed her neck and held her spine to his chest, she felt their skin touch and she quivered with the sensation. Slowly, he turned her and drew her up beside him—so close she could hear his heart beating. Or was it hers?
"Trust me," he whispered and she put her arms around his neck and sighed with his kisses.
Cote uses the corset as a metaphor for Chloe's release from the constraints of girlhood to the freedom of a married woman, through the loving help of her new husband.
In her contemporary inspirational Promise of Forever, Patt Marr shares a simple kiss from the point of view of the hero:
He touched her face, and she leaned her cheek into his hand, closed her eyes and rubbed the corner of her mouth against his palm. It was such a little thing, but it gave him the courage to take her face in both of his hands. "Sometimes I wonder..." "You wonder...?" Her eyes were on his mouth.
"I wonder what it would feel like ..." He lowered his face towards hers slowly, giving her plenty of time to push him away.
But she didn't. She held his shoulders and raised her lips to meet his. The touch of her mouth on his was as sweet as he'd dreamed of. It was just one soft