The Home Stretch

Hi everyone!

This week has flown by and I am still very, very busy. I am putting the final touch on my submission to NYC of Where’s My Underwear and hope to have news within the next few weeks.

I have edited and re-edited the piece until it shines like a new copper penny.

But like every writer, I have doubts. Why is it when we actually do something very good, something so different that we question ourselves? Writers always want to tweak things to make it better but sometimes it is already very good.

That’s where Underwear is at this moment.

And still the story has a life of its own. LOL! Just this week, I entered another contest with the first line. I barely made it under the wire and the entry is #43. Go check it out at http://www.mysteriesandmargaritasblogspot.com/

That’s about all I have for now but I’ll keep everyone posted.

Hope you have a great week...see ya next!

Lynn

A WIP Revisited – Part 3

We’re back again...and even though the allergies are still kicking my butt...at least I’m not late this time. LOL!

All the parts we’re looking at in these articles is basically the first chapter and how I’m setting the stage for the whole book. Now this book is special to me. Maybe because I love Scotland so much. I know the places these characters are going to...I’ve stood on the banks of the lochs...and wished with all my heart I had a place to go to every summer. That’s my dream...to escape the heat of the southwest...and head for the lush cool climate of the Scottish Highlands. There’s nothing like it in the world.

But I’ve also done something very different. Something I have to get my husband to help me with...and that’s the guy’s POV...and is that a hard one. Now this is rated R and not for the faint of heart as it's sexy...reall sexy...LOL! So here is the third article in this series. I hope you enjoy!

My Creative Process: Your Glimpse Into a WIP – Part 3

Here we are in month three of my creative process. When I started this story I wanted to produce something smart and humorous. But alas, all is not well in the kingdom. And that doesn’t mean something bad has happened, no in my opinion it is something that is quite good and different. So good in fact I wrote over three thousand words on this section alone.

Needless to say I have a completed first chapter which puts me one step closer to my goal of submitting three chapters and a synopsis to an agent. Let me just mention one thing here…even though I am developing this book section by section…it is better when you read the complete product to get the full impact of what I have done. That way you can see how it flows and moves, almost as if it’s liquid. A typical question regarding this would be, how do you know you’ve done that successfully and I will try to answer you.

For me, I have to read the story out loud with a red pen in hand. Sometimes I read it to myself while I’m alone in the office. Sometimes, like with this one, I have my DH read it and then I read it out loud to one of my best friends, Brenda. Only when I read something out loud do I get the sense of flow and it doesn’t matter if that read is only to myself or not. Each author has their own special technique but for me, it is the only thing that works because I need to feel the rhythm of the story. I can only do this when I read out loud.

But let’s look at our progress so far. Last month we talked about how I went from what I thought was a pretty good beginning to the next step where I begin to develop the characters and the plot. I’ve given you the basics of Aeryn and Logan’s past relationship but not much of the ‘what really happened’ stuff. Up to this point, you haven’t really seen Logan, you’ve just heard about the stud.

So, in this next section of the story I’ve got to establish a few things. One is that I have to give you a real sense of the hero. I have to make you think he’s as sexy as Aeryn does. And frankly that’s a tall order since I am looking at him through her eyes. The reason I say this is because what’s sexy to me may not be sexy to all of you or even Aeryn. This is where an author shows his or her skill and since I’m trying something new, I’ll be pulling out all the stops. Most authors are a little bit in love with their hero and I am no exception as well as the fact that most heroines have a little bit of the author in them.

Another thing that is important in my mind, is that I’ve got to give you a glimpse into their past relationship. I don’t want to reveal everything at once but do it slowly one layer at a time just like an onion. I always thought that was one of the great things in the movie Shrek when they talked about the layers of an onion because that’s exactly what I try to do. Otherwise, you’ll get something that I call information dump.

That’s when an author dumps all the information on you at once, leaving nothing to really reveal in later sections of the book. For me, that is a definite no-no as I have no need to read the book further if I know everything.

I have uncompleted books that I have stopped writing because of the information dump syndrome. Suddenly, I know everything about the book because I’ve dumped all the information at one time. At that point, for some reason, I don’t have a burning need to complete it because I already know everything there is to know. And this is one of the reasons that I don’t usually complete a synopsis before the third chapter.

Sure, I want to know where my book is going and how it’s going to get there. BUT I don’t want to know all the minute details because that’s the fun part of the journey, creating those details. Now, I don’t write all books this way. When I’m working on an epic fantasy romance or a sci-fi romance for instance, I need to know those little details so they don’t get lost in the telling. With my contemporaries and my paranormals, as long as they aren’t fantasy based or sci-fi based, I want to find out the details as I’m writing and not before.

So let’s see if all my attention to flow, rhythm and detail has worked. Without further ado, here’s the next section of ‘Where’s My Underwear Anyway?’ and I hope you enjoy it as much as I’ve enjoyed writing it.

Monica glared at his back and turned a concerned face toward me. “Don’t worry, not much really happened.”

“Define not much.”

She closed her eyes and grimaced. “You were alone with him for ten minutes at the most. Swear.”

I stared at her.

Oh my god, it had included a table and ten minutes alone with Logan? I closed my eyes and wondered what the hell I had done that put me on a table and at the same time made me lose my underwear. I swallowed hard. I hadn’t been that drunk since I was that graduate student exploring the world. True, my life had been boring as hell recently as no man had been able to really hold my attention. I had actually received the nickname of ‘the love ‘em and leave ‘em lawyer’ of the firm.

Hell…I was more worried about the alone time with Logan…I knew what I would have done drunk or sober with that man. But while my body might had been touched in ways it craved, it certainly hadn’t been fucked.

I sighed. Monica had been bugging me for months as to why I couldn’t form a relationship with any local yokel. I realized now it probably was because I didn’t want to form any kind of relationship with anyone but the stud. But he had to be out of my reach as I was sure he was married and had that wonderful life he had always wanted. Without me.

****

Rubbing my chin, I looked at the underwear which now took center stage on my desk. I hadn’t shaved since yesterday nor had I been to my apartment. I still couldn’t believe my luck. Or maybe I should call it my bad luck. Walking through the old digs, I just happened to look in a window to see her dancing on a table in her usual spendor. I had to shake my head to clear it as I wasn’t sure at first it was her. But it was her. Tall, leggy and the all American blonde. Who could forget that body or that woman?

Aeryn Delancie. The woman who had filled my nights as a young man. The one who had filled my thoughts ever since. No one had been able to eradicate her out of my mind or my heart to this very day. Sure, I had had plenty of relationships and those relationships had all fizzled out because nothing compared to Aeryn. Or rather nothing compared to what Aeryn did to me and with me.

I had always figured that she had left me because she didn’t really like me. But since Monica and I had kept in touch through Christmas and birthday cards, I some how knew that wasn’t the case. Something had been done or said to make her change her mind and I never knew what it was for sure even though I had an idea. It was one mistake I would always regret.

I was surprised to find them both in Edinburgh since I had thought Monica would have called. Once the incident was over, she then explained that they had just finished their conference and she planned to track me down this very week. So it was just a fluke that I hadn’t known they were there. Still, last night’s scenario ran through my mind as I sat there fingering her underwear.

I had stood next to the table, watching her twirl her underwear on her finger as she did a suggestive little dance on the table at the corner pub. The men were flocked there as they could see the promise of her body under the short dress. Looking up at her, my blood started to boil.

“What do you think you are doing?” I questioned more harshly than I intended.

Turning droopy blue eyes my way, she smiled brightly as if she had just seen a new toy. “Entertaining everyone. Don’t you want to be entertained, Logan?”

I let out an angry sigh. Entertaining wasn’t quite what I had in mind for this evening originally. I supposed I could say I was on the prowl. Now that plan lay in shabbles around me as I knew nothing but Aeryn would give my body satisfaction. “Not like this, Aeryn.” I growled at all the cheering men and reached up for her.

She pulled back. “Not so fast big boy. What do I get in return?” she slurred, still looking incredibly sexy but I realized she was incredibly drunk. And I also knew that this was totally unlike her. I had followed her career in secret and was amazed at just how much control the woman exerted over herself and her courtroom battles. I wondered if the woman who had given her all to me, both physically and mentally, still existed within that hard exterior shell she worked to keep in place. Monica said…well…Monica had said a lot of things over the years.

Ignoring her, I pulled her down to the boos and hisses of the crowd. I just hoped I wasn’t going to have to fight all these men for her. Glaring most of them down, I reached for her arm praying that the big bloke next to me would give way once I had her on the ground.

“Hey,” she said and smacked me lightly. “Gentle, I’m sure I can be broke.”

At that moment all I could think of was one of the wild fillies on my farm in the highlands. I highly doubted any one would break this woman but I was sure she could break me. “This is totally inappropriate behaviour even for you,” I sneered.

Smiling, she leaned into me. “Do you know how much that accent turns me on? I mean it really turns me on, Logan. It’s more refined now but I still love it.” Licking her lips, she pulled me closer, licked my ear and continued to whisper. “Tell me what you want big boy, I already know how to give it to you.”

I glanced around again, pulled her underwear out of her hands, put it in my pocket and shoved her toward the back hall not caring what anyone thought. Thank god, I had known Clancey for years and he wouldn’t mind if I used the office. Slamming open the door, I pushed her inside and shut it against the outside world.

“Hey.” She glared at me. “You don’t have to get pushy.”

I stood before her seething, my body rock hard. There was only one way that this would end. I just had to decide if now was the time and place. I had taken Aeryn drunk before but we had both wanted it then. It was as if we couldn’t get enough of each other. To be honest, we screwed like rabbits. But this time, I didn’t know what she really wanted. “Just what in the bloody hell did you expect to accomplish with that little display?” I took a step forward as she took a step back.

I could tell she was nervous as she chewed on her lip a little. “I was looking for something I hadn’t had in a very, very long time.” She inched ever closer to the desk.

I knew it would take very little to bend her forward or backwards over that massive piece of furniture as she wanted taking as much as I wanted to take her. I took another step forward and she squeeled, turning quickly and landed on that afore mentioned desk, her sexy ass up in the air.

And as much as I wanted to, I knew I couldn’t resist it one little bit. Sliding in close, my large hand caressed that supple piece of flesh. Yes, I had taken her there and still wanted to do so, but for now caressing would have to do. I ran my fingers up her slit from front to back, rubbing the inner folds firmly. She moaned her response and pushed into my hand.

Leaning over her, I continued to fondle her and lay my body over hers. If she hadn’t seen my bludge out there, she certainly felt it now. Nibbling on her ear, I knew that this could end wonderfully or I would be in pain for quite a while. Kissing her neck, I gently humped her ass, the only thing separating my cock from her cunt was my clothes.

“Logan,” she whispered with a passion filled voice. “Where the hell have you been?”

Reaching her hand up behind her, she grabbed my hair and pulled hard. In the past, sometimes it was rough and tumble, others is was slow and sensual. This time I just wanted to stick my dick in her because I needed some satisfaction and I needed it now. Still, I didn’t know if getting what I wanted would give her what she wanted.

“Aeryn,” I whispered back and continued to kiss and caress her body. “What exactly do you want?”

“The missing pieces,” she answered softly and pressed against my fingers. Moving slightly away from her, I let my fingers slide into her folds once again, finding that hard little nub that she tried hard to forget. Pinching gently, I realized what I really wanted to do was lick and kiss that area until her flesh throbbed like mine did.

Moaning, she pushed her body against my hand as I firmly swirled her clit, leaving no spot untouched. I knew it would only take me seconds to get her off if I really tried and decided it would be better if I did her first before allowing my body to completely make me an insane man. Her body dripped for me as I leisurely pulled and plucked her from every available angle.

“Logan,” she stated breathlessly. “No one has ever touched me like you do.” She pushed and ground her body against my hand. “And no one ever will.”

Pushing against me, her hips danced with my fingers until more than not, I caressed her clit. I just had to have a taste. Getting on my knees, I pulled her back until she was totally bare to me. Leaning in, I let my tongue roam her inner recesses, savory the musky yet sweet flavor of her body. It was like a fine whiskey, smokey yet biting. Realizing that I would never be able to manipulate her from her backside like I wanted, I stood and flipped her over not caring where I scattered the contents that had been lying on the desk.

Her eyes had turned an almost midnight blue as I looked at her. She had this sexy little summer number that matched the underwear in my pocket exactly. Running my hand over her clothed breast, first one then the other, I rubbed them gently into frenzied peaks. She grunted and reached for me, pulling me down to her lips and biting my lower one ever so gently. Running her tongue over it, she seared my mouth with hers leaving tingles in her wake.

“I can taste me on you.” Her eyes searched my face and I wish I knew what she looked for because I would do anything in my power to provide it.

“You know it only gets better.” Kneeling in front of her I drug her ass to the edge of the desk, looking up at her lust filled eyes as I pushed her upper body down to the large surface. “There’s nothing I like better than going down on you.”

“You’re just amazing,” she said and arched into my body.

Licking her from stem to stern, I concentrated on her clit, making her wiggle and squirm. However, I couldn’t resist her empty orifaces and plunged my fingers in her vagina making her arch off the desk in pleasure.

“Oh, my god!” she cried. “I never thought I would feel this way again.”

I couldn’t help but smile. There was still hope. Working her clit with my mouth, and working the rest of her with my hand, I swelled even more knowing I was about to make her come like never before. They say that a woman’s orgasms get even more intense as they get older…something I had not thought about until this moment…and I was about to find out if what they said was true. By this time, her legs were over my shoulders and her hands gripped my head as every stroke brought her closer and closer to fulfillment. Her breathes were getting short and panty now, I knew it would be any second.

“Logan, harder now,” she cried and shoved her crotch even more into my mouth. Gently, I bit down on her clit and she went tumbling over the edge. As usual, she bit her finger to keep from screaming.

“You didn’t have to be quiet, you know. No one can hear us.” I rested my chin on her lower abdomen as she gently swirled my hair.

“Old habits,” she whispered and yawned. “Thank you…very…”

Her voice trailed off and I knew that my chances had been reduced to zero for the night. I watched the even rise and fall of her chest, one hand poised on her breast, the other in my hair. Rising, I stood and watched her for a moment before picking her up and retreating the the nearest chaise in the room. Sitting down I pulled her close and leaned in to take in the scent of her hair. Closing my eyes, I did something that I swore I would never do for this woman again.

I cried.

I was thankful that Monica took another five more minutes to show up. And show up she did. Knowing that moisture hung on my heavy eyelashes, I warned. “Not one damn word.”

Throwing her hands up in defense. “Have I said anything in the fifteen years since we’ve been back in the States?”

“No.”

“Logan, you’ve got to tell her,” she pleaded.

“No.” I stared at her as I cuddled Aeryn. In retrospect, maybe it should have been Monica I’d fallen in love with but it wasn’t. And I wasn’t about to beg for this one to come back to me.

Monica sighed. “You two are the most pigheaded people I know. You know you belong together.”

“She’s got to want to come back to me and then explain to me why she left in the first place.”

“That’s hardly fair, Logan. You know why we both left. I wish to God I had never allowed that one little deception. It was wrong and you know it. If you wanted her that badly, you knew where to find us.”

I kissed Aeryn’s forehead and pulled her even closer. “She wanted to be free, Monica, free to persue her destiny she said. I had to give her a reason.”

“That’s bull and you know it.” Monica peered at us and her eyes went wide. “Did anything happen? I mean…geez…she’s in your arms practically nude.”

“Aeryn got what she wanted before she passed out…why do you think she still has her dress on?”

“Oh, I’m sorry.”

“Nothing a cold shower won’t cure. Or maybe a warm one and a hand.”

Her cheeks flashed pink. “Too much information, thank you.”

I laughed. “I want to know how a woman of forty still blushes?”

Frowning at me, she stuck out her tongue and it was as if we were twenty-five again. “Look, we’ve got to figure out what to do.”

“I have some questions first.”

She swallowed hard. “Okay, ask them.”

“What are you doing here?”

“We’re here for a conference in International Law.” She looked away.

“You weren’t going to contact me, were you?” I watched Aeryn’s best friend squirm.

She turned back to me and licked her lips. “Actually, I was. I just hadn’t figured out what I was going to tell her.” She motioned her head to the sleeping woman in my arms.

“What do you mean?”

“Logan, I’ve never got her to talk about you in fifteen years. The only thing she’ll ever even refer to you as is ‘the stud’ and it’s hard pressed to get that much out of her. She is very tightlipped where you’re concerned.”

“Surely, she dates.”

Monica let out a very unladylike snort. “Occassionally, and more often than not it doesn’t go past the first one.”

“Sex?”

“I personally think she loves her vibrator more.” Her eyes practically bore a hole in mine.

I know that surprise was etched upon my face. “So that’s what she meant,” I murmured.

A gentle knock could be heard and Clancey walked in. “I’m lockin’ up for the night. I’ll wait till you’re finished.” He retreated just as silently as he arrived but not before I saw a look exchanged between him and Monica.

“Are you and he…?” I left the question unfinished when I saw her nod her head. “I see.”

“I don’t think you do.”

Caressing Areyn’s back gently, I looked at her. “Explain it to me then.”

“Aeryn really never left Scotland, she really never left you.”

“How can you even say that?”

“Logan, can’t you see? She never allowed anyone closer than you were. When we left, it was as if a part of her was left behind. She cried for weeks.”

I listened to the soft lilt in her voice because I didn’t want to hear what she really said. “You’re starting to sound like one of us again.”

“I could only be so lucky.”

I could see that there was something truly bothering her. “Monica, just what is it?”

“I don’t want to be alone any more, Logan. But I’ve got to see Aeryn settled too. I just can’t leave her alone. Why do you think I faenagled her to come to this conference?” She leaned against the desk, crossing her arms over her chest. She looked a little said and forlorn as if she were in the midst of a great dilemma.

And it became crystal clear. “You wanted to set us up.”

“No…I wanted you both to go back where you belong…together.”

I looked down at the woman sleeping in my arms again and caressed her beautiful face. It was obvious that the sex would be just as good if not better. But how would I ever get her to love me again?

Monica was biting her lip. She was a good friend. I only hoped that Aeryn understood just how good. Standing, I began to walk to the door. “Open it for me, I might have something that might work.”

Carrying my precious cargo, I put her down in a chair with arms and placed her head and hands on the table. I made her as comfortable as I could and turned to both of them. “She’s going to have a hell of a headache when she wakes up in the morning.”

Monica nodded in agreement. “And she’s gonna be pissed that she can’t find her underwear.”

I smiled slyly. “I know. You can tell her ‘the stud’ has them.”

Monica started to chuckle. “You are devious.”

“Well, it might get us something we both want. You want me to see her again and I want to prove to her that we can make it.”

She smiled broadly. “That sounds wonderful. What are you doing now days? We never got around to really talking about anything in our Christmas cards.”

Now it was my turn to look surprised. “I own Braxton Enterprises.”

Her mouth hung open. “As in multi-million dollar Braxton? The music biz, the airline, the soccer team?”

“That’s me.”

“Oh, bloody hell,” she whispered.

“It’s okay, really.”

“Maybe. But I think that her next lawsuit is going to be against you.”

That gave me an unexpected jolt. “We’ll just have to work it out. Right now, I’m taking her underwear and I’m going to frame them to put over my desk. I think you know what to do.” I turned and looked at Clancey. “Clancey, you remember where my apartment is, don’t you?”

“Aye…I do…the fancy one on Royal Mile?”

“That would be it. Do you have something I can write on? I don’t want her to know I’m the head Braxton yet.” He handed me a napkin and a pen.

“Sorry, chum, it’s all I ‘ave for paper.”

“It’ll do.” I wrote down my address and phone, realizing there would be some adjustments I’d have to make there to hide who I was just a little bit more. “Call me when she’s on her way.”

With that I had walked out and wandered back to my office about five blocks away. Sunrise had seen me still at my desk with her underwear. That warm shower looked better and better.

Okay, now my secret is out. I plan to do a book in first person but from both the heroine and hero’s POV. I hear it’s been done before but I personally haven’t read anything like this as I haven’t gotten much reading time recently. See, I have this compelling need to write and I’m going to ride that wave until I get tired. LOL!

In this section, and probably all the sections which have Logan’s POV, I’ll have my husband read them since I’m not a man and don’t really know what’s going on in their heads at all. I can’t presume to because I’m a woman. But I can write about it as long as I can consult the DH. And thank goodness he’s around. He’s already had me tweak a few things because he’s flat out told me that a man wouldn’t think like I had written Logan at all for the first round. That’s the joy of having the DH and of research.

Next time we’ll talk about how I’m going to get Logan and Aeryn finally together. Will their first real meeting in fifteen years be hot and explosive, or cold and angry? At this point I’m leaning a little toward both. I’ve already clued you into the fact that Logan does not want to reveal all he is and we all know that will lead to problems. Ah, let the angst begin!

And forty year old angst is just as hard on you as when one is younger except in my experience, it can hit you a little harder. I know that Aeryn is up to it. But this is where the saggy middle can start but it’s my job to prevent it before it can happen.

I hope you are enjoying this look into my creative process. This is the first time I’ve ever done anything like this and it’s fun! Have a great month!

Don’t hesitate to ask questions! The reason I’m posting this is to help other writers and in no way am I saying this is perfect at all. But I write first then correct later. It’s easier that way for me. I have to get things down on paper then worry about the details later. I appalaud writers who can edit as they go because it is a gift. My gift is an abundance of ideas and getting them down on paper. Then I make the manuscript as clean as possible and pass it through a critique group. I send the complete project out to a few select beta readers and another crit group for deep edits. Once that process is done, I start sending it out to publishers.

I hope that this helps you all...and see you next week!

Lynn

A WIP Revisited - Part Deux

First, let me apologize for this being a day late. It’s allergy season here in Southern Nevada and I’m in hell...figuratively at least...LOL! Things are blooming and my eyes are swelling and the nose is dripping. It’s hit me hard especially this year as we’ve had more rain than usual. More rain means more blooms and while I don’t know what’s getting me, I do know it will be over by June...I hope...:-).

Still, life must go on and I need to make sure I do my weekly blog as it gives me direction. Again, here is my creative process on a book I will be finishing early next week. Enoy!

My Creative Process: Your Glimpse Into a WIP – Part 2

Well, here we are in month two of our work in progress. And I’ll be honest, the whole time between last column and this one, I’ve been thinking about what really does come next.

This is where I should come up with something brilliant and insightful but to be honest, I had to think about it once again. Even pantsers do some thinking about their stories. First, let’s recap what I went over last month.

Last month, we talked about how to get ideas and how to formulate that ever important first line. You all learned that I’m a pantser when it comes to writing certain things while there are others I have to meticulously plan. You learned that I continuously play head games with myself while I’m at the computer and that sometimes because of those head games, I have brilliant insight to how a story should go.

In this case, the inspiration for my work-in-progress came in the form of an intriguing picture. Add to that a really cute title and an interesting heroine who realizes her underwear is missing and suddenly you have the premise for a really good story.

Still there are some things that need to be done in the development of this story. When we last left our characters, Aeryn and her best friend, Monica, are sitting in a local pub discussing the previous eventful evening.

Let’s look at what we know about them. We know that Aeryn and Monica are lawyers who are in Scotland because of a conference on international law. We know that one of them drinks tequila like there’s no tomorrow and that one of them likes tea. We know that both of them know someone they call ‘the stud’ and said stud has Aeryn’s underwear. We also know that Aeryn is considered an all-American-blonde who has been hit upon by everyone at the conference. We also know that they have toured the continent before right after they became lawyers. Other than that, we don’t know much more at all.

So just where do we go from here?

At this point I usually ask myself some questions. What did they do when they had visited the continent? Who really is ‘the stud’? Does ‘the stud’ and Aeryn have a history? Is that why she’s so worried? Just what was that history if they had one? Will we stay in the city of Edinburgh or will travel to the Scottish countryside? Do I know enough about Scotland to write something like this? What’s the basic plotline going to be?

Okay, let’s look at these questions in order. First up, what did they do when they had visited the continent? Okay, what does one do when they get out of grad school? For this I either can look at myself and my friends or talk to others. I know that we weren’t the ‘Girls Gone Wild’ bunch in the least but we did party hardy when we realized that school was going to be in the past. By that time, each of us had significant others and did a variety of things. I went to Tahoe, a friend of mine went to the U.S. Virgin Islands, three others went to the continent for the trip of a lifetime. And believe me, I have talked to them extensively and there were at least one or two studs along the way. None of them spent the time in Scotland that I’ll have these two spending there but my friends gave me enough ideas to fill at least five books.

Second up is, who really is ‘the stud? And it goes right along with the third and fourth questions, does ‘the stud’ and Aeryn have a history and is that why she’s do worried? My obvious answer here is that ‘the stud’ is someone the girls met during their first trip to Scotland. The second answer is a little more rocky. Yes, Aeryn and ‘the stud’ have a history. What’s up in the air at this point is what kind of history. If I make them lovers, the obvious thing would be that the relationship had no resolution and this story will give them one. But what if they had had a resolution but it was one that neither one of them could accept. It would have to be something along the lines of ‘I love you but I have my whole life ahead of me. I have a wonderful job waiting and I don’t know you enough to throw it all away on good sex’ type of thing. But then again, there are a couple of other scenarios that could have happened. They had great sex and she disappeared in the morning. Or maybe they made a heart-felt promise that if neither had married before a certain age, they’d try to get back together. The answer to the fourth question is easy – no matter how you slice it, she has reason to be worried. The worry can be a total angst thing on her part or it can be because the relationship was great or the relationship was bad. Every one of those scenarios would work wonderful and I’m going to have to pick one. Actually, I’m going to have to let the characters pick one. They always tell me what they are going to do anyway.

The fifth question, just what was that history if they had one, will be answered like I said by the characters themselves. Since I write character driven stories, I need to try and figure out what is in their heads not mine. Sure I can shape the way things are going to go but in reality I’ve got to become that character briefly so I know what they would say, do, think and so on.

Next question, will we stay in Edinburgh or travel to the Scottish countryside? I’m all for traveling to the Scottish countryside. I’ve been to Scotland for a total of about nine weeks and am planning another visit at the end of this summer to start in August and end sometime in September as I’m going to a Tolkien Moot that’s being held in a highland castle. My hope is that this stud character will be a man of some means and live some place really cool in the countryside of the country I’d love to make my second home, Scotland. It really is a beautiful place but I’ve only been there in the summer. Now there’s a thought, some where in this story, they could get snowbound in a highland cottage. How cool would that be? LOL!

So I’ve answered the next question too, do I know enough about Scotland to write something like this? What I don’t know I can get from friends I’ve made over there and by reading more books on the subject. Since I do have a point of reference, I can extrapolate from there. On my first trip to Scotland, I spent a week in England and then the rest of the time on a farm near Stirling. The second time, I again spent a week in England, ten days at the farm and the rest touring the Scottish country side to places we hadn’t made it the first time. This next trip, I will be mainly by myself or with a friend and her family. Every time I go, I pick up more books on Scottish history and see more of those little obscure places that most people never get to see.

So, what’s the basic plotline going to be? Okay, so now that I’ve gone through and answered some of the questions to move forward, here’s the direction I plan to take right now. Remember, I let the characters talk through me and this is what they are saying right now.

Aeryn and the stud, who I’ve name Logan MacKenzie, do have a history, a hot and heavy one at that. Logan is the only man in Aeryn’s life who ever made her think her life choices weren’t the right ones for her. He made her live life instead of just being a participant. But Logan, at the time that Aeryn knew him, was too much of a free spirit for her and she bolted in a big way.

Now Monica was witness to all this but she’s hiding a secret, a big secret. Logan had gone to her early on in his and Aeryn’s relationship and got her to agree to a minor deception. The deception being that Aeryn thought the man was playing the field with her best friend also. But it was all a lie to make Aeryn think that Logan wasn’t as in love with her as she wanted to believe. The point of the matter is, Logan has never gotten over her. Period. That doesn’t mean he has had relationships since. Quite the contrary BUT none of them have even held a candle to the relationship he and Aeryn had.

So now, imagine what he is thinking when he finds both Monica and Aeryn at Clancy’s Pub in Edinburgh where he too has come for business. I know that I’m writing in first person POV and that it would be very hard to show you what Logan’s POV would be. But I have a very special surprise in mind for him that can’t be revealed until next time. Now on with the story. Here’s the next excerpt in my exciting new tale and we’re starting from the exact place we left off.

“What? No pithy comeback…nothing…you’re just going to lay your head there and say nothing?” She snorted like she always does at that point. “I thought you’d have at least something to say.”

The table felt cool to my cheek and I tried to concentrate on it while I plotted my response. Maybe saying nothing would be better in this case but I doubted it. “Let’s make sure we’re talking about ‘the stud,’ if you know what I mean.”

“What other stud is there, Aeryn?” She scowled at me over the edge of her teacup as I rested my chin on the table.

“Well…it could be someone that you met here…it doesn’t have to be our stud.”

Monica laughed. “For a lawyer, you can be really dense sometimes.” Sipping her tea, she just stared at me and I really hated when she did that. “You know you wanted to see him.”

I grimaced. Was I that transparent? “What if I did?”

“Pluazzzeee. Just who do you think you are talking to here? Your Grandma?”

“You just keep my Grandmother out of this,” I retorted back and frowned.

“Sweetie, your Grandmother would be hot and bothered if she knew the stud.” She just sat there giving me that all knowing look of hers. Sometimes I really hated her.

We had called him ‘the stud’ from the moment we met him. Logan MacKenzie. His very name still made shivers of delight run down my spine. But we didn’t end well, any of us. He liked both Monica and I way to much and I wasn’t into sharing any more now than I was then. But Monica could never know as my loyalties are with her and always were. I could still picture him in my mind with his wild warrior look comprised of his dark curly locks framing his almost romanesque face and his brilliant green eyes. His hair had a touch of red which matched his touch of temper. And he had been tall, much taller than my five foot ten frame. He was a man I could actually look up to as he dwarfed in comparison.

And he was the only man for which I had fallen completely head over heels. Not a day had gone by since I left him where I didn’t wonder if I had made a mistake all those years ago. Sighing heavily, I licked my dry lips. This damn hangover wasn’t making my life any easier.

“How did he know we were here?” I mumured still holding my aching noggin in my hands.

“He didn’t.”

I glanced up at her and realized that she told the truth. He hadn’t know where we were. It was a chance hapenstance that got me into this mess. My frown deepened. Logan had hated the city and swore he would never be caught in one. This lead me to my next logical leap…why on earth had he been here?

“Is the little lady any better?”

I wearily watched the barkeep, Clancy MacDougal, bring Monica another hot pot and while his brogue definitely turned my head, it would never turn me on. The thing that gave me pause was when the handsome redhead leaned down and gently kissed my best friend. “What’s this?”

Monica leisurely finished her lengthy lip-lock with her usual attention to detail and turned my way. “While you’ve been four sheets to the wind most nights, I’ve been doing some searching of my own.”

“Oh.” I couldn’t say a thing. I knew that she had been in the market for a long time for a good man. Still there were questions to be answered. “I thought that Clancy was an old man.”

He turned a brilliant smile on me and I could glimpse what had stolen Monica’s heart. “I’m the younger,” he stated, his brogue light and airy.

Again I had little comment. “Oh.”

“Is that all you can say is ‘oh’?” She continued to sip her tea.

“Well…” I began, “…I’m not sure what to say.”

“You could say you were happy for me,” she growled at me.

I knew that this was a serious thing to her as she never growled at me. “Umm…sure…I’m happy for you.” I must have looked like a wide eyed puppy or something because then she did a very rare thing. She took pity on me.

“Look. You really should be happy to know that all any one got was your underwear.”

I sat up straight. “What are you talking about?”

“You haven’t told her about the table yet?”

My eyes switched rapidly from Monica to Clancy. “Table?” I saw her jab an elbow into his side.

“Ouch. Whad’ya do that for?” They exchanged a look which I could read. “Oh,” he said and turned away. “I’ll leave ya to explain that one.”

Next time we’ll talk about Logan’s appearance and how I intend to clue you in on his point of view. Oh, yes…and then there’s how he actually got the underwear left to be told. Again, I promise not to leave you hanging too long! Later…and have a great month.

I hope you enjoyed this look into my novel. Let me know what you like, what you don’t like and we’ll go from there. Have a great week everyone and I’ll see you next!

Lynn

My New Release!!!

Giselle’s Elf
By
Lynn Crain

Available NOW!
Book 4.5 in the Santa’s Elves Series

http://tinyurl.com/GisellesElf

Ronan swung her up into his arms, then strode through the penthouse toward her bedroom. “Only I get to see you as you are now.” He sat her on the edge of her king bed, pushed her down gently. His mouth took in her other nipple, tweaking the first before going even lower to continue its assault down her stomach while his hands sustained their exquisite torture of her breasts. He hovered over her crotch, breath hot as his rough bearded chin rubbed the soft skin right above her underwear. “I want this gone as well.” His thumbs hooked under the edge of lace.

She was surprised by his actions as his husky voice made her shiver. “Ronan, it’s been a long time. I’ve never…” her voice came in short gasps.

“You’ll like it.”

She placed her hands on his larger ones, stopped him and closed her eyes. “I’m—I’m sure I will. Give me a moment to take it all in.”

He stopped moving his hands on her body and looked up at her from his position on the floor. “You don’t want this?”

Giselle lifted the corners of her mouth. “No, that’s not it. I want to make sure you want this.”

He was still for a few moments, his breathing raspy. “I want this.”

His statement was solid, brooked no argument. He wanted her. And finally, she could yield to a searing desire that had been growing since he rescued her from harm on a night long ago. He was all she wanted, had ever wanted. Why was she just now seeing it?

Maybe because I’d never seen him before my rescue.

“Relax. This will be wonderful.”

She gave a low, hallow chuckle, trying to break the tension, thinking she would return the favor the first moment she got. For now, she was lost in sensation. She closed her eyes. He touched her most intimate places. His tongue circled her belly button, followed by tiny nip-kisses, going down further still to caress her hip. Then he pulled the lace away, exposing the tip of her shaved crotch.

“Smooth. Interesting. Do all human women do this?”

She was brought out of her sensual thoughts. “What?”

He looked up at her face, a wry smile on his. “Shave.”

She shook her head to get her bearings. “Sometimes. They did it in the hospital when they were afraid my hip bones were cracked and I’ve kept it up.” She shuddered then, trying hard not to think of that night.

“I’ll make you forget what happened to you.”

Ronan pulled her underwear down her legs and tossed them in the corner. Spreading her legs, his hot breath rained down on her crotch for a moment before he replaced it with his tongue. His tongue licked her first top to bottom, then his mouth suckled her labia, opening those lips with that same fiery tongue. His fingers ran smoothly over her clit, downward, then back up again, causing her to quiver in pleasure.

Hi Everyone!

Help me celebrate my new novel, Giselle’s Elf and get me on the best seller list for August. From now until August 31, purchase Giselle’s Elf and receive your choice of another book in Santa’s Elves series. Just present me with a proof of purchase to oddlynn3@gmail.com and I will personally send you the book of your choice with a personal thank you!

I know you’ll love this series as much as I love writing it! Enjoy Christmas in August!

And don’t forget my summer giveaway at the end of August. Just comment on this blog and be entered in the drawing which includes an iPod. Hope to see you here!

See you next week!

Lynn

Exciting Things in Idaho

I am still on vacation this week and I had planned to tell you just how wonderful it is. I have had a wonderful vacation so far. British Columbia was just fantastic and here are a couple of pictures to show you just how wonderful. These are from our trip to Vancouver and I can truly say this is one city I would just love to live in. Are these pictures great?

BUT this isn’t the true wonder of this week. This week I got two beautiful covers. On August 1st, my novella Giselle’s Elf will hit the internet for all of you anxious fans. Here’s the cover:

Isn’t it wonderful? Next week I’ll post an excerpt so you all can see just how wonderful.

Even more exciting than this is my cover for More Than Robotics. This book is just so cool and I’m really excited about it. It has a release date of October 1 and I just can’t wait. And just look at the cover…isn’t that just one of the sexiest things you’ve seen? I just love science fiction erotic romance and can’t wait to write some more.



This week is short and sweet…the storms are rolling in here in Idaho and I still don’t have full time internet access. So I just have to do what I can.

Don’t forget that for each of you who comments on this blog will be entered into my August basket giveaway which will include a brand new iPod.

Now for the question of the day: based on my cover of More Than Robotics, give me your idea of what the story is about?

I can’t wait to see all you answers. Until next week…

Lynn

My Own Private Idaho

Greetings from Idaho! Yeah, I know you’re all wondering just what I am doing here in this normally god-forsaken place but the truth of the matter is that my elderly father lives here. And believe it or not, I kinda like it here because the pace is less hectic than it seems to be at my own home. The picture is of the Snake River that runs through the middle of town...I love it because there's water...and it's green. LOL!

Here I can be lazy if I want. Write all day if I want. Read all day if I want. The best part being my Dad does pester me at all for any reason. At home, it could be anyone who jerks me out of my writing but more than likely it’s the seventeen year old who needs my attention. And while it really doesn’t bother me, being here does tell me exactly what a life of quiet would bring.

Now, that quiet is too much for my father who has aged tremendously in the past six months. But at 75 I guess I would have some new aches and pains. At least the man knows his limitations and lives within those as much as he can. Still, it won’t be long until he’ll need someone with him full time because he’s fallen a couple of times this past six months. Which is why I am determined to help as much as I can.

On to more fun things and away from the mundane things of life.

One of the things I mentioned above is I’ve been reading a lot. And I mean devouring books to the tune of about one a day. That is in between my writing spurts where I’m putting out about 8K a day as well. It all goes back to the quite factor. But yes, I’m a fast writer and reader. Sometimes that can be the bane of my existence because it means I also get bored quicker than most and want to move on to whatever is next on the agenda.

Now this also can be good and bad. For me, it means my writing is always fresh because I have multiple projects going. But it also means that when I’m reading a book, I don’t want the story to end. Sometimes the story doesn’t end but seems to just stop with more questions than it answered.

Such was the case with the books I just recently completed. I love Linnea Sinclair but had never, I know bad me, picked up all of her books. I had Games of Command in my TBR pile forever and finally picked it up last month and devoured it in a day. Wow. I needed more. So I went to pick up her RITA winner, Gabriel’s Ghost, and her current book, Hope’s Folly, to add to my shelves. Good god, the woman had me hot and bothered in no time at all.

So this week, since I’m on vacation, I decided to get the rest of her books, Shades of Dark, An Accidental Goddess and Down Home Zombie Blues. And when Shades of Dark was over I promptly wanted to throw it against the wall and have a tantrum.

Now, don’t get me wrong, the book was excellent BUT it left me hanging. What happens to Chaz and Sully? I mean really happens to them…not just where the book decided to end…but there is no way that it was all over just like that. No, she didn’t rush the climax and if I tell you, I’m sure to be shot, but it brings me to the real point of this week’s blog. Everything was the perfect ending to the story except one thing…I just felt it wasn’t the end of their story…I just knew there had to be more.

How many times have you said to yourself as a reader that the story didn’t or shouldn’t end when it did? How many times have you wanted more of those characters because you just knew there had to be more? How many times have you wanted to know what happened after the final page was crafted?

I know that for me, the answers to those questions can fill pages upon pages of rhetoric for certain stories. So, what I’d like to hear from you all this week is to tell me about a story you thought didn’t end on the last page. It will be interesting to see how many of you feel the same as I do about certain stories.

Hope to hear from you all…see you next week!

Lynn

The Sexy or Not So Sexy Cover Art

The other day while I was on another loop, a topic came up that caught my eye. The subject was regarding cover art and the part of the conversation where I joined the statement had been made that cover art sometimes was just too darn sexy.

Huh? I must admit, I’m a cover art slut. I will pick up any book that shows a little skin and when I send in my cover art requests for my own books, there is almost always a picture attached where I’m showing my publisher exactly what I like. See, while I like a lot of skin, I don’t like a lot of other parts showing in my cover art. I want to leave a lot to the imagination for my reader. I want the characters on the cover to match as closely to the book’s characters as possible. And I want my readers drooling.

Yeah, you heard me correct...drooling. I want them craving for more, I want them to know my characters intimately and I want them to know that for the first time when they pick up the book. And the only way they are going to have a great first impression is to have a sexy piece of cover art to stimulate their minds.

So, with that in mind, I want to do a poll. I’ve put together twelve pictures of what I consider sexy. I’d like to know your opinion. Remember for every comment you make, you’ll be entered into my August get away. Just ask Debby who won an iPod last month.

For this poll, tell me why you like a certain picture and if I chose your explanation, you’ll get a free copy of any of my books and I mean any of them. Please realize that these can be used as background or the main picture. I usually like my pictures layered so for me, there’ will be more than one picture used. No, these pictures just spoke to me and I thought each of them sexy in their own way.

Now for the pictures (note that each have a number under them for your use when commenting):

Weren’t those great? Remember to give me your opinion on them before next week to win a free copy of any book you choose from me.

I’ll be traveling today and won’t see you all till Thursday but keep those comments coming!

See you then!

Lynn

A New Day

This week I had really wanted to continue with my sizzle workshop but time crept up on me and suddenly it was Wednesday. Most of the time I am aware of the days but this week I am still recovering from being ill and my mind is like a sieve in all areas but one.

I have one bit of exciting news to impart on everyone. A science fiction erotic romance series, which I had mislabeled as an urban fantasy for Nocturne Bites, has found a home with Loose Id. I signed the five book contract this week and sent all the paperwork back to them. One of the items I had promised was lots of promotion so I might as well start here.

This series called the Protectors of the Earth is about a group of people who were brought to this planet specifically to protect us from coming events. These people are elementals but the reason they are elemental is new and different. When I pitched the idea I said it was like X-men meets Stargate Atlantis. Actually, I said Underworld meets Stargate Atlantis but that’s when I thought it was Urban Fantasy. In reality, I think it is more like Battlestar Galactica meets X-men meets Stargate Atlantis as there are similar elements throughout. This series is dark and edgy with lots of action and elements that are out of this world.

Regardless of what I think it is, at the time when I was trying to define its nature, C.R. and I started a search on Urban Fantasy versus Science Fiction and everything in between. My characters are elemental, which is Urban Fantasy or even paranormal, but not because they have any special powers but because they were engineered that way to protect Earth. Just how they were engineered is revealed in the first part of book 1, Of Earth and Fire. And as we all know, anything engineered is strictly sci-fi, hence no Urban Fantasy. Sigh. I really thought I had something there. LOL!

Originally this was a series of seven books which were repackaged into just five. The first two books, Avenging Aingeal and Playing With Fyre, were combined into one book called Of Earth and Fire as were six out of the seven. I’m still working on the transitions because my original idea was to have a parallel story which takes place in the universe from where they come as the transition story. A much wiser person than me told me no as it needed to be in the final book as that one would be filled with stories about how they actually got here and why.

If you think this sounds confusing to you, imagine how it was to first put together. This, like all my big series, had a lot of time and effort put into it just for the planning. So far, I’ve spent 2 months planning and another 5 months writing off and on the stories in order. This is another first for me. I usually do what the characters dictate but this time, the plot is dictating a lot of what I’m doing. Everything has to be smooth and keep you as the reader on the edge of your seat. Which means I have to write them in order as they come no matter what.

I hope you all will be interested in reading these stores. Sci-fi and fantasy are my first loves and most of my writer friends will say this is where I excel. The moment I have the contracts in my hands, I will be start to follow my progress on the blog, http://www.lc-protectorsoftheearth.blogspot.com/ and you should all go to check it out now. It has some cool graphics on it by Vexiphne who I found accidentally on Renderosity. Grab the button if you want and put it where others can see. The blog design is by Vanessa from Paperback Designs and she incorporated everything I needed and wanted.

For now, I hope that you will read the character sketches and interviews as well as excerpts from the coming series.

Until next week…

Lynn

Adding Steam to Your Love Scenes – Lesson #5

This week we’re talking about the details that every love scene needs to have to be great. All the senses need to be put into play as well as having a good setting. This is where we start putting it all together. Enjoy!

Details are everything.

If a character is fantasying about a certain body part, can you imagine what happens when they actually get that body part? Let your imagination run wild! If your heroine is fantasizing about touch the hero on the penis, make sure that you record every detail: the texture of his skin, the temperature of the room, is his hot or cold, or is he warm and inviting. There is nothing more exciting than when the characters are exploring each other for the first time. Here’s an example from my short story, Shopping Spree, and this is when she first touches him:

He didn’t have to wait long for ‘this’ as she crossed the short distance between them, the silk fluttering from the movement as she pushed them out of the dressing room.

“I saw you when I came in and decided that I just had to have you. But a girl has certain criteria, you know?” Running her hands up his chest, she reached his neck and pulled him forward.

“Really? Hey,” Jonas started to protest but was drowned out by her lips. She ran her tongue along his mouth and nipped at his lips before covering them with her own. Her tongue snaked out and began to war with his in a dance as ancient as time.

“You taste good,” she murmured, looking up at him. Pulling him to her yet again, her limber tongue caressed the inside of his mouth making him wonder what it would feel like on his cock. Reaching down, she ran her fingers along his bulge, grabbing him and pressing into him, making him yearn for so much more.

“You feel good down there too,” she said and pushed against him even more, making an already strained situation even more painful.

If he weren’t careful, he would lose his load before he even began.

“Ah, you might want to slow it down a little…I don’t even…” He groaned as she pulled his shirt from his pants and snaked her hands up his bare chest to tweak his nipples. God, this feels so good! he thought as he arched into her hands, allowing them to continue their play.

Leisurely, as if it were an erotic dance, she began to unbutton his shirt, placing light kisses along the way. At his nipples, she stopped and sucked until they were hot, tight peaks before continuing on down his body. Laving his belly button, she got on her knees and looked up at him, going even further, gently biting the front of his crotch.

And now, he first touches her:

Lying on his side next to her, he gasped as she continued to deep throat as much of him as she could. Realizing he wasn’t yet fulfilling his end of the bargain, Jonas urged her knee up and ran his fingers over her slick slit, looking at her very pink and pretty cunt. Gently, he spread her lower lips and gazed at the small nub he found there. Holding her apart, he leaned over and laved her top to bottom, careful to avoid her clit.

“Dammit…I want to be touched…there,” she whispered, and wiggled her crotch in his face. “I know you know where there is.”

“All’s fair in love and …teasing,” he answered, smiling against her, certain she could feel the movement.

“Arghhhh…not fair.”

Once again, he licked her and avoided the area of her hottest desire, making her moan loudly. Sliding two fingers in her, he took his thumb and firmly pressed against her clit in order to make her pleasure even more profound. Slowly, he began flicking his tongue over her pussy, paying special attention to her hard nub. Soon, she was bucking against his probing tongue as he moved it in and out of her.

“Deeper. Harder.”

“I’ve got just the thing.” He rose in one fluid motion and pulled her with him not even noticing he still had his clothes half on and half off.

“Hey…” she began. “I didn’t say to stop.”

“Don’t worry. It will be worth it.” He moved her to the bench next to the wall. “Sit down and scoot your ass to the edge.”

“Well…what about you?” she asked, confusion plainly written on her face.

“Right now, baby, it’s all about you. It’ll be about me soon enough.”

He could see her swallow hard as if contemplating whether this was exactly what she wanted or not. Suddenly, the control was in his hands and not hers.

“Sure…but if I don’t like it…I’ll tell you.”

“You’ll like it alright.” He smiled at her and forced her backside down on the bench. “Let’s turn up the heat a few notches.”

Notice that I give you a lot of detail. I give you every lick, nip and breath taken while these two are on their sexual journey. I use all the senses of touch, smell, sight, hearing, and tasting when doing a love scene. No detail is to be left untouched. If you want to see the whole story, just email me privately at lynncrain@cox.net and I will send you a free copy of this story because you’re attending this workshop.

Here are just some of the details that you shouldn’t forget.
1. Know the temperature of their skin – hot, cold, clammy or warm and inviting.
2. Know how the characters should look when making love – pink cheeks, rosy lips, closed eyes, opened eyes.
3. Know the texture of their skin – rough, smooth, slick
4. Know if their eyes darken when sexually aroused
5. Know how their breathing is effected when making love – do they seem as if they’ve run a marathon
6. Know the details of where they are making love – is it inside or outside, in the shower or in the bed

One big thing to avoid in any love scene is what is known as wandering body parts. Now these are easy to spot: her eyes fell out of their head, her legs jumped for joy, his mouth fell to the floor. If her eyes fell out of her head, how could they see that his eyes were blue? If her legs jumped for joy, what was happening to the rest of her body? If his mouth fell to the floor, how could he kiss her? Body parts need to stay in the correct positions at all times.

Exercise

1. Take three of the five senses and write a sentence using that sense.
2. Show me the room where your characters will make love for the first time.
3. Write me a love scene from her point of view. Now reverse it and make it from his.

Remember, you can post your exercise here for everyone to see, or you can send it to me privately at lynncrain@cox.net. Please leave me a comment so I know you’ve been here to visit. And have fun!

Until next week…

Lynn

Adding Steam to Your Love Scenes – Lesson #4

One cannot write a good story without some good research or some first hand knowledge. This week we go over some books that a writer needs in their bookshelf for writing great love scenes.

Get some good research material.

It is always important for a writer to know where to get good research material. And the best place to start doing your research today would be the internet. It is an invaluable resource that you can use from the privacy of your own home. I can tell you that I would have been mortified at first when I started doing research for erotic romance. But being able to look for books on line was a different matter.

The first thing to do is to know what you are trying to research. Once you have honed in on a subject the next thing would be to compile a list of websites and from those websites a list of books.

Good research books are invaluable.

There are certain books that a writer must always keep on hand. Find yourself a good English rule book. I personally use Diana Hacker’s A Writer’s Reference. She also has an electronic version. She continually updates the book and makes it better each time it comes out. I have a very old version.

Another book to have is The Chicago Manual of Style. While this many be more geared toward the college student, one can always find something of interest in this books. What the first book doesn’t have, this one will.

If you are writing for a specific genre, there will be a ton of genre related books on the subject. Writer’s Digest books have some of the best known genre books out there and their Writer’s Basic Bookshelf is a must for any beginner.

Another two books I have on my shelves are The Romance Writer’s Phrase Book and The Millennium Phase Book. These books are great when you are stuck and can’t think of a term you need. They also help when you need a little push in the right direction but just can’t put the words together.

Now for writing love scenes, there are some very special books to look for which will help add steam to your scenes. One would such book is the Sexicon. It is the end all book on sexual terms. It has everything you’ve ever thought of and many of those things you haven’t.

For writing tamer scenes, The Idiot’s Guide to Getting Your Romance Published and Writing Romance are the best two I’ve read in recent years. I don’t know if any of you have ever purchased the Idiot books and I have to admit at first I was reluctant, after all who wants to be viewed as an idiot? BUT I found some new information in there and was really surprised when I got this book.

Now one thing I think important on any sensuality level are picture books. The three books I have on my desk, and yes they are in plain sight, are the Kama Sutra, Ultimate Sex and The Better Sex Guide. These will help you visualize if a position is even possible and they will help overcome any fear you have about writing physical contact scenes. First, I didn’t know that there is a name for every sexual position and I’ll bet you didn’t either. The rest of the world does not view sex the same way we do in America. Part of what we have to do is to get over any of our inhibitions regarding the sexual act. These books will help you do that because these are not porn books but are books where the sex act is brought to life in a positive, loving way. If an author feels that sex is dirty, it will show in their writing. Sex always, no matter at what level, needs to be portrayed in a positive manner.

All these books are easily found on Amazon by just typing the name in their search engine.

Exercise

1. Pick a research topic and give five website references concerning that topic.
2. Give me a list of ten research books. Pick five and tell me why they would be good research books in your opinion.

You can post your exercise here for everyone to see, or you can send it to me privately at lynncrain@cox.net. Please leave me a comment so I know you’ve been here to visit. And have fun!

Until next week…

Lynn

Adding Steam to Your Love Scenes – Lesson #2

We’re in week #2 of our free workshop. In this one, we’ll be exploring just how you can use your own experiences to enhance any love scene. And since I told you last week to use visual stimulation, I thought I would add a little with some pictures I downloaded from istockphoto or canstockphoto.

Use your own experiences

I’m sure at this moment, you are wondering just what am I talking about. Your own personal experiences can’t be what people want to really see. Well, I’m here to tell you that they do. People must relate to your characters; they must find some common ground or your characters will be meaningless to them.

Have you ever caught yourself while reading a book saying some thing to the effect of, ‘I can see myself doing that’ and know you mean it?

And I don’t mean using the experiences literally…you all remember that blush first being in love…use it, use it to your best advantage because people like to read about other people. How many of you are sick of the heroine or hero always being perfect? I know that I am. Why? Because people are flawed, even the really great people have flaws. They put their pants on the same way we do. They wear underwear, they shower, they go to the bathroom and for heaven sakes’ most of them fart too.

But the point is that you know and can relate to all those things. Use what you know. There is an old saying ‘Write what you know’ and the reason is that if you write about what you are good at, it comes more naturally.

If you are writing romance, there are some things that only women know. Most women remember their ‘first time,’ so use it. You can remember what it was like seeing your spouse for the first time. I do. I thought he was crazy because it was freezing and he was wearing shorts. I also remembering me thinking he wasn’t bad looking and maybe I should get to know him. I’ve used different version of this again and again.

Another one, most women remember the first ‘real’ date they were on, so use it. My husband and I didn’t date at first, we gang dated meaning we went out with a group of people. And we always seemed to pair up differently. Sometimes I look at my husband and don’t know how I ended up married to him. But I do know I worked my butt off to get him. This is something I can use.

The same can be said for men. When I decided to write from a man’s point of view, I realized I was out of my depth. I don’t know what a man feels during sex. But I do know my husband and trust his judgment. When I’m writing from the male point of view, he reads everything. He tells me things like ‘a guy wouldn’t think that emotionally about this’ or ‘no way would a guy do that.’ To be accurate, you have to have resources you can fall back on.

You can use anything you have experienced to make your writing richer and fuller. Everything you do in this mode just makes it so a reader can more readily identify with your characters. If the reader can’t identify with your characters, they won’t finish the book or maybe they won’t even pick it up.

Exercise

1. List ten experiences that you can use in a novel, be it romance, erotic romance, sensual romance or just a regular book.
2. Take one of those experiences and write me a whole paragraph about one of your characters doing the same thing.
3. What did you get out of the experience? Can you apply this to your writing.
4. List one outside resource you can use when you need it. It can be a person, a book, a library or even a place on the internet. The point here is to get you thinking about how you can find out the information you really need.

You can post it here for everyone to see, or you can send it to me privately at lynncrain@cox.net. Please leave me a comment so I know you’ve been to visit. And have fun!

Until next week…

Lynn

Adding Steam to Your Love Scenes – Lesson #1

Last week I told you all that I would be presenting the free online workshop, Adding Steam to Your Love Scenes. Here is the first lesson. There is an exercise at the end of the lesson which I would love you all to do. You can post it here for everyone to see, or you can send it to me privately at lynncrain@cox.net. At the very least, please leave a comment so I know you’ve been here!

Set the mood for both you and your characters

So what do I really mean by setting the mood, you might ask. Most of you do this without even thinking about it. Remember when you took that long bath putting bath salts in the water and lit the candles around the tub to create that ultimate experience? Yeah, I know you do. You wanted something relaxing and at the same time exhilarating. Remember that first date with your loved one? How about that first dinner? Or first night?

No matter what you’re doing you need to set the stage in order to get ‘into the mood’ for writing, especially writing love scenes. There is nothing worse than trying to write a witty, sexy tryst when you can’t get out of the doldrums.

Here are some sure fire ways to get yourself in the mood for writing great love scenes.

1. Read books the day before in the genre for which you’re writing.

Now I realize that this may sound hokey BUT there is nothing more stimulating than reading something that gets the creative juices flowing. Pick up that latest book by your favorite author. Or even get something new and different by some one you haven’t read before. Make sure that whatever you pick up, it is in the genre you are writing at the moment. There is nothing more frustrating than to be writing a romance when that erotic love scene is rolling around in your head.

Some of my favorite authors are Morgan Hawke, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Debbie Macomber, Emilie Richards, Nora Roberts, Melissa Schroeder, Joy Nash, Jennifer Ashley and Nikki Rivers to name a few. All of those people write very different things so it would depend on what I am writing the next day just what I’d be reading.

One other thing, do your best to turn off your internal editor. You know that one where you pick apart the book you are reading. This is for enjoyment and if you find yourself editing or being critical of the book you’re reading, find another book.

2. Watch a romantic movie.

For me, I just love watching a romantic movie. And it doesn’t matter when it is as the day before you write, the day you write or even the day after you write will work. It can be an old classic like An Affair to Remember or a new classic like While You Were Sleeping or Notting Hill and it can even be a brand new movie like Sweet Home Alabama. It can even be an autobiography like I Walk The Line. There’s just something wicked about Johnny Cash when you see him as a young man. But the point is, to lose your self in the romance and the story. It’s easy to write about something when you’re feeling the same emotions.

Oh…almost forgot one for those erotic romance writers…there’s nothing so sexy as the stair scene in The Thomas Crowne Affair. It burned up the screen.

3. Listen to music while you write that all important scene.

It has been said by many, many people, and proven too, that music can set the mood. Every wonder why the Scottish took their bagpipes into battle with them? It’s because just the sound of the pipes could work the men up into a frenzy and I mean frenzy. My husband is Scottish and when we went to Scotland, we stopped to hear the pipes any time we could. When we saw the lone piper at Castle Eileen Donan, we felt lonely, when we saw the bagpipe brigade practice for the Edinburgh Tattoo, we felt invigorated. There is nothing like a good song to put someone in the mood for anything. Think about how music is used to set the scene in a movie. You know exactly what is happening just from the music. Think Jaws, think Somewhere in Time and you’ll understand exactly what I mean.

I always listen to music when I’m writing and I am definitely more productive. If you go to my MySpace, you will find a band called the All American Rejects belting out their latest hit. I saw this music in a Battlestar Galactica announcement and traced it down because I loved the sound so much not to mention the really sexy scenes depicted in the commercial. My daughter in law was so surprised that I like this band she called my son right away and told him. I love music. Any music.

My kids gave me an IPOD for Christmas last year and to be honest, I listen to it a lot but while I’m at my computer, I just turn on Itunes. I frequently spend an hour or so downloading music because I never know just what I’ll find interesting some days.

For me, a day without music is like a day without sunshine.

4. Look at phrase books.

Again, this may seem a little strange but when you are stuck in a scene and nothing seems to work, pick up a phrase book and see if it can jolt you into thinking up something on your own. The two that I use are ‘The Romance Writer’s Phrase Book’ compiled by Jean Kent I believe. This is a really, really old book. It’s from 1984 and I have two copies which are both falling apart. The ISBN 10 is 0399510028 and the ISBN 13 is 978-0399510021. It’s available from Amazon.

A new but similar book, The Millennium Phrase Book by Rebecca Andrews, is done very well.
The author has updated many things and has taken into account the change in the market. This book is published by Highland Press and the ISBN 13 is 978-0-9787139-5-9.

Sometimes, I will just look at either of these books and get lost in the phrases as I roll them around in my mind to see if they will fit the story I’m working on at the moment. And since they are phrase books, you can copy things word for word if you’d like. Me, I just get the general idea and put it into my own words.

5. Look at sexy pictures.

I’m sure that many of you are thinking by this time that I have truly lost my mind. But humans are sense oriented creatures. We have to be able to touch, taste, hear, smell and see something for it to mean anything to us. Most of us tend to be very visual creatures in this day and age with everything being in our face. Why do you think that kids are so zoned into the computer games? A lot of times our visual perceptions supersede any of our other senses. Think of the car accidents because someone is not paying attention to what they are doing. Most of those people are looking the other way because had they really been looking at what they should have been looking at, the accident or incident probably wouldn’t have happened.

Last week when I was uploading something to offsite storage, I couldn’t figure out why the link would not work correctly. I worked with it over an hour before I sent it off to a colleague who immediately fired back, ‘Why is there a CW at the end of the filename?’ I had looked at that name for over an hour and had never noticed the extra letters. Talk about a ‘Duh’ moment. Our eyes tend to see what they want to see and sometimes what they see really isn’t what is there.

So just what do I mean by looking at sexy pictures, you might ask. Well, you can get some reference books like I have, The Better Sex Guide, The Kama Sutra, and Ultimate Sex to see the really erotic sexual positions as well as some great description. These books visually show us just how sexy and erotic sex can be. Now for the tamer side, I look on photo sites like www.istockphoto.com or www.canstockphoto.com. These places have some of the sexiest pictures you will ever see. Some people are fully clothed and others aren’t but you don’t see a thing because most things are rated PG on these sites. Matter of fact, one whole lesson will be on less is more because you don’t have to see everything to know it’s sexy.

Exercise

1. Give me a list of your five favorite authors and tell me why you like to read their books.
2. Give me your five top picks for most romantic movie. Again, give me a little insight as to why you think this movie is great.
3. What is your favorite music and why. Do you listen to any of the current bands? Why or why not?
4. Do you think phrase books would be useful? Why or why not?
5. Do you think as a writer you would find looking at pictures useful to writing a novel?

Hope you all enjoyed this first lesson in the workshop.

Until next week...

Lynn