Jacqueline C. Thomas - Romance Novelist

Romance

Who Rides the White Horse Now: Feminism and Romance

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I was driving to work recently and had an idea for another romance book. I was so struck by the idea that I actually used Siri on my iPhone to take a voice memo. Let’s face it, Siri is pretty but she’s stupid and rarely gets most things I ask her to do correctly. At 70mph per hour, on the toll road, this idea came screaming out of me. I recorded my words at a feverish pace, trying to convey the emotion and feeling along with the plot. Feeling accomplished, and knowing that Siri will have gotten so much of it wrong, I put my phone down and continued my drive. I will have to decode the jibberish that Siri actually recorded later.

The story idea still ran through my mind with less intensity now that I had documented it somewhere. It struck me that the idea was different because the “knight on the white horse” wasn’t a man, but a woman. She could rescue him! I really started to think about this idea of protectors and manly men who protect their women. Even that sentence sounds sexist to me, and it probably is, but I won’t lie, I love a good book where the love interest is an Alpha male. There is something so sexy about a man protecting the woman he loves… that sounds better. “Their woman”…ick!

The fact that I describe that sort of romance that way illustrates the issue perfectly. I like to think I am a feminist. I take women’s rights very seriously, as well as fighting for equality. I think a lot of women are in a similar space to me. I can only imagine being in a relationship with one of the Alpha males from the great romances I’ve read. No, get your head out of the gutter….. It would never work for me to be the wife of a man like that, we’d run into issues even with a quick romp. A man telling me what to do, even if it was in my best interest, I am just not wired like that. Discussion and mutual understanding are where I am at when it comes to the love interest in my life.

All of this set me to wondering, as a romance writer, where is the genre going when both the man and woman should be riding the white horse? Who rescues who? Is it still even appropriate to make the man the hero? Thinking this idea through I posed the question to my husband over lunch one afternoon. He suggested making the woman the heroine. His story idea went something like this: a man who is married to a terrible woman falls for another woman. The new love interest then has to rescue the man from a bad marriage and an abusive wife. My immediate response was no one would read that. Women make up the majority of romance readers, not many of them want to be thought of as a bad wife. Furthermore, I am going to venture a guess that none of them would sympathize with the husband and new love interest. What is weirder, is that if you turn it all around, and he rescues her from an abusive husband, you have struck romance gold…. weird huh?

I have to wonder if there is something about the way our genders are wired or if it is taught? I don’t want to get into the whole nature vs. nurture argument. I just wonder as a romance author how tastes will change over time. I am really interested to see where the genre goes. I mean is it anti-feminist to write an Alpha-male who throws a damsel (as smart, and capable as she may be) over his shoulder?

What do you think? Let me know in the comments because this is a conversation worth having…

My Top Beach Reads for the Summer

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Summer is here and that means it is the season for a good steamy romp through the pages of a romance book or two. I love to read at the beach and by the pool, in fact, given the choice, I would rather a good book than a magazine any day. This isn’t a  top ten list, because several of the books listed here are series almost 60! Every summer I find myself looking for a good book to put in my beach bag. Nothing is worse than getting to your desired sunny destination, to pull out the book you brought and the story is lousy. So in the spirit of romance public service here is my top ten list of best steamy beach reads:

The KGI Novels by Maya Banks (13 books)

This series is pure fun! I love a good adventure in my romance novels and a bit of sex. This series follows the Kelly brothers who are retired military. They set up a paramilitary group for hire, and go on all sorts of worthy adventures, meeting the loves of their lives along the way. I literally read all of the available books in the series last August. There are like 10 of these books and I could not put them down. I can honestly say, the Kelly brothers are swoon-worthy, and that is normally not my type.

Make Me By Beth Kerry:

To say I loved this book is an understatement! This is another book I could not put down. While I did not read it on the beach or by the pool I read the entire book (it’s a full-length novel) on a flight home from London. I could not put it down. The story focuses Jacob Lattimer, dreamy, rich heartthrob and Harper McFaddan, who has just been affected by a life-changing tragedy. While the two characters fall in love, there is so much more to this story than it presents at first. This is a master class in dramatic romance storytelling.

 

The Red: by Tiffany Reisz

This book is red hot! I would classify this as purely erotica. Please don’t let that dissuade you from picking up this gem and giving it a try. It is so easy to get swept up in this steamy tale. In order to save her beloved art gallery, The Red, gallery owner, Mona Lisa, makes a deal with a very handsome stranger to be his for a year. The handsome stranger will pay her in priceless art, this boosting the reputation and clientele of her gallery. Flat, out this book, made me blush, but the story between Mona and the handsome stranger is a pure joy to read. I could not put this book down. The ending is one of the best I have ever read! This is a must for a steamy summer read.

 

The Rose by Tiffany Reisz:

I just picked this one up and it is a pseudo-sequel to The Red. Lia the very privileged daughter of British aristocracy, is an avid collector and student of Greek mythical history, is given a beautiful present to celebrate her graduation, a rose kylix, or ancient wine goblet. This goblet holds mystical powers, and love interest August Bowman teaches Lia how to use the goblet. This book is a four-alarm, hot read. August Boman is beyond the sexiest male love interest I have ever read. You will be grateful for a breeze offshore when reading this one, to cool you down.

The GhostWalker Series by Christine Feehan (14 books so far)

These books are the definition of the great beach read. Normally paranormal romance is not my thing, but  I found myself able to suspend my disbelief and in many cases, Feehan does a great job using these superpowers to enhance the relationship and connection between the two characters. This series follows super soldier through worthy adventures, saving the world one adventure at a time. These books hold a special place in my heart as Street Game was the first romance book I ever read. They are a lot of fun and make the perfect beach read.

 

The Breathless Trilogy by Maya Banks (3 Books)

These steamy romances tell the story of three powerful hotel group owners. Each book has its own story with characters from the other books. They were fun to read and great beach reading. I read two of them on the beach in Nevis last November. They are pure fun. The three main characters Ash, Gabe and Jace are polished businessmen from New York, and much more my style for a romantic interest. So, so, good!

 

The Steele Brothers by Helen Hardt (9 books so far)

This series has the pedal to the floor from the get-go! The Steele brothers are a ranching family with a dark and very disturbing past. (Trigger Warning) While young boys, one of the brothers is kidnapped and assaulted. This horrifying incident affects the lives of everyone in their lives today. Hardt takes an incredibly painful and emotional topic and weaves it through the modern relationships of the brothers. The story is really well done, and a suspenseful read. I have made it to book five of this series. My only issue with these books is the writing is not the strongest at times, but the story is great! I have only made it to book five. If you set out to read this one, just know you will have to continue reading to know how the overarching story ends, it weaves through all of the books.

 

The Idea of You: by Robinne Lee

I picked it up because the concept intrigued me, a mom falls for a member of a boy band that her twelve-year-old daughter is in love with. So far it has been a fun read. Lee does a great job painting Solene’s world, a French-American divorcee, living in L.A., owning an art gallery and raising her daughter. The love interest Hayes Campbell, dreamy boyband member and almost twenty years Solene’s junior, is sexy. I love the tension between the two characters Lee does a great job of not letting the reader know who is really in charge, is it Solene the older, wiser person in the relationship or is it Hayes, with his ability to know just what to say? As I said, I haven’t quite finished this one, but it is so good so far!

 

The Drake Sisters Series by Christine Feehan (7 books)

These are another fun read from Feehan. I liked these books because they focus on a set of sisters with physic abilities (again not normally my thing). Each sister has a story and there are some swoon-worthy love stories in this series. I read the entire series last summer and tore through each book!

Why Romance Needs Sex of All Kinds- Nicholas!

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Nicholas Sparks made headline earlier this week for pushing his conservative, religious agenda at a school he was involved with. The headlines read “Romance Author Nicholas Sparks…” NO! Nick, if I may call you that. You may call what you write romance, and I won’t lie there have been some great stories, but they aren’t true romance. Who am I to tell you, right? I mean I am an unpublished romance author and you have literally sold millions of books, what leg do I have to stand on?

Well, I am a big romance reader, I have read a lot of romance, good bad and truly ugly. More importantly, I write romance, real romance that is a reflection of real life.  I have even read some of your work but you know one thing is missing, the sex. Now I know that there is a huge market for this type of “wholesome” romance. For many conservatives, reading sex is the same as watching pornography. Nick, I know you will probably never read this and I am just another writer blogging out into the void, and on the very remote chance you do see it, you won’t agree with me.

Writing romance without sex in it is a lie, it is not how life works. Before you the army of purity ring enthusiast come charging out, calling for my head, I was one of you. I embraced the dogma and really lived it until I didn’t. My point here is that not putting sex in your books isn’t real life, nor is ignoring all of the types of sex, and being inclusive. Writing sex teaches readers how to love, on a whole other level. Love as you know is more than holding hands or dancing on a beach, wait was that a euphemism?

Sex is important in romance writing and I will fight for this topic until my dying breath. Sex scenes carry so much more to them than just smut as some would call it. I get that there are some romance authors who think that writing sex is a lazy way to convey emotion in the story. I would challenge that by asking them to write a sex scene, they’re difficult and take skill to write.

Recently, I saw a topic of discussion about intimacy in young adult fiction. There was a massive debate about the appropriateness of there being some light sexual activity included in these stories. I championed, yes! We read books to educate us in so many other things, why wouldn’t we read to learn how a relationship really works. Ignoring sex all together in writing romance really gives a distorted picture of a relationship. Being intimate in those special moments tell you so much about who you are, who the other person or people are, the power dynamic, inventiveness, compassion, sense of humour… I could keep going. Sex scenes are so important, for all genders, and preferences.

Ignoring the topic and leaving it out of romance, won’t make those who have different preferences not exist. They’ll be there, reading my books, and the books of other authors whose work reflects real life, real relationships. Writing sex of all types lets our readers know that as an author, I see you and accept you. More than accepting you, I will stand by you and your right to choose your own lifestyle.

Sex is not evil, at least it shouldn’t be if you are doing it correctly. Sex should not be ignored in romance writing. SEX IS IMPORTANT….

 

McKinley Park Chapter 12

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** Disclaimer this scene contains a consensual sex scene in graphic detail, and is meant for mature audiences only.***

He walked over to the wine rack in the dining room and pulled out a bottle of red wine. He took it back into the kitchen and started searching in the drawers for the corkscrew. He found it in the drawer next to the stove and pulled the cork out. He was grateful the top cabinets int he kitchen were glass, that showed the interior contents, he pulled two wine glasses out and poured them each a glass. He took a sip as Rachel walked back into the kitchen.

“They’re asleep. I left their fans on in their rooms. We won’t disturb them.”

Ben set his glass down, and walked over to Rachel, pulling her into his arms. He wanted her more than he had ever wanted a woman before. His mouth crushed down onto hers, his body racing towards being inside of her, his mind screaming to slow down. Her body did not back down, she kissed with as much determination as he did. Before they both knew it, they were both breathless.  She pulled out of his embrace, her cheeks flushed, as she took his hand and led him into the guest room on the ground floor.

“I’m sorry I can’t take you upstairs. I don’t want to risk waking the boys.”

Ben followed her into the small room with a double bed and a nightstand. There were two hardback chairs pushed up against the far wall where there were three cellos stat on their stands.  Ben hung his gun holster and then his jacket over it on one of the chairs. Rachel climbed onto the bed and Ben followed her. The light from the kitchen dimly lit their silhouettes. Ben reached for the lamp on the nightstand. He wanted to see her beautiful body.

“Please leave it off.” Her voice was soft.

He would have complied with just about any request she had to make her comfortable. He unbuttoned his shirt but left it on as he slid off his shoes before climbing into bed. She laid down and reached up for him as he laid next to her as. Ben slid his hand against her cheek, pulling her closer to him. He kissed her, as her tongue slid over his and he didn’t think he could get any more erect. He needed to be inside her soon.

His hand slid slowly up under her shirt, feeling the dip of her waist as he moved around to her bra clasp at the center of her back. Her skin was soft like rose petals. He felt the clasp give way as his hand came back around cupping one of her full breasts. She moaned at his touch on her breast. She reached for his belt, her lips still attached to his. She unclasped it and undid the button on his khakis one-handed. There was immediacy in her action, letting him know she wanted him as much as he wanted her.  Her hand slipped in, past his boxers. Her hand around him was almost too much. He leaned into her so she would lay on her back instead of her side. He felt her body push forward to resist laying on her back. He kissed her collar bone as she sat slightly pulling her top off and her bra, discarding both on the floor. He tried again, this time more gently to get her to roll onto her back. She pressed her hand into his chest and he stopped right away.

“What’s wrong? Do you want to stop?” He asked breathless. The words were almost painful to say, as he prayed she wasn’t having second thoughts. He would stop instantly if she was. He wanted a future with her and one night wouldn’t make a difference. He would wait as many nights as she needed to be comfortable.

“Ben, I know this is weird but, I don’t like to be touched on the back of my legs or my butt. I know that is strange. It has been a long time for me.” he could hear the embarrassment in her voice.

He sat up and reached up to her cheek, stroking it gently.

“Honey you are in charge here, you tell me what you need from me. You have your reasons and I respect that. I won’t touch you there unless I am invited.”

“Thank you.”

She kissed him, pulling him into her body as she laid back down on the bed. He came down on top of her, careful not to crush her under his body weight. He stopped kissing her as he laid over her, pushing her bangs out of her eyes, he really looked at her in the dim light.

“Rachel you are so damn beautiful.”

She kissed him again, as his hands cupped her breasts. She pulled her mouth away from his, as he kissed her neck. She ran her fingers through his hair as he kissed his way down her torso. He felt her body shiver with anticipation, careful to make sure there wasn’t apprehension in any way. He unbuttoned her jeans and began to pull them down her legs when she stopped him gently.

“Let me, please.”

She slipped them off and tossed them to the side of the bed before she laid back down. Ben knelt in front of her. He wanted to touch her.

He slid his hands up her legs forgetting her request. Her body tensed instantly, jogging his memory. He pulled his hands away immediately.

“Oh Rachel, I’m sorry.”

He could see that it had shaken her. She reached out for him and he came back on top of her, his kisses easing the tension out of her.  She pushed his shirt off as his tongue stroked hers. All that separated the two of them was her soft pink cotton panties and his pants. He pulled away and made quick work of them, stopping to pull a condom out of his wallet. He reached back out for her almost grabbing onto her legs, his brain screaming out not to touch them. He rolled the condom on and came back over the top of her, all that separated them now as the flimsy cotton underwear she wore. He wanted to tear them off of her, but he tried to be patient. He knew there was still a chance that she couldn’t or wouldn’t want to continue. His body warmed hers as he kissed down her neck. His lips on her skin caused her back to arch and as he kissed down her chest and took her small, hard nipple into his mouth. Her body shuddered with pleasure as she let out a slow deep moan. He kissed the other breast, swirling his tongue around her nipple, then kissed his way down her body. He could feel her continue to shake with anticipation. He slid two fingers under the elastic waistband of the small pink bikini briefs, kissing the skin he exposed. He wanted to taste her, all of her.  He kissed lower, pulling the waistband down, but not removing her underwear altogether. He felt her body trembled harder. She ran her fingers through his hair. When he couldn’t pull the waistband any lower he switched tactics, kissing over the fabric, sliding his fingers through the side. He could smell her, her scent sweet and inviting. He slid his fingers into her panties and made contact with her body as she bucked upwards. She was warm and wet. He lowered his head to taste her when he felt her grab his hair harder.

“I’m sorry, Ben please stop, I can’t”

His heart sank, he wanted to love her, give her pleasure. He stopped and looked up at her.

“I can’t do that, right now. I am sorry.”

“Rachel don’t apologize. I want you to enjoy this. We don’t have to do this tonight or any night until you are ready. I care about you. I want this to be right for you.”

She turned her head away. Ben came up over her and gently moved to the side to lay next to her. He reached over and tipped her chin towards him. She was upset.

“Honey please talk to me. You don’t owe me an explanation, I just want to help make this better for you in any way I can.”

“This is so hard for me. I am embarrassed.”

He could hear the edge of tears in her voice.

“You don’t have to be embarrassed with me, ever. Rachel, you are the most beautiful, perfect woman I have ever met. Can I tell you a secret?”

She looked over at him fully.

“This is going to sound a little crazy because we haven’t really dated, but I am head over heels in love with you. I have been since the first moment I saw you. I will wait for you and do whatever I can to make you feel happy and safe. If you don’t feel the same way about me, I completely understand.”

Rachel sat up and kissed Ben, hard.

“Now I am the one embarrassed,” Ben said quietly.

“I didn’t mean that we couldn’t have sex, I just didn’t want oral sex. It is an issue for me.”

“You do want to sleep together?”

“Yes, I do. I really want to Ben. This is just really hard for me, but I want to so badly, with you. I know it is nuts but I feel the same way about you, and that scares me.”

He reached out and kissed her. She reached around his neck bringing his body back over hers. He slowly pushed his hand under the waistband of her underwear, cupping her wet mound. He slid his finger between her, feeling her warm and wet. His body jerked against her. He gently lifted his hand pushing the waistband down, careful as he could to avoid touching her legs.

“Let me,” she said as she sat and he backed off of her.

She took off the small panties letting them fall onto the floor. Ben could smell her, in all of her arousal. This was the day he had been waiting for, dreaming of, making love to Rachel. She reached up and caressed the side of his face, sliding her tongue back into his mouth. She moved back down onto the bed and he followed. She spread her legs so he could lay between them.  She reached down between the two of them,  helping guide him inside of her.

He pushed gently, making sure to go slowly. He did not want to be too eager, nor did he want to be too rough for her. Her body cocooned him, warm, tight and wet. She felt like silk, even though the condom. He slowly pushed further into her as he heard a moan escape her mouth. He picked up his pace, still making sure he moved gently as she wrapped her hands around his neck. He could feel her body, responding to his, together in time. He resisted the urge to cup her ass. He told himself to plant his hands around her, to avoid accidentally touching her legs. The deeper he went, with slow, deliberate movement, the more her body responded with pleasure. Her neck arched back as he kissed it. He felt her left leg rise up alongside him and he fought the urge to grab it. His body brushed up against it, and he felt her fluid movements become instantly more rigid. Sensing her unease, he slowed his movements and looked down with her, making eye contact.

“Rachel look at me.”

She looked right at him, into him, connecting with him. He felt the tension in her body ease. He kissed her and slowly picked up his pace again. He felt her coming closer to the edge of an orgasm as he fought off his own. He had promised her that this was for her to enjoy too. He had always taken care of the women he slept with, not that there had been many.

“Ben, I’m close.” She whispered.

He gritted his teeth not to come at the sound of that sentence.

He moved one of his hands and cupped her breast, stroking the nipples between his fingers. It was all she needed, to push her over the edge. He could feel the inside of her ripple with pleasure outside her body shook with pleasure. He brought his mouth down over hers, as she moaned into it. The feeling of her body coming sent his orgasm racing through him. He couldn’t stop it if he tried. As his body ejected the last of his seed, he swept his tongue over hers. He had just made love to the woman of his dreams. He laid on top of her both of them in each other’s arms, in a state of ecstasy.

He pulled himself out of her, making sure to grab ahold of the condom so it didn’t slip. He discarded the condom, in the wastepaper basket, and climbed back into bed with Rachel. She pulled the blanket at the end of the bed up over them and cuddled up to him. Her body so soft, and the smell of her hair, and their sex still in the room made him just about ready to go again. They laid there together in each other’s arms, only to be interrupted by the doorbell that rung by the pizza man. Ben jumped up slipping his clothes back on as he ran to the door, hoping the bell would not wake the boys upstairs. He paid for the pizza and brought it back to the kitchen, setting the pizza on the counter and walked back into the bedroom. He stripped and climbed back into bed with her, suddenly not hungry for dinner, only wanting  Rachel to be naked in his arms.

McKinley Park Chapter 10

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Ben woke to his phone vibrating on the nightstand. The night before with Rachel was his first thing that went through his head, followed by the buzzing noise from his phone. He rolled over to grab it, burring his face in the pillow, it still held the scent of her hair. His phone demanded his attention, he picked it up.

“Ben, we have another one, he fucked up this time though! We have another victim, but she is alive and there is DNA everywhere! I am on my way now, I don’t have the whole story yet, one of the neighbours called it in.”

“Tell me what you do know so far? Talk while I get dressed.”

Ben pulled up to Clyde Ave. just north of Irving Park, not too far from where he lived. He flashed his badge as a uniformed officer pulled the tape back so he could pull onto the street. Already the street was swarming with other cops, as reporters vied eagerly to gain any information they could from the sidelines. Ben hated the press except for when they were helpful. He pulled up to the address Marty had given. 414 Clyde Ave. It was a small brick bungalow with flower boxes and a bright green mailbox on the porch.

He parked his car and spotted his partner waiting for him.

“He really fucked up this time. Are you ready for me to make your day?”

“Yes, tell me we’ve got him.”

“Next best thing, we have a witness.”

“No shit!”

“Yep.”

They walked up the steps of the porch and into the bungalow, the house was crawling with people.

“You, who are you?”Marty said to an officer in uniform.

“O’Leary.”

“O’Leary get all of these  people out of here, you guys are contaminating the hell out of this crime scene.”

The cop nodded. “You all heard the detectives, everyone out of here.”

“Thanks,” Ben said. “You keep the door O’Leary. No one unnecessary in or out, okay?”

“Got it.”

They carefully made their way through the bungalow to the back bedroom. Ben walked up to where the attack had taken place, the bed. The room with its soft green walls didn’t feel warm and inviting, the air in the room had changed, the aftermath of a brutal attack hung heavy. One of the crime scene investigators nodded as Ben and Marty walked into the room, careful of where they stepped.

“We’re dusting down everything. He came in through the window in the bathroom.” The tech motioned to the en-suite bathroom. “He didn’t have time to clean up, there is going to be DNA everywhere.”

“Where is our witness?”

“In the kitchen, I haven’t talked to him yet. The girl was leaving in a bus when I got here. She’s alive, barely. They are taking her to Methodist, she’s in bad shape. It will be a miracle if she survives.”

“Raped?” Ben asked.

“Yeah, the EMT’s thought so,” Marty said.

“Let’s go talk to our witness”

Ben and Marty wanted to look around the room but didn’t want to risk contaminating the scene. They wanted the crime scene techs to do their work then they would come in and poke around afterwards.

“This doesn’t sound like our guy at all, our guy has never been sloppy. Are we sure this is connected?”

“He branded her Ben, same brand, same spot.”

“Shit, are you sure?”

“I saw it myself before she left.”

“You are sure that was the exact brand?”

“Certain.”

Ben and Marty walked back into the empty living room. O’Leary had done a good job clearing the house. Two uniformed cops stood in the kitchen where a thin man sat at the kitchen table, his head buried in his hands.

“The witness?”

“Yeah,” Marty said.

Both detectives walked into the kitchen, their dress shirts sticking to their bodies. The air conditioning in the house was turned off by the crime scene team.  It was hot and humid, another impending storm charged the air with electricity.

“Has anyone talked to him yet?” Ben asked quietly.

“No. Our guy’s a little sketchy with us. I don’t think he was here to be law-abiding himself.”

“B. & E?”

“That’s what it was called in for.”

“What are the chances a perp breaks in during an assault?”

Both detectives looked at each other.

They stepped further into the kitchen, walking up the table where the man sat. His clothes dirty and old and hung from his frail frame. He wore a face of stubble and rubbed the back of his neck nervously. His body language gave away that he was jonesing for another fix of whatever his drug of choice was. He wasn’t an ideal witness, but it was the best they had so far.

“Mr Daniels, I am Detective Ben Carter.” Ben held out his hand as he took a seat.

“John,” the man shook Ben’s hand.

“Hi, John. Can we talk to you about what you witnessed this morning?”

John shifted as nervousness radiated from him. Marty sat a recorder on the middle of the table. As he took a seat and moved in closer. It made John nervous, his body language giving away his unease.

“John, we can help you if you cooperate with us. Can you tell us why you were breaking in here, and can you tell us what you saw?”

“I didn’t hurt her, I swear. I had no idea.”

“Can you tell us why you broke in?”

The man stayed silent.

“Dispatch said you called the ambulance, is that correct?”

He nodded.

“John, it sounds like this girl is alive because of you. You have saved someone’s life this morning.”

The man rubbed the back of his neck again, beads of sweat had appeared on his brow. He looked down at the started to speak.

“I was told to come here, that no one would be here.”

“Who told you to come here?”

“This guy I met in a bar, I was asking for money in the bar. The bartender threw me out.”

“When did this happen?”

“Two nights ago at Smithy’s in Pilsen.”

“Did you catch the guy’s name?”

“It was something royal, knight or something.”

“Duke?”

“Yeah, that’s it. He came out of the bar, saw I was needing a fix. He handed me some money. Then he told me about this house. Said I could crash here, he told this story about how this guy who lives here helped him get clean and all. He told me to come over anytime.”

“Is that why you came here?”

“At first yeah, but I jumped the fence and the back door was open so I let myself in. I thought if I could find something to sell, get a fix then I could come back and I would be ready to get help from this guy.”

“Okay. Did you hear anything when you walked in, see anything odd?”

“I tried to be quiet when I came in, I didn’t want to get caught. I spotted the lady’s purse on the counter. I was going to grab it and go but then I heard something, like grunting. I knew what the sound was. I wanted to.. I just wondered, you know… I snuck down the hall and peeked through the gap between the door doorjamb.”

“What did you see? We need you to be as detailed as you can. This is really important John.”

“They couldn’t see me. This guy was mad. He was hitting her, hard, over and over again. I knew this wasn’t right, something was wrong, this wasn’t normal rough shit. She stopped fighting him and just went kind of limp, but he kept going. I went to move away and the floor creaked, the noise spooked the guy. He hit her hard, like really hard on the head. It sounded like a melon cracking. He was going to hit her again. I started shouting at him, I didn’t want to see this chick’s head split open. I’m not a good person, but I ain’t going to sit by and watch some girl get murdered. He took off past me and pushed me out of the way.

I thought he killed her. I really did. I was going to leave, you know, grab her purse and get the hell out of here. She didn’t move and I didn’t want any part of a dead girl  I don’t need no trouble. I turned to go, and I thought I heard her. I turned back around and she moaned a little, she was alive. I went over and turned her over. She was bleeding from her face everywhere man. I’ve never seen anyone bleed from their eyes, that’s some creepy shit. She was naked, he beat the shit out of her. I couldn’t leave her there. I put my jacket over her and went to the neighbours over there and told them to call you guys. I went back to her and waited so you all would find her. She wasn’t awake when I got back. I thought she was dead, but then the ambulance guys said she wasn’t so I don’t know. Then your cop buddies arrested me for breaking and entering. Sure I came in but I didn’t steal anything.”

“We’ll see what we can do if this information helps us catch this guy. Can you tell us what he looked like? Was it the guy from the bar?”

“ No.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah, this guy was built different. It wasn’t the same guy.”

“Can you describe what this guy from this morning looked like?”

“The sun had only just come up so it wasn’t real light out yet.”

“Was he a big guy, a little guy, fat, skinny?”

“He was taller than me, not fat.”

“Was he black or white?”

“White I think?”

“Why do you think he was white?”

“Well he had on a black sweater shirt thing and black pants, and well, his ass was white, so..”

“Did you see his face or his hair?”

“No, he had on one of those ski masks things.”

“How about eye color?”

“It was too dark to see.”

“How tall are you John?”

“About six feet.”

“Was he taller or shorter than you?”

“A little taller I think.”

John began to pick at the scabs on his arms. He was jonesing hard.

“Can you tell us a little more about what he was wearing?” Marty asked.

“It was hard to see, a black shirt or sweater, black pants and boots, black boots and a mask on his face.”

John picked harder at a large scab on the back of his hand.

“Did you see the guy leave? Was he on foot, or did he leave in a car?”

John stayed silent.

“Look, John, I’ll level with you, If you were here to get some cash to score, we can help. Maybe help you get in a treatment center.”

John looked at Ben then at Marty.

“As my partner said, John, we really need your help here.”

John stayed quiet, so did Ben and Marty. The air became uncomfortable between the three men. John continued to pick at his arms even now that they were bleeding in several spots.

“He got in a car I think. It pulled away when I got to the front door.”

“Was it a car, a van, a truck?” Marty asked, impatience thick in his voice.

“There was a car. I thought it was a cop at first.”

“What color was the car?”

“White.”

“Did it look like a police car?”

“Shit, man, I don’t know, my head is killing me. I just need to get out of here and go home, man.”

“Look we are almost done, I promise. You said you thought it looked like a police car?”

“No, shit, I don’t know.”

“How many doors did it have?”

“Four I think.” John rubbed the back of his neck. He was becoming more agitated by the minute.

“Was it American made? Like police cars? Was it old or new?”

“Old I think. Maybe a Ford. Like a Ford Focus maybe?”

“That’s great John.”

“Did you see the plate?” Ben asked.

“No. I just didn’t look. I wasn’t here to car shop.”

Ben’s phone rang and he looked down at the number. It was Methodist Hospital. He nodded to Marty communicating that he needed to take it. Ben walked out of the kitchen to take the call and returned just as Marty finished questioning John. Two cops walked in to arrest John.

“Thank you, John. You saved that girl’s life today.”

“I helped you, I thought you said I could go if I helped you.”

“I said we’d get you some help if you wanted. We also need to get some fingerprints from you and that sort of thing.”

“That is bullshit. Let me go.”

John started to buck away from the cop who had cuffed him.

“John if you want help this is how we have to start the process. You have to go before a judge.”

“Fuck you man,” John shouted as he was led out of the house in cuffs.

“His brain is mush until he scores again. He’s spent. Who was on the phone?” Marty said.

“The hospital, our victim is in a coma. You were right about the brand, by the way, they’re less than 24 hours old. I am going to head over there. I want to be there when she wakes up. No one should wake from that alone, at least until we can locate her family.”

“Good idea. I will find her family and let them know.  We are going to finally get this sick bastard.”

“Yeah, we are. After her family gets there I have to go find Stephen Duke, the bastard knows more than he’s saying. This is the second victim he’s connected to.”

My Top Ten Tips for Writing Sex (Revised Post!)

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The first sex scene I ever wrote, read more like a PG13 movie then what the scene needed to convey. One of my first beta readers said it best, she said, “I want to know what the rug under her feels like.” The scene was where two characters were going at it on the bathroom floor. I knew she was right. I sat in front of my computer the cursor blinking at me, saying you can’t do this. Frustrated I walked away. I needed help. I am by no means prudish. I grew up in a house where sex was never a taboo subject. Why couldn’t I write it? I realized I needed to educate myself. Here are my top ten tips for writing sex scenes.

Read Sex:

I thought I had read a lot of sex in various works of fiction and that would be enough. My beta reader who made the comment about feeling the rug suggested reading some of Christine Feehan’s work. I read the first book in eight hours I couldn’t put it down. It was sexy but still told a story. This is how sex should be written. The sex scenes in Christine Feehan’s books and Maya Bank’s books help move the plot along. The scenes convey emotional growth and character development.

Watch Sex:

I know this is a controversial idea for some, and I respect that. I highly encourage watching sex, not just pornography, but favorite love scenes in movies. It isn’t about watching the act of sex, it is for the purpose of watching body movement. It is so important to get body movement correct when writing a sex scene. Pay extra close attention to where the participant’s hands are, this is so important. Watch the body movement. The best sex scenes are detailed, where the author has taken the time, to describe body placement and movement. Vague sex scenes don’t carry the same weight in my opinion.

Read online:

I have always read a lot of fiction, but in doing research to write sex scenes, I didn’t have the time to read an entire book to get to a steamy scene. There are great websites that have compiled all sorts of sex scenes. You can search for the type of sex scene you want to write about and read examples of it done really well. Seriously, Google is your friend here. If you are a little shy, open an incognito window and go for it.

Tone:

I love to read a good steamy love scene but as a reader, nothing is more jarring than when the scene doesn’t seem to fit the characters or the tone of the story. Set the mood for the scene and stick to it, is it passionate, lustful, tender, awkward? My point here is to know the mood literally in the room between the two (or more) characters engaging with each other. It would be jarring to read of a couple who need to make love to each other for character development, going at it against the bathroom wall in a club. I am not saying it can’t be done, but the tone is so important here! Here is an example:

Virginia is timid, quiet, reserved. Carl, her love interest is also meek. This is their first time together, neither with a lot of sexual experience. The scene is in her bedroom. They are young and nervous.

Tone Done Correctly:

Virginia couldn’t believe the moment had finally come. She had waited for so long to be with Carl. Her body shook, she wasn’t sure if it was the anticipation or nerves, either way, she wanted him. 

“I love you so much,” Carl said as he leant down and kissed her soft lips.

“Please make love to me Carl, I want to do this,” Virginia said, her voice cracking.

Tone Done Incorrectly:

We are going to use the same characters and the same setting.

Virginia stipped her clothes from her body, she couldn’t get them off fast enough. She needed Carl inside of her, she missed the feeling. (it is her first time! how would she know what he feels like?)

“I am going to wreck you, I won’t stop until you beg me for mercy,” Carl said as he grabbed the back of her head.

She wasn’t leaving that room until she belonged to him and only him. She would take all he had to give and then beg for more.

 

Does this illustrate the difference? Carl and Virginia are young, and it is their first time. The second example while steamy is out of place for two young, inexperienced partners. See, tone matters.

 

Message:

What are you trying to tell your reader in the scene? I think this is why I love writing romance so much. Romance is a time of great joy usually, that feeling of falling in love is magical. Sex, on the other hand, can hold a lot of different emotions. We are our most vulnerable when we are naked in front of another person. I think when sex is written correctly in a romance novel, there is so much more going on in the scene then just the body mechanics, there is massive character development. My favorite scenes are when characters really fall for each other in the moment of sex, or one partner is tender to another.

Pay attention:

This sounds so stupid to say but it is true. As a writer, you must pay attention to body movement. I follow a lot of fellow romance writers and readers, their number one complaint that the author did not pay attention to the scene. Let me give an example.

Carl swept Virginia up in his arms, he was carrying her to his bedroom. Tonight would be the night that they had both waited for, longed for, imagined. Carl looked down at Virginia’s long flowing locks.

“You are so beautiful,” he said.

He reached up and stroked her cheek.

Wait, what? Did he just drop Virginia or does Carl have a third arm? Nothing is more jarring to a reader than something like this. Pay attention to your characters!

 

Have fun:

Let go, have fun, write out your wildest fantasies. Writing sex is fun. When I first started writing sex, it wasn’t fun. It took me a while to learn the advice I am giving here to you today. I wish I would have come across this article as a resource. My suggestion is don’t get hung up on the technicalities the first time you write the scene. Go back and edit using the technicalities, tone, mechanics and message. Let your character’s really “feel” not just physically but emotionally too.

Read what you wrote:

You are the first reader of the story your characters are telling. Read the sex scene you just wrote. Does it make sense to you? Pay attention to the mechanics, did one of the characters grow another arm like in the example above? Doe the tone of the scene fit with the story you are trying to tell? I have written the steamiest scenes and then went back to re-read the scene and it just doesn’t fit. This is where a good note app does wonder. I have scrapped scenes for this reason, and archived it, for later use.

Vivid imagination helps:

I love to put myself in the scene, not necessarily as a participant but more like a fly on the wall. Before I write the scene and during, I like to imagine the setting, the characters, all of it. I think of it this way, if it were a movie would the audience want to watch it?

Don’t be embarrassed:

I am not a prude. I was raised in a house where the topic of sex was an open and ongoing conversation. I consider myself very blessed to come up in a house with such a liberal attitude towards sex, yet when it came to reading and writing sex for the first few times, I was nervous, even embarrassed. I didn’t realize this at first but after I did, I knew I was going to have to overcome it to really write the scenes my characters.

 

I really hope this article helps those of you who are looking for tips on how to write sex. I know these tips have helped me hone the craft of writing truly great sex scenes. If you have a tip that you have not seen here, please share it in the comments.