Hello Everyone! Welcome to my June Symposium!
This month I thought I’d asked my friends and fellow authors to tell us a little about their favorite scenes to write. Are they the action packed scenes, or the hot and steamy ones? Read on and find out what everyone had to say!
LAURIE ROMA: In each book I write there are different scenes that I enjoy working on, depending on the mood that I’m in. Sometimes I like the intimate moments, where the main characters express their feelings, while other times I love the action scenes and plotting out the demise of a nasty character. Still, when I look back I’d have to say my favorite scenes to write are the ensemble scenes, when multiple characters are interacting with each other. I love having different personalities clashing in conversation, with a bit of humor added into the mix. I like the sense of reality these scenes add to my storylines, almost as if I’m part of the scene instead of just writing it. Then again, these are also the scenes that are the biggest pain in the ass to write...so what does that say about me? LOL
As
one of Earth’s greatest leaders, Commander Jax Spartan lives his life by a
strict code. Dedicated and alpha to the core, he is the epitome of what every
Elite solider aspires to be. Second-in-command Sullivan Archer rules by his
best friend’s side, and together they form an unstoppable force that few are
foolish enough to challenge. Jax and Archer have always known they’d share
their chosen, but their hearts have already been claimed by the woman they’ve
vowed will belong to them.
Alliance
scientist Serra Lysander is a genius who has kept the planet safe with her
inventions. She’s lived a sheltered life, separated from society by her
brilliant mind and her overprotective mother. The only time Serra has truly
ever felt accepted is with the two men that will cost her everything…
When
danger leads Serra straight into the arms of Jax and Archer, they will do
anything to keep her safe, even claiming her despite the fact she is off
limits. With the future of the Alliance on the line, will their love and
dedication be enough to save them, or will they be too late to stop the growing
threat from destroying them all?
BUY LINKS:
CHEYENNE MCCRAY: My favorite things to write are action packed scenes because
I’m a total action junkie. Love to read it, watch it, and write it! A critique
partner and I have always said, “If all else fails, blow sh*t up! That could
mean any number of things related to action, but it’s our motto. I love putting
my characters through the worst possible circumstances, until things look so
dire that readers will wonder how each character is going to survive or conquer
what they’re facing. I love explosions, chase scenes, bad guys doing bad
things, and pretty much anything related to action!
New York Times best selling author Cheyenne McCray returns to steamy romantic suspense with a high-octane thriller about a woman running from a Mexican cartel and the man determined to protect her.
Danger
Tori Cox, a talented and sought after musician, heads back to her roots in a small southwest town in Arizona as she flees an abusive relationship. When she arrives in Bisbee, she finds herself in the wrong place at the wrong time—and witnesses the execution of a Federal agent by none other than the son of El Demonio, the head of the Jimenez Cartel. Tori and everyone she loves is now in danger as the cartel comes after her before she can testify.
Desire
Landon Walker, a special agent with the Department of Homeland Security, rescues Tori when he sees the beautiful woman running from members of one of the most ruthless cartels in the world. He sets out to protect her, but soon protecting her isn’t enough. The fire between them makes him want her in a way that he’s never wanted another woman, despite his wounded heart.
Death
Diego Montego Jimenez will do everything in his power to kill the young American woman who threatens his business and family. No one lives to testify against the Jimenez Cartel. Landon isn’t about to let the cartel get hold of Tori. He’ll go to the ends of the earth and back to protect her—and show her he’s never letting her go.
BUY LINKS:
N.J. WALTERS: Books are made up of spicy sex scenes, nail-biting cliff-hangers,
exciting action sequences and those quiet moments in-between. Which one do I
like to write the most? Truthfully, I don’t have a favorite. Writing is an emotional
rollercoaster that touches the reader and the author in different ways. It can
make you laugh, touch your heart, make you ache, incite anger or even tears.
Unlike many authors, I work strictly in chronological order. The story unfolds
for me as I write it so I’m always excited to finish the next scene—whatever it
is—so I can find out what happens next. Each type of scene brings both
challenges and rewards. As a writer, I’m simply happy when all the different
scenes come together to produce a book that I love, and one I hope my readers
will enjoy.
Broke and homeless, Eliza Hart is at the end of her rope. She’s spent the last year of her life trying to evade a dangerous stalker. In desperation, she turns to the man she once loved, the man who walked away from her without a backward glance—Rabb Hatter.
Rabb is shocked when Eliza shows up at Hatter’s—the club he co-owns with his brother—looking for a job. He’d left her and hadn’t looked back when he’d thought she’d cheated on him with another man. Now he discovers that not only did Jason Ware lie, but he’s been stalking Eliza the whole time. The spark between them certainly hasn’t died, and when Rabb learns she’s lost everything, he’s determined to protect her. But first he must overcome the pain of their past and convince her she’s right to trust him with her heart.
BUY LINKS:
JOEY W. HILL: My answer to this probably gives away my not-so-secret love for 80s bodice rippers. Though I write some pretty hardcore BDSM scenes, what I love are those key moments where it’s clear the hero is fulfilling the heroine’s needs, protecting and cherishing her – even while he’s busting her ass (lol). For instance, like this snippet from the upcoming Highest Bid in my Naughty Bits series.
Logan’s arms tightened around her. “I do mean it, Madison,” he said. “I know it’s going to take awhile for you not to fear intimacy, for every argument we have not to be a rehashing of your past. If I have you here, living with me day to day, from that first brushing of teeth in the morning, to the last kiss at night, I’ll prove it to you, every moment.”
“Plus you’ll have a sex slave within reach of your fingertips.”
“There is that.”
Madison is a control freak with one wish—to lose control. Her hidden submissive cravings have led to a string of disastrous relationships. So when she inherits her sister’s North Carolina lingerie shop, Naughty Bits, she jumps at the opportunity to dump her boring finance career and bad history and try her luck down South. But before Madison can settle in, she catches the attention of the owner of the neighboring hardware store. Sexually dominant Logan Scott can see the hunger for command in Madison’s eyes and is anxious to help unleash her submissive desires.
Faced with the realization that she can’t sell fantasies to her lingerie customers without embracing her own, Madison accepts Logan’s offer. Now, she’s about to discover just how far her desire can take her…
Naughty Bits is a four-novella series. Parts 1-3 have already been released. The finale, The Highest Bid, is due out July 15!
LACEY THORN: I love a great action scene, and action can cover a lot of bases. I like the dark scenes, the ones with torture and fighting. I love to hate a great bad guy, and I want to make readers hate them as well. I also love to write a powerful sex scene. This means pages of foreplay that lead into an emotional sex scene. I want you to feel the need to reach for a toy or share the scene with your lover. Mostly, I want to take the reader to the places I go when I write. Hopefully, at least for some, I succeed.
Reno has known there was more to him since he awoke in the hospital, alive when he should have died. Only one thought consumed him. Find Tah. Watch over him. Protect him. Then everything changed.
A tempted tiger...
A mission gone wrong brings him face to face with a woman who tempts his tiger from hiding. He wants her with a fierce hunger that consumes him and shocks him with the possessive nature she awakens.
Mine
Amia belongs nowhere. Not with the Blane family of hunters she was born into, and not with the dominant man who kidnaps her and turns her world upside down. She runs. She fights. And when the time comes, she pays the price. Running isn't an option, and there's no fighting a man who turns her inside out with unquenchable lust. Maybe, just maybe, she's found where she belongs.
BUY LINKS:
SUSAN HAYES: I’m a sucker for a sappy moment, those scenes where my characters speak from their hearts, or sometimes they don’t say anything at all, and let their actions speak for them. My favourite scenes are the ones where my own characters bring me to tears, or touch me with a tender moment. Those kinds of scenes are never planned, they come on their own, as the characters develop and evolve. They are the magical moments that almost write themselves, when I’m no longer the writer, but a spectator, taking transcription of a scene playing out between my creations. When my characters make me laugh, or cry, or connect with me on any emotional level, those are the scenes I love the most.
Two bullets. That’s all it took to change Taggart Wilde’s life. His wounds have healed, but his career as a police officer is over. Struggling to move on, Tag searches for new purpose, and ends up finding it in the most unlikely of places.
Jolena Miller’s passion is fixing up classic cars. As the owner of her own garage, she has convinced herself she’s happy just being one of the guys, unnoticed and unremarkable…until she meets Tag.
One look at the curvy little mechanic has Tag’s engine revving, and he is determined to make her his. But just as Jo starts to believe they might have a future together, her ex-husband reappears in her life, stirring up old pains and new problems. When pushed to the edge, can two lonely hearts fight for a future together, or will the past be too much to overcome?
BUY LINKS:
JENIKA SNOW: My favorite scene to write in a story is that first one where the hero and heroine meet. So many different emotions go through them, some better than others, but they are all genuine. What makes it even more intense is if the other character is adamant about wanting that attention, whereas the other is hesitant--a sort of sexual cat and mouse game. They have to work through that first time, get to know each other, and finally they get the sweet satisfaction of falling in love. Of course the sex scenes would be next, but it is again that very first sexual encounter between them that solidifies the genuine emotions that the hero and heroine feel for each other. You can never find a more perfect scene than that...at least not in my head.
Fans. Sex. Rock & Roll.
The only three things a rocker needs, or so they say.
Seeing Jackson "Jacks" Lorde again, lead singer and guitarist for the band Savage Light, brought back the raw feelings that Tanner Mason had for him. But success can change a person, and can transform someone overnight. Now Jacks is wanted by women all over the world, is wealthy, and has chemical temptation thrown at him daily.
Jackson has spent the last five years immersed in his passion for music. Now his band is one of the biggest names in the music industry. But then he sees Tanner again after five years--the one woman that still consumes him even after all this time.
Being in love with a rocker has its own obstacles. Can they stay together when everything that comes with fame and the limelight are thrown their way?
BUY LINKS:
KALI ARGENT: From the first word to the last, from one paragraph that flows seamlessly into the next, every scene in a book is meant to tell a part of the story. Every scene is important, whether it’s to deliver information, make you think, or make you feel something—joy, frustration, anger, sadness. My favorite scenes to write, though, are the twists. That moment in a story when you think you have it all figured out, when you know exactly what’s going to happen, and then you’re thrown a curveball you never saw coming. As an author, these pivotal moments are just as exciting for me as they are for readers. Mostly, because I just love breaking the rules and exceeding expectations.
Night’s Edge – Coming Soon!
What would you sacrifice to save a complete stranger?
When Lieutenant Fawkes Banning was recruited to lead a special ops paranormal team known as Echo Team Seven, he ceased to exist beyond falsified records and an elaborate cover story. While on assignment to retrieve and safeguard one of the seven keys known collectively as the Hallowed, he finds himself in a deadly race against the clock when a voice he doesn't recognize begins whispering in his mind. The woman knows things about him she shouldn’t, things no one could know, placing more than just his mission at risk.
What started as a normal day for Ara Teagues quickly spirals into a nightmarish reality, and everything she thought she knew about the world is tested. No one is what they seem, and even those she thought were friends want her dead, leaving her no choice but to place her trust—and her life—in Fawkes’ hands. Safety comes at a price, though, and as more mysteries are unraveled, Ara realizes the only way out of this new hell is through the flames.
Emotions run high and sexual tension simmers between Fawkes and Ara, but they’ll put everything on the line—including a chance at love—to survive the dangers lurking at the edge of night.
(Kali is an amazing author, with a new book will be coming out soon. She also has a new monthly blog segment called Fourth Friday Faves - I joined in the fun this month...so stop by and check it out!)
REBECCA JOYCE: What do I like to write about…it’s the everyday stuff, from crazy family drama, lots of laughter, jokes and pranks, too oodles of sex. There is just something about taking my day to day life and experiences, and writing it down on paper, add in bucket loads of hot sex, and well it can be a very stimulating read. Growing up in a free minded household, I derive many of my stories from family members, and no I’m not gonna tell you who’s who and in what book! I’ve gotta eat with these people at holiday’s folks! Geez….anyway, writing isn’t easy and it takes a lot of thought and preparation. Then comes the daunting task formulating the words on the computer to make them sound believable. For some, it’s a bit easier, but for others they have to work at it. Regardless of what you write, you start with the basics…what you know, and I know crazy…cause I am crazy!
Andrea Sharp is a reporter seeking an exclusive into the life of a BDSM submissive. Searching for a way into the world of sex, domination, and lust, she is overjoyed when an opportunity opens up. Not thinking about the consequences, she jumps at the chance, only to find out that the lifestyle is more than she bargained for.
Quinton and Justice Hightower are bored. When a beautiful submissive literally falls into their hands, they waste no time agreeing to educate her on what it means to be their submissive. Agreeing on a one-week contract, the brothers start her training immediately, enjoying the pleasures she brings.
When the truth comes out, Andrea must make a choice. Stay and continue her training or leave without the exclusive she came for. With their contract breached, the brothers are left with two options, punish their submissive, or let her go forever.
BUY LINK:
ERIN M. LEAF: I ADORE writing the beginning of a novel. My latest release, ANGEL'S SHIELD, has it all: intense dialogue, emotion, and tension. Jeremiel and Haniel are struggling with Haniel’s inability to shift into angel form (he was injured in a battle with demons, and can no longer fly). Here’s a snippet:
“Are you with me?”
Haniel forced his eyes open and swallowed past his sore throat. Jeremiel crouched over him, hands on Haniel’s shoulders.
“You with me?” Jeremiel asked again.
Haniel coughed. “Yeah. Always.”
“Here. Have some water.” His friend handed him a bottle.
The sides were cold and damp, condensation tracing patterns on the battered metal. Haniel struggled to sit up. Jeremiel gave him a boost, grimacing sympathetically when Haniel bit back a moan. His skin hurt. His bones, too. His whole body ached, as if he’d jumped into a crushing machine and somehow come out the other end still alive. He tipped his head back and flipped open the top of the bottle, pouring some of the water over his face. The humidity in the forest was so thick he could barely breathe, but that wasn’t why he felt so wretched.
“We need to find a cure for this,” Jeremiel said, watching his friend sip the water.
Haniel shook his head. “There is no cure.”
Charmiene has been alone since her grandmother died, so when two sexy hikers ask to stay in her trail shelter, she invites them into her house instead. As an Asian American in a rural town, her dating prospects have always been nonexistent.
Haniel wishes demons hadn’t ruined his ability to fly, but his best friend, Jeremiel, has his back while he hunts for the creatures that hurt him. Of course, when he meets Charmeine, all thoughts of fighting fly away. The only thing he can think about is making love.
Jeremiel would do anything for Haniel—the angel saved his life, after all. But when they meet Charmeine, he knows the time for wandering is over. She’s small, fierce, and just what they need to push them from friendship into love.
Unfortunately, the demons don’t want them to bond. They want all the angels to burn…
BUY LINKS:
S.J. MAYLEE: My favorite scenes to write are the ones where I’m challenging my characters. I enjoy pushing them and seeing what they’re made of. Their choices when on the point of thrusting their lives forward or falling backward are gripping. It’s also surprising where these changes take place. For my characters, it could be anywhere, at the office, or their favorite BDSM club, or even at a coffee shop. They may be my characters but no matter how much I’ve plotted their lives, they take on a life of their own and they’re always surprising me.
Janna’s ready to make over her life and get out from under the controlling thumb of her father. She doesn’t want another failed arranged marriage. She’s ready to do whatever it takes for the career she wants, enter the lifestyle she craves, and to earn the trust and love of the man that has captured her heart, but heartbreak and career hiccups seem to be her destiny.
Simon’s still recovering after his last submissive lied her way into his life. He’s not ready for Janna and how she pushes against his prejudices. He needs to decide if he’s willing to lose her or if he’ll fight for her love and submission.
KAREN NICHOLS: The beginning. Nothing is ever the same again, in so many ways. I’m not sure where they come from, but for me, they open one of two ways. Like a slow blooming rose or a sudden thunderstorm. There’s nothing at all subtle about either one, though. Usually one or both of them are in denial, which always complicates things. There’s so much to get across quickly and clearly in the beginning that it becomes a challenge and fun at the same time. Especially if it’s the actual beginning of a new series. Everything has to be gripping. Everything has to be wild and a little crazy. I want to grab my reader’s attention before they realize they are spiraling down into the new world with you.
Hayley Russell really wasn’t sure about the crazy idea she had for entering the world of BDSM. But she was in the middle of another streak of rebellion against her four male cousins. Yeah, that’s the story she’d use if asked. It was their fault.
Dane Landon and Jonathon ‘Jack’ Bennett had been friends a long time. Discovering a fondness for domination hadn’t been a real surprise to either of them. Exploring the sharing of a strong sub…now that had come as something alive and exciting.
When they arrived at the club, Independence, it was just in time for the charity auction. It was the final entry that had caught more than just their attention. But to capture Hayley’s heart would take a lot of careful planning. And some rope. A lot of rope.
BUY LINKS:
WILLOW BROOKE: Thank you to the fabtacular Laurie Roma for inviting me back! As a writer, there are times I get burnt out on certain types of scenes given my mood. Sex while on my girlie time, relationship drama when I’ve had to endure listening to real drama, (which I hate, so the drama in each romance KILLS me haha) etc. So, my favorite type of scenes to write are the ones that make me cry. Or laugh. Or take a step back and go, “Wow. I did good!” Whether it be a hot sex scene that makes Mr. B get extra schmexy lovin’ that night, or a fight scene that has me pumped up on the edge of my seat, if it draws up emotion in me, I love it!
Robin Hoode was born into a life of wealth and privilege, complete with a silver spoon in her mouth. Her family didn’t see fit for her chosen profession of a journalist and cut all of her inheritance until she accepted her place in the family business and society, leaving her to fend for herself.
Growing up, she had always been the odd sheep in the family, taking her overly abundance of lunch money and extra food to the homeless and less fortunate in secrecy.
When the mayor taxes the town’s people out of their homes and out on the streets, Robin sees an opportunity to take a stand and give back to the very people whose blood and sweat built their city. Like a thief in the night, Robin Hoode steals from the rich to give to the poor- from the very people she was forced to associate with at the ridiculously priced parties her parents attended throughout her childhood.
Will Scarlett had a great career, owned his own house, and lived a comfortable life… until Mayor Nottingham ruined the blue-collar economy and he lost everything. Forced out of his home, he joins forces with others like him and takes refuge in Sherwood Forest, living a life of serene simplicity. When a nosey little journalist starts poking around in their business threatening their existence with promises of money and supplies, he fights the undeniable attraction and the ache in his jeans to protect their last resort of survival.
John Naylor, or Little John as he was known growing up, has loved Robin as long as he could remember. When she takes notice of him for the first time as the attractive man he has become, John risks it all to help her on her mission. She is soon hunted for the crimes she has committed, and all fingers point towards him. John must fight to prove his innocence, and to win the love he has longed for.
Robin Hoode, princess of thieves- loved by two men with whom fairy tales are made of. Can she choose her prince charming and save the people?
BUY LINK:
HAZEL GOWER: Which type of scene is my favourite? I’d have to say I love to write fight scenes the most. There is nothing better than when the odds are down, the characters are fighting to just hang on, and then the characters get their chance to show what they are made of. A fight scene is the ultimate opportunity for the males to show their Alphaness in all their glory. It’s a chance for the women to show what they are capable of. I feel like they are the scenes that makes or breaks a character, it tells you what they are really about.
Faith York is human, but she has psychic powers, which is a little odd since neither of her parents have paranormal abilities. Thankfully, the werewolf family who lived around the corner help her learn to control her powers. She instantly fell in love with the entire family, but especially Kane, the oldest son who is next in line to be Alpha. Unfortunately, Kane doesn't see Faith the same way she sees him. Heartbroken, she leaves town.
When Faith returns from two years overseas, her parents throw her a welcome home party. Faith is shocked when Kane kidnaps her from the party and mate marks her. Now she struggles with the choice of whether to leave again and live a normal life—a life she yearns for—or stay with the man she's always dreamed of and live a supernatural life.
To complicate matters further, her psychic powers intensify and she begins to have visions of an upcoming demon Armageddon. Then she learns she was switched at birth, and she has a half-brother…who is half demon.
Faith must be stronger than she ever believed possible, and maybe in the process, she can trust herself to give Kane another chance.
BUY LINKS:
Everyone be sure to wish Hazel a Happy Birthday today! :)
