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Seduce me ’til I melt

By Georgia Lyn on March 1, 2015 in Blog, My Ramblings
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Writing tension in romance.

When I was asked to do this blog as a challenge, the first thing to hit me was panic. I can write sexual awareness between hero and heroine well enough without thinking about it, but put a label on it and the well dries up…

Okay, let me take a little gander at a gem of an idea unraveling itself. The relationship between a man and a woman is one of the most complex to exist. It’s all about taking two people with different wants and needs, and merging them into one path.

In the world of romance, so many little things must take place and be set in motion for any tension to be built up between H/h. From the moment that first meeting happens, the reader must be drawn to the couple, feel the instant connection. You must know, feel that these two were meant to be together. Every single look, every single touch, and every sense, is played upon. The way they move, react to each other draws the reader in.

 ♥

To give a little example, I’m pulling a snippet from the top of my head…

The early tension between H/h.

848207657l“I can’t believe she grabbed his crotch in front of everyone in the bar. I still shudder at that little display,” Aly said to her friend, pulling her face in distaste as she set a tray of baked cookies on the counter.

“At least when you shudder this time, it will be for all the right reasons.” At the low resonant tone, she almost dropped the tray.

Aly wheeled around and stared into warm hazel eyes. Her friend had disappeared and Jack Connors stood a mere inch away. He was back from wherever his job as a photographer took him. The same lazy smile lingered on his incredible mouth. One she dreamed about from the moment she realized he was more than just her brother’s friend.

Jack leaned in, and she waited in breathless anticipation. But he merely reached past her, his tanned hand snagging a cookie. Leaning against the counter, he took a bite of his biscuit and studied her. “What have you been up to, princess?”

Now, lets dissect this paragraph. Below is a walk through of how I created the early developing awareness between H/h using the five senses.

       “I still shudder at that little display,” Aly (heroine) said to her friend, pulling her face in distaste as she set a tray of baked cookies on the counter.

      “At least when you shudder this time, it will be for all the right reasons.” At the low resonant tone, she almost dropped the tray.

Hearing. Already you experience the tension the moment she hears his voice. Her reaction? The fact she nearly drops her tray, shows you her hands are shaking, the shock. And you can bet her hearts pounding like a drumroll.

      Aly wheeled around and stared into warm hazel eyes.

Notice, she swings to him, not turns. Her reaction’s instantaneous. When she faces him, he stares at her with warmth. He could have stood anywhere and announced himself, but he chooses to stand not just behind her, but so close that when she turns, her chest brushes his. His voice lowered, he makes his announcement. And in this way you see he’s definitely interested, even though his words to her are playful, teasing.

        The same lazy smile lingered on his incredible mouth. One she dreamed about from the moment she realized he was more than just her brother’s friend. He leaned in, and she waited in breathless anticipation.

Another use of senses. Sight. Heroine zooms onto a feature of his that draws her in. Then stretching the moment, adding to the tension as she waits.

      ‘But he merely reached past her, his tanned hand snagging a cookie. Leaning against the counter, he took a bite of his biscuit and studied her. “What have you been up to, princess?”

This has not just verbal interaction of awareness, but the usage of eye contact and body language. And when he leans in she thinks finally, only he filched a cookie. But his action shows he’s reacting to her on a deeper level, by watching her, a level filled with awareness.

Always remember as the plot progresses, you have to up the stakes. Dig deeper, heat things up between H/h.

Now, the scene leading to the moment everyone waits for.romantic-photos-of-kisses-part4-rain12

       Sister, that’s how he saw her, and alway would. Disappointment like a heavy lead ball rolled back into her tummy.

     “Work…stuff.” Distance was alway best when Jack was around. For her sanity anyway. Aly edged back, needing to leave, when his arm snuck around her waist, startling her. 

      He drew her close. “Where are you going?” 

     Trapped by the intensity of his stare, she became aware of her own thudding heartbeat. Not a hint of a smile on his tempting mouth now.

      “Home. I’m leaving.”

       His gaze dropped to her lips, lingered. “Good. I’ll drive you.”

      “Why?”

      Slowly, he looked back at her. “Because I’m done waiting.”

Now the stakes are upped, and tension’s wired you hard and fast, you need more.

     Sister, that’s how he saw her, and alway would. Disappointment like a heavy lead ball rolled back into her tummy.

   “Work…stuff.” Distance was alway best when Jack was around. For her sanity anyway. Aly edged back, needing to leave, when his arm snuck around her waist, startling her. 

      He drew her close. “Where are you going?” 

     Trapped by the intensity of his stare, she became aware of her own thudding heartbeat. Not a hint of a smile on his tempting mouth now.

With a look alone, instinctively as the reader you feel the change in their relationship. It’s why with romance novels all emotions are exaggerated. It’s to grip the reader and draw them into this sensual experience, making you a part of it.

      “Home. I’m leaving.”

       His gaze dropped to her lips, lingered. “Good. I’ll drive you.”

       “Why?”

       Slowly, he looked back at her. “Because I’m done waiting.”

Dialogue heightens the sexual tension. When the hero and the heroine are together you must see sparks fly, whether by eye contact, or by a casual touch of their hands. And when he looks at her, a profound feeling must steal over both heroine and reader, their emotional impact felt. This puts all the key elements in place and you feel the sexual, and emotional tension between them. You wait eagerly for that first kiss, first touch, because you know when it happens, it’s sure to be explosive.

So there you have it. Remember it’s all a matter of making sure to raise the stakes after each encounter, to build up on sexual tension leading to that first moment of intimacy. Better yet, and so much easier when as a writer you just let your characters guide you along. They’ll often show you what they want.

Happy writing ♥

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