Bringing Books to Life

Our five senses are stimulated in many ways every day. For each of us one sense plays a dominant role in how we relate to things around us. Some are more auditory. Others are more tactile-oriented. Count me among those who are visually-oriented learners. As a writer I take countless visual cues from my surroundings and daily exposures when fomenting plots and creating characters. While flipping through a fashion magazine and spotting a chartreuse-and-cream paisley scarf, I conjure the type of character who would wear such an accessory. As I pass a handsome guy in the local mall, I mentally create a prototype of a hero, his beliefs, background, world view, motivation, etc. This is one of the reasons I carry a writing tablet with me everywhere. Notes made now cue visual images later.

When I’m reading a romance novel, part of my enjoyment stems from being able to envision the hero, heroine and secondary characters. I prefer having some of the descriptive details left to my imagination. Same goes for the story setting. It’s a great deal of fun figuring out what the hero’s apartment looks like. How he dresses. If he’s the type whose trousers are creased or casually wrinkled. As I turn the pages, words provide me clues, but I play the detective and keep my mind’s eye wide open. Each story I’ve written, even those I wrote during childhood, has always played out in my mind as would a movie. Frame by frame, the action unfolds. Much as I must see the images clearly to put them on the page, I must also hear the dialogue in order to write the characters’ words. Even after I write the passages of dialogue, I read them aloud and assume the character role. If during those reviewing stages I cannot visualize something clearly, or stumble while reading the words, I immediately know something isn’t right and start revising.

One of the most fun mediums I’ve found to challenge and harness my creativity is a book video. Finding the pictures and audio clips that will give readers a glimpse of what my stories are about, and captioning those frames to provide an overview of the storyline, is quite a treasure hunt. Readers get a peek at my vision for the story.

Recently I designed a book video for my latest erotic historical romance with Ellora’s Cave, TORMENTED. Hope you all enjoy watching my novel come to life.

Have You Ever Been Tormented?



Wishing you many happy reading moments,

Shawna Moore
TORMENTED – Ellora’s Cave
ROUGHRIDER – Ellora’s Cave
HELLE IN HEELS – Ellora’s Cave
TO HELLE AND BACK AGAIN – Coming to EC in 2009
Shawna’s Myspace
Helle’s Myspace

Getting Sensual About Love

The graphic heading of my blog post struck a chord deep within me as a writer and woman who embraces romantic love. When writing scenes between our heroes and heroines, especially after they’ve realized their attraction, I enjoy employing the five senses to add depth, heighten sexual tension and strengthen the “love” connection between them. While we who write fiction delight in letting our fantasies and imagination take flight, I’ve found that tapping into real-life romantic memories and events provides the ultimate in romantic richness. Remember your first kiss? Did his hot breath tickle your face as his lips sought yours? Were his fingers content combing through your wild-tangled hair as you paused during a walk along the beach. Waves breaking and bubbling over your toes. Sand shifting and holding you tight—but not nearly as tight as your special guy. Salt air tickling your nose. The pleasant piquancy of lingering spices from the candlelit Italian dinner as his mouth explores yours. Moans rattling in his throat as you playfully tackle him to the carpet. Rose petals clinging to your skin and his as you awaken on crisp white sheets in a getaway suite meant for lovers.

These are some of the images and moments that came to mind as I pondered the picture. Of course, the woman in the graphic is so deeply in love with her significant other that she wants a part of him to remain even when he is not at her side. A combining of the sensual sort, if you will, as she breathes him in.

Last week I invited you all to share your thoughts and pick a hero for the romance you are writing. The responses were great, and I’ll confess the man who wins the heart of my heroine is Hunk #2. His eyes told me so much about him. He’s a bit of a daredevil but one with a playful and caring nature. He’ll devour the plate of nachos she prepared for him while shouting his favorite football team to victory. Later, after their sexy soak in the hot tub, he’ll show his appreciation for her love and culinary talent by treating her to a massage that blows her mind and melts all stress.


What about you, readers? Do you enjoy vicariously living and experiencing all that is sensual in the romance novels you read?

Wishing you all many happy reading moments,

Shawna Moore
TORMENTED -- Ellora's Cave (MUST-READ from Dark Angel Reviews)
ROUGHRIDER -- Ellora's Cave
HELLE IN HEELS -- Ellora's Cave
Shawna's Myspace
Helle's Myspace

Turn up the Heat! workshop

Turn Up the Heat! Heightening Sexual Tension and Sensuality in Your Manuscript

Presenter: Nicole North

Date: May 1 - 31

Description: Editors want to buy spicy-hot romance stories now more than ever before. How do you do it? In this class we will discuss all aspects of sexual tension and sensuality and how they relate to the developing romance in your story. You'll learn tips for successfully building sexual tension over the course of the hero and heroine's relationship from first glance, through climax, to happily ever after. Several examples will be used to illustrate different nuances of hot romantic chemistry and how to employ them in your own story. Learn how to avoid clichés and use sexiness in fresh new ways. Strengthening sexual tension will take your story from ho-hum to so hot and delicious your reader can't put it down. We'll do exercises for hands-on learning. (Please be aware this course contains explicit and frank discussions of sexuality.)

**Topics covered**
Using the five senses more effectively
Sexy talk
Word choice
First kiss
Foreplay
First love scene
How to rebuild sexual tension after sex
Why point of view is important
Hot characters
Combining physical attraction and emotion
Body language
Differences between romance and erotic romance
Revising to make a sensual romance manuscript spicy or erotic

Fun Extras
Visual inspiration
Multimedia examples and exercises

About the presenter: Nicole North writes sensual and erotic romance novels and novellas. She is the author of "Devil in a Kilt" a novella in Red Sage Secrets Volume 27, due out next year. She has finaled in over a dozen writing competitions and won several awards. She admits sexual tension is her favorite element of romance and sprinkles it liberally through her stories. What others have said about her works: "This author handles sexual tension very well. Her characters are completely drawn to each other..." and "Wow! Talk about sexual chemistry. This story has it in spades. You’re a natural in the romantic chemistry department." Please visit her website to learn more and read past student testimonials: http://www.nicolenorth.com/ on the workshops page.

Deadline to register: April 28

Fee: $10 CHRW members; $15 non-members. RWA Membership isn't required; anyone can take our courses. Celtic Hearts members receive 2 free workshops a year.

Where to sign up: http://www.celtichearts.org/chwksp.html
Please fill out the online form.

Thank you for considering our workshops!!