Monday, April 18, 2011
Sex Isn't Always Good
I’m sure some of you are having a heart attack at the title of this blog, but stay with me and I think you’ll feel better. Or not. In the meantime, slide up to a Hooha and try not to faint.
In my craft reading this week, I came across the little tidbit that sex in a story needs to have a purpose. Well, every scene needs to have a purpose, but sex especially. We’re writing Romance, people. Romance involves sex at some point. But not just any sex.
Not every sex scene works or should even be included in the book. Heck, sex doesn’t HAVE to be in the book at all. (Though, if I’m being honest, I don’t want to read a book that doesn’t have at least one sex scene. Ya know?)
In my first MS, my H/H have one night of sex. They have sex more than once, but it covers one night and the next morning and that’s it. Plus, the reader has to stick around long time to get that pay off. While writing the book, this voice in the back of my head kept saying, “No one is going to want to read this unless there’s more sex.”
At that point I’d virtually smack Chance – I kid! In response to this voice, I’d try to find a way to get these two love birds into bed sooner. Nope, couldn’t do it. Didn’t fit the story. So, is it possible someone (or many someones) will tell me it won’t sell because there isn’t enough sex? Yep. Am I going to change it because of that? Nope.
So today is all about when the sex scene doesn’t work.
1) Did the sex complicate anything in the story?
If the answer is no, then what’s the point?
2) Did the sex freak out one or both characters? Reveal feelings previously unexplored?
If the answer is no, then what’s the point?
3) Did the sex solve everything?
If the answer is yes, then what’s the point?
You see a pattern here. Technically, you should ask these kinds of questions for every scene. For every line of dialogue. Hell, just ask “What’s the point?” and if you don’t have an answer, or the answer is “I had this great idea for a line of dialogue so I wrote these five pages to use that one line,” then you might be in deep doo doo.
Not that any of us would ever find ourselves in deep doo doo. We have this ship cleaned regularly and since we got rid of the goats, it’s been much better.
What do you want sex to do in your story? What do you want sex to do for you in a book you’re reading? Are you fine with reading sex that doesn’t seem to play a purposeful part of the story? (I’m not talking Erotica here, that’s a totally different conversation.) Has the way an author handled a sex scene ever made you put a book down? (No naming names here, just a simple yes or no and why, please.)
In my craft reading this week, I came across the little tidbit that sex in a story needs to have a purpose. Well, every scene needs to have a purpose, but sex especially. We’re writing Romance, people. Romance involves sex at some point. But not just any sex.
Not every sex scene works or should even be included in the book. Heck, sex doesn’t HAVE to be in the book at all. (Though, if I’m being honest, I don’t want to read a book that doesn’t have at least one sex scene. Ya know?)In my first MS, my H/H have one night of sex. They have sex more than once, but it covers one night and the next morning and that’s it. Plus, the reader has to stick around long time to get that pay off. While writing the book, this voice in the back of my head kept saying, “No one is going to want to read this unless there’s more sex.”
At that point I’d virtually smack Chance – I kid! In response to this voice, I’d try to find a way to get these two love birds into bed sooner. Nope, couldn’t do it. Didn’t fit the story. So, is it possible someone (or many someones) will tell me it won’t sell because there isn’t enough sex? Yep. Am I going to change it because of that? Nope.
So today is all about when the sex scene doesn’t work.
1) Did the sex complicate anything in the story?If the answer is no, then what’s the point?
2) Did the sex freak out one or both characters? Reveal feelings previously unexplored?
If the answer is no, then what’s the point?
3) Did the sex solve everything?
If the answer is yes, then what’s the point?
You see a pattern here. Technically, you should ask these kinds of questions for every scene. For every line of dialogue. Hell, just ask “What’s the point?” and if you don’t have an answer, or the answer is “I had this great idea for a line of dialogue so I wrote these five pages to use that one line,” then you might be in deep doo doo.
Not that any of us would ever find ourselves in deep doo doo. We have this ship cleaned regularly and since we got rid of the goats, it’s been much better.
What do you want sex to do in your story? What do you want sex to do for you in a book you’re reading? Are you fine with reading sex that doesn’t seem to play a purposeful part of the story? (I’m not talking Erotica here, that’s a totally different conversation.) Has the way an author handled a sex scene ever made you put a book down? (No naming names here, just a simple yes or no and why, please.)
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51 comments:
I was I being virtually smacked? Just what the heck did I do? I don't mind waiting for sex. Hell, I'm the one who starts in the POV that isn't one of the main characters!
I'm so bad.
And I never ask myself those questions...well, a little.
I put in a little tid bit today that I found myself asking "What is the point to this tidbit?"
Because I'm the creator and I wanted it there. At least that is all I'm saying right now. As the pages unwind, I may find a very important reason for this tidbit. If I don't and want to keep the tidbit, I'll make up a reason.
Has a sex scene ever made me put a book down? Well...sorta. But mainly when the people in bed weren't the people I wanted to end up in bed. So, it was more a personal reaction than a plot driven reaction...
In a hotel last week I smiled at one of the waitresses and when taking my order she said "Full English is it luv?". I spluttered in protest and selected scrambled egg on toast. She then responded with "Where's your stamina boyo!"
Sex at breakfast time is a bit like facing the full English ..... you need to work up to it. :lol:
Never dive straight in.Work up to it with charm and wit. Seduce the lady with words, fine cuisine and champaign while undressing her with your eyes and mind.
How about that. I'm out of time again. Just as I was getting up steam!
Can you tell me which page to go to Bosun, so I can prepare myself. *grin*
Terri, I think "what's the point?" is a great mantra, for any scene. Of course, you may not know the point until you get to the revision stage, and that's when you realize it isn't serving the purpose you'd hoped for.
Great food for thought while I'm working on revisions today. :)
I agree about the "what's the point?" And, I think, if the answer doesn't have something directly relating to the central conflict, it's probably not good enough for the story.
Sex scenes. I don't add that many true sex scenes. I do some kissing and petting and lead up. Teases, if you will. Because--and maybe I'm a prude here--I want both my hero and heroine to know that sex between them is important. So, even the lead up is going to freak them out. The first kiss between them should be explosive, should have them questioning every other kiss they've ever had. And when they start letting down their boundaries (ie, start getting their nekkid on) then I want them to feel vulnerable and exposed emotionally as well as physically.
Because, for me, in romance, sex is a metaphor as well as a physical act.
No smacking, Chance. That was just a little joke in the middle. You need to read sloooooower.
You can make up all the reasons you want, but if it doesn't reveal something, explain something, establish something (not established prior), or create conflict, then it's a scene that isn't needed. No matter how much you love it.
See, this is where the hard love comes into play. The "Kill your darlings". It's HARD, but so is writing, as Hellie likes to preach. The ultimate goal is a good story, not writing fun or cute or dark scenes for the sake of writing them. If you want to do that, keep a journal.
Wow, I need to put more sugar in my tea or something.
Man, those English are serious about their breakfast. It IS the most important meal of the day. I just nuked a frozen scrambed eggs thingy and I'm pretty sure no eggs were harmed in the making of that meal.
That's exactly right, Q, you must work your way up to these things. My heroine is a single mom, so there's no "I'm free every night, just come on over." Then she's adamently scared of getting involoved. I'm sorry, but sex IS getting involved.
The character motivations must work for the sex scene. There's nothing I hate more than when an author establishes a character to be one thing and then has them behaving in absolute contrast to who they are.
So in answer to my last question, yes. I read a book once and how the heroine reacted after the sex pissed me off so bad, I tossed the book. Refuse to read that author again.
Maybe I shouldn't be permitted to blog on PMS weeks. LOL! A little extra sugar isn't helping, is it?
Donna - I'd rather have an idea what I want to accomplish with a scene, how it works for the story when I do the first draft, then go back and add needed scenes later. For me, I hate to feel as if I've wasted my time.
Now, I have cut major amounts of writing, and that writing almost always served the purpose of teaching me something I needed to know about the characters or the story. BUT, I really try to make sure the scenes I write in the first pass are really necessary and then I can go in during revisions, find the scenes I didn't realize I needed before, and add them in.
It's a "work smarter not harder" thing for me. LOL! YMMV, as always.
*high 5's Marn*
All so true. Though I doubt I consciously think of them as metaphors, I'm not that good a writer. At least not yet. But if you can write the sex scene to sort of mirror other parts of the story, that's really good. I'm guessing.
My heroine tends to babble when she's nervous, so when they finally have sex, she's talking way too much and he has to tell her to stop. Then he does a few things that make it impossible for her to talk. LOL!
I forgot to answer Q's page question. I'm not sure of the page number, but if you start around page one, you'll get the full build up. ;)
Love those questions and they are so appropriate for me right now since I'm currently in the middle of my first ever sex scene.
The sex scene that will not end!
Seriously. I'm writing a post about it on my blog. It's like I just can't let them get it on! I know this scene is going to end up being torn to shreds and rewritten, but I have to keep going just to finish one for the first time. It's like being a virgin all over again! I'm too scared to get to the big moment. :)
It's okay, Scapey. Keep breathing. You can do it. And I'm sure your charcters don't mind that it won't end. LOL! They must be the happiest characters ever!
The first sex scene I ever wrote was for my short Erotic Romance. It was very late and I had to turn all the lights out. LOL! Once the house was quiet and dark and silent, the scene just flowed. After that, it gets easier.
The first time is always the most nerve wracking. ;)
awesome blog, Ter! I'm one of those readers who prefers the first sex scene to come late rather than early (no pun intended :)) I enjoy the build up more than the sex, I think. Or maybe it's just that I miss the tension after the first sex scene.
Though of course, in my WIP, the first sex scene comes on page 65. I think these questions are all excellent ones for every sex scene (because, I agree, it needs to either complicate something or reveal something). But I also think that the earlier and more often the sex scenes come, the more vital these questions get.
oh god. I remember trying to write that first sex-scene. It was exactly three sentences. hahaha.
All good points, Hal. I'm sure some writer will read this blog and think, "You can wait 250 pages to let your characters have sex but good luck selling that book to an editor." Which is fair. But I'm not willing to compromise and write sex that doesn't fit my story or my character. Not saying that has to go for everyone.
I say if it fits the characters and your story and you can write eight sex scenes, all of them serving a purpose (or a couple even just for fun) then by golly, go for it. Nora Roberts manages to sprinkle sex throughout her books and every scene feels like it belongs. I only wish I had the skill to do that.
Three sentences? That's premature something. LOL!
At this point I wish it was 3 sentences! I feel like I'm trying to throw everything and the kitchen sink into this first encounter. I've literally been writing this scene for the last 4 times I've sat down to write.
My poor hero must have the worst case of blue balls already. LOL
Ter, I'm with you. I'd way rather read a scene that's organic to the story/characters, than one that's there because that's what editors want.
That's the decision every writer has to make, I guess. Do you write what you think will get you pubbed, or write what you want to write and hope someday it will be pubbed? I still have faith that there are editors out there more interested in story than sex.
A great blog, Ter!
I've found that "What's the point?" is a question that I need to answer for every scene. Maybe I'm just a self-indulgent writer, but it's easy for me to fall in love with the words. I've become a professional murderer when it comes to killing my darlings. Sometimes I feel as if I spend as much time destroying scenes that fail to advance the story as I do writing.
Yes, I have thrown books at the wall and given up on authors who either seem to add sex scenes according to some formula or to send their characters to bed anytime the author doesn't know what to do with them. To my surprise, I have three sex scenes in my first ms. But they are very different from one another, and each marks a different stage in the H/H relationship. I'm fairly certain I'll only have one sex scene in the other two books. Neither of which is yet complete.
I can think of several NYT bestsellers whose books have little to no sex. I think some readers prefer such books. I think more readers are just looking for a good story and have no preconceived notions about the amount of sex.
I do worry that you kill more darlings than necessary, Janga. As you are your worse critic. Or perhaps your INNER critic is the worst of all. That's one vicious birch.
If you really look at the best sellers, you see it's the story that matters. I still believe that. But it gets frustrating when so many of those "What I'm looking for..." notes from editors include the "steamier the better" sentiment.
Or my own insecurity is only remembering those ones...
I want sex to ADD to the story (and by "add" I mean, contribute, not the acronym for ADD, which seems to also be a lot of sex scenes nowadays, what with the virginal heroine who suddenly as soon as sex is introduced is more well read on the subject than the hero is--and I feel that the writer couldn't commit to a personality type to tell their story.)
I want more sexual tension than sex. I know that sex shouldn't solve the problems (since it never does), but a lot of the time, the tension that was there BEFORE the sex seems to disappear entirely and I hate that! I think sex should be put off as long as possible AND that once it is introduced, you should make sure there is still enough tension to not make us regret the characters having sex. *LOL*
I love Elizabeth Hoyt's detail and hotness--and tension, but I really enjoyed--loved loved loved--Kristan Higgins' My One and Only, which only had like 2 sex scenes and they weren't so much sex scenes as on one page and out the other, but you didn't feel like you missed anything. I guess there wasn't odes of description of how hot the hero was; however, I didn't miss it. I got to read odes and odes about his gypsy eyes and that was just as hot.
Both writers are very different, but both are very good about making sure the sex is contributing to the conflict and the story.
Ah, if I could but do the same!
BUT, I really try to make sure the scenes I write in the first pass are really necessary and then I can go in during revisions, find the scenes I didn’t realize I needed before, and add them in.
Your world always sound so interesting, Bo'sun. I think fairies and unicorns must live there.
How can you even sit down to write a scene if you have no idea why you're writing it and what you intend to accomplish with it! If you don't know those things, then you're just rambling.
NOT that there's anything wrong with rambling, I guess, but I could never do that.
Very interesting about Hoyt and Higgins both being authors you love and both having very different approaches to sex scenes. I've heard nothing but awesome things about both those authors, and someday I'll read them. LOL!
Ah, if only I could find time to read!
Not all rambling is bad. I think most writers start with either a beginning or the end--though I think a lot of writers tend to write with the end first. The book I'm reading now--she said she thought of the end first and had no idea how she'd get there, but she just started writing. *shrugs*
I think the reason many writers think of the end first is because it's that BIG EMOTIONAL BLACK MOMENT and the bigger and more emotional something is, the more vivid it is to us, the better we can envision it. If you have a clear picture of your destination, you have a better chance of being able to find your way there. There's a difference between imagining a big hole in the ground and the Grand Canyon. (So to speak.)
But imagining that one scene isn't the same as planning out all my scenes needed to write the story. And granted I usually do spend a lot of time trying to figure out where the beginning is, though lots of people end up writing a lot of stuff and just going on, then coming back to cut it out.
I think it was just the way you worded it, Bo'sun. As if any writing beyond the facts was a waste of writing effort. Just because you don't use it in the confines of your story doesn't mean it didn't contribute to the story. Doesn't mean you didn't need to write it. That's like saying all the boys you dated before you met your husband weren't necessary. Might have been nice, but then again, how would you know you met the right guy if you hadn't dated all those idiots before?
From my own comment...
Now, I have cut major amounts of writing, and that writing almost always served the purpose of teaching me something I needed to know about the characters or the story. BUT, I really try to make sure the scenes I write in the first pass are really necessary...
Right here I admit that when I had to cut, it still served a purpose. And I'm not suggesting every scene be planned months in advance. The scene may have just come to the writer 30 seconds ago, but asking the "What am I aiming for here?" question all of 10 seconds before putting fingers on keyboard can be beneficial.
That's all I'm suggesting. This is how *I* approach it. Clearly I'm not always successful, but anytime I've given a task, be it laundry, balancing an invoice, or writing a chapter, my brain's immediate response is "What's the most efficient way for me to do this?"
I'm guessing it comes from years of working in an office and not doing traditionally creative things.
Dude, my idea of most efficient way to deal with laundry is to leave it in the damned basket. You're only going to wear it and dirty it up again anyway.
And I've worked in this office for 11 years and other offices for a few more besides. I'm always trying to color up Dr. B's letters. Part of me wishes I would be slightly less of a rebellious wingnut so I could work more happily in a business setting. I don't understand why business and creativity have to be so mutually exclusive. Or it seems to feel that way.
But I also realize I work in an area that isn't as uptight as other areas where business is conducted. I realize I'm lucky even as they make me insane. I also realize that technically speaking I probably have more business ideals than a lot of the people I work with, which is actually pretty terrifying.
I'm trying to figure out what my brain's first response is. Probably "How can I get this done as quickly as possible?" (which I prefer to the word "efficient" which makes me think of someone who wants to get as much work done as possible--and that's not my goal. My goal is to get it done so I can get back to loafing around.) Anyway, "how can I get this done as quickly as possible?" figures out the max I can probably write is 4 pages before my brain starts rebelling; I can write 4 pages in an hour if the scene is fun--so the question should be "how can I make this scene fun to write?" even if the scene is about crying or death. Fun, I guess, is meaning how do I make the words flow fastest...that's when writing is most fun for me, when I'm actually writing.
I belong to that adage of "I prefer having had written than writing itself." *LOL* I like going, "Look, I wrote this many pages!" rather than sitting in the middle of a scene going, "Oh, what a blast!"
Oh, you're one of those. LOL!
I use efficient because I want it done fast but I want it done RIGHT. I never want to have to do something more than once if I can help it. (Considering writing is re-writing, makes you wonder WTH I'm doing trying to be a writer.)
With the office stuff, I meant my brain doesn't lean toward free-flow creativity. It never has. If I had that tendency, then rambling and exploring and meandering might happen. But I'm not wired that way so that's when my brain would rebel. Or shut off and refuse to speak to me again.
When a scene is working and feels like it's writing itself, I find it fun. I love the accomplishment of seeing the page/word count go up, but the act has to be fun for me. I know myself well enough to know if it isn't fun, I'd walk away and never do it. (Also the reason I never took summers off in either college experience. Afraid I'd never go back.)
I liked the new Higgins a lot too, Hellie, and I agree that she does a great job of creating sexual tension. Julie James is another writer who is superb at using sexual tension with little to none of the graphix sex scenes.
Hoyt is always the first writer I think of when the topic of hot but integral sex scenes is discussed. Toni Blake is another who writes really steamy scenes, but they are always used to advance the story in some way. I love books by Hoyt and Blake, but I know I'm never going to write that hot. :)
Oh, you’re one of those. LOL!
Yes, the perpetual college student. I've gotten better since I have my own place and have places to put stuff. (That was part of the problem.) But when I unloaded the laundry Sunday, most of my folded stuff got chucked on top of the dresser rather than hung up or put within in. After all, I was likely to wear it this week anyway and keeps dust from collecting.
Janga, I'm with you. I love Hoyt but know I'd never be in that league. (But that's okay; I think some of that writing must be exhausting! *LOL*) I think I'd like to write more like Higgins, only without the dogs. I mean, I loved Coco--I almost wanted a Coco by the time I finished reading, but sometimes I feel dogs or children are added to stories to make sure we all know that the heroine is a likable person, since clearly if you don't like pets, you're not likable.
I hate wrinkled clothes. With a passion. (Oddly, I also refuse to iron.) I'm constantly yelling at kiddo to stop wadding up clean clothes all over her room.
Good thing we live more than a thousand miles apart.
I have a dog in the current WIP. Prepare yourself now.
Thank God for wrinkle releaser!
I have dogs and kids, Hellie. :)
I don't iron either. But again, I'm usually wearing a tshirt. Most of my stuff is folded--it just stays in the basket. When I'm at the laundrymat, I'll take the extra 10 minutes to fold it. Sheesh. I just won't put them away later. Which is dumb because they're literally sitting inches from where they need to be to be away.
I'm braced. It's not a sheep dog is it? I mean I loved Linda Lael Miller's last book--it was wonderful--hated the dog. And the dog didn't do anything wrong. It was just ugly. Looked/sounded like a drooler.
Oh, you fold them. Thank goodness. I thought you meant they come out of the dryer in a heap and stay that way until you wear them. I've been known to let the stack linger outside of the closet longer than I should. But they must be folded!
He's a mutt. Doesn't have a name yet, but I'm working on it. He might slobber, but not likely.
You can make up all the reasons you want, but if it doesn’t reveal something, explain something, establish something (not established prior), or create conflict, then it’s a scene that isn’t needed. No matter how much you love it.
Uh uh. I can make a good scene work and build a reason for it to stay after I finish the book. Done it before. When you aren't a deep plotter, it's about letting the scenes lead the way and open up more possibilities for where the book will go.
May not work for a deep plotter, but for a wings on the ass sort of writer, it does.
So there!
I do like how we've segued to laundry as a metaphor for writing. That is what we did here, right? Well, you three did!
;-)
It's like buying stuff... I see something and think to myself, "That will work as a costume piece." And I buy it. Not sure when it will, or what I'll put with it. But I buy it. And I've been right 95% of the time. I find the right thing to pair it with, to see it make sense and be a coherent part of what I'm portraying when I wear it.
Ok. It isn't a laundry reference, but it is clothing!
I have dogs and kids, Hellie.
And that's why you're so goshdarned lovable, Janga!! Me, not so much. *LOL*
Yes, Downy Wrinkle Releaser is some of the best stuff ever invented! :)
I'm a little tired. How is laundry like writing again? Mine laundry like my writing is massively, massively wrinkled? Is that what you're saying? Because that's sounds like what you're saying.
Like I would ever say that?! I know better!
No, sorta like how some people have to fold it and organize while others leave it out knowing they'll use it soon... So scenes can sometimes be left out and not fit in perfectly, because they'll be used...
Sigh. Metaphors aren't my big thing...but I think I know what I mean...
I want more sexual tension than sex. I know that sex shouldn’t solve the problems (since it never does), but a lot of the time, the tension that was there BEFORE the sex seems to disappear entirely and I hate that!
I like this. So true.
Let's not talk about laundry. It's depressing.
I haven't seen the iron in years. I'm not sure we own one.
My heroine tends to babble when she’s nervous, so when they finally have sex, she’s talking way too much and he has to tell her to stop. Then he does a few things that make it impossible for her to talk. LOL!
I like this. First sexual encounters that are totally perfect are totally unrealistic. Not that it should be awful for either party...just real.
I'm a big fan of a long build-up of sexual tension, culminating in hawt sex. In fact, I'd prefer it if the protagonists weren't immediately hot and bothered for each other. Instead, I like a mild interest that builds steadily.
My first book is sans teh sex. In the sequel, however, sex happens and it's a major complication.
In my paranormal romance, the protagonists don't meet until chapter four. The sex scene happens more than half way through the story. The scene is a turning point, not only in their relationship, but in their approach to the antagonist. After that, there's a mention of them having sex, but it happens off screen.
I get assigned a new project and y'all go off without me. I love that about this ship.
Keep telling yourself that, Chance. And I love the "wings on the ass" monacher. LOL! Seems to fit you.
Is it bad that I leave the laundry in the dryer for days, turning them on to dewrinkle with the intention of folding and then forgetting about them yet again?
That probably relates closer to my writing than I want to think about.
P. Kirby - Here here! Even if the couple are not virgins, which mine never are since I write contemp (I KNOW there can be virgins in contemps, but not *my* contemps), the sex should never be perfect the first time. I mean, in my MS, it's good for them. Once they get going. But that's not the easiest thing to fall into with someone and the more feelings and fears are involved, it's even worse. The scene should reflect that.
Let's here if for the "No sex until past the halfway point" writers! *raises glass*
Let me see, in The Ship's Mistress I had a gang sex scene in the first chapter... ;-)
Don't you love that unwrinkle setting on the dryer? Though it generally doesn't work all that well with me. And the dewrinkle spray doesn't seem to help me out much either... I probably need a new dryer.
Did you miss the note that this conversation is not including Erotica? LOL! (I swear, sometimes I wonder how fast you read this stuff.)
Mine only works if I pull them out while they're still hot, then fold and press out the wrinkles. Never got that wrinkle spray to work for me either, but I rarely if ever buy a piece of clothing that will need ironing. In fact, I can adore a shirt, but if it's a material I know I'd have to iron, I won't buy it.
Yeah, but I had to throw that in...
I want the wrinkle spray to work for collars and cuffs for the husband's shirts. I'm with you, don't buy clothes that need ironing generally. In fact I've tried things on, sat down and then stood to see if they wrinkle. If they do, they go back on the hanger.
I still think the clothing/laundry metaphor works.
This blog is fabulous. Where else could I find out how to increase sexual tension in my story and launder my clothes wrinkle free at the same time?!!!
Ter, sounds like you do laundry the way I do. Wash, dry and re-dry as you need the articles in the dryer! I'm gonna have to look into the Downey Wrinkle Releaser.
Hellie - I have kids and 2 dogs and one of them is a sheepdog! Although, I get her shaved down a lot so she looks like a furry white and gray lab. I do agree that unless you groom them often (we're talking $85-$95 a pop, which I do maybe once or twice a year) they just look scuzzy.
I've read several books (Westerns) just recently where the first time sex wasn't that great, but the heroine was okay with it. It was cool cause as the relationship between the H/H improved and gained intimacy so did the sex scenes. The first time wasn't great and a little uncomfortable but not as bad as anticipated and after that it was just routine until they grew together as a couple. I thought it was very well done in both cases.
Reading tips AND domestic tips. We got it all in here, Irish. LOL! I'm proud to say I finally folded the clothes in the dryer. They were washed last Friday night. :)
I think Janga meant she has kids and dogs in her books, but she could have them both at home too. LOL! I always think of you when Hellie razzes on sheepdogs. I think they're cute and I've never thought of them as droolers. Does yours drool, Irish?
That sounds perfect for a Western. She's possibly heard horror stories, but those frontier women were made of strong stuff. They faced scary things head on. (No pun intended.) The way you describe it sounds like how LaVyrle Spencer handled the subject in Years (I think that's the one.) The heroine is like a mail-order bride and it took a lot for the couple to learn to love each other.
Years was the schoolteacher one. I think it was something that started with an E--endearment, enchantment? What the hell was it? Crap now I have to look.
The Endearment. I looked. That's the mail-order bride one (unless she had more than one, which is quite possible. But I know Years was the schoolteacher one. Very Laura Ingalls Wilder.)
Glancing through some of the descriptions--The Fulfillment makes me want to spew soda at my screen. HOLY CRAP how do you get past conflict like that? WTF.
The Endearment, of course. I should have looked it up but I'm lazy. Now I can't remember the premise of The Fulfillment. I'll look that up....later. LOL!
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