Karen Sandler has written eight Silhouette Special Editions since 2002. Her March release, His Miracle Baby was read, enjoyed and reviewed recently here at TGTBTU. In May, Her Miracle Man hits the shelves, and I’ll be reading it. In this post, Karen takes on a topic near and dear to romance readers (on the page anyway): Sex.
Sex and the Special Edition
by Karen Sandler
So, what do you want in your romance novel? A steamy, sexy page-turner where your hero and heroine spend more time in bed than out? A sensual romp so hot that during every scene you’re fanning yourself with the book?
Or would you rather read about the hero and heroine’s emotional journey, where their physical union becomes a soul-deep connection between them? A book where their growing love leads in a natural way to lovemaking,a joyful climax that transcends the physical?
If what you’re looking for is the latter–plenty of emotion, a story that touches your heart, that reaches inside you, then get thee to a Special Edition. If you want to fall in love with the hero, wish the heroine was your own best friend, then SSEs are the books for you. Because although SSEs do contain fully described love scenes, the lovemaking between hero and heroine retains an emotional tone throughout. Sex scenes in an SSE go beyond mere titillation, reaching instead for the heart.
While I’m writing a book, if the scene I’m working on seems flat, the prescription to correct the problem is always the same–add more emotion. Find the emotional spark that’s missing between the hero and heroine, intensify it, layer it with complexity. I firmly believe what truly keeps a romance reader flipping those pages is the emotional content, not the steamy sexy parts. Or rather those steamy, sexy parts have a hundred times the impact when the emotional component is there, when the reader cares so fervently about the hero and heroine they can’t put the book down until the HEA.
And that is exactly what SSEs provide. Whether done with a light touch of humor or with dark and heartrending angst, emotion is the glue that holds the story together. You may need to have a box of tissues ready as you read, but Special Editions will always provide a satisfying experience.
Over to you, readers and commenters. Thoughts, opinions?
Read any good love scenes in a SSE lately? Who would you go to for heat? For sweet?
Sex without emotion can be so boring. Sometimes I feel like authors are checking off a checklist of sex acts. It may be athletic but its not enough.
The thing I find interesting about SSEs is that the heat level varies a bit. Some are pretty much vague and fade to black, others have hotter, more detailed scenes (the way I like it!).
I’ll be difficult and say both. Love the “sensual romps” – but like Devon said, without the emotion and connection of the characters, it just doesn’t work. I find myself getting distracted , thinking “they just met each other!” “That would be so awkward” – etc. However, once the relationship is established- details are good ;-).
I tend to go for the heat, but I can do sweet as well. I don’t even mind if the book starts off with a bang, so to speak, but if that seems like the basis for their connection, if the relationship isn’t developed in other ways, it’s just bleh. It’s like, have a conversation dammit! Something…
Well, I would say that whether full of emotion or full of body parts I like a romance that is well written. If they are expressed in a bland, repetitive way they turn me off rather than on.
I love the premise of His Miracle Baby (I’m a sucker for baby stories), need to pick it up!
If sex moves the story along and helps to develop the characters relationships it is important in books.
xoxoxo
I like reading sex/love scenes with emotion in romances and even in erotica.
OH.. can’t you have sweet with heat? 🙂 Last SSE that I read was Taming the Playboy by Marie Ferrarella. I’d have to put the love scene as more heat than sweet.