~ ~ ~

Okay, first, remember that a kiss is much, much more than just lips. It is lips, but also tongues, teeth, eyes, faces, hands, noses, bodies, heartbeats, breath, voice- and most importantly, a kiss is emotions. A kiss without emotion is just wet mushy lips stuck together. Ew. Gross. The most important part of a kiss isn’t the how, but the who- because of the emotions between the two people.

Lips- Lips can slide, glide over each other smoothly, or they can be chapped and rough and dry and get stuck on each other. They can match, top-to-top and bottom-to-bottom, or they can overlap, with one person’s top or bottom lip captured between the other person’s lips (yummy). If there is lipstick or chapstick there is lipstick or chapstick flavor, otherwise, lips don’t have a taste (can you taste yours?). Lips also can smack- the sound of two of them coming together or pulling apart, because they’re wet and warm and soft.

Tongue- Tongues are always wet, and always warm. They’re very versatile. They can trace over lips, teeth, or another tongue. They can be smooth and graceful or teasing and flicking. When tongues are involved, there is drool. It’s only sexy when you like the person you’re kissing, or else it’s kinda gross.

Teeth- teeth can clack together awkwardly, or teeth can bite down sensually. A person biting their own lip is cute, a person biting another’s lips is sexy. A person biting gently is sensual, a person biting roughly is sexual.

Eyes- Eyes can be wide open with surprise, half-lidded with desire, fully closed with pleasure. Eyes can gaze lovingly, lustfully, wistfully, hungrily, seductively- it all depends upon the emotions of your characters. Have them do whatever you like, but don’t leave them out- give them at least a mention!

Faces- Faces are what the lips are attached to. Noses bump, cheeks flush, ears turn red, foreheads either wrinkle or relax. Kisses can leave lips, quite easily, and become kisses on chins, cheeks, noses, foreheads, ears, necks, throats. Kisses on noses or foreheads are cute and adorable, kisses on cheeks are sweet, kisses on chins, ears, and throats are very sexual. And a kiss on the lips can be all of those!

Hands- Hands are super-important. In order to describe a kiss, usually you want to also describe the hands. Where are they? Does one character have their hand behind the other’s head or back, holding them close? Are they on someone’s shoulders pulling them near, or pushing them away? Fingers brushing someone’s cheek or palms grabbing someone’s ass convey two very different kinds of situations, even if the kiss itself is exactly the same.

Noses- Noses are annoying. They easily get in the way, especially for first kisses! People have to tilt their head to one side or the other, and if they don’t, noses bump. I’d only mention noses if a kiss is supposed to be awkward or uncertain or nervous.

Bodies- bodies are either close together, or far away. Someone can be surrounded comfortingly by someone’s arms, or terrifyingly trapped by them. Bodies are warm or hot, they are calm or nervous, relaxed or tense. Body language says a lot. Is your character pulling away, or moving closer?

Heartbeat- Hearts can beat fast or slow, and that’s about all they can do- but there are lots of reasons why they do! A heart can beat fast with fear or excitement or nervousness; a heart can pound with lust or race with terror or sing with joy. Hearts can glow, cower, or shatter. When you really want to drive the emotions of a character home, mention the heart.

Breath- To me, the most consuming part of a kiss is the breath. The air that someone else has just breathed going deep into your lungs is very intimate. Lips and tongues don’t have a taste, but breath does. Each person’s breath tastes different, smells different, and surrounds a person differently than anyone else’s breath. Breath can be warm and sweet, breath can be hot and sexy, breath can be hot and frightening. It is something that is very present and should not be left out. A lot of writers leave breath out. And it’s so important; it’s the most intimate part of a kiss. Someone else is breathing into your lungs, and it’s either heaven or it’s hell.

Voice- Voice conveys much, even without words. A voice can groan, whimper, gasp, moan, catch, whine, scream, sigh. Voice can convey emotion powerfully, and while some kisses are silent, usually they’re not.

Emotion- Emotion is the most important, and the thing you try not to say. You want to describe it, through all of the things above, so that it’s perfectly clear what your characters are feeling, without you ever using the “feelings words”. If they’re in love, their bodies will lean close, their eyes will smile, their voices will giggle softly. If they’re nervous, their palms will sweat, their noses will bump, their voices will shudder. If they’re afraid, their muscles will be tense, their faces will grimace, their lips will not open. Emotion is the color that you keep inside your mind as you write; it’s the base line that drives the description behind everything else you say.

~ ~ ~

Remember the point is not to include them all, but to include what’s necessary to convey the depth of emotion in your scene. And of course practising doesn’t hurt either. ^_^

~ Nika

Now if only I could find an app to let me finish my WIP on my phone.

And maybe one to help me find more hours in the day.

Asking too much?

~ Nika

Newbie authors are always instructed to remember to include scents and sounds into their writing, but of the many seminars and writing classes I’ve attended, I’ve never heard mention of colour. Which, upon review, seems odd. If we are describing the world of our characters, should we not also be splashing it with appropriate colours, as well as the sounds and smells? Oh sure we almost always know the heroine’s hair is the colour of “spun gold” (not that I have ever seen spun gold to be able to compare it to) or the hero’s eyes were “black as night”. (Really?) But what about the rest of the fictional world? What colour is her apartment? Her office? His car? As with everything, the colours surrounding the hero and heroine also add to the romance or mystery.

After researching colour psychology for a design project, it occurred to me the list could easily transition from design to writing. You’ve seen many of these colours used to represent companies and business, but why not the world in our books?

This is a great little chart to show off some of the emotions associated with a few of the major colours. I thought it was worth sharing.

~ Nika

From Dragons, vampires, werewolves and fairies to flying carpets, lost cities and modern-day mysteries, this delightful compendium of over 250 weird and wonderful legends, myths and monsters will entertain and astound anyone enthralled by the unknown.

My plot bunnies are going to devour this whole.

~ Nika

Ruined children's books

Growing up, my small town had a tiny library, which shared space with the Post Office. Once I realized what a treasure I had with all the books and stories, I started at the top of one shelf, and read my way up and down the aisles. To this day it is still how I choose library books. Shelf by shelf. To think of having all those empty shelves, especially the children’s books, is very disheartening.

I showed the pictures to my 7 year old son, and he agreed to go through his book collection (he has quite an extensive one) and pull out a stack of mint-condition children’s books we could send to the kids in Upper Jay. This afternoon I’m sending off close to forty kids books to help repopulate the shelves.

Please check out the information at Kate Messener’s website on how to send a donation, or where to send new children’s picture books, or new/used picture books.

~ Nika

I, of course, being the “Author”, and the person in charge (ha) decided I liked what I had, and declined to make any concessions. They, in turn, refused to get out of the middle of the street where I’d left them standing after a particularly riveting scene.

At least I thought it was riveting.

They seemed to think it was hokey and out of character.

For two days I’ve tried to ignore the fact they are standing in the middle of the road, hoping the silence would change their minds. Unfortunately for me, they were not willing to budge, and I was unable to continue with the story.

So I’ve ceded defeat to the fictional characters living in my head.

After rapidly brain-dumping over 30,000 words into this manuscript by letting them tell the tale, I suppose it’s only fitting to let them continue. After all, they do know themselves best, right?

~ Nika

Self-Published Author Gets Unusual Book Deal

Self-publishing author John Locke has a made an untraditional deal with a traditional publisher.

Simon & Schuster announced Monday that beginning early next year it will distribute physical editions of Locke’s Donovan Creed thrillers, which have sold more than 1 million copies as e-books.

Locke will continue to publish and edit his work, through his own John Locke Books, and the author will maintain full control over the digital versions. His novels include “Lethal People” and “The Love You Crave.”

In a statement issued by Simon & Schuster, Locke called the agreement an “exciting departure from the norm” of giving the same publisher rights to both e-books and traditional books.

as published on ABC.com

Texas sues author over ‘Don’t Mess With Texas’ romance novel

A recently filed lawsuit gives a whole new meaning to the “Don’t mess with Texas” slogan.

The Texas Department of Transportation has filed a request for a restraining order against a group of defendants, including major book stores, over a romance novel titled “Don’t Mess with Texas.”

The book, available in paperback and electronic form, is written by Christie Craig. It costs $5.99 and includes a cover illustration with a shirtless man cradling a woman wearing cowboy boots in his arms.

“The book contains numerous graphic references to sexual acts, states of arousal, etc.,” the lawsuit states.

The trademark infringement lawsuit alleges that the “Don’t mess with Texas” slogan was used without permission or a license. TxDOT is requesting that the book be recalled from distributors, destroyed and retitled, according to the lawsuit.

Craig, the author and one of the defendants, could not be reached for comment.

as published on bizjournals.com