Sharon Clare, author of the hot, hot, HOT new and debut Love of Her Lives joins me today in the Hammock.
For the record, I plan to sit in a comfy chair beside the hammock because,
- the steam rising from the book makes my eyes water,
- it’s dang near impossible to write and swing double in the hammock,
- Sharon’s book includes a scene with hero, Calum, and heroine, Bethia, in a hammock, and…
SHARON CLARE
[If I choose to rock a hammock, it won’t be with the likes of Sharon Clare. No offense, Sharon. You simply don’t have the necessary parts, if you know what I mean. *blush*]
A blurb about Love of Her Lives:
Beth Stewart thought she lived a normal life until a warrior from a past life shows up to rescue her.
[EDITORIAL NOTE: He plans to, hopes to, does do, a lot more than rescue her. Phew!]
Ready, Sharon? I have my interview questions semi sort of ready.
SHARON CLARE ON WRITING (secks) PAST THE BLUSH FACTOR
1) You know my story. I’ve repeated it often enough, eh? [Just making you feel at home in the hammock. You’re welcome] Before I made my final decision to write romance, I thought, “I wonder if I can write a make-‘em-squirm steamy scene. I should sit down and try to write one”. So. I did. I could. I am a slut. How about you, Sharon? Did you agonize over your ability to think those thoughts and put them on paper?
Thank you for inviting me to your hammock today, Gloria! Passing you a Star Bucks green tea and getting ready to talk sex scenes. Yes, I agonized over how to make sex not cliché, agonized over word choice, agonized over family and friends reading these scenes. Now that I think back, my sex scenes have been through the greatest evolution in my writing. They’ve become easier, and I’ve become bolder with each book.
2) I love the way you seamlessly weave love and lust into the scenes. Calum and Bethia share a love that spans centuries, and Beth’s core love for Calum becomes pivotal to consummation of the building lust between them. Was it difficult for you to keep the tension going as you wrote the scenes leading up to that pivotal scene?
Good question, Gloria. Now I realize why internal conflict between the hero and heroine is so important. We have no sexual tension without it. A friend once told me that out of all addictions, sex is the most wide-spread and difficult to treat. Beth’s mother was a sex addict and walked away from Beth and her dad when she was a child. This had a huge impact on Beth and is the root of that imperative tension. Calum challenges her self-control on many levels as we see in this excerpt:
‘Oh no! She’d followed him like a puppy dog because he’d felt good. The physical thrill had superseded her reason. Just like her mother who’d hardly come up for air between men. What did that say about her ability to steer clear of men–hopping behaviour?’
3) When I wrote my first manuscript, I intended to write a suspense novel about a penny stock scam. The problem? My protagonist and the FBI agent wanted to jump between the sheets. So, they talked me into letting them have sex. In that novel, I held back on writing true steam. I couldn’t get past the people-I-know-are-going-to-read-this factor. You?
Huge issue that I do struggle with. My next story, Rhapsody, is steamier than Love of Her Lives. I won’t recommend it to my daughters. When reading Love of Her Lives, my 24 year-old daughter said she couldn’t read the sex scenes because she heard my voice in the words, reading to her as I’d done all through her childhood. I get that. Ewwww. I explained I write those scenes because I want to write books that feel good. I want my readers to have lots of endorphins floating around in their bloodstream when they read my books. With all the real life conflict going on, we need those healthy, happiness stress fighters. That’s my story and I’m sticking with it!
4) I have a theory on erotica. Some of the best I’ve read didn’t use nicknames for the — er — engaged body parts. In some instances, they didn’t name them at all. Yet, I knew they were there and what the POV character felt. [HOT!] You’re a master at writing those scenes. Was it a conscious decision on your part, or did your characters dictate the choreography and words for you?
Thank you, Gloria, yes it was a conscious decision because I’m not a fan of the sexual word-pool. I once heard a radio show (avid CBC listener) comparing the names of sexual body parts between English and Italian (or possibly somewhere else European). The English were much more prudish about sex and thinking it dirty did not give us pretty names for much to do about sex. I have to agree. Some words I refuse to use. I just may need to make up my own words!
5) I wrote one of my steam scenes out-of-sequence because I needed to get it out of my head and onto the page. I felt as if my character’s libido (well, mine, too) would suffer Long-term Deprivation Sydrome if something didn’t happen — and soon. Did you let your scenes flow with the build-up of tension, or did you write some of those scenes out-of-sequence?
I am very much a linear writer. I don’t jump around. I guess I need to feel the build of sexual tension to write it. I like to develop the characters first, so I’m turned on by the hero despite his flaws. I need to be in the moments as they happen naturally.
6) I readily admit that lust and culmination of the male/female bond is what I look for as a reader of romance. And, I hate it when a writer takes me to the bedroom door and slams it in my face. There is a bit of voyeurism in that reading experience. Do you feel the same way?
Oh interesting, I didn’t think about it that way. Now you’ve got me thinking. I believe I put myself in the heroine’s shoes, but you’re right. I want to go in the bedroom with her. I want those scenes. When the author has me falling for the hero, I find the seduction very sexy, and I want to go all the way, baby! Like I said earlier, it feels good to be turned on, and I’m all for it.
7) Let’s talk lust and love for a moment. Some of my favorite authors lead with lust (and sex) that ultimately results in love. Since the Romance demands an HEA (Happily Ever After), I know love will likely follow. Jennifer Crusie wrote some of my favorites. With her early reads, it was a mixed bag. The lust existed from the beginning. But, I found the stories acceptable in both instances — sex before love, and love before sex.
Me too, Gloria, it’s great to have variety. The thing I love about romance is the building of a relationship, the falling in love. As a reader, the hero becomes sexier as I get to know him. But lust can work too. One of the best lust-first scenes (very funny) I read was Susan Elizabeth Phillip’s Breathing Room.
This has been such fun, Gloria! Thank you again for inviting me today. Do you need more tea? I could stay on this hammock all day and talk romance.
If you’d like to read Love of Her Lives, it is available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes, Google Play (for epub file) and wherever ebooks are sold.
Print copies coming soon!
That’s because the sales have been so dang phenomenal! I already read the e-version, but those are difficult to dog-tag put on my bookshelf.
So, tell all! Leave a comment about your preference as a reader. And, if you’re a writer of romance, curious minds want to know how (or, if) you got past your own blush factor. GIVEAWAY GOODNESS! I will randomly select one lucky commenter to receive a copy of Love of Her Lives. Yes. It will be a brand new copy. No. I won’t have the steamy parts already bookmarked for you. You’ll love the build up and the read. I promise.
Fantastic interview you two. Wonderful to read not only Sharon’s perspective on the writing process and the intimacies around writing romance but to also get Gloria’s own perspective as well.
Sharon, what is your writing process from idea to final manuscript? Are you a plotter or a pantser? Or somewhere in between?
I would have to agree with both of you, I love either sex before love or love before sex just as long as it’s steamy with lots of tension and build up with a great HEA! And NO shutting the bedroom doors…ever! LOL!
Here’s to your fabulous success Sharon. I’ll be adding you to my To Be Read list for sure.
Nat-a-LEE! Thanks for the visit and comment.
It does not surprise me that you like to keep the bedroom doors open in your romance reading. You and Blog Heckler Hubby leave shock and awe in your wake wherever you go.
Today’s Urban Dictionary post was over-the-top funny. My fave this week? The Missed Connections post. CLICK HERE for a treat of a read!
If you aren’t yet following Natalie Hartford, you’re missing out on one of the funniest blogs I visit.
Thank you, Natalie! With Love of Her Lives, I flew by the seat of my pants all the way. Every time I finished a scene, I’d think, how can I make it worse for the characters. Since that book underwent tons of revisions, I now do more outlining, but I think I need to work somewhere in between.
Yes, Natalie, agreed. Must have that tension!
Going to check on your blog right now!
LOHL should come with a warning: Do not read when your significant other is out of town.
Fun to spend the morning in the hammock with two of my besties! Gloria, do not enter me in the draw—a new reader deserves a chance to read Love of Her Lives.
Hey, Sherry! Thanks for the visit and — yes — I’ll leave you out of the drawing.
I know you’re intimately familiar with Love of Her Lives because you’ve been teasing me with nanner, nanner comments as one of her Critters.
Loved your post today on What Doesn’t Kill us. I’m still singing the song. It is so going on my playlist. It’s got a great beat for dancing alone in public.
Yay, Sherry, you arrived before your tea cooled down. Gotta love hammock day. And lol, I forgot about that hammock scene in the book, Gloria. Okay, could get a little squishy on one hammock, but I don’t bite. (Ask Sherry)
Do I really want to know how Sherry knows you don’t bite while swinging double in a hammock?
It’s all innocent, believe me, but some things are better left unsaid.
Great interview! Fun and witty.
I love romance of many genres. Depending on the story, lust can hit the heroes like a thunderbolt and love will come later. Or love can start out of friendship, and blaze up in lust.
Hey, as long as the characters engage me, I’m in.
Carole! So glad you stopped by. I love romance, period.
I totally agree with your comment about engaging characters. Regardless of genre–even those outside the romance subset–I am a character-driven reader and writer.
Sharon did a stellar job of creating strong, believable characters in Love of Her Lives.
Thank you, Carole and Gloria! I think it requires a bit of finesse to move the characters from lust to love. This is the fun part, to show why a character is worthy of the lightning bolt and at the same time they can’t be perfect either.
Great interview. I loved hearing Sharon’s thoughts on the steamy scenes, almost as much as I enjoyed reading them!! Sharon has a knack for the sexy stuff, and I have learned tons about writing romance from her.
And echoing Sherry’s words – don’t enter my name in the draw. cheers,
Urve, thanks so much for commenting. Sharon does have a knack for the sexy stuff. I know your YA Darkest Corner of the World is out soon. I’ll be by to pester you for a guest post.
Sharon, I know you’ll check comments later today. I am officially putting you in charge of the head-bonk I’ll need to remind me when Urve’s book is released. ‘kay? Sherry is up to her proverbial belly-dance belt trying to keep track of my writing progress.
I will gladly give you a head bonk for Urve’s release. Very exciting!
Isn’t it great the way we learn from each other. Urve, I’ve loved learning about the history and volatile times that are the backdrop for Darkest Corner of the World. You wield the historic YA pen expertly!
Fun interview, Gloria! And Sharon, good luck with your book – looking forward to reading it.
Nice to see you here, Kristina! I’ve wanted to host a blush factor post for some time. Sharon’s mastery of love/lust in Love of Her lives made her a natural for this topic.
Gloria … talk about coming back with a “bang?” Okay, in and out of the hammock. Thanks for introducing me to Sharon … Sharon … you have a great spirit and tons of moxie !!
About sex … what can I say … it’s the stuff dreams are made and broken by. I love every genre ever written, read some I thought I would hate because we all need surprises sometimes. I mean a demon fighting space hero who captures the young maiden on a deserted planet? Why not. Erotica … Oh yes. I go back to Anais Nin and her Little Birds.
Now Gloria … old Chinese women had a trick whilst rocking in a chair … “ben wa” strike a bell? Those and a warm breeze wafting through the trees, the slow swing of a hammock and some hot pages burning your fingertips … Gees, I think I’ll go take a cold shower :)
Fanning myself here, oh my. Is that grandma’s third time in the rocking chair today?
I am so not well-read to have missed Anais Nin. She’s been on my list for a while now. I really do believe women are more turned on by reading and imagining, then men who are more visual, which explains why romance sells the most books of any genre–to women.
Someone has to conjure those sexy scenes in order to write ‘em. It’s an author’s job to feel their characters ups and downs so to speak. Tough job, but gotta keep the readers happy on their hammocks.
I think I need to get back to my hammock now.
Florence! Did we truly shock you? I suspect not.
Natalie Hartford has hilarious stories that I call BEN-WAHAha! Add those to their presence in Fifty Shades and I may be tempted to roll out of my hammock to visit Amazon with my pal, Pay.
I read a story years ago about a woman who had some ‘splainin’ to do when she WORE them through security at an airport. Can not even fathom that scene.
I’d rather try to explain a metal plate in my head first :)
Fabulous interview, Gloria, and thank you, Sharon, for your transparency. I doubt there is an author on earth — infamously accomplished or ingenue — that doesn’t struggle with intimate scenes to some degree. Whether that day ever presents itself to me, I am better for reading your take on the steamy and stark. ;-)
~ Cara
P.S. Hope you are well, Gloria. Xoxox
Cara, all fun aside, it is true. I do struggle with not only how far to go, but in how to make those scenes fresh each time. How many ways can you describe a kiss. Lips? Tongue? We all know how it works. I try to focus more on the emotion behind the kiss. What is special about how it feels this time? How does sex change what the characters feel about each other?
These things really make me think!
And you thought writing sexy scenes was all fun and games. :)
Hi, Cara! Yes, I’m doing fine…even though I still suffer Rolling Hills of Pennsylvania Separation Angst. I’ve asked that they not tell me when those fall colors come in.
Sincerely hope you’re feeling better. I’ll have to bop over to your site to see if I missed anything during my travel and recovery days (aka pouting). Sending best wishes you way. G
Glad to hear you have been doing good. Praying those rolling hills hold out long as possible. ;-)
You haven’t missed anything. I’m not blogging too much just now, as I have been putting my energy into writing and being with people who make me smile.
Xoxo,
C
Fun and fab interview, ladies. Sharon, I’m so looking forward to reading your book. Thanks for your candor about your writing process and thanks to Gloria for sharing the hammock with you today.
SQUEEE! Thanks for visiting, Tami. Are you sure Benedict doesn’t want to weigh in with the male perspective?
I’ll make my hammock easy for him to find; unlike your hard-to-get writing-cave ploy.
If I had to wager a guess, I think he would say less is more – that which is left to the imagination makes for a more intense burn in the libido. Or something like that. Kind of like looking for elusive writing caves. ;)
Thank you, Tami. I really do think in comparison to what’s out there, the sex in Love of Her Lives is pretty tame.
But it really is an interesting subject to discuss, and I was excited to get to it when Gloria suggested it. I can’t imagine anyone more fun than Gloria for such an interview!
I’m so glad that you didn’t shut the bedroom door on Gloria. We don’t want her peeking in windows somewhere else. *grin* I have to say that I truly enjoyed reading Love of Her Lives.
Aw, thank you, Brinda. I had much fun writing it.
Too funny about Gloria peeking in the windows. I love that she admitted to feeling a little bit like a voyeur, but in a safe, off the ladder, unobtrusive way :)
Why do I suddenly feel the need to buy a trench-coat, fedora, and a good pair of binoculars?
Just past lunch and 22 comments already! Wow, I’m late to the hammock party, but it sounds like you all are having a “um-hum!” good time without me!
It took me two classes and lots of re-writes before I could write hot. You never know what you can do until you try. Those scenes can take me an entire day to write, even if they’re only a few pages long. They are still challenging.
Love of Her Lives hit all the romance buttons and then some: masterful warrior male meets strong independent female and my do they burn up the sheets, um, hammock! Great job Sharon. And I too have a copy, so pass this one on to someone who has yet to experience the Clare magic. :)
Woot! Another maven and master of steam weighs in! For those who haven’t already experienced a twisted fairytale with steam, Little Red Riding Wolf by Jessica Aspen is a must read.
Thanks, good buddy, for stopping by. I’ve missed far too many of your posts during my sabbatical…
Or, whatever six weeks of travel and goofing off and relaxing is called
Aww, you are so sweet too, Jessica. I’m just feeling blessed to be surrounded by such wonderful writing friends, even though we’ve not YET met in person.
Your spending a day to write your sexy scenes pays off, Jessica. You take sizzle to a whole new heat level in Red Riding Wolf. I will always be impressed by the way you made Red in her wolf form attractive to your sexy hero. That you thought to do that. I think it was brilliant!
I’m struggling for anything to say that Gloria won’t manage to turn into a euphemism! :) So, let me just say your sex is excellent!
Cheers!
KA-SHNORT!!!
I wondered whether you’d weigh in on this post, Nigel.
Subliminal message to self…
donotdowordplayonnigelscommentdonotdowordplayonnigelscomment donotdowordplayonnigelscomment…
Must. Get. Off. Computer. Now.
LATE BREAKING P.S.
I like your sex, too, Nigel.
Now, I can sleep. The urge for snark was messing with my Sleepy Time MoJo.
Well, thank you very kindly, Nigel. It’s been a while since I’ve received such a compliment from a tall, dark, handsome man.
Oh man, I better stop right there. Hearing Gloria in my ear, and I’d like to be invited back.
You are very funny. Yes you, Gloria. And by the way, this is the most fun I’ve had on a hammock since I sent Calum and Beth a swinging.
LOL you guys. I’ve given up looking for the emoticon for blushing, so you’ll just have to take my word on it that I am.
Cheers!
This was a great interview. Sharon seems so open and honest and fun. I loved the discussion about hating to get the door closed in your face… you wanna go in the bedroom. You guys are too funny!
Jennifer! Oh, soon-to-be-published one! *insert happy dance here*
Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by. I’ve been following your Road to Publication series on the short story anthology. You had to have lost ten pounds since you got The News. Either through dancing or sweating. Congratulations!
Bopping on over to your site now to see what’s new…
And, thanks for visiting.
Thanks for stopping by Jennifer! It was such fun to answer Gloria’s questions.
Congratulations on your ‘soon-to-be-published’ status! Worthy of city-wide celebrations!
The blush factor was never greater for me than when my mom read my first MS. Luckily, we were states apart when she did this and I didn’t have to ostrich my head in the ground whenever she was around.
The blush is something I came to terms with quickly because I think the best writers have no rose on their cheeks. They write their characters emotions, love and lust with unbiased care. And oh, how I want to be one some day.
Great interview, Gloria! And fantastic answers and excerpts, Sharon!! Congratulations on your release!
Megan, with your voice, I have no doubt you will be one of the ‘best writers’ one day.
Bonus! You’ve already gotten past the hard part. Letting your mom read your steamy stuff. In my ‘toned down’ first ms, my mother came into the office of our family giggling (I was states away — in Texas), but she told my sister she read the steamy part.
Sorry, I missed your comment, Megan. My daughter, Megan, was teasing me the other day about the sex scenes in my books and I’m with you in feeling an ostrichy tug. Something I plan to get over. Writing sex scenes is not a personal expose, as people seem to think, hence the blush, no more than writing a murder scene is personal. This, I must remind my lovely daughters, and write, as you said, with true, lusty abandon.