Monday, March 23, 2009

Too Much? Not enough? Let's Talk...Sex




Intrigue is one of the few series lines where sensuality can vary. I'm talking vary A LOT. Some books have no sex scene at all, and some are hot hot hot. I hadn't thought much about this until I recently judged eight books (none were Intrigues) in a contest and experienced this wide range of sensuality first hand. What did I decide?


Sex scenes work for me. :)


In the books where there were no sex scenes, I felt something was
missing. I hated having the bedroom door closed in my face.I wanted to
read about the couple taking that intimate step to their happily ever
after. That said, I didn't prefer the hottest scenes but rather the
scenes that fit the rest of the tone of the book.


So, how about you? Do you want to read sex scenes, or do you just skip
over them?

Delores

18 comments:

  1. A vote YES for the sex scenes! Now, let me add a "but"; it must go with the flow of the story line, it must balance out. Some of the best sex scenes written are ones where the reader is not even aware that this is a sex scene, simply becuase it is written with the flow of the story, the reader just considers it part of the book. Hot is great; it just has to have substance with it.

    By the way, I can't wait till your next Texas Paternity book comes out and I love the "classic" book cover on the blog!

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  2. Thanks, wsridgerunner! I hope you enjoy the next book. I've really had so much fun writing the Texas Paternity series.

    I TOTALLY agree about the sex scenes. I want them as a vital part of the story and not just thrown in there.

    Take care!

    Delores

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  3. I enjoy reading sex scenes but sometimes I like using my imagination instead of reading all the deets.
    Is that image above a cover of a book, Delores?
    It's awesome.

    Mel K.

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  4. Mel, it's an old cover I found on the internet. Isn't it cool? It reminds me a calendar that Harlequin sent out to their authors. It has covers from the last 60 years, and some of them are so funny.

    I hear you on too much detail in love scenes. I don't want to read an anatomy lesson. LOL.

    Delores

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  5. I enjoy sex scenes that go with the flow of the story.

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  6. I enjoy reading sex scenes that make the story flow but also find that I often skip the more detailed ones and use my immagination.

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  7. Yeah I agree with everyone here.. There needs to be a couple of good sex scenes in a book.

    Yeah we don't need clinical explanation either. Just let us enjoy it and use our immagination on it.

    Delores loved the series too.

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  8. Patsy--thanks so much. That put a smile on my face. :)

    I agree about sex scenes--leave something to the imagination so we can fill in the blanks. ;)

    Delores

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  9. I read them, I miss them when they aren't there, but, they have to be a part of the story. not just sex for sex's sake

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  10. It's very cool, Delores.
    LOL! about the anatomy lesson. FOR REAL!

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  11. I enjoy the sex scenes and I do read them although I have read some book where I thought they were overdone.

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  13. Beth, that's a great way of putting it--no sex just for the sex's sake.

    Thanks, Melprincess!

    Virginia, I totally agree--some sex scenes are just too much. I want the romance to be part of the scene as well.

    Delores

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  14. Either my age or my upbringing is working against me--I can do without sex scenes although I have learned to read books with them since almost all romances have them. However I have a hard time with some scenes and just skip over them. From the sounds of it I am the odd person out.

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  15. Ellen, you aren't alone. A friend admitted to me that she skips over the sex scenes too. It's all just a matter of personal taste.

    I do read books that aren't romances, and sometimes, I cringe because I think the sex scenes are either way too graphic or else they're so skimmed over that I wonder why they're there at all. LOL.

    Delores

    Delores

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  16. I'm working on a book right now that I think will turn out to be my first Intrigue without a sex scene. I just can't find an organic place in the plot for it to happen. I'll be curious to see what my editor has to say about that.

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  17. Paula, if you really want a sex scene, then maybe you can write it as an epilogue?

    Delores

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  18. I considered that, but the theme of the story has so much to do with the heroine coming to terms with how she's allowed her tragic past to suppress her nurturing instincts, so I think the epilogue is probably going to have to be about the resolution to that. So...this one may just have to live or die on sexual tension. ;)

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