When It’s So Bad, It’s Good

WELCOME TO Cheeky Reads Sabrina! The first guest of a Month of Kisses. I adore Cheeky Reads and am constantly checking out her reviews. Now, let’s here what she has to say about kisses. 😉

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While most romance readers love to sigh and fawn over their favorite first kiss scenes like they’re reliving their own sweet first experiences, I want the awkward, real, not-quite-right first kiss between my hero and heroine.

There’s something unexpected, but yet more realistic, about that first kiss not quite living up to the characters’ expectations. It lifts the drama of all that pent up tension and frees the characters from the overwhelming idea that they’ve just got to get it on! Instead, there’s new tension that’s based on more than just the physical and the reader can really see how much of this attraction goes beyond heaving bosoms and a nice pair of arms…um, I mean eyes.

I mean I want them to get it right later. But first, let them to have to work at it, to be surprised by each other and yes, laugh together and at themselves. Let them question their feelings without the story always being so tangled in the “It’s only a physical attraction.” conflict blow off so many authors can too easily fall back on.

There are innumerable great scenes to be made from a first kiss miss and so much that can be done with the emotions that result. Not to mention that a good writer knows that readers shouldn’t always get what they *think* they want or expect. I want that unexpected surprise. When a writer surprises is when that story goes from good to great for me and a first kiss scene is a fantastic place for a writer to really play with surprising the reader.

So next time you sit down to write that first kiss scene, think of surprising your reader. What can you do differently in that scene that lifts it above the norm and makes readers remember it? And maybe, just maybe, write am awesome disaster of a first kiss that leads the characters to a lifetime of practice getting it right!

So, do you like an unexpected or unusual first kiss? How do you feel about those not-so-perfect ones or have you ever even read one of those illusive scenes before? What are your thoughts on this as first a reader, and then as a writer?

Kissy-Kissy Cheeky Girl Sabrina

Cheeky Reads is the Sassy Girl’s Guide to Romance Books, a review and book blog that covers all romance genres. If you’re looking for reviews without spoilers, Cheeky Reads is your site – you wouldn’t want your best friend telling you the storyline details or ending so we don’t either! Visit me at  www.cheekyreads.com or stalk me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/cheekyreads.

Cheeky Reads Job Description: Treasure Hunter

Job Description: Treasure Hunter

      Yep, I’m the female version of Indiana Jones. I just wish I was half as kick-ass sexy as Laura Croft! So what’s the elusive treasure I’m hunting: it comes in many forms, but essentially it’s HAPPINESS.

      In my main job, I’m a consumer marketing manager for a large magazine publisher. I freaking love my job and it never bores me. It’s something new everyday, but my goal is the same: find that magic idea that sells tons more magazine subscriptions. I test campaigns, re-test to make sure the results really were awesome (or not) and then I mine the idea for offshoot ideas.

      Most people think of marketing positions and envision wonderful creativity and party-like events. No so much for my position. Everything I do has to be directly tied to the bottom line and I have to come up with ideas under tight budgets. No room for getting too exciting there! But, my favorite thing is when some little tiny thing I tried literally takes off and becomes a treasure chest of new orders. Happiness ensues, but I have to move on with more research and hope my treasure chest doesn’t run out of jewels too soon.

      Now, like I said I love my job and my co-workers. It makes me immensely happy and I’m glad to say for this part of my job, I’d say treasure found.

      My alter ego is a Romance Book Blogger and here I am at my treasure hunting best. I’m literally reading tons of books for those solid gold treats that speak to me, a diamond in the rough author, or even the holy grail of first time author perfection. I’m constantly mining for gold in the book shelves. Looking for the books that make me happy with their awesomeness is my favorite part of being a Treasure Hunter.

      Now, the day to day life of being a Book Blogger is not all shiny new free books. There are a lot of fool’s gold books out there you are expected to read and review as well. You have to keep track of treasures coming in and cataloging and communicating your finds. Not to mention, you have to provide reports on a timely and consistent basis to your investors (blog readers) and they don’t really care what else is going on in your life. The pressure is there to read fast, review fast and be a website god all in one.

      But again, just one treasure in a pile of 50 books makes the hunt worthwhile.

      A small but growing part of my job is finding those nuggets of insight to add to my newest endeavor, writing my first book. Those pieces of inspiration are like finding a secret passageway to a never-before discovered land. It’s remembering to write those treasures down that seems to be the hardest part!

      Lastly, I’m a wife and mom to two fur-kids and I’m always the Treasure Hunter for them as well. Now, for the boys my treasure hunting can be quite literal. They want me to find their balls immediately when I come home. Usually they are under the couch and it’s a quick hunt. You would think I’d found Noah’s Ark for how they act when I proudly show them my find.

      I’m also constantly looking for treasure to share with the hubby. He needs quality time with me, and that means searching for the prefect things to do and share with him. It means remembering what makes him happy and making sure I have time for him everyday. Those little treasures are the most elusive and take my very best Dan Brown deductions to find. The best treasure of all? His Laugh.

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