Red Sage Author, Desiree' Lindsey (aka Anita Moore) on defining the new kid on the block, the ultra- sensual romance...
Before I begin, let's determine that we know "sweet" sells, we know "mystery", "paranormal", and "humor" sell and we know ROMANCE sells--period. So is sizzling & steamy on the up rise? Are readers demanding more? Are editor's seeing some trends here? Let's take a look. Harlequin Temptation has their "Blaze" line. St. Martin has their sultry anthology "Rough Around The Edges". For years, Bantam has been heralding Susan Johnson as "The queen of erotic, exciting romance..." Now Red Sage has their "Secrets" anthology and many more houses have started actively encouraging the submission of more sensual romances. To answer the question, I'm sure there are a dozen responses that any one of us could provide.
So, what if your editor is now asking for more sultry...more sensual love scenes? If this sounds familiar then read on. For those just plain curious, you can read on as well.
To focus on the question, "what is ultra-sensual romance?"--emphasis on the "romance"--I'm going to mention, first, the nature of basic human needs.
First, the name of the beast has become, in my humble opinion, sophistication. By that I mean we as readers, as writers, as homosapiens, have become in one degree or another a society evolved of thrill seekers. I'm first to admit capitulating. Any more it takes a pretty powerful romance to hook me and keep my interest beyond the first chapter.
Have I become so hard to please then? Have the editors? I don't think so, not entirely. I do think our expectations have perhaps gone through an evolution or sorts. We've ventured beyond the realm of common--been there, done that a million times--and in that process we've developed highly evolved perceptions. Being thrill seekers--we've all read the last to-die-for romance then jumped around excitedly in our chairs telling our friends they just have to read this one. This is usually the novel that gives us a tender but rugged hero, one who cherishes and respects a woman...one who knows his way around a temper tantrum. You give me a hero like that and I'm your fan for life. I'll haunt the stores for your next release, I'll rave to my friends about you, I'll go to a conference to hear you speak. The editors love these kinds of fans.
Who is this hero and heroine that have us worshipping the ground you walk on? As an author for Red Sage, I gave a lot of thought to the relationships I write about...and realized I write what we all want of our "fantasy" mate, sometimes even our own real life mates. Thus, my revolutionary new term becomes cherishment. Cherishment can't be defined in a dictionary, it is after all as elusive as a feeling. And don't we all live and breath on feelings?! There are various kinds of feelings we know we can evoke, but my focus here is on ultra sensual intimacy between perfectly matched mates. There can be laughter one minute and sadness the next in an ultra sensual romance, but ultimately there is cherishment. So you insist on a definition. OK. Cherishment encompasses being both lovingly cherished and divinely ravished. Repeat, lovingly cherished and divinely ravished at the same time. It is the single most touching blend of mind, body and spirit that perfect mates can hope to experience on the physical universe.
To clear up any misconceptions, it is NOT sex--it's more than the act or the basics--cherishment is more in a touch, a gesture, a deeply rumbled endearment. Isn't it a woman's--and man's for that matter-- dream to be made to feel cherished and touched in a way that makes us feel divinely adored? Some of us live these decadent (spiritually bonded) relationships. Sometimes life can put stress on the feeling of oneness we share with that significant other. So what do we long for? I call it intimacy enhancement. No use beating around the bush--remember we are women and men evolved thrill seekers--a society evolved on sophistication. We need something more than emotional leftovers from a tired mate who has tried--for lack of a better term--to stick by us through thick and thin. We show this mate compassion, yet, underneath, aren't we demanding something more? Isn't that, in essence, what our editors are trying to tell us? Give me better, give me fresh, give me riveting?
So what can we do? I say we write like we always have--or we once did--we write from the heart! For me this comes spontaneously, naturally. Some of us can't help it! If flows in our veins...and mine is called cherishment...or ultra sensual romance.
Mind you, like real life, not every hero/heroine is up to cherishment...the test is one of complete mind, body and soul merging. To best explain, my heroines, in their time, can't be milk toast--they are strong, bold and know all about equality in the bedchamber. Neither are they virginal. My heroine, if an innocent, would be devoured alive in the first encounter with my ultra sensual hero. He needs a heroine who is his compliment, his adored other half. She challenges his masculine pride. She adores him, but doesn't lose her own identity.
Ultra sensual is liberating, it's beautiful, it's most definitely cherishment. It's a hero who is both vulnerable and supremely confident. He knows how to meet the emotional needs of the heroine. He knows how to bring out the best in her and she would willingly follow him to the end of creation on her knees. Reciprocating that kind of devotion, the hero would think nothing of scooping her into his arms and carrying her tucked lovingly against his broad chest to safety...or in some cases that short distance to his bed.
When a hero and heroine are doing their jobs, they are giving you cherishment at it's best. A man and a woman joined in spirit...in love...in physical harmony. There's no groping around in the dark with these two, they know how to fill each others every need. It's emotional fulfillment as God intended it to be- -it speaks in elemental terms to a person's heart.
So do you think you want to attempt ultra sensual romance? My answer to you would be to read it, and see if it speaks to your heart...
Living on the rugged plains of Colorado with her own real-life hero and two children--where her belief in the power of true, life-altering love is a part of life--Desiree' Lindsey celebrates undying love in her debut, ENSLAVED. She admits her joy is giving readers a small window of time to let their imaginations soar. Treat yourself to a taste of her sizzling December debut. For those of you who are interested in further discussion of a writing related and professional nature, she would happily invite your comments by email to ADesMoore@aol.com. Lindsey also welcomes visitors to her website at http:// members.aol.com/ADesMoore where you can also find and enter her contest.
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