Quarantine Chronicles April 16, 2020

Story Sex

I don’t like gratuitous sex scenes in movies or what I read. Now, I’m not slamming anyone who enjoys a bit of voyeurism to get the engine primed, but those vamped up scenarios have a specific goal—and a specific audience. Sex scenes within the framework of a literary story are a horse of another color.

When I’m engaged in a story, I want the physical action between the characters to mean something. I want their carnal relationship, their chemistry, their emotional connection, or lack of one, to tell me something about them as a couple, and as individuals. Done with intent, authors can use a character’s behavior in the bedroom as a creative avenue for character development, an intimate place to reveal either truths or falsehoods.

Comments

Meet author Jan Sikes

I'm happy to share my blog with with fellow member authors of Rave Reviews Book Club as part of the RRBC's Pay It Forward Week. Initially introduced by author Bethany Turner, the concept of Pay It Forward is to profile, promote and propel another fellow club member to new audiences for the day. This month I have the honor of hosting Jan Sikes. Jan has authored four books about the journey of two people moving through adversity, growing and learning about life and love. Interestingly, though she uses fictitious names, the books chronicle her life and relationship with her husband, the late singer-songwriter, Rick Sikes. This North Texan incorporates bits of wisdom and hard-learned lessons in her fiction stories and hopes to reach readers in a positive way. Her titles include: Flowers and Stone Nothing could have prepared Darlina Flowers for the reckless Texas rogue musician, Luke Stone, to come stampeding into her life like a team of wild hor...

Cover Wars

New Cover Samples Okay, feedback of the first two cover samples suggest one photo is too difficult to make out, and the other, the one with the couple on beach looks like a YA novel cover. The couple in the story is in their twenties, but it is certainly not a YA novel. I call it a literary love story, but the newly coined genre, New Adult, is also an appropriate fit. There is explicit language and scenes. With that in mind, here are two new variations of the cover. Please keep the comments coming! Other photo options: Here are two other photos I like, but are much more suggestive. My favorite photo by far is the one on the left as the couple actually looks similar to how I envision my characters. Unfortunately I couldn't download files big enough to insert in my sample cover. Photoshop effect added

Grief is love with nowhere to go

One year ago, as the morning started sunny and beautiful, capping the weekend of a family celebration, we received the news; you were no longer a part of our world. We gathered in the room with you. You seemed so peaceful. Your body, though unmoving, curled comfortably in sleep, your hand under your chin, as if in the happiest of dreams. I remember kneeling at your side, my face pressed to yours, begging you to open your eyes. Please, please, open your eyes. It was unimaginable that you could have moved on to a place beyond our sight and touch. Even now, it’s just as inconceivable that an entire year has passed without you in our lives. I have been comforted by the fact that you left peacefully, just as you had asked God for. And I also take solace that despite not having the chance to hold your first great-grandchild, there were no umbrages left in your wake — no arguments or bad feelings, no should-haves, wish-I-would-haves, remaining between us. I’m certain yo...

Literary Love

Search This Blog