It can be the heart of controversy in the writing/reading community. Love scenes. I remember both of my firsts clearly. The first time I ever read a love scene, and then when I wrote my first one in a book.

Reading it I was a pre-teen, now which they call the tween years. I picked up a Harlequin Presents (the sexiest cover I could find!) and read it straight through. There’s only a few things I remember. The heroine was asleep when the hero came in seduced her–which later he said ‘I basically forced you’ which even then I knew he hadn’t. She was all over that guy. There was a lot of breast play and a little more, but compared to most love scenes, it was pretty tame. But to me, it was so completely dirty. I was shocked. It was that first bridge into crossing that world towards thinking like a grown up. Of course I was hooked on romance novels from that point on. :cloud9:

When I decided I wanted to write my first book, I wasn’t really thinking about the love scene. I just had this plot in my head and I was going to run with it. So I was writing and writing and plugging along. Then I came to it. My characters were about ready to riot if I didn’t get them bouncing the bed springs soon.   :hump:

I remember this part clearly. I took a few deep breaths. I stared at the screen. And then I got up and walked away. Pacing the house I kept saying to myself, “I can’t do this. How am I going to do this?” Start small, start small, the little voice in my head told me. So I sat down again and I started typing. I got through the sexual build up and toed the line where the characters have said ‘okay, we’re going for it.’ It’s then you have to make a decision. What kind of love scenes are you going to write? Are you going to basically close the door? Keep it soft and sweet with lots of shadows and floral? Or are you going to go full throttle and just write the love scene of your fantasies?

I made up my mind that day. And I was going to go full throttle. I didn’t start off with the intention–or knowing I’d be one of the ‘really hot love scene’ writers. I just wrote the love scene I thought my characters deserved. I probably stopped and started that scene many times, but I didn’t leave the house until I finished. I think it took me about four hours. Four hours which I’d scream obscenities, sometimes just, “F*CK! I can’t believe I’m actually writing this!”  But when I was done, I knew I’d done it. I’d passed one big hurdle in writing a romance novel. :thumb:

So what was your first time writing or reading a love scene like? For reading, were you shocked? Or was it like the best thing ever. :cloud9:

For writing, did it flow out as naturally as taking a breath? :woot: Or were you like me, up and down and psyching yourself up to write oral sex. :dork:

I’m out of town, so I may not be as active on the responding part!