Healing Summer & Writing Love Scenes

I can't help but want to start this post out with a squeal of delight! So here it goes...

*SQUEE!!!*

It may be hard to take your eyes off all the sexy goodness that the cover has to offer, but try to, because this post has so much awesome stuff to offer, you don't want to miss out. 

So welcome to my post for Elizabeth Seckman's Healing Summer Blog Tour!

Maybe Love, Not Time, Heals All Wounds

Ditched at the altar…biopsied for cancer…Mollie Hinkle is having a bona fide bitch of a summer. When life sucks so hard it takes your breath away, what's a girl to do? Pack a bag, grab a few friends, and leave the past and the worry in the rear view mirror. What wounds can’t be healed by a drive across the Heartland, where quarter flips at cross roads determine the route and the future? All roads lead to Craig, the second son and bad boy of the haughty Coulter line. Has fate brought her to the miniscule Montana town to find happily ever after or will it just break her heart?

“Healing Summer” is the second book in the Coulter Men Series.

Now, as part of the blog tour, I got to pick the topic that Elizabeth had to talk about and I asked her to share how she feels about writing love scenes and having kids. Does she worry her kids will read them or is she okay with it?

Lets see what she has to say, shall we...

Miss Leigh (can’t help use my Scarlett O’Hara voice when I say that!) suggested  the following prompt in the “Healing Summer” pick my brain blog tour:

When writing loves scenes, do I worry about my kids reading them?

I’m no E.L. James and my love scenes won’t win me too many hot peppers on the heat scale.

But there is sex.

And when I first started writing love stories, I struggled with them.

I am, by nature…reserved. (Don’t laugh Leigh…it’s true!!!) I’m not one to be open with personal stuff and I cringe at TMI moments. So, my first instinct was to leave the sex out completely. You know, lead the reader to the moment, then shut the door.

So, I did.

Then my betas gave me thunder.

Disappointed and let down…they weren’t shy in asking, “What’s your problem?! That stunk!”

I whispered back, “My kids might read this one day.”

They screamed, “SOOOOO what????!!!”

I stood firm. The door was staying closed. Other writers do it and get away with it.

So would I.

Then I re-read my manuscript and I had to admit…my betas were right.

I was leading the horse to the water then sealing the trough with Saran wrap.

Dissatisfied and discombobulated, I did some soul searching.

I cut my young, romantic teeth on Danielle Steele. I vividly remember “Palimino” as one of my firsts… mostly because I got detention in the eighth grade for participating in a dramatic reading of a particularly hot scene for my math class while my teacher was out of the room (okay, so maybe calling myself reserved was a stretch!).

I would read and re-read  love scenes until the pages were worn thin. When I’d get a new book, I’d scout out the sex (geesh, this is feeling like a piece for True Confessions!).

In hindsight, I realize I wasn’t looking for the sex per se, I was looking for the love. My addiction to romances didn’t turn me into a nympho (poor husband just said darn) or a tramp (I think I heard a whew from the man), but it did make me a true believer.

I think I might have a hard time believing that "reserved" bit, but that makes it all the more fun. I love all the funny stories you share on your blog and believe me, I love the "love scenes" in your books! You write them so well - I'm glad you decided to take off the seran wrap!

I had to ask this question because I know it's something that a lot of writers struggle with.

Thanks for sharing Elizabeth, and thanks everyone for joining us for Elizabeth's Healing Summer Blog Tour. You can find this marvelous author and her books by clicking on the following links:

  

Blog

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Blog Tour

If you visit the blog tour page, you can see all the other spots Elizabeth will be hopping around to. Then - YOU get to VOTE on which blog topic was the best! (Obviously, this one!) So be sure to hop over and vote!

Also, she is doing a Rafflecopter Giveaway so be sure to enter!

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