posted
I am coming to the conclusion that when it comes to my books my Dreadnaughts are feeling..well..er...romance starved and sensuality deprived.
Yesterday, I started looking for something I remembered writing in NW, and I ended up re-reading about half of the book for the first time since I wrote it. I'm giving you my frank opinion here, not trying to change yours, but all of the verbal exchanges between Douglas Maitland, Courtney, and Sloan are without doubt the best, and wittiest, dialogue I've ever written in my life. I don't even know where that came from.
I'm starting to think that the only book that will please you is one that is 95% focused on the romance between the hero and heroine, like PARADISE and PERFECT!
It's more of the powerful emotions that you always manage to bring out from within us, Judith. I wouldn't call it sex starved. Besides, what's a romance novel without romance with the hero and heroine?
-------------------- Jen Posts: 1238 | Registered: May 2005
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Oh wow, so correct! I loved NW for the dialogue. I thought it was very witty but I have to admit that I also love the uh...sex stuff...in Paradise/Perfect.
Can't have too much of a good thing. Posts: 179 | From: Michigan | Registered: Jun 2005
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I can't speak for anyone but myself, but Night Whispers is great, as are all the rest. I loved the mystery of STWOM. Until they found him dead in the car, I thought Logan had set the whole thing up. Books that keep me guessing are always favorites.
ETA- Thanks for the Harlan Coben/Myron Bolitar recommendation. I love these books!. They also keep me guessing. Thanks also to Shirley for keeping the talk going about them.
Kath
[ July 19, 2005, 11:23 PM: Message edited by: Kath Williams ]
-------------------- "There is more treasure in books than in all the pirate's loot on Treasure Island." --Walt Disney Posts: 946 | From: Saint's arms | Registered: Jan 2005
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I personally like to have an equal balance of terrific, witty dialogue and ahem...the stuff that normally goes on behind closed doors. LOL.
Night Whispers has that perfect balance. Not only with your h/h but with your secondary characters also. I LOL at the scene in the park with Sloan and Jess encouraging Ingersoll and Caruso to try the chili for lunch.
-------------------- ♥ JJ ♥ Posts: 5577 | From: Troubleshooters, Inc. | Registered: Feb 2004
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Hmmm...you may be on to something Ms. McNaught; with just one tiny exception. While a number of us would undoubtably escort Zack, Matt, or Lord knows how many other of your wonderful heroes straight off to the nearest bedroom or obligingly private area in order to have our wicked way with them given the chance, we're romance starved, not sex starved.
Sex is something we could read about all day long if we wanted to, perhaps with more ease than ever before given the booming erotica genre. What we want, and are desperately hoping for, is romance. What we've gotten in recent years is a plague of romantic suspense. Some of the books have been fantastic--NS & STWOM come to my mind (Micheal Valente is my favorite hero), along with Cry no More by Linda Howard, the FBI series by Catherine Coulter, and Julie Garwood's contempories: Heartbreaker, Mercy, & Killjoy. Unfortunately, the vast majority of these new titles are filling me with nostalgia for 'the good old days'...when I read a romance novel without bodies dropping dead, a pyscopath on the loose, or forensic detective work taking large chunks of the book.
I'm somewhat weary of the adrenaline rush, and long for the days when romance was focused solely on developing the relationship between the heroine and the hero; instead of being split down the middle by suspense. I understand that writers are fully entitled to stretch their talents in new directions, and I think that the result with the novels I mentioned above was sheer genius. However, it doesn't change the fact that I still crave reading a romance that doesn't have to vie for suspense or another secondary plotline of equal importance for page space. In other words, a book that's '95% focused on the romance between the hero and heroine' Romance, not sex..and that's what makes all the difference. Other writers can skillfully pen sex scenes that will raise heartrates, blood pressures, and libidos--your love scenes do all that, but involve our hearts as well. We geniunely care for and love the heroes and heroines you've given us over the years, and that's what set them, and you, apart.
You've given us something that no other author can come close to: characters that are nearly as dear to our hearts as our families in RL. No one does romance better than you, and that's what we're missing (especially the ladies who favor Historicals--they've had to make do the the authors who've unsuccessfully tried to fill the breech since you focused on contemporaries). You've given your characters more heart, soul, and wit than any other author out there...we've cried with them, mourned with them, loved with them for years...is it any wonder that we want a new pair to sigh over?
Yes, we'd like a novel that's focused almost exculsively on romance, because when penned by you, it's truly magic. The stuff of dreams, HEA's and unarguable genius. We miss them, and the skillfully wrought relationships detailed within them; the one-of-a-kind pairings and soul-deep that you alone seem to write with such verve and passion. I'll kept my fingers crossed for such a miracle, but will eagerly await your next novels, whatever format they've been scripted in.
posted
I tend to agree with Eryn in that we want romance, not just sex, thrown in with your wonderful stories and characters.
I recently finished Standing in the Shadows by Shannon MacKenna, and honestly, if I had known she was an erotic writer, I never would have picked up the book. The sex got in the way of a really good story line. Yes, he fell for her and yes, he was trying to protect her, but, gosh, I had to plod through explicit sex (and skipped quite a lot) just to get to the continuation of the story. I mean, how many explicit descriptions of sexual parts do we need here??? Obviously I'm not into erotica here.
Romance. Definitely more romance. Paradise and Perfect, Almost Heaven (which is my all-time favorite) and Whitney, My Love, well, they just are the best ever. These are stories that you made come alive; you have made us fall in love with the characters.
What else can I say Posts: 17428 | From: Florida | Registered: Apr 2002
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funnily enough, i just recently re-read NW, and really really loved it! a lot more than i originally thought i did!
i discovered on my last re-read of NW that i love the dialogue, the plot, and the characters a lot more now, so much so that i did another re-read of STWOM...and loved that even more as well
so i think, for me personally, it depends on what mood I am. I enjoyed my last re-reads of NW and STWOM as much as I enjoy Paradise and Perfect, and perhaps even more so! But there are times when the romance level of PA and PE are what i feel like reading, rather than a romantic suspense.
Posts: 265 | From: Australia | Registered: Feb 2002
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Hm, yep I'm going to agree with you Judith. Sex starved I am. If I could read books about Royce, Clayton, Zack, Jason, Matt, etc and they had only the witty dialogue I would toss them out the window. Not that I don't love a good laugh because I count that among my top reasons for enjoying a book, but I'll go ahead and admit that I want the sex.
Thankfully I have my own Royce as a back up when a book is lacking that extra punch I need. lol
Kiss, kiss, Jennie
-------------------- "We can't all come and go by bubble." Elphaba from Wicked. Posts: 5475 | From: Claymore with my beloved Royce | Registered: Apr 2000
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The first time I read NW, I really loved it. It was different from the others but still, great in its own way. Now, I know. It's because of the wit and the dialogues and Courtney Maitland. That's why JM is my ultimate favorite author because all her novels were beautifully and skillfully written. She's really a talented writer.
I agree with Eryn and S (Nightdancer). I am romance starved not sex starved. When I read a book for the first time, - whether it's JM or not, I skip or just browse through the sex scenes, in my haste to know what happens next. So the sex part is not a big deal to me.
I miss those purely romance novels especially that of JM. Sure, there are a lot of good romance authors too but no one can measure up to her. I love to read the romance novels because it made my brain rest. LOL!! What I mean is, when I read them, I just follow along and get lost in the h/h world. And in the end it made me feel good. My heart's thumping because of the love between the H/H.
While when I read romantic suspense or such, my brain is forced to work hard: to understand why it happened, to assimilate all the facts, to think who murdered whom, my heart pounds in suspense and kept me in the edge of my seat, etc. After reading a romantic suspense, I sometimes feel as tired as the hero/heroine after dodging the criminals or escaping from them. **I am reading THE DA VINCE CODE right now and that is how i feel. LOL **
-------------------- ***Formerly known as Sharon Sandini***
"The real art of conversation is not only to say the right thing at the right time but to leave unsaid the wrong things at the tempting moment." -Anonymous? Posts: 2963 | From: Here, There and Everywhere | Registered: May 2003
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I agree with Eyrn. It's the romance and the dialog I crave for while reading one of your books. Matt is my favorite charactar, and although I do get turned on, reading about how he does what in bed, what makes me 'love' him, is the way he loves Meredith. (Same goes for Zach, Rhett Butler and Clayton.) Although they had their share of missunderstandings, in my eyes Matt ALWAYS loved Meredith. This is the kind of love I wished to experience.
I love and enjoy your books because you make the character seem so real and because you make the love between the character seem so real. Thanks, Ms Judith.
I am not a sucker for reading about sex, i am a sucker for reading about love.
Posts: 2 | Registered: Jul 2005
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Actually I didn't think so much about this issue between romance starved and sex starved and the more I think about it, the more I feel I need to say something here. LOL.
I hope Judith doesn't get offended but quite honestly if I had wanted sex stuff I wouldn't have picked up any of her books. They stir me yes, but seldom arouse me. I mean, they did, but they weren't satisfying, ie. if sex was what I had been going after. It's the romance between the hero and the heroine that sucks me in. And of course like I mentioned earlier, the powerful emotions their story evokes in me. I rarely cry over a book - movies, yes, because they're visual and audio, but books, no - and books like PERFECT moved me deeply, no matter how many times I read it. The letter and the airport scene makes me cry -- only if I read the story over and again, not if I just open the book, flip to that page and read the same words. It's amazing how the same words have different effect on me, depending on how I read them, but it's true.
And I don't know how Judith did it, but she's the only one who'd ever done it.
Having said all that, I have a feeling we may be going too much into the technicalities. Perhaps what Judith meant was DNs are romance starved after all.
-------------------- Jen Posts: 1238 | Registered: May 2005
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Same comment as Jen, I don't feel like a sex starved, but it's true I love when it's about much and much EMOTION.
In Perfect and Paradise, and also in DS, we had very much of emotion !! That is why they are my fav, nevertheless I've also liked a lot NW, RW and the historical...as everyone has said, when there is so much talent, no matter if it's only about the romance between the two heroes, or if it also deals with other issues, we like to read the stories.
Corinne
-------------------- "There are some men who enter a woman's life and screw it up forever. Joseph Morelli did this to me-- not forever, but periodically." Janet Evanovich Posts: 2754 | From: FRANCE | Registered: May 2005
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Eryn said it beautifully... The trend towards novels with psychopathic killers and military ops have definitely turned me off of the romance genre of today. Personally, I get enough death, destruction, disease, and ugliness in the daily news, and I need the escapism of a good old-fashioned love story. I tend to re-read my old favorites where the emphasis is on character development and the emotional connections between the characters; not only the hero and heroine but the secondary characters as well. Prime examples are "Paradise" and "Almost Heaven." FYI, Ms. McNaught: the main reason your books are among my top favorites (ALL of them, including NW!) is due to the dialogue and care that you take to infuse the characters with depth and emotion (not seen much these days in other authors' works). It's the little details that make them great--that emotional punch where you feel what the character feels. The more, er... sensual scenes are also key ingredients (who doesn't love a good love scene!), but lately it seems that they are just thrown in to fulfill the erotica factor with no real plot-line purpose. Sorry to ramble on and on, but that's my .02.
[ July 20, 2005, 07:18 AM: Message edited by: Tina ]
posted
Night Whispers was my third book I read, I enjoyed it, but I can't say it was my favorite. I've been wanting to do a re-read for sometime, just haven't had the chance.
The romance in Perfect/Paradise/Almost Heaven etc were just amazing.
I've picked up AH a few times just to re-read the scene when Ian and Elizabeth are reunited in the cabin, in my opinion, that is ultimate romance and what I really enjoy reading. Unfortunately they aren't many authors that are able to pull me into a story the way JM is able to.
-------------------- Gloria
Posts: 952 | From: Lost in Paradise | Registered: Feb 2005
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quote:I'm starting to think that the only book that will please you is one that is 95% focused on the romance between the hero and heroine, like PARADISE and PERFECT!
My, my... Who'd have thought that? LOL
What? You say that like it's a bad thing. . . .
Di
-------------------- A friend is one who knows all about you and likes you anyway. Christi Mary Warner Posts: 5490 | From: The Earl of Langford's Master Suite | Registered: Jun 2002
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Ms. Judith, I thought you were working on that manuscript!? Just can't stay away, can you? I know the feeling...this place is like a drug that you need a daily dose.
Anyway, I remember the first time I read NW ...it was such a long awaited release for me because at that point I had finished all your books for some time and I was dying to read more. Then when it finally came, I was a *little* disappointed because I was not expecting it to be mostly mystery with the romance between the hero and heroine playing second role. I was a little surprised by the change in the genre...not so much your writing or your dialogues or the story line. I thought you switched gear on me without warning. Now, if I had known about this place, I'm sure there would've been plenty warning but I did not have it.
Now, about being...er...uhmm...sex starved....LOL. (I kind of think that's a funny way of putting it.) Yes, I do like your...er...sex scenes (*blushing with embarassment*)...BUT that's not what I love about your books. It's the way you make me feel what the characters are feeling; the way you develop them that by the end of the book, I feel like I know them personally; the way you touch me with your writing that I wish I were just like your heroines. I could go on and on.
Now back to NW, like many others, I also enjoyed it much more the second and third time around. I guess once the shock of the change of genre subsided, I got to enjoy it a lot more...knowing exactly what yo expect the next time around.
I have to agree with the majority although we are sex starved I would prefer romance and emotion. I read a book resently where teh sex got in the way of the plont and the romance of the hero and heroine. Sex is fine and danddy but we need to see that their is more then sexual and phisical atraction bettween the main characters we need to know that they actually have a relationship.
-Jade
-------------------- "The fire you kindle for your enemy often burns yourself more than them" Posts: 404 | From: Red Sox Nation | Registered: Dec 2004
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oh my god I really agree with Eryn. For the longest time I had Perfect and would not bring myself to read because I thought that there was no way it could compare to Paradise. (once I read it was kicking myself for not reading it sooner) Then, I fell in love with it also. I don't know about the rest of you but every time I read a JM book I feel like this is great and how can I possibly like a new one as much I like this one, but somehow I always do.
-------------------- "With enough courage, you can do without a reputation." Rhett Butler; Gone With The Wind Posts: 1101 | From: watching CSPAN hoping for a glimpse of Senator Hayward | Registered: Sep 2003
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Now Judith. It's not that I want to read about sex. I just want to read about Zack. I am one who actually loves dialogue especially witty dialogue. You are correct that when two people can have a great exchange, it's wonderful writing.
What I love so much about books like Paradise and Perfect is that you really let us get to know your characters. That is why I love and believe the love story so much. You take the time to tell us a complete story, and we get engrossed. The intimate portion means so much more because it's not spontaneous combustion if you will pardon the phrase. It's very real. It means something special. And, okay it's GREAT!!!!
Bringing the characters to life makes for a wonderful story.
And okay, you have us pegged. What can we say?
Cin
-------------------- Cindy Benedict
"I've learned that even when I have pains, I don't have to be one." Maya Angelou Posts: 2064 | From: Secluded cabin in Colorado w/ Zack | Registered: Oct 2001
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quote:I'm starting to think that the only book that will please you is one that is 95% focused on the romance between the hero and heroine, like PARADISE and PERFECT!
So true!
amisha
-------------------- --Amisha
_ _ _ _ _ _______________ _ _ _ _ _
"The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it." --Oscar Wilde Posts: 3219 | From: ConnJerseyticut | Registered: Aug 2003
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I also agree with Eryn. We are more "romance starved" than "sex starved." My first romance novel was Remember When, and I only read that two years ago. Since then, I have read numerous romance novelists, you being my absolute favorite. Now I have gotten very picky about reading romance novels. Too much sex actually turns me off, especially if I don't see a real connection between the hero and heroine.
The emotions and the witty dialogues are what I love about your books. Your novels are the first to make me cry. It takes incredible talent to educe such emotions from a reader, and Ms. McNaught, you certainly have it. Thank you.
posted
I've always been a big reader, but up until a couple of years ago, I had never read a romance novel. I think it had something to do with the way they are portrayed in movies and passing comments - all about sex and moments of weakness with the delivery man, LOL. But the day I finished my first JM book (Until You), I knew that simply wasn't the case. They can be oh-so-much more.
Sex isn't something I thought I'd ever be comfortable reading about. I remember taking a trip to the school library my freshman year of high school, and picking up a mystery novel. It was pretty good, until I got to the graphic, sex-on-the-desk type scene. To this day, I have no idea how the book ended.
The difference is, you make it beautiful. Echoing Cindy, special. All my emotions take a journey with theirs as I make it from cover to cover. I feel like I know Zack and Julie and Meredith and Matt. And for me, there's nothing more I want from a book.
While I did, admittedly, enjoy Perfect and Paradise more than Night Whispers and Someone to Watch Over Me, I still loved the latter two as well.
Romantic-suspense is wonderful. And it's thanks to your amazing work on NW and SOTWOM that I bought and read Julie Garwood's awesome series featuring Murder List, Heartbreaker, Killjoy and Mercy.
Bottom line, I enjoy it all. I remember that particular dialogue quite well from NW, and how I smiled wickedly through and through.
Thank you for showing me that the romance genre can be something truly lovely. Thank you for introducing me in sorts to Ms. Deveraux and Ms. Garwood. Mostly, thank you for sharing your exquisite stories with us. Posts: 875 | From: Southeast Texas | Registered: Jul 2004
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The only thing I could say after all this great answers is this; Sex, you can read about it in all kind of books and stories. Romance in the other hand, wonderful written is so scarce......
-------------------- ~Esmeralda~ Posts: 3539 | From: My own private corner of the world | Registered: Feb 2005
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I apologize for "sex starved." I meant to go back and change that before I posted the message.
However, you've just witnessed a perfect example of the kind of "first draft" I produce when I'm behind schedule and trying to write around the clock.
In order to keep myself from slowing down and deliberating over every phrase and sentence--which is my overwhelming tendency, and why I burn out and then end up avoiding working on a manuscript for weeks at a time--I force myself to ignore things I know are wrong, continue typing, and then make corrections after the chapter is finished.
I cannot begin to tell you how comically, excruciatingly difficult it is for someone like me to ignore what I know is wrong and forge ahead anyway. I'm that way whether I'm cleaning out a drawer, working on an Excel spreadsheet, or writing. Whatever I decide to do, I have a compulsion to "do it right" from the first step to the last.
Anyway, last night, I forgot I needed to go back and change that phrase, which is actually rather remarkable. Usually, a wrong phrase hangs over my head and drapes itself around my throat like a noose from the moment I know it's wrong until I figure out how to fix it and do it.
I have now edited my original post to say what I meant to say.
Having said that, I'll now post a separate message about your comments in this topic, along with an explanation for why I posted last night's message in the first place. Posts: 1031 | From: Houston, Texas | Registered: May 2000
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I took a look at what you edited and my answer would be a yes. I love a good romantic suspense story such as NW and STWOM, but I do long for the simple romance. I love reading of courtship culminating in capitulation of either the H/H. Such in the case of W, ML.
Some of the stories out there have the H/H meeting on one page then doing the deed on the next. Where's the romance in that, I ask you? Although Matt and Meredith met and had sex the first night, it was the romance of getting back together again after all they'd been through which makes Paradise my all time fave.
You are also right about the sensuality aspect in stories. IMHO, It's not the act of finding the H/H in bed together that, for me, defines sensual. It's the "getting there"... the foreplay, the teasing that does it.
-------------------- ♥ JJ ♥ Posts: 5577 | From: Troubleshooters, Inc. | Registered: Feb 2004
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I find everyone's responses here very interesting. I can read either....I do find myself reading a variety of different kinds of romances now more than ever. Sometimes it seems that a good old fashioned romance that keeps my attention is just hard to find. They almost seem to predictable anymore. There are a few though...
I loved the dialogue in NW...there were some very witty, LOL parts. I loved the part when Noah was telling his family that Sloan tried to fix him up with her best friend. I thought that was sooo funny.
As for being sex starved, nah, just story starved...good story starved, with a H/H who have romance and depth to their story and of course, some of "good stuff" thrown in never hurts!
Barb
[ July 21, 2005, 11:12 AM: Message edited by: Countess of Thurston ]
-------------------- **We can't all be stars, but we can all twinkle!** Posts: 1848 | From: from St. Louis but staying at Mr. Darcy's playpit in Pemberley | Registered: Feb 2004
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For me personally, I love a good suspense. However, I will admit to being a little romance deprived. Not sensuality deprived, but, as Eryn mentioned, I would also like 95% romance where the budding romance is front and center and not hiding behind a suspense plot.
That being said, I liked STWOM even if it was 50%/50%. In all fairness, we did get two romances instead of one.
Love is an irresistible desire to be irresistibly desired. Robert Frost US poet (1874 - 1963) Posts: 2991 | From: Santa Cruz, Ca. | Registered: Mar 2004
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I forgot the whole reason I started this topic in the first place because I subverted my goal by using the term "sex-starved" in the first version of my opening post.
When I opened this topic, I wanted to provoke a response from you but (not about being sex-starved which is what I ended up doing.
Eryn, your reply was exactly what I was hoping to hear, and when many others seconded it, I felt better.
I've avoided building up your hopes about EBYT because I did that with STWOM and sent your hopes soaring so high, and in so many different directions, that many of you ended up being a little disappointed in a book that I think you would otherwise have loved, on its own merit.
Relative to EBYT, suffice it to say that I'm stressing the romance more in this book than I've done for a long time.
I'm doing that because I, too, have suddenly grown tired of reading and writing romantic suspense, and for exactly the same reasons Eryn gave. I don't know why it happened, it just... happened.
At the rate I'm going I may wake up one day and decide I'm tired of writing contemporaries and I want to do another historical.
Posts: 1031 | From: Houston, Texas | Registered: May 2000
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Hurray!!! *Counting days to Reno, marking calender for EBYT's release date, & doing cartwheels at the thought of a historical*
Posts: 897 | From: Middle-a-Nowhereville, TX | Registered: Feb 2004
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Eryn, you described my preferences perfectly:
quote:I still crave reading a romance that doesn't have to vie for suspense or another secondary plotline of equal importance for page space.
I've enjoyed my share of R/S, but favor the type of romance where the focus is on the relationship, and the suspense for me comes from the tensions that keep them from realizing the need they have for one another. Since you, Judith, are brilliant at writing these types of stories (either contemporary or historical) it should come as no surprise that we exhibit so much gleeful anticipation to your returning to this genre over the other.
Kris
-------------------- "The secret of staying young is to live honestly, eat slowly, and lie about your age." --Lucille Ball Posts: 1821 | From: In Chicago, enjoying Gray's Anatomy | Registered: Mar 2004
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I guess I'm in the minority here because NW is my second favorite book... because of Courtney and her amazing dialog! I was so happy to have her return in SWTOM.
I'm happy as a clam with whatever gets published because I've liked every book so I doubt that I'll be dissapointed anytime soon.
Posts: 207 | Registered: Jun 2004
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I have been thinking on this subject now for days. Lately I have been rereading a lot of your works since it has been a while and I became involved with this site. I mostly was reading your early works initially.
I just re-read both NW and STWOM partly because of this post, partly because of another. Personally I think that you were at your best here and not because of the usual reasons I gather. You stated in another post that your writing style has not changed over the years but I beg to differ. When I say this I mean that it has evolved and polished as you have grown as a writer, this is normal I think and I would be deeply worried if you did not.
There are a lot of writers who have neglected to remember this and do not attempt to improve on their writing as they age. (I am not sure how to phrase this but I hope my jist is there.) These are the authors that were a "one hit wonder" so to speak, some granted, I think just got lucky but that is a completely different topic. The point being is that you have evolved as the world has evolved which has kept you at the top. Just a side note the hubby and I just had a conversation about Elton John and this concept the other day. As we came to the conclusion, "yes he has turned into a cranky old woman but you have to seriously admire someone who has the know how and ability to continue to produce #1 hits not only in our parents' generation but our own and our childrens'." You of course are not a cranky gay man but I hope you get my point/idea. Gosh rereading that I am sure you are like "life must be interesting in their house. What an odd conversation!"LOL
I have always enjoyed your dialoge. I think you know what your strengths are and stick with them... a lot of authors don't. This is why I love your books. I was thinking today about you and another author and what the difference was. I like you both, both of you can give me the "chills" and YET there is something innately different between the two of you, there is something more to your books. I think it is that you have an uncanny ability to make a book that feels so real and yet we know it is fiction... or is it?
Anyway... I wrote on another post that STWOM has the best love scene I have ever read...normally I skip them as soon as they go corny, I find it hard to read about ripped bodices when in real life I would beat my husband for ruining a good shirt. LOL It was real to me, I loved it!!! I think you were at your top as far as your writing was concerned in this book.
As far as a romance only book: Not necessarily. I want you to write something that is in your heart to write. If you choose to do that and it is in you to do it then great but if it is not in your heart then I don't want to read it. All though it would still be fabulous I am sure, I think it would be missing something... besides I like a little suspense every now and then so I am not complaining. LOL Both NW and STWOM had me going, "is it this person or that one?" I was convinced in STWOM it was a completely different woman who'd done it ... I also kept thinking "how is she going to make his stalking of her okay?" LOL
Sorry I got long winded... as normal... but I am diligently trying to avoid finishing off the laundry and cleaning up from dinner. Sorry you had to be punished with my chatter but a girl has to do something to rationalize her procrastination. LOL
quote:Originally posted by Judith McNaught: Relative to EBYT, suffice it to say that I'm stressing the romance more in this book than I've done for a long time.
At the rate I'm going I may wake up one day and decide I'm tired of writing contemporaries and I want to do another historical.
posted
I too agree with Eryn completely. I read romance for the romance not the secondary plot. Eryn had the perfect answer!
FYI: I'd take witty, flirtatious, indepth conversation over a steamy, erotic sex scene any day.
Virginia
-------------------- ********************************* "Perhaps we're good for one another," she suggested. His voice lowered. "If you had any idea how very bad I wish to be for you, Eleanor, you would run away screaming." -Sin and Sensibility by SE Posts: 599 | From: Quinlan, Texas | Registered: Jan 2005
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I definately love the romance between two fabulous characters, especially the tension between the two. I totally agree with Virginia's post:
FYI: I'd take witty, flirtatious, indepth conversation over a steamy, erotic sex scene any day.
Too much sex with graphic details tends to make me dislike a book. But lucky for us JM is so auesome at making her love scenes sensual and more about what emotions are happening with each character. It's easy to fantasize about JM heros.
Posts: 179 | From: Michigan | Registered: Jun 2005
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You know what - I don't think its the romance or sex or any of that, that actually makes a good book for me.
I think for me it is the characters overcoming or learning to live with things that have gone wrong in their lives. I love it when they find peace and I love it when they connect on a normal and primal base. Jason, Ian, Royce, Nick.............oh could I go on - They are the ones that capture me.
Soul healing - I think that is the best discription, the journey and the hope - yes sex is involved but it is made so much better by a sense of worth to me - when the hero or heroine is brought alive by hope, love and contentment, when the sensual process brings life back to them.
Half the time I just skip the "sex scenes" I am gripped by the emotions behind it.
Posts: 2545 | From: England | Registered: Jan 2003
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Besides, what's a romance novel without romance with the hero and heroine? ![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
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You say that like it's a bad thing. . . . 
