Viviana Enchantress of Books: Guest Post & Giveaway: Dannika Dark

Thursday, November 22, 2012

Guest Post & Giveaway: Dannika Dark

Writing a Great Sex Scene

This post was suggested by a friend who hadn't had her morning coffee. I may be able to tell you this from an author and a reader perspective. But mostly, it’s a matter of personal opinion.

And I hope that my mother never sees this post.

What is anti-climatic for me?
In a nutshell, it would probably be those scenes when he slides it in and she instantly climaxes. (sometimes, with just a brush of his pinky) Wow! That’s some magical stuff. But then again, it’s all over. All that tension that was built up during the first two quarters of the book has just ended in a scene where the characters hadn't even removed all of their clothes yet.

Does a sex scene have to be 15 pages long? Well, those are kind of nice. But I don’t think there is any magic formula. It has to do with your characters, the tension between them up until that point and how intense their passion is for each other, the location, and even any meaning behind it. Yes, sex can have meaning. Maybe it’s obligatory sex, makeup sex, or pity sex. There’s all kinds of sex. Sometimes there’s the, “ I've had a thing for you for the last twenty-five years, and we’re doing this right now, up against a wall,” kind of sex.

I’m a huge fan of tension. I love the slow build-up between two characters, whether it drags out for several chapters, or even several books. I think what makes a scene really steamy is when it reads real, and sometimes characters even bring their hang-ups into the bedroom. We relate to them on a different level, and we fall into the scene just a little more. Sometimes it’s using appropriate words based on the type of book you’re writing, or even the characters.

What can elevate a scene to a blistering heat is often how imperfect it is. When he can’t get his damn shoe off. Or they fall off the bed and onto the floor, but are so swept up in each other that they just keep going. Sometimes it’s adding emotion into the scene based on their past, or realizing that the character is making a huge leap in learning to trust again.

Any scene I write is specific to the characters, and I've written it all kinds of ways in my published, and unpublished novels. Make your characters uncomfortable, out of control, let their guard down, and get emotional. If you write a scene about the male inserting his stamen into her flowery petals, and explosions went off like she’s never felt on this earth, then readers will be completely jilted. There’s a myth that readers enjoy the fantasy of perfect sex in their books, but think about some of the best characters and scenes. There’s usually one of the elements listed above, otherwise, you might be likely to roll your eyes and say, “Oh, brother.” I love those broken men, or those dysfunctional relationships that just make sense together.

So, I hope that my friend has had her coffee and giggle for the morning, and that I’ve made you think twice when you read your next book about what made that sex scene great, or not so great.

"Impulse"
(Mageri Series, Book 3)
By Dannika Dark

Synopsis:

Almost one year ago, a Mage attacked Silver and changed the course of her destiny.
Immortals exist, and now she is one of them.

Within the dark and supernatural city of Cognito, Silver is living under the watchful eye of her Ghuardian and dating her mortal enemy. Neither man can protect her from a dark secret, one buried within the contents of a box. As rival factions struggle to gain control, she finds herself in the middle of a centuries-old feud that threatens to drive a wedge between her and Logan Cross, the man who intends to seduce her.

In an explosive turn of events, one life is saved and another is forever altered. Can Silver trust those around her, or are they hiding a dark secret of their own?

Goodreads
Available for purchase at Amazon and Barnes & Noble

Excerpt:
Both hands cupped my face and his forehead touched mine.
“I was made to protect you, female. I’ve claimed you, whether you accept it or not, and it’s an honor that I take very seriously. If any male lays an unwanted finger on you, I will break it. If you hunger, I will feed you. If you’re cold, then I will warm you with my body. If you’re taken from me, then I’ll track you. Never doubt my devotion to you.” He gripped my head firmly. “I once gave a woman my heart, because that’s all I had to give. But you, Silver, you’re the pulse that keeps me alive. I was a soft man once, but no more. I don’t know if you can accept the man that I’ve become, because all I have to offer you is my life.