How to Write a Brilliant Romance: The Easy, Step-By-Step Method of Crafting a Powerful Romance (Go! Write Something Brilliant) by Susan May Warren Page A

justaboutmechanics,butthesenses,andmostofall,the impact ofthekiss.
    Justtoreviewquickly:Herearethethreekissesinaromance(andifyouarewritingaromancein thegeneralmarket,youcanextrapolatefromthere. ☺ ):
KissOne:Anintroductory“Ididn’tmeanto,didwejustdothat?”Kiss
KissTwo:An“IreallywanttokissyounowandI’mgoingto”Kiss
KissThree:An“Iloveyou,andImeanit”Kiss
    Now,let’sexplorethe“hows”ofagreatkiss.
A kiss should besavored.
    Again,don’trushtheactofthekiss.Wedon’tneedtoknoweverysloppydetail,butthemechanics ofhishands,hiseyes,andhowheorsheeasesintothiskissisimportant.It’slikeholdingyour breath.Drawthekissouttobuildexpectation.
A kiss should beexperienced.
    Agreatkissisn’tjustshown,it’sexperienced.Agreatkissusesthefivesensestohelpthereader understandit.Useyourfivesenses.Tellthereaderhowtheheroinesmells,orhowshefeels,i.e. he ran his hand over her smooth skin. Goaheadandcommentonthefacthejustdrankcoffeeorthesaltof theheroine’stears(i.e.taste).Sometimes,myheroesorheroinesevenmakesweetnoisesof appreciation.Andofcourse,theyshouldseethekissineachother’seyes.
A kiss should make animpact.
    Thepointofthekissistocausemoretension.Sure,thesexualtensionismomentarilyreleased,but thefactofthekissraisesnewinternalandexternalconflict.Therewillalwaysbearesponsetoa greatkiss,somethingthatstayswiththemuntilatleastthenextchapter,ifnotlonger.Especiallyfor thefirstkiss,haveanimmediateresponse—andthenalaterresponsewhentheyarealoneandready tocontemplatethemeaningofthekiss.
    Let’stakealookatsomeexamples.
    ThisisKiss#1formybook Point of No Return ,myJanuary2011LoveInspiredSuspense(LIS).
    Mae’s chest burned. “Why did you comeback?”
    His eyes caught hers, his voice so low it felt more like a breath, whispered deep inside her chest. “You can’t figure that out, Mae? Youcan’t?”
    And then, as she wanted to hurt him or hold him or do anything to calm the whir of panic inside, he reached out and wrapped his hand aroundher neck, pulled her to himself, and kissed her.
    It wasn’t a gentle, tentative kiss either, like it had been that night on the balcony,orevenahello,slightlysadkissliketheonehe’dgivenherbeforehe brokeherheartinMoscow.
    No,thiskisstastedofdesperationandregret,ofmissingher,and needingher,andashepulledhertighter,sheneededhimrightback.Hislipswere sweet orange and spicy halva, tasting of everything she’d rememberedand more.
    Andforasecond,shedidnothing.Didn’tmove,didn’tbreathe.Justtried to understand exactly who this man was . ..
    Then,itdidn’tmatter.Hewrappedhisarmsaroundher,shecurledhers aroundhisshouldersandsheletherselfkisshimwitheverythingshewantedandeverythingshe’dlost,deepeningherkissandforgettinghowinfuriatingand bossy and overprotectiveand—
    “I’msorry.”Hebrokeaway,andbroughthishandtocradleherjaw,his blue eyes in hers. “I’m sosorry.”
    Oh no, not again . . .
    Let’sbreakitapartabit.
    First, we have some sparks: “You can’t figure that out, Mae? Youcan’t?”
    Those are Fighting Words. Accusatory.Breathtaking.
    Then,wehavetheactionofhimkissingher.Ijuststateit.Sometimespeoplewrite,“Hislipsmet hers,”oreven,“Heleanedforward,touchingherwithhislips.”Whateveryouwanttodo.Justtell uswhat’sgoingon.Don’tgettoopoeticorwe’llgetconfusedandwon’tgettothegoodpart...the savoring.
    Then,tellusaboutthekiss.Iuseanintrophrasehere:Itwasn’tagentle,tentativekisseither. No, this kiss tasted of desperation and regret, of missing her, and needingher,
    ThenIthrowinasense:taste.Hislipsweresweetorangeandspicyhalva,tastingof everything she’d remembered and more.
    AndfinallyImoveintotheeffectofthekiss:Then,itdidn’tmatter. She let herself kiss him with everything she wanted and everything she’d lost, deepening her kiss and forgetting how infuriating and bossy and overprotectiveand—
    Now,sincethiswastheintrokiss,Ineededittoendwithan“Uhoh,whatdidwejustdo” moment…
    “I’m sorry.” He broke away, and brought his hand to cradle her jaw, his blue eyesin hers. “I’m