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4.01.2011

Blog Tour & Giveaway: Mated by Ria Candro




Please welcome Ria Candro to Parajunkee After Hours.


Dynamics of the Perfect Sex Scene


What is it that makes a great sex scene? Is it the choice of words used? The types of descriptions given? Well, these are all important ingredients to writing a sex scene, but these factors alone will not a great sex scene make. There’s still one key ingredient to a hot, unforgettable sex scene: Emotion.

Whether we read science fiction, thrillers, romance, or erotica (or any combination of thereof), we all read for one reason. To experience emotion. We want to feel what the characters are going through, to walk a mile in their shoes. And for us romance junkies, we want to fall in love with a character. This is why it’s so important to show the emotion behind the action.

Whether your story involves two, three, or (in my case) four characters, the focus should be on the inner experience involved with the act of sex. What are the characters feeling? What emotional bonds are being formed between them? Pushing boundaries is okay, as long as it’s perfectly clear that all characters are on board.In my current release, Mated, my heroine meets a trio of sexy aliens who believe she is the perfect mate...for all three of them. They’re more than accustomed to sharing, and they will do whatever it takes to convince her she is the one for them. Mated is now available from Ellora’s Cave, for more information click here.


I’d love to hear about your favorite sex scenes in novels. What is it that made the scene(s) so memorable?

Ria Candro is the author of futuristic and paranormal erotic romance. When not dreaming up hot love stories, she enjoys spending time with her family in their home state of Florida. You can learn more about Ria and her novels at her blog: www.riacandro.wordpress.com.

Genre: Erotica, Science Fiction Romance
Fantasy Element: Space
Order Online:  Ellora's Cave
Stalk the Author:  Blog
Giveaway: $20 Barnes and Noble Gift Certificate (See below for deets)
Tour hosted by Goddess Fish Promotions

Blurb:
When Natalie awakens on a spaceship manned by three gorgeous and adoring hunks, she’s convinced she’s dreaming. It’s up to Andros, Leikos and Zafron to prove to her she’s not. And that she’s the perfect mate for all three of them.

Spygian alpha males travel far and wide in search of their perfect partner. And then share their mate in the most delicious, pleasurable ways they can imagine. But for Natalie, loving these red-hot aliens means leaving Earth. Is she willing to take a chance on a love that’s out of this world?

Excerpt:
The front panel of the ship’s control room slid open, exposing a view of space through the clear, impenetrable shield.

"We are approaching Earth now," said Leikos, Andros’ second-in-command.
Silence filled the control room as Andros and his men stared at the round globe. Bright blue oceans eclipsed the images of land with a certain beauty that made him think of home.

"It looks somewhat like Spygia," said Zafron, the third and final member of Andros’ pod.

Andros grunted in assent. The planet did resemble their own, although their oceans were more of an orange hue. But still, it wasn’t the planet itself that had drawn them to this part of the galaxy, so far from their very own. No, they had been drawn to what was on this planet. Or rather, to who.

Our mate resides somewhere on Earth.

His Spygian homing instinct had led him here, to this alien planet, so that he could discover the one woman who was meant to be theirs. Now he had but to find her and get her back to this ship. Not an easy task. But compared to what they had gone through to get here, compared to the many weeks of travel, it was no great hardship.
Now that they had found the planet, they must search for their woman.

And pray she would consent.





Contest Deets ONE WINNER:
One randomly chosen commenter gets a $20 Barnes and Noble gift certificate

Requirements:
Following is not required but is appreciated!



Comment to win, answer Ria's question:
I’d love to hear about your favorite sex scenes in novels. What is it that made the scene(s) so memorable?

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29 comments:

~Enamored Soul~ said...

My favorite sex scene comes from the novel "Friends and Lovers" by Eric Jerome Dickey. There is more than one good sex scene in that book - although the book, in its entirety is an incredibly sweet and heart-warming read. The scene that I liked best from the novel was one where Leonard (a comedian) and Debra (a nurse), who have fallen for each other and have decided to get married, go house-hunting together. They've almost given up looking, because none of the houses really appealed to them. And then they find this one house in Los Angeles, and before they know it, they're planning their life together in the house. Upon realizing what that means for them - they end up making love on the floor of one of the rooms in the house.

What made the sex scene, although a brief one, so steamy was the realization and the emotion involved. Especially the "urgency" of the scene - where they were both so overwhelmed by their desire for each other, that they had sex right then and there, adds to the hotness! Also, author Dickey writes his sex scenes in an unabashed fashion - which does not mean that they are blatantly crass or vulgar, but that he has no qualms depicting the raw carnal desires of his characters. It makes you feel like you're privy to the intimate moments of the characters - which makes it that much more real! :)

Thanks for this amazing giveaway, Rachel.

Email: Enamoredsoul(at)gmail(dot)com
Twitter: @inluvwithbookz

Maria Zannini said...

For me, the most important thing about a sex scene is the anticipation, the sexual tension of not-quite-reaching release.

Nice to meet you, Ria!

Unknown said...

Hi Ria! One thing I love is when there's something external keeping the characters apart (or at least from acknowledging their feelings) but the sex is honest and emotionally raw.

LadyVampire2u said...

In the early Laurell K Hamilton novels of the Meredith Gentry series, I really liked the depth of emotion that the love scenes inspired. And you could tell by how the emotions and feelings were described..that coming together was much more then an "For-the-Moment" round of love making. And I can say I feel the same way about the characters of Marjorie M Liu's novels. She always seems to weave hope and passion in all her characters. They stay in your mind long after you've finished the book.

LadyVampire2u AT gmail DOT com

perisquire30 said...

Hi Ria!
Since I write in YA, I've been reading mostly YA over the past few years. I do try to keep up with some of my favorite adult series, like Karen Marie Moning's Fever series whenever possible. Even in YA, there can be kissing scenes that stir your blood! I think it depends on the characters---how the author has drawn you into their world and their emotions while building up to that kiss---that makes even just a kiss as hot as a full on adult novel sex scene. If the author has done their best in developing the story of these characters and their relationship, that final kiss can be just as satisfying.

~Roni Lynne
YA Adventures in the Paranormal...and Beyond!

Elishia said...

Hi Ria!!!
My favorite sex scene was in J.R. Wards Lover Eternal. It was when Rhage was trapped at Mary's house, and she was very stand off-ish to him. She thought he was too perfect for her. Mary's body had battled cancer and had the scars to show it, so she was very self conscious. However, to Rhage, he saw her as the perfect female. He kissed her slowly and she backed off, but he told her how perfect she was and he didnt see the scars as ugly, they were her. So he wanted her to feel good about herself, so he took it to another level with the kissing :X hehehe

i love this scene and will always love this scene because you could feel the emotions coming from both of them. You feel the pain and embarrassment Mary has, and then you feel the love and admiration from Rhage, and then you see him changing her perspective on herself because of him. Beautifully written

-Elishia
elishia.hazelton AT gmail DOTcom

ReneeRearden said...

Great blog article, Ria!

Since I have so many favorite authors, I don't think one scene stands out more than another. The emotion attached is what draws me. I love the tension between to people attracted to each other. The believable conflict that keeps them apart. When these people finally overcome that conflict, the raw, emotional connection makes the scene. Loving someone, connecting with them physically and emotionally is as close as a person can ever get to joining as one with a lover.

TheJay2xA said...

Id totally love Tin Star by J.L Langley the way a the sex scene was written was superb just because it totally turned me on! I love how the character eloped because they love each other not in the sense of pure satisfaction only.

email: fallendream03(at)gmail(dot)com

extra entry:
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Reading said...

There are so many memorable sex scenes. One that comes to mind is Jamie and Clare in Outlander. There was one sex scene where is was claiming her. For some reason it was just so hot.

lizzi0915 at aol dot com

Anonymous said...

There are lots of memorable ones for me but what is jumping out at me as a great one was from Kele Moon's Beyond Eden. That entire book was threaded masterfully with emotion but the sex between the 3 main characters was electric!

Katie
Katiewalthall AT ymail DOT com

Rain Maiden said...

Oh my...I would have to say that Jory Strong has some hot sex scenes. She was the first three-some sex scene that I read about. I have to put Mated on my wish list.

Jnmt3@hotmail.com

Victoria said...

I think the emotional connection is very important to a good sex scene. One of my favorites is in Kresley Coles IF YOU DECEIVE when Ethan and Madeleine finally try to have sex as a married couple. There is so much going on there.
Tweeted: http://twitter.com/#!/Jovial_1/status/53854155588108289
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Diane Pollock said...

I also love the anticipation, the build up. That is why I love Patricia McKillip's scenes...

Gabby said...

Wow all these comments made me think of several of my favorite love scenes from my favorite books so I'm not sure I can just pick one.

Let's see there was scene that sort of immediately came to mind when I was reading the other comments. That scene is from Sherrilyn Kenyon's book Night Play.

The scene was steamy and sweet at the same time you could still feel the emotions coming from the characters just not as much as if the sex scene had been an urgent moment.


It takes place in Bride's large dressing room in her store, like I said the scene was steamy and sweet at the same time now that I'm giving it more thought it seemed like there was a little bit of restraint on the hero Vane's part.

He was trying so hard to be careful with Bride so he didn't hurt her but you could also sense his enjoyment at being with the woman he cared for.

I love it when even in times of slight urgency the hero for the most part is considerate when making love to his chosen woman, that's kind of what makes me like them so much.

Ria Candro said...

Wow, glad to see so many of you here. First I want to thank Rachel for hosting me on Parajunkee.

Enamored Soul - My favorite sex scenes are ones heavy on emotion (yeah, with the explicit stuff thrown in). Like you, I feel that makes it more real.

Maria - That too. Nothing better than anticipation. :-)

Eleri - Yup, that's how I love my sex scenes. The characters might be trying to deny their feelings, but it comes out in the act of making love.

LadyVampire2u - I love Marjorie Liu. Her scenes always seem so real and I can tell how much the characters love each other.

Roni - There was a love scene in the final Karen Moning Fever series book that just floored me. Loved it.

Elishia - Haven't read that book yet. Now I'm dying too. :-)

Renee - Thanks! Yup, ultimately it's all about the emotion.

TheJay2xA - Oh boy, another book for me to read. :-)

Bethie - You're killing me. My mile-long To Be Read list is growing fast. :-)

Katie - Ooh, sex between 3 main characters? I'll have to check that out!

Rain Maiden - Yup, Jory Strong has some hawt scenes!

Victoria - I love Kresley Cole. She's not afraid to write Hot. I haven't read that one yet but obviously I need to.

Diane - Nothing beats anticipation. :-)

Gabby - Ms. Kenyon is another fab author with hot love scenes. Sigh, I wish there was more time to read. :-)

Stacey Donaldson said...

My favorite sex scene is from Dirty by Megan Hart. When Elle first encounters Dan and he tells her to meet him in the bathroom and they proceed to have a naughty romp in the stall.

I loved that it was spontaneous and risky. Elle is a complex character with a wounded past, she's so used to setting boundaries and with this guy she can't stick to her guns. Great story!

email: writetomakealiving(at)gmail(dot)com
twitter: @writing2live

Unknown said...

My favorite sex scene is when the man romances and the woman and then they make passionate love. They are very open with their feelings and you can tell how much they want and desire each other. Please enter me in contest. Tore923@aol.com

Anonymous said...

My favorite sex scene is in Dirty by Megan Hart. Dan wants Elle to have a menage with him and the bartender, Jack. They just pick him up and take him back to a motel. It was strictly m/f/m but it was still very hot. There are so many memorable sex scenes in Dirty.

Now for the newbies to Megan Hart's books. That encounter with Dan and Elle leads Jack to become a paid escort in Stranger, Dan's brother's story. Lots of naughtiness in that book!

user1123 AT comcast DOT net

Jess said...

The one I remember most is when Zsadist "takes care of himself" in front of Bella in JR Wards Lover Awakened. HOT HOT HOT.

Megan@Riverina Romantics said...

One of my favorite sex scenes was in JR Wards Covet. I loved the shower scene between Vin and Marie-Terese. I'm not sure what made it so hot for me but it sticks in my memory. I have a thing for shower scenes! Then of course there is alaways Jeaniene Frost's Ch 32!

rootml1@hotmail.com

Lisa (Lisa's World of Books) said...

For me, the most important thing about a sex scene is the anticipation. the sex scenes in the Anita Blake series are the best!
lisasworldofbooks@charter.net

Ria Candro said...

Stacey - That sounds like a fun read. I like those spontaneous scenes.

Tore - I too like when there's buildup and romance before the love scene. It's that old anticipation thing.

Stacie - Uh, I really need to read this book. :-)

Jess - I read that story last month. Yeah, that was hot.

Meggerfly - You named my personal fave, CH. 32!!!

Lisa - There's something about that buildup that is just so amazing to read about. It's why I read (and write) romance.

AsianCocoa said...

I loved all of the sex scenes between Matthew and Lucy in Annabel Joseph's Mercy.
Thanks for the giveaway and Mated looks like a steamy read.
asiancocoa94 at aol dot com

~Enamored Soul~ said...

Dear Ria...thank you for your awfully sweet reply! :D

Email: Enamoredsoul(at)gmail(dot)com
Twitter: @inluvwithbookz

Rosalie Lario said...

Asian Cocoa- Another greatrecommendation.Thanks.:-)

Enamored Soul - You're very welcome. :-)

Thanks again for having me on the site folks. I'll be picking a winner from all those who commented on my blog tour throughout the week. Check www.riacandro.wordpress.com later today for the winner's name.

Jennifer A said...

Love that picture at the beginning of the post!

I totally agree! An Emotional buildup is one of the biggest turn-ons for me! I think one of my favorite recent sex scenes was in Toil and Trouble (the Jolie Wilkins series) by H.P. Mallory.

It wasn't even that big of a sex scene, but the emotion leading up to it blew me away! I wasn't expecting to like that book that much either.

Thanks for yet another great contest!

jennifer.aguilar (at) yahoo (dot) com

Jennifer of Little Shelf

Jen B. said...

I enjoy the hot, on the spot, out of their mind with lust sex scenes but I rarely remember them after I'm done the book. The ones that really stick are the ones where the characters actually learn or grow from the situation and there is a real and lasting connection. One of my all time favorites is from Laid Bare by Lauren Dane. It starts out as another "yawn" I want to give my girlfriend a menage. But the reader knows there is more there. Once Eric, Todd and Ben are all together and doing what comes naturally it's just amazing. Not because of the sex but because Todd finally embraces who he is and what he wants. It's amazing!
jepebATverizonDOTnet

Texas Book Lover said...

I am really late joining this party so I will be short. For me as long as the couple as a REAL connection between them and not some fake lets hook up connection...then I think it usually rolls over into the sex scenes and makes them hot because we know they mean something. There are too many great scenes out there for me to pick just one!

Thanks! mmafsmith(at)gmail(dot)com

JessS said...

I really like the ones in any of Richelle Mead's adult books (Succubus and Dark Swan series) because they're pretty graphic but also really realistic and there's lots of contrast between really sweet sex with the guy the main character loves and not so sweet sex. They're really hot but still blend well with the rest of the story. I also just love how she writes so that's part of it.

jessicamariesutton(at)msn(dot)com

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