GUEST POST - Christine Amsden
A Scorching Hot Kiss
When Literal Hotties posted a glowing review of Cassie Scot: ParaNormal Detective a few months back, April said, “The steamiest you get here is a scorching hot kiss. But there is hope for the next book getting hotter!”
Evan's kiss really is a scorcher. He can, we discover during the first book, bring a woman to orgasm with a single kiss. Cassie doesn't believe him at first, but she learns the truth the hard way. (Or more to the point, in a very arousing way.)
The idea for the kiss came to me in a dream – and oh, I'm sorry to sound like a cliché but it's the truth! I held that dream close to my chest for years before I dared write it down, though. It was the center of many a private fantasy.
I've worked my way into romance, it isn't something I set out to do from the start. But I noticed that the very minor romantic subplots I wrote into my first two books were by far my favorite parts of the stories, so it was clear to me that I needed to surrender to the romantic within, begging to be set free.
Cassie Scot was a great way for me to ease myself into romance. The romantic subplot (mixed with mystery and magic) takes four books to develop. Since it is one of several intertwined subplots, it's never going to get very high on the steam-o-meter, but I promise that I'm no curtain closer. For me it was just a matter of letting Cassie's character drive the story, and Cassie was not ready to have sex in the early books. Between you and me (and now everyone else on the Internet) I have a file with over two dozen discarded attempts to put a sex scene into the first two books. She said no, and no means no. So...
I was left with that scorching kiss. A single brush of lip against lip that no woman can resist.
I was reading a lot of romance in those early days of plot outlining and character sketching, when I was trying to decide whether or not to go for the magic kiss. Women in mainstream romance get thoroughly aroused by simple kisses all the time and they don't even have the fantasy umbrella for shelter. If I'm going to write fantasy, why not mean it? Why not own it?
Okay, so after writing all four books in the series I have an answer: The fun fantasy became quite the challenge when I realized only a total jerk would take advantage of such a power. Which makes foreplay awkward. When they do finally make love, I had to write the foreplay without any kissing lest the reader harbor any doubt as to whether or not Cassie is wholeheartedly embracing the moment.
Despite that challenge, I wouldn't change a thing. Evan is my dream man, including that erotic kiss of his. I hope you enjoy the romantic dynamic, which climaxes in Stolen Dreams (Cassie Scot #4).
Secrets and Lies
Cassie Scot
Book 2
Christine Amsden
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Publisher: Twilight Times Books
ISBN: 978-1606192771
ASIN: B00FX4C0YM
Number of pages: 274
Word Count: 85k
Cover Artist: Ural Akyutz
Book Description:
Cassie Scot, still stinging from her parents' betrayal, wants out of the magical world. But it isn't letting her go. Her family is falling apart and despite everything, it looks like she may be the only one who can save them.
To complicate matters, Cassie owes Evan her life, making it difficult for her to deny him anything he really wants. And he wants her. Sparks fly when they team up to find two teenagers missing from a summer camp, but long-buried secrets may ruin their hopes for happiness. Book 2 in the Cassie Scot series.
About the Author:
Christine Amsden has been writing fantasy and science fiction for as long as she can remember. She loves to write and it is her dream that others will be inspired by this love and by her stories. Speculative fiction is fun, magical, and imaginative but great speculative fiction is about real people defining themselves through extraordinary situations. Christine writes primarily about people and relationships, and it is in this way that she strives to make science fiction and fantasy meaningful for everyone.
At the age of 16, Christine was diagnosed with Stargardt’s Disease, a condition that effects the retina and causes a loss of central vision. She is now legally blind, but has not let this slow her down or get in the way of her dreams.
In addition to writing, Christine teaches workshops on writing at Savvy Authors. She also does some freelance editing work.
Christine currently lives in the Kansas City area with her husband, Austin, who has been her biggest fan and the key to her success. They have two beautiful children.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ChristineAmsden
Tour Giveaway
3 ebook (epub, mobi, or pdf) copies of Cassie Scot: ParaNormal Detective (Cassie Scot Book 1)
Thanks for hosting me again! Mind Games will be out next month (in ebook), so I'm sure we'll meet again soon. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the chance to win =)
ReplyDeleteI have been wanting to read this series for what seems like forever. Now I read about an orgasmic kiss...hmmm. And I was wanting to read for the magic and detective portions of the book. HOWEVER, I must now read about this person who can melt panties with a single kiss. My curiosity is, er, aroused.
ReplyDeleteHehe. Glad to hear it. :)
DeleteThis series has a little bit of everything. Cassie's character arc is the glue that holds it together.