For the past few weeks I’ve been working on revisions for my upcoming release. Since said revisions consisted mainly of adding several love scenes and expanding on the ones already there, I did not really anticipate a whole lot of problems.
After all, with several really long books under my belt (really long books!) I figured adding length to a novella should be a piece of cake. I mean, it’s not like I was being asked to cut stuff out—now that could be a problem!
And as for writing about sex…well, I’ve always said it’s the next best thing to having sex. So, again, not a problem…right?
Yeah, well, maybe not.
It’s under control now, but it was touch and go for a while there. My muse had apparently left the building (she’s touchy. I think she resented having her gifts returned for adjustments) and my characters were being no help at all.
I tried arguing with them—as per my usual MO—but they still refused to play. The exchange went something like this:
Me: “C’mon, guys, it’s just sex. It’s more sex. It’s hotter sex. You like sex, right? So help me out.”
Them: “You see that bedroom door over there? Close it on your way out, would you, babe?”
Me: “Okay, let me put it another way. You do realize who’s in charge around here don't you? You keep messing with me and, I promise, I’ll write so much angst and misery into your scenes that you'll be begging me for mercy."
Them: “No you won’t. Your editor likes the ‘fun’ tone of the story—remember? Look, it says so right there in that acceptance letter she sent you.”
Me: Sigh.
Anyway… It took me a while to figure out what was causing the problem. Yes, there were some unexpected family crises that were distracting me, but mostly it was a matter of perspective. See, this story is written in first person present tense. It’s a fun tense and I usually enjoy writing in first person POV, especially when the character turns out to have as quirky a voice as the main character in this story, does. But, even so, first person, present tense, m/m sex is…tricky.
It’s not always easy to capture the emotion necessary for a satisfying sex scene when you’re viewing everything through one person’s eyes and that one person is really in the moment. Factor in a character who’s spent his entire life repressing his emotions and denying he feels anything at all and it’s no wonder I felt a bit challenged.
However, we’ve mended our fences, come to an agreement and made a lot of progress in the last few days. I look forward to finishing up this round of edits by the end of the week. Woo-hoo.
I wish I could give you an excerpt, but I think that might be a little premature. So I’ll leave you with the (unedited) blurb for Edge of Heaven which will (hopefully) be released by Loose Id this summer.
Welcome to the afterlife, where men are men and the angels are fallen.
Edge is an unlikely angel. Unable to atone for the sins he committed while human, he's resigned to spending the rest of eternity in Limbo. Until he meets a miracle named Mattie.
It was a reckless act of passion that ended Edge’s life and left him in Limbo—literally. Now, he’s stuck here. While most of the other angels-in-training move quickly up the celestial ladder, Edge knows it can never be that simple for him. He’s dealing with issues that are a lot more complicated than a simple lack of closure.
While Edge doesn’t know for sure what it will take to get him into Heaven, there is one thing he’s certain won’t help—his latest assignment guiding angel-baby Matteo Matinucci while the newbie find his wings.
But twenty-something Mattie—sexy, beautiful, recently departed and openly gay—could turn out to be the answer to all of Edge’s prayers, as well as the fulfillment of all his fantasies, even the hot, sweaty, secret ones he’s never confided to anyone. And by helping to send Mattie to Heaven, Edge just might end up saving both their souls.
Warning: This book contains angels in the afterlife, a host of heavenly hotties worth falling for, and man on man angel sex—so good, you’ll be dying to get some.
PG Forte
Love without Limits, Romance without Rules!
Chat Group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/pgforte/
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