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TITLE: Sensual fiction. What is it? Is it really necessary?
sen·su·al (sĕnˈsho͞o-əl)
adjective
1. Relating to or affecting any of the senses or a sense organ; sensory.
Now you are probably wondering how defining this relates to writing romantic fiction that is sensual enough to be memorable. Why is it necessary? Because that is every author's goal... for people to remember the story and the author who wrote it.
On to the interesting stuff now that we are grounded in what these things mean.
Everything human beings do behaviorally is directly tied to their senses. So when authors are told to not forget to use the five senses, it's for a very good reason.
If someone smells really good you might want to sit closer to them. On the flip side, if their body odor is appalling, you'll want to sit far enough away that it doesn't overtake your senses. Whether someone smells good or bad directly affects your thoughts about them and most likely your behavior toward the person.
If someone looks really good (think Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt here) you will want to get closer to them, maybe talk to them and get to know them better. On the flip side, if they look like Scarface or someone with an oozing skin disease your first thought would be to stay as far away as possible. Again, what you see directly affects your behavior toward others.
If someone has a pleasant voice whether they are talking or singing, most people would want to listen and get closer to that person. On the flip side, if their voice is screechy, whiny, nasally-sounding, or wimpy, you won't be as attracted to the person and will most likely want to leave the room or hang up, if talking with that person on the phone.
If someone doesn't have an invisible barrier up and not only receives a friendly hug with affection, but even welcomes it, if you were someone who enjoyed touch, you would most likely want to hug that person again and again. If they stiffen at your touch or there is a painful spark between you that isn't pleasant, chances are you won't want to touch that person again.
If someone tastes good, I mean really tastes good, then you are going to want to kiss them again. If their breath is sour or there is just something about their kiss that turns you off, you won't go back for more. It's pretty basic, but I have not dated men a second time who were very attractive, but I did not enjoy their kiss. So taste matters, especially if you are looking for something long-term, like marriage.
Last, if someone has a warm "spirit" about them you will be attracted to that person. If they are a Christian and you are of like mind, it's likely that there will be a profound connection between your hearts. If someone has a guarded or hostile "spirit" you are not going to want to get together with that person and get to know them better. Those types of people are draining and leave the other person feeling exhausted after every encounter.
Now that we've established that the senses are clearly a factor in whether or not one person will pursue a relationship with another, I think you can see why sensuality in fiction is critical in creating a memorable bond between characters. As an author, I want readers to release a satisfied sigh when they read the interactions my hero and heroine have in any given story. I want them to feel profound relief and satisfaction when the couple finally kisses for the first time. I want the reader to feel the same desire to pursue a relationship with the other character as the character does himself (or herself.) I want my readers to want to yell at the characters when they are upset, or cheer them on when they are headed in the right direction. Bottom line, I want their reading experience to be memorable.
When I am talking about sensuality in edgy Christian fiction I am not talking about inciting lust in the other person, just attraction. So don't picture a busty pole dancer here trying to lure a pastor into sliding bills into her garter. That is NOT even close to what I'm referring to. I am talking about creating characters that are so real that you forget you are reading a book, but instead you feel like you are hanging out with friends. Writing sensual scenes does that for readers.
Think of the scent of turkey baking in the oven on Thanksgiving. What does that illicit in your heart? Usually fond memories, right? Sensual experiences in fiction will illicit similar fond memories in the readers' hearts, or create new ones.
On to points of view...
While writing sensuality in Christian fiction you have to start with the visual when you are writing from a single man's perspective. He is not going to see an attractive, curvaceous blonde and wonder if she has a nice personality or not. He's going to like what he sees and want to introduce himself. Then he will hear her voice, get close enough to get a whiff of her scent, then the next step is touch, and if all goes well, it will culminate in a kiss. In Christian fiction the important thing is that romantic relationships really shouldn't go further if the characters' "spirits" aren't connecting, because what initially attracts Christians won't sustain the relationship over the long haul. However, a three-strand cord with Jesus at the center is not easily broken.
While writing from a woman's perspective she will notice what a man looks like just the same as men do, but from there things change a bit. If he is cocky or rude, then the woman won't care how good he looks. She's not getting any closer. However, if he seems kind, or strong and heroic and there is something she respects about him, then she'll want to get closer. After this initial step, things progress in a similar fashion. Men and women are different, but not that much different. Women may go for a less attractive man (just like men might go for a less attractive woman) if there are other things to like about the person, but that is rarely the first thing that will attract them.
I love to create characters that are tortured by their desire to be with someone of the opposite sex. I think there is nothing hotter than controlled desire and longing. When a man respects a woman as demonstrated by his behavior, but inside he is melting on the spot whenever she is near, that is the most fun and sensual scenario for me to read. I especially like to do this to my male characters. Ironically, people tell me that my "hottest" heroes are the ones who want the girl so much that they struggle, but don't behave badly by pushing themselves on her.
Now the main difference between a typical Christian novel and an edgy one is in their thought-life. My characters have real thoughts that are not filtered by political correctness. If this is done well, the character will still be heroic. He can think about how hot the woman is but not resort to disgusting thoughts that make the reader want to kick him in the pants. Again, controlled desire is the key. The same goes for a woman. She has a lot of power and can stumble a man if he is melting whenever he is around her. Unfortunately, many women don't understand this and even Christians will dress provocatively around other men, and yes, even in church. I've had men say that church is the one place they hope not to stumble in their thought life, but if the woman singing special music is dressed in a short skirt that hugs her hips and wears a top that dips enough to show her cleavage, the man is not going to hear the music she is singing but will have to look away and thus destroy what inspiration he might have received from the song. Modesty can be very sexy to a man. At the very least it won't cause his mind to go places they shouldn't in a church setting.
How do I show attraction in a novel and make it sensual without going over the top? A lot can be said with a glance or a lingering stare, such as darkening pupils showing desire. The way the character speaks, like using a deeper or softer tone can be very sensual when written in the right places. Same with a lingering touch. A woman's hand lightly resting on the arm of a man, and having that woman notice the firm muscles beneath her fingers can be very hot. Or the way their bodies touch when one character hugs the other. A comforting hug and emotional experience can become sensual very quickly if the hug is lingering and the characters are close enough to pick up the other person's unique scent. These scents are called pheromones, and they are quite powerful. Even a soft, but lingering kiss can be very sensual when a man or woman notices the soft feel of the other character's lips, their unique taste, etc. So much can be communicated through one sensual, but otherwise chaste kiss. Of course, with my stories I make that brief sensual situation torture the characters until they want to be together again, and then when they are, I torture them further but having them try their best to control their desires. Sometimes they succeed, and sometimes they don't. Just like real life.
For me, the hottest romantic experience in a novel is unrequited love and controlled desire.
That, in a nutshell, is my take on sensuality in a Christian novel. Nothing is more powerful than a scene where the characters want what they can't have until they are married. Watching that anticipation build until they tie the knot is half the fun. The other half - the edgy part - is being in each character's head and knowing exactly what they are thinking while they are falling in love. And it's never about how smart the other person is, or how nice they are. Trust me on that.
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