Friday, September 7, 2018

Show Don't Tell Descriptions - Part 6 Romantic Scenes

by Elva Cobb Martin





How do you show versus tell romantic desire and attraction? 

Yep, even Christians can have these two--or the race would have died out. LOL

Here are a few items from my file and two from my novels.

His strong arms circled her, gripping the reins, and his warm breath feathered her face.  ( photo: Kurt Seyit and Sura,  Turkish drama on Netflix)

Her soft curves molded to the hard contours of his lean body. 

She recognized the heart-rending tenderness of his gaze.

Her whole being seemed to be filled with waiting.

His eyes raked over her and warmed her like a flame of fire.

She buried her face against the corded muscles of his neck.

His gaze fell to the creamy expanse of her neck.

His gaze caressed her as if he had touched her.

When his eyes met hers, something intense flared between them. 

His virile appeal attracted her like a magnet.

The smothering flame she saw in his eyes startled her.

Here's an emotionally charged romantic scene from my novel, Summer of Deception, with the H/H on the plantation balcony after the hero has battled an arsonist-set fire to the tea barn one night. This is my hero B/C--before his spiritual awakening.

    She started toward the French doors. But he moved to stand in her path. She lifted her eyes to his handsome, rugged, face and the damp curliness of his hair. Her breath stopped in her throat. He reached out and drew her to him. His manly scent edged with smoke and tea enveloped her, and his close bare torso shot tingles to her toes. She took a ragged breath. "Please, let me go, Luke."
    "You've got that same doe-in-the-headlights look again, Rachel. His warm breath feathered her forehead. "Why are you afraid of me? Can't your 
lofty standards save you?"

Here's a similar charged scene from my novel, In a Pirate's Debt, a prequel to Summer of Deception. The heroine has just gotten her memory back and the remembered shocking  incidents in her life decimate her anew.

    Travay uttered a dreadful cry. 
    Lucas lunged toward her and pulled her into his arms. She rested her head against his strong chest, and hoarse sobs racked her body. Something deep inside him exploded and shipwrecked all his arguments against involvement with her. He couldn't trust himself to murmur a single comforting word. 
     Slowly the sobs subsided. Travay hiccuped and lifted her tear-stained face from his shoulder. She looked up at him from under thick, wet lashes, and it was all he could do not to press his mouth to her trembling lips.

Thanks for stopping by! Do you have some items to add to our list?  I am considering dedicating the next blog to show don't tell kisses. Should I dare and are you interested?

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Blessings,
Elva


Elva Cobb Martin is vice-president of the South Carolina Chapter of American Christian Fiction Writers. She is a former school teacher and a graduate of Anderson University and Erskine College. She has two inspirational novels published with Lighthouse Publishers of the Carolinas. Summer of Deception, a contemporary romantic suspense, and an historical romance, In a Pirate’s Debt. Both have spent time on Amazon’s 100 Best Sellers List for Women’s Religious Fiction. She has indie published a Bible study on Amazon, Power Over Satan, on the  believer's authority in Christ. Decision, Charisma, and Home Life have carried Elva's articles. Jim Hart of Hartline Literary represents her. She and her husband Dwayne are semi-retired ministers. A mother and grandmother, Elva lives in South Carolina. Connect with her on her web site http://www.elvamartin.com,on Twitter www.twitter.com/ElvaCobbMartin; Facebook http://www.facebook.com/elvacobbmartin;  and Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/elvacobbmartin
 Link to her romance novels and non-fiction works on Amazon:http://amzn.to/2pOgVHI