Jenna Harte

Category: Blog

  • Writing Great Love Scenes

    Writing Great Love Scenes

    I’ll be on a romance writing panel with fellow authors Ellen Butler and Kelly Eadon at the Virginia Writers Club annual symposium. While romance doesn’t get much respect in the writing field, it’s the most popular genre fiction. Why? I think it’s because it’s loaded with emotion. But many might argue it’s sex, even though not all romances have, or even allude to, sex.

    However, while many romance readers like intimate scenes, sometimes kinky ones even, they don’t want them just for sex sake. If that was the case, they’d read erotica or watch porn. Good love scenes in romance aren’t just there for the titillation; they serve a purpose to the plot and character development. Love scenes shouldn’t be written as a play-by-play of a technical manual: Touch here, insert there.

    After studying my favorite romance authors, I’ve learned that what makes a great love scene isn’t so much the mechanics, as much as it is the emotions and sensuality. Some of the best love scenes in books don’t mention body parts hardly at all, and yet, they’re sexy and sensual.

    Today, when I write love scenes, I start with the frame of mind of the characters. Are they making up? Are they feeling sad and lonely? Are they playful? Are they needing connection? In Worth the Risk (free novella with my newsletter subscription or membership in my street team), Max and Madeleine have several love scenes. The first is about discovery and finally giving in to the attraction. The second reveals deeper feelings, and yet, a fear of sharing them. The reunion scene is all about reconnecting and filling the void at the loss they felt when they separated. So not only are their bodies touching, caressing etc, but their minds are at work as well. We can feel the longing and the desire, which increases the sensuality of the mechanics. At least that’s now I see it.

    With the release of Fifty Shades of Gray, we’ve seen the popularity of highly explicit romances rise. Having read a few of these, I find my concept of a good love scene holds true. Yes, these books show more sexy details, provide a greater diversity of positions, and use courser language, but ultimately, what makes them sexy and romantic is what’s going on in the characters’ heads and hearts, not just what’s happening between their bodies.

    What do you think? What aspects do you like best about a great love scene?

  • Drawn to Her Release Day Giveaways!!

    Drawn to Her Release Day Giveaways!!

    It’s here! Drawn to Her, book one in the Southern Heat Series is finally available.

    To celebrate, there’s a ton of stuff going on including a Kindle giveaway, free ebooks with every order (and pre-order), fun activities, blog tours and much more. Check out all the fun and activities in store today:

    heartFREE ebooks with every purchase of Drawn to Her. EVERYONE who buys a copy (or pre-ordered) of Drawn to Her can also pick up the following for free:

    • How to Speak Southern – A fun and informative guide to the south to compliment some of the southernisms in Drawn to Her.
    • Worth the Risk – Delecoeur Adventure Book One
    • Endangered – Delecoeur Mystery Book Two
    • On the Rebound – Excerpt of Jim Cangany’s wonderful romance

    Visit the Drawn to Her Goodie Giveaway page for details on picking up your free ebooks. You can pick up your copy of Drawn to her at your favorite retailers:  Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, iBooks

    heartWin a Kindle, plus other great prizes, meet and mingle with other authors and have fun at the Drawn to Her Facebook party.  From 11 am to 7 pm eastern standard time, visit the Drawn to Her release party on Facebook to join in on all the fun, and  enter to win cool stuff, including a Kindle!

  • Review: A Thing of Beauty

    A Thing of Beauty
    A Thing of Beauty by Bianca M. Schwarz
    My rating: 5 of 5 stars

    I’ve had to sit on my review of A Thing of Beauty as I worked to gather my thoughts about the book. I really enjoyed it, but have difficulty expressing why. At first glance, A Thing of Beauty is a historical romantic suspense, but it’s not your typical historical, romantic or suspenseful novel.

    My first challenge was to get rid of My Fair Lady’s Audrey Hepburn and Rex Harrison in my mind as the characters Eliza and Henry. It wasn’t too difficult as the Eliza and Henry of Schwarz’s world are younger and a bit grittier.

    In the beginning, Eliza escapes from a brutal step-father who has sold her to another man. She was found beaten and barely alive by Henry, who takes her home and nurses her to health. These two should be complete opposites; Eliza from a poor, barely educated family and Henry, from wealth and privilege. However, the two forge a friendship over books and a curiosity about the world. They also become embroiled a mystery involving sadism and sex trafficking.

    Two things really struck me about the book. One was the contrasts. The world outside of Eliza and Henry is dark, violent, heinous, but the world between Eliza and Henry is wonderfully sweet and pure. Both of them have reasons to be bitter, jaded and untrusting (especially Eliza), and yet, they’ve retained enough of themselves to forge an incredible bond. And while Eliza is in the inferior position, her friendship and love do as much to heal Henry as his help healed her.

    The second thing that stood out was the untraditional ending. It made me think of Jane Eyre and how I’ve always wondered if Bronte considered not having Mrs. Rochester die at the end, and if she hadn’t, would Jane have accepted Edward’s invite to be his mistress, now that Jane had her own source of financial security. In A Thing of Beauty, Eliza is faced with the same societal constraints as Jane. She needs marriage to provide a secure future, and a good marriage won’t come her way if she isn’t a virgin. But she tosses that aside for Henry. While she’s young and naive about some things, she knows exactly what she’s risking. Of course, this risk is lessened a bit through Henry’s help in security her family’s property (an inn), which provides her with income, but still, her choice to be his mistress will caste her in a low light in society.

    In a traditional romance, Henry would find a way to marry her and they’d have their HEA. However, at least in this installment, that’s not what happens. While Henry is no hurry to marry, in order to introduce his illegitimate daughter into proper society when she’s of age, he needs to marry well, and that would not be the case with Eliza. Eliza knows and accepts this. So while you don’t get the love and marriage HEA, you do get two people who love and care for each other, who are together because they want to be, and that is romantic.

    Of course, the die-hard romantic in me hopes that will change in further installments, but so far Schwarz is remaining true to the times in which the book is set, which adds more realism.

    It should be noted that many parts of the book are violent and gritty, and that the love scenes between Eliza and Henry are detailed. I enjoyed all of it, but some readers who might not be expecting it might be be surprised by it.

    I’m looking forward to future installments of the series and have my fingers crossed that Eliza and Henry will eventually have their HEA!

    View all my reviews

  • Drawn to Her Excerpt Plus Win a Kindle

    Drawn to Her Excerpt Plus Win a Kindle

    The release of Drawn to Her is quickly approaching… April 12! I’m in a flurry of activity preparing for a big launch that includes:

    faviconAn all-day Facebook Party with many of my author friends and lots of chances to win great stuff, including a Kindle!

    faviconFree e-books with every pre- and day-of-release order of Drawn to Her .

    faviconSweetHartes can also win a new Kindle Fire, Amazon giftcards, books and other cool stuff. If you’re not a SweetHart, you can learn about this FREE  exclusive group here, and then join the SweetHarte group at Facebook. You’ll find details about contests, some cool free stuff and much more.

    Advanced reviews are positive 4 and 5 Stars:

    Wow. What a roller coaster ride of emotions! This book will hook you and take you for a ride. I was frustrated, angry, upset, sad, elated at various points within the story and I LOVED it! ~ Kelly’s Book Blog

    This book was absolutely brilliant and I thoroughly enjoyed it.~ PLeslie at Goodreads

    Overall, I found this North vs. South clash of cultures/wills quite entertaining. The writing style flowed, and I was so fully engaged I couldn’t put it down. ~ A Klue from Goodreads

    Drawn to Her was definitely a fun read that left me in a good mood when I was done. ~ Lauren from Goodreads

    Wondering what Drawn to Her is all about? Why not check out this opening chapter excerpt:

    Drawn to Her Chapter One

    “Rummy again.” Lexie McKenna laid her cards on the table over Oliver Carmichael’s hospital bed.

    “You wouldn’t be trying to take advantage of a dying man, would you?” He grinned at her, despite the fact he was indeed dying. At least he is dying on his terms. Lexie admired his courage to abandon his life of riches in New York to live out the rest of his days in his quiet, childhood home, in Charlotte Tavern, Virginia. He was comfortable, or as comfortable as could be expected when dying of lung cancer.

    “Oh, please, you’re richer than God.” She gathered the cards and prepared to shuffle them. “I couldn’t win enough dough to dent your stockpile of money.”

    He laughed. “You got that right.”

    “Since you can’t take it with you, I might as well pad my pockets with your loot.” She dealt them each seven cards, glad he was in good spirits today. Being his personal nurse hadn’t always been card games and banter. Oliver was the definition of cantankerous with his brusque demeanor, quick temper, and low tolerance of others. His illness hadn’t improved his attitude. Lexie understood it was difficult for a larger-than-life man such as Oliver to accept his mortality and the limitations imposed by his illness, but that didn’t mean she was going to put up with his surly behavior. Over the six weeks she’d been his private nurse, they’d come to an understanding; whatever he dished out, she gave back. As a result, Oliver’s behavior had improved, and they’d become friends.

    “Double or nothing?” Oliver picked up the cards she dealt him.

    “It’s your money, Warbucks.”

    “What the hell?” A man stepped into the room.

    Startled by the intrusion, Lexie turned to the man behind the deep, harsh voice. “Great day!” She drawled the southern expression of surprise and dismay, under her breath as a scowling, very tall, broad-shouldered man approached. In Lexie’s world, nearly everyone was taller than her, but this man was humongous, not just in size but in presence as well. He swallowed up space with each step until the room shrunk to the size of a closet. His narrowed gray eyes moved from her to Oliver. His dark foreboding stare reminded her of Oliver when he was in one of his moods.

    Finally, someone has come to visit. Except that a glance toward Oliver told her neither man seemed particularly happy.

    “What are you doing here?” Oliver’s scowl matched the man’s although his voice, raspy from cancer, didn’t match the dark intensity of his features.

    “I’m here to see you, and I’m not leaving until we talk.” The newcomer stood at the end of the bed in a casual stance, belying the expectant look in his face. Lexie couldn’t deny there was something compelling about him. He was handsome for sure, with short, jet black hair, and dark, steely gray eyes made more attractive by the long lashes rimming them. He exuded a power that suggested he always got what he wanted without much effort, and an energy that said “keep your distance.” Typical New York businessman.

    “I’m sick.” Oliver slunk down in his covers, letting his eyes drop to half-mast.

    Lexie frowned. Oliver wasn’t one to take orders or be intimidated by others, and yet, instead of telling this man to take a flying leap, he hid under his blankets.

    The change in Oliver’s demeanor concerned her. “Who are you?”

    “Who are you?”

    Lexie’s hackles rose. Who did Tall, Dark, and Brooding think he was coming into her home, well, Oliver’s home, making demands like he owned the place?

    “Harrumph.” Oliver straightened in his bed. “Lexie McKenna, this is my grandson, Drake Carmichael. Drake, this is Lexie, my nurse.”

    Lexie’s annoyance was lessened slightly knowing someone in Oliver’s family had finally come to visit. She’d made so many calls and sent several letters, all of which had been ignored. She stood and extended her hand. “How wonderful that you’ve finally—”

    “Nurse? What the hell kind of nurse jokes about dying and taking your money?” Drake stepped close to her, towering his imposing body over hers, causing a shiver that had nothing to do with fear or intimidation. She should have been wary. Instead, she was intrigued. “Your bedside manner is lacking.”

    “Now wait a minute.” Lexie ignored the crackle of electricity zapping within the narrowing gap between them. She wasn’t going to let some stranger, no matter how big, mean, and gorgeous, intimidate and insult her. Unfortunately, at five-three, she only came to his chest. Not a good vantage point to make a statement.

    “Hold that thought.” She grabbed the step stool next to Oliver’s bed and gained the extra foot she needed to look Drake in the eyes. “You have some nerve.” She poked him in the chest with her index finger, ignoring the jolt of heat zapping her each time she felt the hard, firm muscle underneath his starched white shirt. “Where have you been all this time your grandfather has been sick? You never once called or sent a note.” She glared at him, pleased at the surprise in his steel gray eyes.

    His surprise quickly changed to disconcertedness as his dark stormy eyes sized her up from head to toe and back again. He glared at her with such intensity, she worried she’d whither into nothing. But she wasn’t a delicate flower. She gathered her resolve and turned her stare on him, openly assessing him back. At first, his eyes remained hard and cold but, upon closer inspection, there was something smoldering and compelling hidden behind them. As quickly as it was there, it was gone, and his gray eyes turned flat and unreadable.

    “Ahem.”

    Lexie ignored Oliver’s attempt to get her attention because she couldn’t turn away from Drake no matter how forbidding his eyes. She wasn’t about to give him the satisfaction of flinching first. At least that was what she told herself as she continued to hold his gaze. It wasn’t easy with her heart hammering and her knees turning to jelly.

    “I hate to interrupt this moment, but I’d hate for someone to get hurt,” Oliver’s voice cut through the standoff.

    Drake’s gaze held Lexie’s. “I’d never hurt a woman.”

    “It’s not Lexie I’m worried about.”

    Drake looked at Oliver, breaking the impasse.

    Lexie’s lips curved in satisfaction. That’s right, buster. You don’t scare me. You might make me swoon, but you don’t scare me. With the battle of wills over for the moment, she turned on the charm southern women were famous for.

    “Let’s try this again. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Carmichael.” She held out her hand.

    He looked at it as if she had cooties. Finally, he grasped her hand, his long fingers wrapping fully around her hand in a firm, although not crushing grip, as she might have expected.

    “Ms. McKenna.” His voice was rough, laced with annoyance. Even so, he held her hand, his gaze boring into hers as if searching for something. Her heart skipped a beat at the heat of his gaze. It was oddly thrilling, yet terrifying.

    “Why don’t you sit here?” She disentangled her hand from his before she turned to mush, motioning to a chair near Oliver’s bed. “And, you.” She fixed Oliver’s covers and moved the over-table out of the way. “Be nice.” Casting Drake one last glance, she left the room.

    ~ End Excerpt~

    You can pre-order Drawn to Her and have it on your device on release day, April 12, 2016! And don’t forget to keep your receipt and check in her for details on getting some free goodies!

    Pre-Order through Amazon

    Pre-Order through Barnes & Noble

    Pre-Order through Kobo

  • Author Lineup at the Drawn to Her Facebook Party

    Author Lineup at the Drawn to Her Facebook Party

    I’m giddy with excitement, not just because Drawn to Her will soon be released, but also, because a group of my author buddies have agreed to help me celebrate it over at the Facebook Drawn to Her Release Party on April 12, 2016. I hope you’ll be there too.

    Below you’ll discover the authors and times of their appearances on April 12, so you can drop in, say hello. They’ll have fun activities and even cool giveaways.

     

    PLUS, watch for pre-launch and launch day special … I’ll be giving away free novellas and more  to everyone who pre-orders or release day orders Drawn to Her! Keep your receipt and watch for details on getting your free books coming soon!!!

    Jenna Harte

    Jenna Harte

    I’ll open the festivities from 11 to 11:30. You’ll want to stop by to see what giveaways are in store and get some insights into Drawn to Her.

    11:00 – 11:30 am eastern

    Rachel Brimble

    Rachel Brimble

    Rachel will be visiting us all the way from the U.K. sharing her new release, One True Love, and a whole lot more. Learn more about Rachel and her books at RachelBrimble.com.

    11:30 – 12:00 eastern

    C. H. Armstrong

    C. H. Armstrong

    C. H. Armstrong will join us at noon eastern. Come learn about The Edge of Nowhere and discover what interesting goodies she has in store for you. Visit C.H. Armstrong’s website to learn about her.

    12-12:30 eastern

    C. J. Fosdick

    C. J. Fosdick

    C.J. has been writing since the age of ten and will be stopping by to share some of her brand new releases and other fun stuff. Visit C.J.’s website to learn about her books.

    12:30 to 1 pm eastern

    Charlene Jones Groome

    Charlene Jones Groome

    If you like romance and hot, male athletes, you’ll want to stop by the party to meet Charlene and learn about her Warrior series, and more. Visit Charlene’s website to learn more about her books.

    1:00 – 1:30 pm eastern

    Monique Raphel High

    Monique Raphel High

    Don’t miss Monique Raphel High’s visit, where she’ll share her unique books, most of which set in Europe in the early 20th century. Visit Monique’s website to learn more about her and her works.

    Kara Leigh Miller

    Kara Leigh Miller

    Don’t miss Kara Leigh Miller’s visit to learn about her new release Torn, and her other great romantic works, plus more cool stuff.  Learn more about Kara at her website.

    2:00 to 2:30 eastern

    Angel Nicholas

    Angel Nicholas

    Stop by to meet Angel Nicholas and learn about her new release, Dying for Love, and other treats she has in store for you. Visit Angel’s website to learn more about her and her books.

    2:30 – 3:00 pm eastern

    Bianca M. Schwarz

    Bianca M. Schwarz

    Stop by to meet Bianca, learn about A Thing of Beauty, an intriguing, historical romantic/suspense that is like no other.  and more. Visit Bianca’s author page to learn more.

    3:00 to 3:30 eastern

    Kelly Cain

    Kelly Cain

    Looking for some new adult fiction? Kelly Cain will be stopping by to introduce her new release, Altered, and other fun stuff. Learn more about Kelly at her website.

    4:00 to 4:30 pm eastern

    Kelly Eadon

    Kelly Eadon

    Stop by to learn about debut author Kelly Eadon and her book The Wedding Date, and more. Learn more about Kelly and her musings at her website.

    4:30 – 5:00 eastern

    Anna James Author

    Anna James Author

    Stop by to say “Hi” and learn about Anna James, who has several romance series under her belt. Visit Anna’s website to learn more about her and her books.

    5:00 – 5:30 pm eastern

    Kyra Jacobs

    Kyra Jacobs

    Like a little of everything? Kyra Jacobs writes romance, fantasy and romantic suspense, and you can meet and learn more about her works. Visit Kyra’s website.

    5:30 – 6:00 pm eastern

    Nicole Leiren

    Nicole Leiren

    Stop by to learn about Nicole’s Heros of the Night Series, book two of which will be coming in April. Visit Nicole’s website to learn more about her books.

    6:00 to 6:30 pm eastern

    Jim Cangany

    Jim Cangany

    Jim like to refer to himself at the token male romance writer. Don’t miss meeting him and learning more about his works, including his newest release, Take Two. Check out Jim’s website to learn more.

    6:30 – 7:00 pm eastern

    And at 7:00 pm, I’ll be closing down the party, announcing winners to giveaways and giving you and the author’s a big THANK YOU for attending.