Today it is my pleasure to welcome romance author Sarina Bowen to HJ!
“Edits Unleashed” gives authors an opportunity to share with readers deleted scenes that did not make it through the final edits into publication.
Today, Sarina will be unleashing edits from her book Coming In From the Cold.
The book
Coming In From the Cold is as angsty as it is sexy. The alpine ski racer hero was really fun to write. Flying at 90 mpg in little more than a helmet and a body stocking requires a special kind of crazy.
The Characters
Alpine ski champion Dane “Danger” Hollister, who does not do relationships. Though he has an excellent reason. No woman would ever say “I do” to a guy whose faulty DNA will eventually cost him everything: his spot on the US Ski team, his endorsements, and the ability to fly downhill at 90mph.
While Willow Reade moved to rural Vermont to get back to the land, that wasn’t meant to include a night stranded in her vehicle during a blizzard. Luckily, the hot ski racer she practically ran off the road has granola bars and a sleeping bag, and is happy to share. Maybe it’s the close quarters, maybe it’s the snow, but soon the two are sharing a lot more than conversation.
Yet neither can guess how their spontaneous passion will uncork Dane’s ugly secret and Willow’s tentative peace with her own choices. Only their mutual trust and bravery can end the pain and give Willow and Dane a shot at hard won happiness.
The Scene
Usually, when I delete material, it’s because I’ve shifted the perspective of that scene from one character to another. My helpful editor once pointed out that the best scenes are in the perspective of the character for whom the stakes are highest. Awesome rule, right?
But in a sex scene, it’s often true that *both* characters have high stakes. Sex makes both parties uniquely vulnerable. So often I’ll write the scene both ways, and then choose.
In the final version of Coming In From The Cold, the following scene takes place in Willow’s perspective. Unexpectedly cooped up together, the two have spent the last couple of hours sharing their fears (even if Dane’s had to be vague about his.) And then… a kiss happens. And then another. And before long there’s talk of moving it into the back seat.
In the finished book, we hear Willow’s thoughts. I made that choice because it’s so unlike her to get busy with a stranger in the back of his motor vehicle. But it was really difficult to part with Dane’s perspective, because he’s so vulnerable too. Somehow I managed to hit “delete” on the following:
Edits Unleashed:
The brush of Willow’s lips against his jaw made Dane close his eyes. It was a rare thing in his life to feel the warmth of a woman in his arms. His life didn’t lack for adventure. But affection was scarce. He was startled to feel his heart rate accelerate to the same pace it reached when he hurtled through gates on a practice course. This was a heady rush of a different sort. When her mouth found his earlobe and sucked it inside, he had to bite back his groan.
Dane wished he could see her better, but the darkness held its own pleasures. As the snow continued to bury the jeep, there were no sounds except for the quiet click of his teeth against hers, and the sighs she made as his tongue stroked hers.
Breaking off their kiss, he gathered the sleeping bag off their laps and tossed it into the back. He kicked off his boots, and then pulled his seat as far forward as it would go without impaling himself on the steering column. “You go first,” he said. Without a word, Willow scooted between the seats and into the back.
She was straightening out the comforter when he very awkwardly climbed back to join her. He sat down in the middle of the space, his head just grazing the ceiling. It would have to do. “Where’d you go?” he whispered. Willow seemed to have gone shy on him. “Having second thoughts?”
“Not exactly,” she said. “I just can’t believe where the night ended up, that’s all.”
“No pressure,” he said. Although there was plenty of pressure in his jeans. The fact that she was a little stunned by the idea of climbing into the back of his truck with him appreciate her more. “If it’s any comfort, I’ve never been in the back of my jeep either.” This was strictly true, even if he’d given a few European rental cars an unexpected workout.
She slid nearer to him and stole his knit cap. This she tossed into the front seat, and then she scooped her hands into his hair. “Mmm,” she said when he wrapped her into a kiss. The shuddering sigh she gave was a good sign.
They were back in business.
He lifted the hem of her sweater and swept his hands onto her bare back. The velvet feel of her skin under his hands, combined with her tongue in his mouth was an exhilarating combination. He didn’t know when he had ever been this horny. He worked his thumbs up her torso, skimming her bra. “I want these clothes gone,” he said, his voice husky to his own ears. “I swear I won’t let you freeze.”
“You first,” she whispered. Willow gripped his tee shirt in her hands and raised it over his head. Once he shrugged it off, her hands explored his chest, her touch teasing, featherweight. She skimmed his pecs, ducking her head to lick his nipples, which were hardened by the chill. Christ, it felt good. Her hands ventured down his stomach, coming to rest on his belt buckle.
He interrupted her to tug her sweater upwards.
“I said you first,” she whispered, grasping his fly.
“Okayyy,” he chuckled. Dane was used to being in charge. But seeing as Willow was now unzipping his jeans, he decided it didn’t much matter. He pressed his hands down on the floor and lifted his hips, giving her free reign to tug his pants off him. She took his jeans and his briefs together, pulling them down around his thighs.
“Hell, it really is cold,” he chuckled.
“I’ll let you keep your socks, under the circumstances,” she whispered. As she said this, her hands began to trace a path back up his legs, sweeping his shins, his knees. Her fingers brushed lightly onto his thighs, and he held his breath.
Book Info:
“A DEEPLY ROMANTIC STORY THAT WARMS WITH SLOW-BURN EROTICISM AND GENUINE INSIGHT INTO LOSS AND LOVE. SARINA BOWEN’S DEBUT GLOWS WITH INTELLIGENCE AND A LOVELY SWEETNESS.” –MARY ANN RIVERS, AUTHOR OF LIVE
Alpine ski champion Dane “Danger” Hollister does not do relationships, though he has an excellent reason. No woman would ever say “I do” to a guy whose faulty DNA will eventually cost him everything: his spot on the US Ski team, his endorsements, and the ability to fly downhill at 90mph.
While Willow Reade moved to rural Vermont to get back to the land, that wasn’t meant to include a night stranded in her vehicle during a blizzard. Luckily, the hot ski racer she practically ran off the road has granola bars and a sleeping bag, and is happy to share. Maybe it’s the close quarters, maybe it’s the snow, but soon the two are sharing a lot more than conversation.
Yet neither can guess how their spontaneous passion will uncork Dane’s ugly secret and Willow’s tentative peace with her own choices. Only their mutual trust and bravery can end the pain and give Willow and Dane a shot at hard won happiness.
Author Bio
Sarina Bowen’s ancestors began logging and farming Vermont during the 18th century. These were rugged, outdoor types without benefit of a laptop or a good latte. It boggles the mind.
Sarina enjoys skiing, writing and good food. She lives in Windsor County, Vermont, with her family, eight chickens and too much ski gear and hockey equipment.
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Thanks for blogging at HJ!
Giveaway: Coming In From the Cold is released Feb 3 as part of Harlequin E’s Contemporary Romance Box Set Volume One. I will give away one e-copy to the winner. (Choice of Kindle or epub.)
To enter Giveaway please post a comment to this Q: In a dual perspective romance, I always find myself gravitating to the male point of view. Do you have a preference? Why?
Please note: This contest will close on Friday Feb 21 2014 at 8:59 PM (PT) and the winners will be notified via email and on this Post. Winner will have 48 hours to respond to my e-mail before a new winner is selected. All entrants must adhere to HJ’s official giveaway policy.
****** Winner: Ada *****
Karen j
I don’t really mind…either way is fine with me.
DJ Sakata
No preference but I do enjoy knowing what both parties are thinking.
kp
I enjoy knowing both parties thinking!
Debra A
I like that I can have a peek at either side, but since male perpective is rare yea I like his side shown.
Leanna
I don’t have a preference, but I love to have both.
DebraG
I do not have a preference. It does not bother me.
Jane
No preference, but I like seeing both points of view.
Justine
I don’t have a preference. I do expect the two POV to be distinctive.
Sarina Bowen
This is such a good point! If the two POVs sound the same, it really takes away from the narrative.
Jenn McElroy
I really like dual POVs! I, too, seem to gravitate more toward the male POV. Maybe because that one’s foreign to me? I don’t know 🙂
Sarina Bowen
Me too! And there’s nothing like a really awesome “guy voice.” Some of my favorite guy voices come from Laura Kaye and J.R. Ward.
Margaret
I think I prefer the male POV – maybe it has to do with the fact that I can imagine what the female is thinking. But either one is fine!
marcyshuler
I like to have both, but not so often it becomes a challenge to follow along.
Mary Preston
I can’t say that I gravitate to one more than the other. Love having both though.
Wilma Frana
They are both good.
Kai W.
I like it when the story shift from the hero and then the heroine’s point of view. I like to know what they are both thinking.
Jen B
I like them both. I find the male POV more interesting because it’s unusual to have.
Tammy Y
I like both the male and female perspective .
bn100
Prefer the male’s because the woman’s is usually annoying
Glenda
I like the dual POV. I kinda like Sarina’s editor’s rule of whomever the stakes are higher. 🙂
Olga
I don’t have a preference.
Olivia Tan
I dont really mind, but I enjoy both pov.
cahmmerritt
I really love dual POV’s – seeing things from both views makes for better depth of character in my mind.
Anita H.
No preference, I like both
Lala
I like both. Maybe I prefer men’s POV bevause I can relate with the women’s more
Ada
I think I gravitate towards the male POV because I’m familiar with the female POV and I like the idea that I’m finally getting into the male mind.
chey
I like both.
Bertie Welck
I like the Male’s they always seem to put a comical point of view on things the female would find serious
Cindy Hamilton
I like when both sides are stated!
Laurie G
I also gravitate towards the male perspective. I wonder if this is due to my age and life experiences.
I prefer the male perspective in books.
Karen McDonald
I have no preferences! Thank you for the giveaway!
Christine L.
In a dual-perspective novel, I’d be more interested by the male’s POV because it’s an opportunity to find out what a guy is thinking (which I’m endlessly trying to do in real life; I can usually figure out women’s motives, being one myself).