12 Steps to Intimacy

Desmond Morris, a behavioral scientist, became interested in why some couples stay together for life and why some divorce. He theorized that taking time with each step along the way created a bond. What has this to do with writing - especially writing romance? A lot if you give your characters time to get to know each other. Yes, through conflict and various ups and downs in their relationship. Try out the steps with your characters.

1. Eye to Body: Looking at someone's face or glancing over his/he body can be memorable. We often make instant judgments about a person after one look. So it is in romance. One look and there's a connection. The earth moves, figuratively. Love at first sight.

2. Eye to Eye: Eye contact is powerful. Too much can be off putting or frightening. Can a powerful man intimidate others by coolly assessing them with his eyes? It'd feel like being strip searched.

3. Voice to Voice: Your characters begin to talk to each other. This can be fun if your heroine is trying to extricate herself from a situation she'd rather avoid. In my book, Isabelle's Diary, my hero, Dan Conway was so intrigued by my heroine's voice, he wanted to meet her. He has a rather nice Welsh accent that intrigued her. Describing voices is important. How do you show it?

4. Hand to Hand: That first touch. It may be casual, him touching her arm, briefly. Or he may sweep her into his arms! A bit fast at a first meeting but he may save her from falling as she trips on a pine cone (I did once) or a stone and started to fall. Can be a cliche so use carefully! Touching her elbow as they make their into a ballroom. Something a gentleman would do.

5. Arm to Shoulder: This signals intimacy at some level. A character may not be comfortable and duck away. Probably because it affected her emotionally and she's nervous about getting involved. Conflict possibly with what he wants and what she wants. Slow everything down!

6. Arm to Waist: Can signal comfort in a relationship. The characters are moving closer to deeper intimacy. Are they ready for this? In a romance, many things can happen at this point. A crisis. New information that casts doubt on one of the characters. Conflict. Move the story to a different level.

Tomorrow I will finish the 12 Steps to Intimacy. In the meantime, here is the cover for my historical romance, A Very Difficult Man. Catherine Thurston, my heroine, didn't have time for #1, Eye to Body, before Lord Glenmore threw a book at her.

Anita
www.anitabirt.com