Debut Author Amara Royce: Former Guest Blogging Virgin!

Hey you guys! Please welcome debut author Amara Royce to the blog! As you can see, this is her very first guest blog post ever! Isn’t that fun and exciting? And adorable? I’m really pleased and honored she chose us. 🙂 Her book will be available on May 2, so not long now! I hope you all give her a very warm welcome! >.> And ignore the fact that I stole some of her opening thunder, mkay? :X

First, I’d like to thank Limecello for giving me this opportunity!   ALBTALBS is a great site, and I’m thrilled to be a tiny part of it.  *whispers* This is also my very first guest spot…ever.  So, as a debut author, this is quite a heady moment for me!  My debut historical romance, Never Too Late, will be released by Kensington Publishing’s digital-first imprint, eKensington, on May 2, 2013.

After much consideration about my first guest spot ever, I decided it would make sense to focus on the First Kiss.

Both in romances and in real life, that first kiss is so frequently the stuff of fairy tales and legends.

In narratives, that single kiss is the key to life, the key to unlocking a whole new future. The spellbound princess has fallen into a deep sleep and can only be awakened by True Love’s Kiss. And since it’s a fairy tale, the princess has never been kissed before.  The movie 50 First Dates features Drew Barrymore, whose character has lost her short-term memory due to a car accident and therefore wakes up every morning thinking it’s the same day, and Adam Sandler as a marine zoologist who has fallen for her and finds himself wooing her every day.  Their first kiss becomes a running joke in the movie because, to her, it’s a magical first kiss every single day, but, to him, the dreamy blush of the first kiss fades fast.

And, ‘fess up, who didn’t at least consider practicing for their first kiss in the mirror or with a pillow when they were growing up?

On the other hand, there’s also the saying that you have to kiss a lot of frogs to find your prince. In our modern world, maybe it’s a little too much to expect that your first kiss ever will be earth-shattering, toe-tingling perfection or that the first person you kiss will be your everlasting true love.  Even the fairy-tale based movie Enchanted gives a nod to the difference between the first kiss and True Love’s Kiss.

So a first kiss can be monumental…but maybe not.

When I wrote Never Too Late, a historical romance set in Victorian London, I pondered that first kiss long and hard. In some historical romances, the heroine’s first kiss ever occurs “on stage” with the hero, and in those cases, it’s almost always breath-taking and impossible to forget. That first kiss gets deeply imprinted in the minds and hearts of both main characters.

Given the histories of Never Too Late’s heroine and hero, it was unlikely that they’ve never kissed anyone before.  She’s a bit older than the average historical romance heroine, and he’s, well, him.  So it seemed important to acknowledge their less-than-wonderful  experiences before meeting each other, especially since it makes their First Kiss that much more potent.

Here’s a glimpse:

It was swift, a mere brush of their lips, but the electric tingle from that light touch ran through him. How he’d gone from a simple printing demonstration to this far-from-simple complication, he couldn’t puzzle out. Her eyes widened too, as if she felt a similar shock.  He stood there for a moment, looking at her intently.

In that moment, she had enough time to recall the first time she’d kissed a man. Mr. Ranseed was the butcher’s son, an excellent match, both sets of parents agreed.  The third time he’d come to visit her at home, somehow they’d been left unchaperoned.  They were taking a walk in the countryside, talking about some innocuous topic or other, like the weather or, no, they’d been talking about feed, about what grasses are most conducive to good beef, and suddenly he’d butted her up against a tree and begun kissing her. That was all, just his mouth against hers, but it was clammy and horribly intrusive. Startled, she just stood there, letting him probe with his tongue and wondering what all the fuss was about.  He seemed agitated and eager, but whatever he was doing with his mouth felt awkward and unnatural.  She decided three things immediately: 1. I do not enjoy kissing Mr. Ranseed. 2. I am not inclined to allow him such familiarity again. 3. I will not marry him after all.

You can find me on Facebook and Twitter, and I’ll be posting more snippets from Never Too Late every Saturday until its May 2 release date at my web site.

In anticipation of Never Too Late’s release on May 2, I’m giving away a $10 Amazon e-gift card. Just answer the following question in the comments for a chance to win (and include the e-mail address you would want used to deliver the e-gift card):

What’s your favorite “first kiss” scene in a book or movie?

24 thoughts on “Debut Author Amara Royce: Former Guest Blogging Virgin!

  1. Timitra

    My fav first kiss is not from a movie or a book but a TV show and it isn’t their first kiss either. The kiss I’m referring takes place on Friends after they all watch the video of Monica and Rachel’s prom video where Ross gets ready to take Rachel to the prom cause her date is a no show but he shows up and Ross is left heartbroken…the kiss takes place after this and what a kiss it was!

    taccb(underscore)1981(at)yahoo(dot)com

    Reply
  2. Mary Preston

    It would be impossible to marry someone if you didn’t enjoy their kisses.

    I remember that kiss Timitra.

    I can’t recall any first kisses off the top of my head, but I must have read heaps of them.

    Reply
  3. Liz

    Really great first post, Amara! My first kiss happened in eighth grade, and I remember when he kissed me and it wasn’t great that I was thoroughly disappointed. Because you only get one true first kiss of your life and now I’m stuck forever with old fish-lips. Blech. Romance novels, shows, and movies build up things like first kisses to be so amazing, that when the fireworks, heel-lift, and twittering birds don’t occur there’s some serious let down.

    I think one of my favorite first kisses is from Welcome Home, Roxy Carmichael. When Roxy says, “I’m going to kiss you now, Gerald”, at the end of the movie, and he wipes his mouth with a napkin and gets all serious, and then…his braces cause an issue for them. So funny and very realistic.

    Congratulations on the upcoming release, I love the slightly older heroine angle.

    Reply
  4. Amara

    Timitra–oh, my gosh, yes! I totally remember that Friends moment! It’s such a vulnerable moment, and Ross looks like he wants to sink into the floor. And Rachel just walks right over. It’s a great first real kiss for them after all the back and forth! Thanks for the reminder!

    Mary–I agree! (Though, historically, marriages of convenience and political power didn’t rely on affection.) Thanks for reading and commenting!

    Kimh–yes, I remember that kiss too! Like the Friends one, it’s well earned by the hero! 🙂 Thanks for your comment!

    Liz–thanks for sharing your experience! You may have noticed I didn’t mention my own…but I’ll say that I know exactly what you mean! I haven’t seen WHRC, but now I really want to! Thanks!

    Reply
  5. Melissa Keir

    A first kiss is full of anticipation. You can’t wait to see what it’s going to be like. You’ve dreamed and thought about it for ages. There are so many first kisses that stick with me from Darla’s first kiss of Alfalfa on the Little Rascals to Rhett’s kiss of Scarlett. Too bad you only get one first kiss 🙂

    Reply
  6. Limecello Post author

    Hi Amara!

    Thank you so much for choosing ALBTALBS as your guest blogging premiere! 😀
    Fabulous post. As for favorite book/movie first kisses… ack, you know, most book first kisses aren’t that memorable – at least not to me. :X It just seems the first sex scene is what the focus is.
    Movie wise? Is it their first kiss? Rhett and Scarlet? On the wagon? Cuz he doesn’t kiss her when he gives her the bonnet… Man Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh were good.

    Congratulations on your upcoming release! <3

    Reply
  7. Amara

    Melissa–yes, there’s so much expectation and yet mystery in that moment! Thanks for the reminder about Little Rascals! Some first kisses are just so adorable and innocent!

    Limecello–Thank YOU for giving me the opportunity…and for making my, ahem, first time so enjoyable!! And, ah, the first sex…that’s a whole different topic, even more fraught with expectation, anticipation, and complications! Actually, I did consider making that my topic for today, but it would be too spoiler-y. 🙂 And now I want to go watch Gone with the Wind! Must check Netflix!

    Reply
  8. Kim in Hawaii

    Aloha, Amara!

    I love Drew Barrymore in FIFTY FIRST DATES (with Adam Sandler), THE WEDDING SINGER (with Adam Sandler), FIRST KISS (without Adam) and EVER AFTER (without Adam). Drew has been around the block but she can still capture innocence on screen.

    Congrats on your debut in books and blogs!

    Reply
  9. JenB

    The best first kiss EVER was on New Girl a couple of months ago, between Nick and Jessica. Be still my heart. I must’ve watched it five times in a row. I also love the kiss between Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts in Notting Hill.

    Reply
  10. Amara Royce

    JenB–*taking notes…must add New Girl to my DVR* And, ah, Notting Hill. So awesome! Thanks!

    MermaidHair–Okay, really have to start watching New Girl! Thanks!

    Shelleys–Thanks so much! Ah, an “oldie” but goodie…one that kind of raises a new question in my mind that I might have to explore in the future: When you get to a not-so-happy ending, does it taint the good that came before it? Hmm…

    It’s getting late where I am so my bed calls, but I’ll check in tomorrow in case there are any overnight commenters!

    Thanks to everyone for reading and responding! And THANK YOU to Limecello for being such a wonderful host! It’s been great fun! And, while there will be other guest posts in my future, I’m really, really happy you were my first. 🙂

    Reply
  11. Jane Squires

    I do not care about a first kiss in book or tv show. I only care about the first kiss I got 33 years ago in June. I only kissed one man and I married him and I am still married to him. I think women are too free with their kisses.
    Would love to be entered in contest.

    Reply
  12. Diane Sallans

    Ghost & The Princess Bride had some pretty nice kisses. I like a kiss that starts off slow & sweet and gradually heats up.
    sallans d at yahoo dot com

    Reply
  13. Chelsea B.

    Oy! What kind of tough questions is that?? 😉
    Book– The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie by Jennifer Ashley. Ian and Beth.
    Movie– The Holiday. Graham and Amanda.

    Reply
  14. Amara Royce

    Jane–How rare and wonderful that your first love was/is your true love! That’s so sweet! Thanks for commenting!

    Diane–Ah, The Princess Bride is so adorable…”they’re kissing again”

    Chelsea– 🙂 What can I say? My students think I’m a tough too. Madness of… is on my TBR pile and might have to be moved closer to the top! 🙂 And I love the movie The Holiday!

    Reply
  15. LLiz

    My favorite first kiss is in Guilty Pleasures by Laura Lee Guhrke. There is so much great tension between the H/h!

    Reply

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