Monday, December 21, 2009

Kissing Day Blogfest!

When I heard today was Kissing Day: A Writer's Tribute to Mistletoe I couldn't wait to join in. Kissing is just about my favourite thing to do! Kisses, especially first kisses between favourite characters, are so much fun to read and write about. I love how, especially in YA books, first kisses are these monumental experiences. I love when the author makes a big fuss of the first-kiss scene. It doesn't have to be done with rainbows and beams of golden light or the planets aligning like L. J. Smith does it, but I do like the writer and the characters to make it memorable. When there's been a great deal of tension been built up between two characters, I hate when the first kiss fizzles, or is done off-screen or off-handedly. (Sometimes it feels like I'm more enthusiastic about the characters' first kiss than they are!)

I'd love to share a kiss from my Lharmell trilogy. I've worked very hard on the kisses in these books. But I don't think I should talk too much about them as the powers that be might get cranky. Instead I'll share favourite kisses from books and films.

This first one is from The Secret of Dragonhome by John Peel, a YA fantasy from 1999. I remembered this kiss from when I read the book ten years ago, and it's the reason I tracked it down to read it again. Lord Sander sees people's future when he touches them; Melayne is the heroine:

He stripped off both gloves, and started to reach for her. Then he hesitated, obviously having second thoughts. There was a flicker of worry in his eyes. Melayne didn't let him back out--she gripped both his hands in her own.

Lord Sander gasped slightly, and his eyes went unfocused, as if he were staring at something a great distance away ... [He] jerked his hands free, and his eyes focused on her again. He looked shaken by his emotions, and his self control was badly damaged. Something had caused him great turmoil.

"What did you see?" She begged, scared.

"This," he replied softly. Then he gripped both of her shoulders, leaned in and kissed her ... She had no idea why he was doing this. The touch of his lips on hers, the strong hands on her shoulders, the scent of him--all made her giddy with emotion.

This next one is from Playing Beatie Bow by Ruth Park, my favourite Australian YA. It's a timeslip novel; Abby is from our time, and has been transported back to Victorian times where Judah is from:

"Ah, Abby love, don't go! Not to the grievous world you've described. Stay here with us."

His arms were around her. Her hat fell off into the water and floated away. His cheek rubbed against hers, and she put up her hand and stroked his face.

"Why, Abby. Dinna weep, you must not, what's there to weep about on this bright day?"

But she couldn't stop. A huge shameful gulping hiccup came out of her. Judah grinned.

"Don't laugh at me, damn you!" cried Abigail.

"Why, Abby--" he said, as though astonished. "My little one, my Abby."

Now, although Abigail had no regular boyfriend, she had had her share of kisses ... But this was quite different. Her body went off on its own, yielded and clung and moulded itself to Judah's, her head whirled, and so exquisite a melting sensation arose in her middle she thought she was going to die.

Death by kissing. What a way to go!

After Vivian is dumped by a terrified Aiden in Blood and Chocolate after she reveals she's a werewolf, she foolishly tries to make him jealous by kissing Gabriel, her pack leader. Bad boys on motorbikes are so cliche, but Klaus makes it work oh-so-well for Gabriel.

Her breath caught in her throat when she spotted Aiden. He was staring right at her, mouth parted.

She ripped her gaze away and climbed off the bike. What do I do? What do I do? Against all common sense, she stepped up on the footrest and pressed her lips to Gabriel's. Oh bloody moon, I'm an idiot, she thought. It was meant to be a brief kiss to make Aiden jealous, over before Gabriel realised what was happening. She didn't expect the swiftness with which he encircled her waist with his arm. Suddenly she found herself half across the gas tank and crushed against his chesk, her feet off the ground, metal digging into her right knee. His practiced tongue parted her lips while she clung to him to stop herself falling. She felt the heat of him searing her through his shirt and smelled his musky scent growing rich and suggestive. Then he let her go, and she slid to the ground and staggered backward.

"His eyes smoldered beneath half-closed lids. "Don't use me," he growled. Then he revved his engine, echoing the threat.

My favourite on-screen kiss is in The English Patient. It's one of my favourite movies of all time, and if you haven't seen it, DO. Ralph Fiennes is blindingly handsome (in the scenes when he's not, you know, burned to a crisp) and Kristen Scott Thomas is the epitome of a graceful, cultured, and ever so slightly sad young woman. She's married (swoon!) to an idiot husband who just doesn't get her but Ralph Fiennes does (swoon!) and falls in love with her while she recites stories from Herodotus (double swoon!) They have some absolutely smoking scenes together, beautiful and tragic at the same time. Then World War II comes along and messes absolutely everything up, as wars are wont to do.



And then there's the kiss that never happened. The not-kiss that launched a thousand fan-fics. The kiss that I have been waiting TWENTY YEARS for, one which Return to Labyrinth volume IV better deliver or I shall die a thousand deaths. Apparently test audiences objected to a kiss between Sarah and Jareth in Labyrinth's ballroom scene as Jennifer Connelly was fifteen at the time. PRUDES. Isn't there a special clause when it comes to demigods of glam-rock drugging and pashing teenage girls? No?? WTF!


An even bigger WTF: Test audiences objected to the kiss but not THESE PANTS:


Priorities, hello?

Happy kissing day to all! *mwah*

32 comments:

  1. That was awesome! I'd forgotten how much I loved that scene from Beatie Bow. Oh, Judah!

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  2. Wow. Hope I get some giftcards to buy me some books. Love the pants. That was awesome:D

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  3. Ha! No kidding about THOSE pants! Oh geez, I forgot about them. I have to rewatch the movie before I start reading the comics. Thanks for the chuckle :)

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  4. Awesome post!!! I need to check out some of those YA books. I don't read that much YA, but since Potter and Twilight, I've ventured more into the genre. :) Hilarious pic of the pants. I would never be able to do scenes with someone wearing those pants without cracking up! lol Oh mercy!

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  5. Ahahahahahaha exactly! Those pants are HORRIBLE--totally agree with you on the kiss there although David Bowie does still scare me in that movie.

    Wish you could have shared one of your kisses, but...great kisses shared:-)

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  6. Way to get the kissing party started, Rhiannon! Makes me want to go kiss someone---where did hubby go, anyway?

    It's still Sunday here near the north pole so I have one more sleep before I can post, but I can't wait.

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  7. Oh my! I am buying Blood and Chocolate, can't resist bad boys.

    Kissing day sounds a fabulous idea. I actually posted one of my favourite kisses today but I'm sure I can find another for tomorrow :)

    I really need to watch labyrinth now!

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  8. Fabulous post and you have got a great memory for truly smacking good kiss scenes. Thanks!

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  9. Oh, good choices! Nothing like a few glowing coals to get the fire blazing. Looking forward to seeing your own kisses in print. Err...well, you know what I mean ;)

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  10. Whoa! Awesome list. How is it that I haven't read a ton of these? I'm going to be picking up a few of these for sure.

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  11. Love it! And those pants really were a crime.

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  12. I love, love, love The English Patient! Just thinking about it right now is making me grin like an idiot. It's seriously swoon-worthy, but I can't watch it with my husband- he just makes fun of it. And I think he has issues with the fact that Kristen Scott Thomas is cheating on her husband.

    It may be adultery, but that kiss is hot!

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  13. Oh, doesn't it just tear your heart out? When he clasps her around the waist and she feebly tries (not very hard) to beat him off. *swoon*

    My partner rather likes the film. We were watching it recently and he goes. "My god. That man is blindingly good looking!" And I said "Shh, Ralph is talking." Hehe. It's actually got one of his favourite film lines in it too. "No I don't want to sign my name, I just want the FUCKING CAR!!"

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  14. Bahahahaha I love this. I don't even know about Labyrinth, but seriously, PRIORITIES, ANYONE??

    And I loooove Gabriel from B&C. :D

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  15. I LOVE your post! And the kissing scenes where great! Not a great day for celebrating the kissing day here, bf is sick with something I'd rather not catch(unless I like spending most of my day in the bathroom LOL).

    I see you at last found the book you searched for(The Secret of Dragonhome by John Peel), how did you find it again? I remember your post where you described parts of this kissing scene :)

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  16. LOL I am with you on Kissing Day! I love it!

    I grinned when you said LJ Smith and the worlds coming together. I referenced Dark Visions by her in my Kissing Day post. It is one of the more 'minor world collapsing/rebuilding' kisses of hers.

    Oh and btw the pants... should have been illegal.

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  17. Omg, those pants!

    I loved those scenes, especially the first one!

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  18. It has been ages since I've seen Labyrinth...I had totally forgotten about those pants:)

    Great kissing scenes. I'll have to check out those books.

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  19. I've not heard of any of these! Thanks for sharing! And Labyrinth...sigh...brings back such awesome memories. I haven't seen English Patient. Looks like I'll have to do something about that. :)

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  20. Great excerpts! And those pants had me laughing. Wow, talk about too much information, lol.

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  21. Hilarious about the pants!

    I had that WWII sailor-kissing-the-nurse photo on a tee that I wore during high school. It was one of my favorites.

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  22. Ahhhh Labyrinth, what a classic. :) Great scene selections.
    Karen’s Blog

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  23. Oh, Rhiannon, you make me laugh. I found Jareth deeply disturbing as a kid (and intriguing), and it was due in large part to his pants (no pub intended); I just didn't know where to put that in my brain.
    As for Blood and Choc., I didn't really like the book, but I loved that scene. It was fun seeing her get herself into something unexpected like that, because she is such a strong, willful character, but she walked right into it.

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  24. Um, by "no pub intended," I meant PUN. But apparently I need a drink...

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  25. Crotch monster! Nom nom nom! God, David Bowie is the biggest bucket of sex I've ever seen.

    You have an award waiting! Come get!

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  26. Heidi--it's such a beautiful pic.

    Misty--Not like?? A dagger through my heart!

    Donna--LOL!! And thank you!

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  27. Great post! I LOVE The English Patient. I always sigh (and sob) whenever I watch it. I've never seen Labyrinth, but it looks like I'll have to watch it if only for Bowie's pants. :p

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  28. LOL at the pants line. All wonderful kissing scenes. Thanks for sharing.

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  29. Rhiannon! Don't you just LOVE romance and the kissing? I do! Especially when I get to torture my characters so!!

    Muahahahaha!

    Come and check out my kissing scenes from 2 different novels I wrote!
    ;)
    xoxox

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  30. I'd forgotten how much I loved Blood and Chocolate, especially that scene!

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  31. "Apparently test audiences objected to a kiss between Sarah and Jareth in Labyrinth's ballroom scene as Jennifer Connelly was fifteen at the time. PRUDES. Isn't there a special clause when it comes to demigods of glam-rock drugging and pashing teenage girls? No?? WTF!"

    I agree with everything! ;D

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