Writing erotica and romance isn't easy.
I struggle not so much with stories and plots and characters as personal convictions on if it is right to pen these stories or not.
Growing up in a conservative household (I'm still conservative in politics) sometimes make it difficult to finish stories. Of course, having my mother constantly say I'm going to write for the Christian market if its the last think she ever does doesn't help, either.
In my critique groups, I was always known as the one who took the sexual risks (in fiction). I didn't hesitate to write a hot, steamy love scene if it somehow moved along the plot or brought my characters to a new level. I'm not into sex for sex' sake. I'm for sexual realism in fiction. As a Christian, I know sex happens before marriage. I know people like to get hinky and kinky and down with it. Fiction writers should be able to express that.
I think, for me, fiction is not realistic if it doesn't' have some sort of intimacy. I find Alison Kent's work a sexual overload and could not finish her stuff, but I do like subtle innuendo – when it is written correctly. (Victoria Laurie is a terrific example of romance that works without a ton of explicit nookie.) Hot sex works in several instances, but only when it doesn't overtake the plot, like in Jory Strong's novels.
I've read several books sans sex and the two characters never connect. There is no ping moment where they are all hot and bothered for each other, or they discover they have some sort of connection beyond a physical attracts. They are just two cardboard characters who never quite reach a point beyond acquaintances.
Finding a good balance between the plot and the romantic relationship is key to story enjoyment for me.
So how do you connect two characters in a novel to make their romance real to readers?
Here are a few links to Web sites that want to help:
Laurie Sanders of Black Velvet Seduction does a terrific course on Deep POV that authors in any genre would appreciate. She sets everything up in a blog, where you log in and take the course at your leisure.
What do you do as an author to connect your characters? When your characters aren't compatible, what do you?