Today's guest is Judith James, author of Highland Rebel. Check out what she has to share with you & I...Intimate Moments
A friend of mine and very talented author TJ Bennett recently hosted a series of blogs on the topic of kissing and romance on IMHO (In My Humble Opinion). It got me thinking about intimacy in relationships in general, what promotes it, how it develops, and how important it is. Merriam Webster dictionary defines intimate as “the intrinsic essential; belonging to or characterizing ones deepest nature; marked by very close association, contact or familiarity; marked by a warm friendship developed through long association; suggesting informal warmth or privacy, of a very personal or private nature.”
It’s hard to imagine a couple being in love, or staying in love without being intimate, and by that I don’t mean sex. Sex, although generally private, isn’t necessarily intimate. Ask that of any sex-trade worker, one night stand, or person beginning an arranged marriage. I mean finishing each other’s sentences, knowing looks, the sharing of those sweet caresses, tender kisses, cherished dreams, and deep secrets that brings a couple ever closer. Intimacy can be beautiful, and it can also be dangerous. It involves risk and trust. If the trust is misplaced the results can be disastrous. By exposing one’s deepest self, one makes oneself deeply vulnerable.
Intimacy marks the difference between having sex as a physical act, and making love as an emotional bonding experience, but how do couples develop that which takes them from strangers who are attracted to each other, to intimate and loving partners? This is a theme I love to explore in my books. I think intimacy and how it’s achieved is an essential part of any love story, and although it may vary wildly depending on the couple and what is most private and integral to them, it’s always the door, at first open only a crack perhaps, through which love gains hold. It’s been mentioned to me several times that Gabriel and Sarah from Broken Wing, and Jamie and Cat from Highland Rebel are very different characters, so it should come as no surprise that intimacy develops in different ways for them as well.
Physically, intimacy might be expressed by a hand on an arm that sends shivers, a gentle trailing of the fingers across the loved ones shoulder, a caress on the cheek or a touch on the small of the back, and of course by the hug and the kiss. You can have sex without being intimate but can you have a really good kiss without it? It might not be necessary or even desirable with a one night stand; but it’s at the core of most romance- those magic moments when a couple takes one step closer to being us and we, rather than you and I. Gabriel’s only significant interaction with others had been sexual in nature. He had never been touched with tenderness or affection. Many prostitutes have “no kissing clauses” and typically refrain from kissing because they consider it more emotionally intimate than sexual intercourse, although some specialize in giving a “girlfriend experience” that includes cuddling, kissing and other intimate acts (yes I researched prostitution). For Gabriel, sharing that first kiss with Sarah was huge. At his core, because of his history, physical intimacy was where he was most vulnerable. It was an enormous risk to take and one that opened the door to a new relationship He and Sarah stepped through together.
Unlike Gabriel, Jamie is used to expressing affection physically, and that’s as intimate as he wants to get with anyone. He keeps people at a distance through disguise, subterfuge, and acting. Basically he is always wearing some kind of mask and no one can be said to know him intimately. Given his upbringing, profession and acquaintances it’s no surprise. Whereas Gabriel desperately wanted to love and belong, Jamie learned at an early age to be self sufficient and fend for himself. He thinks of love as an unnecessary complication and distraction at best, and a dangerous burden at worst.
Getting intimate physically is not an issue for Jamie at all, it’s emotionally that present difficulties. As long as a lady doesn’t expect the second, he’s happy to give her the first. When he and Catherine first kiss it’s a calculated thing on his part, but in the midst of all that’s happening, and despite what’s going on, for a moment there is something tender and intimate about that kiss that gives them both pause. It sparks a strong physical attraction that starts a slow but inevitable burn, but he’s an attractive, experienced 17th century upper class male, and he’s kissed his share of women. Unlike Gabriel, one kiss is not going to change Jamie’s world.
So how do you forge an intimate connection with a man who’s full of secrets, makes a joke of everything, and always seems to wear a mask? How Catherine disarms Jamie and finds her way into his heart is the love story at the centre of Highland Rebel.
Thank you very much for having me here today. As always I’m happy to answer any questions you might have. The one I have for you is, do you remember your first intimate romantic moment, whether it was holding hands, sharing a secret, or that first kiss? I wish you all luck in the book draw, and hope you will enjoy reading Jamie and Cat’s adventures as much as I enjoyed writing them.
About the author:Judith James has worked as a legal assistant, trail guide, and counselor. Living in Nova Scotia, her personal journey has taken her to the Arctic and the West Coast. Her writing combines her love of history and adventure with her keen interest in the complexities of human nature and the heart's capacity to heal. For more information about Judith, please visit www.judithjamesauthor.com.
About the book:
Amidst the upheaval of Cromwell's Britain, Jamie Sinclair's wit and military prowess have served him well. Leading a troop in Scotland, he impetuously marries a captured maiden, saving her from a grim fate.
A Highlands heiress to title and fortune, Catherine Drummond is not the woman Jamie believes her to be. When her people effect her rescue, and he cannot annul the marriage, Jamie goes to recapture his hellcat of a new wife...
In a world where family and creed cannot be trusted, where faith fuels intolerance and war, Catherine and Jamie test the bounds of loyalty, friendship, and trust...
drey's thoughts:
Heh. Girl rides off to save her foolish brother in the middle of a battlefield. Girl gets captured by mercenaries. Girl is rescued by the "enemy". Girls is then married to the "enemy". Apparently this is what happens when you don't listen to your menfolk and run around like a hoyden. Not that I think there's anything wrong with running around like a hoyden! Go Catherine! *grin*
Highland Rebel is highly entertaining, and so very romantic... I know, I know. Isn't it supposed to be romantic, you ask? Well. Just because it's a romance novel doesn't mean it's got to be romantic. There are some that are, and some that aren't. Some are scorching hot. Some are light-hearted and warm-fuzzy. Some are romantic. Some are not.
The interplay between Jamie and Catherine is wickedly funny at times, tender at times, and delightfully tantalizing at times. Whether you care for the Highland setting, you should pick this one up if you're a fan of romance genre.
Giveaway!
Thanks to Sourcebooks, TWO lucky ducks will win one copy of Highland Rebel!!
Rules:
-- Contest is open to US and Canada residents, no PO Boxes please!
-- To enter, comment and answer Judith's question: Do you remember your first intimate romantic moment, whether it was holding hands, sharing a secret, or that first kiss?
-- Follow for 1 extra entry.
-- Share for 2 extra entries (let me know what & where, please).
-- Do it all before 6:00 pm CST September 28th. Good luck!
Tour stops:
8/19: Romance Novel tv
8/24: This Book for Free
8/25: A Journey of Books
8/26: Love Romance Passion
8/27: Anna’s Book Blog
8/31: Night Owl Romance
9/1: Ramblings on Romance
9/2: Romance Bookwyrm
9/3: Fresh Fiction
9/4: Morbid Romantic
9/7: Happily Forever After
9/8: Cindy Reads Romance
9/9: Pop Syndicate’s Book Addict
9/10: The Book Faery
9/11: Peeking Between the Pages
9/14: Romance Reader at Heart’s Novel Thoughts Blog
9/16: Starting Fresh
