Writing romantic scenes are not my forte. There is a reason why in the Stomp Vs. Romp blog challenge going on right now, I got put on Team Stomp (aka Action Scenes).
When it comes down to it, I tend to skirt around the romantic plots– which I actually have been getting lauded for. One of the most consistent things in the reviews for A Murder of Mages has been the effusive praise that Satrine and Minox do not have a romantic connection at all. People are really happy that I didn’t take that route.
Now, does that mean I don’t think romance has a place in SFF writing? Not at all. I think it’s a crucial part of life, and should absolutely be included. In The Alchemy of Chaos, I do dive a little deeper into the romantic aspects of my characters’ lives. In The Way of the Shield— which is still not scheduled to be published (fingers crossed)– I have a full-blown romantic subplot. And that, friends, was specifically to challenge myself. Not that I get into hot-and-sweaty details, really. I remain a fade-to-black sort when it comes to that. But in Shield, I wait just a bit longer before the fade.