My husband introduced me to all the scary movies. To my surprise I discovered the “slasher” movies featuring psycho-killers who walked at the speed of molasses but never failed to catch the fleeing victim to hack them to pieces was no where near as terrifying as the —slowly opening door.
You’d think I’d be more frightened of the freakish, merciless assassins. The ones who couldn’t be outwitted despite lacking the ability to speak should be way more terrifying. Yet, when a lamp flickers, or a shadowy figure crosses by the window I’m all like, “Things just got real.”
Welcome to this week’s Marketing For Romance Writers 52-week Blog Hop topic, Open Doors or Closed Doors. Since this is a romance writer’s blog hope, I assume the title is in reference to a love scene. So…thanks for hopping a ride on this journey along the warped roads of the crazy-train of my mind as I explain why stealthy terror frightens me more than psycho-killers. Almost the same way as I prefer to write/read a closed-door love scene rather than an open door love scene.
(Wonder no more why I must write paranormal and fantasy.)
But First—a Disclaimer
Keep in mind that this is my weird, witty (or at least attempting to be witty) opinion. I know there are a lot of people who love an open door love scene. Some find them so engrossing that they might offer themselves up as a sacrifice to a psycho-killer just to finish that chapter and get to the juicy part. That’s not me, and here are a few other reasons why.
Reason #2 Ain’t Gonna Happen
The psycho-killer is usually lurking in the woods near some decrepit cabin. There are usually issues with the electricity and some goofball decides it’s an ideal time to take a walk in the woods.
For one, I there ain’t no way I would be in the decrepit cabin in the first place. Then as soon as the power went out I’d get the heck out of there and back to civilization faster than I could trip over that root and wait for death while attempting to outrun the lurking lunatic.
The same way I trip over some of the words in erotic, or overly descriptive, romance and it kills the story for me. I forget about the sensual love scene while I’m trying to figure out if I’ve ever heard a man refer to his pulsating manhood as a love stick or man meat while moistness and juices are happening all over the place.
Reason #3 The Power of the Imagination
When the bedroom door opened a few inches in the movie, Paranormal Activity it scared the bajeebies (not sure exactly what bajeebies are, but no worries, they’re gone now) out of me. Not at the possibility of the attack from a malevolent spirit or demonic creature but more so because most times less is more. Anticipation and imagining what might happen next was more terrifying that being hit over the head by man meat an axe.
The subtle touch, or loving gesture, that leaves the door open to the imagination instead of observation is much more appealing to me.
The fluttering heart chasing a whispered kiss draws me deeper into a #love scene than a sloppy tongue battle. #MFRW #romance Share on XKind of like relishing the first few bites of chocolate or getting a stomach ache after inhaling the whole bag. You can have too much of
a good thing, unless it’s cuteness. Scruff will gladly give you an overabundance of that, but he won’t save you (or me—he is a big baby) from a psycho-killer. For that, you’re on your own.
What About You? Do You Prefer Imagination or Observation in a Love Scene?
Follow the other authors in this week’s Marketing for Romance 
Writer’s Blog Hop. Surely some of them will provide an opinion that doesn’t leave you trembling as you peer over your shoulder and wonder if you closed that door—or not.
 
Gotta tell ys – I LOVELOVELOVE scary movies. The scarier the better. and that squeaking, slowly opening door – yeah, I just peed in my pants!!! I’m so scared even writing this. Hahahah
lol! I love a psychological thriller, and of course the paranormal ones. Thanks for visiting!
I love your explanation! Many years ago, someone said to me that in his opinion, there was nothing sexier than an unbuttoned article of clothing. Nudity, he said, wasn’t nearly as sexy because it leaves nothing at all to the imagination. I’ve never forgotten that. And LOL on the man meat and moistness. Yep. Definite mood killers for me.
The imagination is much more powerful 🙂 Thanks so much for visiting!
OMG! I’M dying here!
I have to read your books! IF they are anything like your post, I need this in my life! You touched on a major pet peeve of mine – the purple prose.
. . . the sensual love scene while I’m trying to figure out if I’ve ever heard a man refer to his pulsating manhood as a love stick or man meat while moistness and juices are happening all over the place.
*HOLDS SIDES* Girl you slay me! GREAT POST!
And about the quote that Sherry mentioned above, I believe that was Johnny Depp
Thank you so much Ellie 🙂
It never even occurred to me that this week’s writing prompt might refer to sex scenes, which just goes to show once again what a varied lot us humans are. And especially writers.
For my own reading & writing, I prefer closed doors . . . but it depends. Usually l’ll write foreplay and then close the doors. Yesterday I wrote a scene that had me chuckling. The heroine’s apartment had been ransacked, and the hero starts cleaning up just when the heroine expected some sack time — but he turns it into foreplay. On every fourth item he picks up, she takes off an item of clothing, and on the fifth, he does. There’s humor and characterization, and those things tend to vanish when performing the deed itself, so I’m less interested.
Ed- that sounds like a great scene.
LOL, I’m loving the variety in these posts also. I don’t mind reading and writing open door love scenes if they advance the plot or the character development, but I hate when the rest of the plot is just a series of brief breaks between graphic sex scenes. I always do my best to be fair when I’m judging a contest, and I have to say, it takes a really great writer to pull off a story like that.
I agree, a love scene can be done really well, but it has to fit in the story.
I’m not into scary movies, thought the spooky, Gothic-style thrillers give me a thrill. No serial killers, please. They really creep me out.
I love the spooky, creepy kind of scary. I think it’s because my imagination is way too overactive- as you may have noticed, lol.
Am enjoying the variety of posts. For me, the slowly opening door is where the observation ends and the imagination takes over. That way the reader can go any way they want. And you’re right sometimes the words just throw me out. good take on the topic.
Thanks for visiting, Helen!
Great post Maureen! I was so confused on this topic and went in a whole different direction. LOL on the man meat **note to self take all references to man meat out of books** 😉 I do write ‘open door’ scenes but I have an ick factor with some words so I try to stay away from those at all costs.
I do write open door love scenes, but it can be difficult to find other adjectives when you don’t want to use terms like “man meat” (I would turn in my author card if I ever resorted to using that one!).
I love this post. Great job. I think I like the love scene doors half opened LOL
I’m not a fan of slasher movies, but the occasional psychological thriller is fun. The kiddie movie Coraline even creeped me out, and my granddaughter LOVES it!