Adam James is so far in the closet he could find Narnia. But coming out would threaten all he’s built as the lead attorney for WMA Development, and the million dollars he can get when he finishes pushing a big land remediation project through the City Council. Then on an early morning scuba dive, Adam meets a tall, lean rebreather diver named Sky who makes him want to live a different life. But Adam’s dreams are shattered when he walks into the council meeting and finds the fire-breathing environmentalist who’s screwing up his chances of winning is none other than that same beautiful man. Sky Sea Mickeljohn doesn’t compromise, so how could he find himself lusting after a damned developer? And what happens when somebody open’s Adam’s closet door? These two better start telling the truth if they’re ever going to find world peace.

You Had Sex Where?

by Tara Lain

Hi! I’m so happy to be here to celebrate the re-release of my new book, Beach Balls. You may know that this is the third book in my Balls to the Wall series – although all the books stand-alone and this one really does since it’s about two new heroes – Adam and Sky. For all who have asked, the entire series will be re-released this year with some new additions. Plus, there will be 2 NEW books in the series – High Balls coming in October and Bleu Balls which releases in January of 2018

If you’ve joined in on any of my workshops, you know I sometimes write about how to create sizzling sex scenes. Sex scenes are individual to the book and character. They must reveal character and/or forward the plot. If they don’t do that they can be gratuitous and readers may skim them or skip over them entirely. Okay, with that said, it’s fun to add a little spice to a sex scene by placing it in a different setting than the standard bedroom. And, maybe that setting will likewise reveal character or forward the plot.

For example, in The Pack or the Panther, the first book in my werewolf series, Tales of the Harker Pack, one of my heroes is a panther shifter – and a pole dancer. Of course, he’s very limber. It was just too tempting to set a sex scene in the forest with a lot of flipping around on tree branches. It showed the wily feline nature of my hero – and made for a memorable sex scene.

In Volley Balls, I wanted a light playful, sexy scene that would balance some of the darker and more ominous input. So, my hero, David, is in his art gallery on a slow, foggy day with few visitors. His lover, Gareth, is looking at some of the artifacts including a book of Japanese Shunga paintings. The big penised men in delightfully erotic positions are turning him on so he kneels behind the counter and gives David oral sex while tourists are passing the window and one friend sticks her head in. It’s a break to laugh even though we soon discover that both of them are being watched ominously.

Which brings us to Beach Balls. Just as its name implies, much of the story takes place in and around the water. My hero, Adam, knows that his lover, Sky, will be doing underwater research and he goes to the site in his tanks and manages to give Sky oral sex while holding his breath. This is probably harder in real life than it is in the book, but it’s a wonderful reconciliation scene in which my hero completely shows his willingness to go to his lover’s environment. They follow this little interlude, with sex in a small boat which helps suggest the urgency of their need to reconnect! The funny part was me writing this scene. I’d sit at my desk and hold my breath while making all kinds of obscene motions trying to determine what was possible.

Setting can reveal a lot about the inner workings of plot and character — and especially for a sizzling love scene.