At the Debutante Ball this week, we’ve been blogging about favorite places.
Since I have a filthy mind am a distinguished romance author, I don’t hear the phrase “my favorite place” and think of sandy beaches or comfy couches.
I think of body parts.
You will be shocked to learn this, but I occasionally write about kissing. Everyone who’s ever been kissed has a favorite place to be kissed. In the interest of making sure the kissing scenes in my books are satisfying to all types of readers, I recently conducted some highly scientific research.
I approached random strangers on the street and asked their favorite places to be kissed. After being slapped twice and groped four times, I decided there was a better way to conduct research.
I then posted a poll on my blog asking readers to pick their favorite places to be kissed. In 48 hours, I gathered 133 responses. You can see the poll results at right.
I was a little surprised to see 49% of readers chose “neck” as their favorite spot for a lip plant (though as one reader suggested, this might explain the vampire phenomenon).
Lips and collarbones were also quite popular, with feet and stomach flab proving somewhat less sensuous.
I’m actually a little curious about the nine people who chose “other.” What parts did I omit? Is my naïveté robbing me of the divine pleasure of being kissed on the eyeball? Perhaps I should try it.
For the record, I was one of the 66 people who chose neck. What can I say? I’m a hussy for a good hickey.
The research gives me something to consider the next time I write about kissing. Who knows? Maybe I can fit all those parts into one big smoochy scene.
Got a favorite place to be kissed? Please share, but keep it PG. And if you want to share your likes and dislikes for kissing scenes in romance novels, I’m all ears.
Oooh, ears…that’s a nice spot.
Much as I hate crowds, I too am a neck person. Also, an inside-of-the-elbow person.
Linda G, Oooh, I do see the appeal of inside-of-the-elbow. Indeed, I should have included that!
Tawna
As my Calabraise Grandmother would have said, “Never you mind!” I Tweeted you, at the top of the Eiffel Tower overlookin Paris after dark. That’s as specific as I’m going to get. What if I said, “armpit?” Wouldn’t that generate some “oops just smelled dog doo” faces? Ha Ha! No – not armpit. I promise. But never you mind!
Love the red lipstick.
Kim, I’m sure if you google hard enough, you’ll find plenty of people with armpit fetishes!
Tawna
Hmmm… either the “other” voters like to be kissed on their elbows or behind the knees… or else they decided that “R-rated” and “X-rated” were different categories and voted for the latter!
CKHB, funny, I debated between using R-rated and X-rated, but since we try to keep things a bit tamer on The Debutante Ball than I do on my own blog, I thought I’d stick with the R. I can see what you mean though!
Tawna
Well, let me toss out some caveats. If a man can’t kiss well on the lips, he isn’t going anywhere else so that’s pretty important.
I had a male friend who had taken a course in erotic massage. He did a lot of research and learned all the female “hot spots.” I don’t write romance, but I do write the occasionally romantic scene so I asked him what they were. He laughed and declined. I think it’s like giving a gal your playbook. He’s not kissing you in that spot because he thinks your skin looks lovely.
I chose other, because when we (ex and I) were drifting around in a romantic haze he knew that spot elicited the whimpers. No, it’s not my eyeball.
Julie, excellent points all around! And now I’m wildly curious about what elicits whimpers. I’d kinda like to whimper.
Tawna
When I took the poll, I chose neck because it is a great place to be kissed, but also because I didn’t see back on the list. Not to get too graphic, or anything *cough*, but kisses along the back can be very erotic. Ahem.
Danica, you’re right, I didn’t even think of “back” as an answer. Small of the back especially 🙂
Tawna
Hey now…I was an Other 🙂 My favorite place to be kissed is on my back. Also, back rubs are awesome. (I’m not sure why I’m telling everyone that, as back rubs from strangers are generally right out.)
Angela, looks like you and Danica (above) were on the same page! I see the appeal for sure!
Tawna
I didn’t get a chance to vote in the poll but I would have said neck as there is something just so sensuous about it, with lips being a very close second.
As for kissing in novels, I like to know a little but don’t like a blow-by-blow account of where and how as that just gets boring.
Bethany, you know that comment I made above about having a filthy mind? I’m snickering at your use of the term “blow-by-blow” in this context. Sorry.
Tawna
Maybe that’s why it’s called necking?
Michelle, an excellent point! Leave it to my agent to be the smart one. (That’s pretty much what I count on all the time).
Tawna
lips
Greg, you are a man of few words and simple preferences 🙂
Tawna
I’m going to chime in for both Elise and me and quote The Three Amigos:
Rosita: I was thinking later, you could kiss me on the veranda.
Dusty Bottoms: Lips would be fine.
I’m among the ten with an R-Rated response. Or perhaps NC-17.
NC-47?
I wasn’t an “other” voter, but I promise eyeball kisses are NOT as much fun for the kissee as you might think. My husband calls them “octopus kisses” and they feel. so. weird. And not in a fun way, either.