This was not only the week with Valentine’s Day, but it was also International Flirtation Week. That’s right, from Feb. 13 to 19, it’s time to get your flirt on.
Outrageous and Courageous
Flirting isn’t just for attracting a man or woman and/or making that initial contact. Flirting should be part of the ongoing relationship. Just because you’re settled into a relationship doesn’t mean you can’t add sizzling sexiness to the mix.
In my new novel, Scents and Sensuality (on sale soon), heroine science geek Amanda Whitfield gets some lessons in flirting from her free-wheeling best friend. Too bad her BFF didn’t give her the tips below! (Maybe in my next book!)
Here are a couple of ideas to help you get your flirt on using my favorite kind of book: the romance novel. I mean, who knows better about sizzling, sassy, sexiness than romance writers and readers. As a card-carrying romance author, trust me. I know what I’m talking about.
3 Steps To Flirtation Using Romance Novels
1. Have your lover read to you. Aloud. A love scene from your favorite romance novel.
Did you ever see the movie, In Her Shoes (written by Jennifer Weiner), starring Toni Collette as Rose, Cameron Diaz as Maggie, and Mark Feuerstein as Simon? There’s a scene where Simon, pursuing spinsterish Rose, finds the romance novel she has stashed away. He picks it up and begins to read this torrid love scene aloud. He finishes the passage, turns to her, and says: “I don’t know about you, but I’m officially turned on.”
Priceless — and hot!
Then there’s the scene in Jane Austen Book Club (written by Karen Joy Fowler) where Prudie, played by Emily Blunt, gets husband Dean, played by Marc Blucas, to read aloud from Jane Austen‘s Persuasion. There is nothing explicit or graphic about that book, but, wow! Their reading aloud a love story about persuading two people who once loved to love again unlocks the passion simmering beneath the surface.
So, put your favorite romance novel and your husband in the bedroom with you and a bottle of wine and lock the bedroom door. That’s some serious flirt going on!
2. A variation of the above: you be the reader. Same result.
3. Don’t want to read? Buy an audio book. Queue it up to a scene you love. Run a bubble bath for two, turn on the iPod, and dive in.
(By the way, if you have small children, it’s probably best to wait until they’re asleep. There’s nothing that takes the sizzle out of a romantic interlude like a child banging on the bedroom door and hollering, “Mom, Fido barfed on the rug.”)
Post Script
Flirting with your significant other is akin to “dancing like no one’s watching.” It takes courage. Carpe nocte. (Seize the night.)
(Joan Reeves writes funny, sexy Romance Novels. For your consideration, get your flirt on with any of her novels, available at most ebook sellers, with audio editions available at Audible and iTunes. Joan publishes Writing Hacks, a free subscription newsletter for writers, and Wordplay, a free subscription newsletter for readers. Visit SlingWords, Joan’s Blog, or her Website.)
Authors of Main Street 
Joan, what a fabulous idea! I love the notion of reading sexy scenes aloud–or better yet, listening to the sexy scene done by an audiobook narrator (they’re not paid professionals for nothing!). Thanks for sharing your tips–looking forward to your new release, Scents and Sensuality (fab title!).
Stephanie Queen
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Hello, Stephanie. Glad you enjoyed my blog post. Had fun writing it. *g* Happy International Flirtation Week!
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Joan, great idea. I love your quote, ‘dance like no one’s watching’. If a favorite song comes on the radio my husband will sweep me off the couch and we will dance around the living room. He won’t dance in public, just in our house.
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Jill, thanks. The “dance like no one’s watching” is my paraphrase of the line from a poem usually attributed to William W. Purkey. That poem, which he used to close his speeches, is now in public domain. It’s a great philosophy to live by.
“You’ve gotta’ dance like there’s nobody watching,
Love like you’ll never be hurt,
Sing like there’s nobody listening,
And live like it’s heaven on earth.
(And speak from the heart to be heard.)”
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I’d make sure that tune is played at least once a week! After the children are in bed.
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So true, huh! We have an ‘our song’. I’ve Had the Time of My Life from Dirty Dancing. We went to see that movie while dating (yes, I’m that old) and that was the night I knew I was in love with him.
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Jill, I don’t know why, but I’ve replied to your comment 3 times since yesterday, and it never shows up. So this is a test!
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Hey, it worked this time. Okay, what I wanted to say to you was about my paraphrase of “dance like no one’s watching.” That’s from a poem attributed to William W. Purkey. He closed all his speeches with this poem which is now in public domain. Such a great philosophy to live by.
“You’ve gotta’ dance like there’s nobody watching,
Love like you’ll never be hurt,
Sing like there’s nobody listening,
And live like it’s heaven on earth.
(And speak from the heart to be heard.)”
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Hey, Jill. “Dance like no one’s watching” is a paraphrase of a line from a poem attributed to William W. Purkey who used it to close all his speeches. It is now in the public domain. The entire poem is an ode to putting joy in your life.
“You’ve gotta’ dance like there’s nobody watching,
Love like you’ll never be hurt,
Sing like there’s nobody listening,
And live like it’s heaven on earth.
(And speak from the heart to be heard.)”
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Jill, thanks. The “dance like no one’s watching” is my paraphrase of the line from a poem usually attributed to William W. Purkey. That poem, which he used to close his speeches, is now in public domain. It’s a great philosophy to live by.
“You’ve gotta’ dance like there’s nobody watching,
Love like you’ll never be hurt,
Sing like there’s nobody listening,
And live like it’s heaven on earth.
(And speak from the heart to be heard.)”
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I love the cover! And the great play with words for the title.
After all these years I discover we weren’t doing it right. I always thought a good night started with a jar of petroleum jelly. No, no, no! You grease the bedroom door knob to keep the kids out.
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Thanks, E. Your Vaseline tip almost made me spew my coffee.
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Wonderful idea to have your sweetie read to you! Love Purkey’s poem.
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Thanks for commenting, Carol. Yes, Purkey’s poem makes one stop and think.
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I’ve been having such difficulty in leaving comments. I don’t know why. Thanks for commenting, Carol. Purkey’s poem reminds us of the joy that should be life!
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Joan, this is a fun post. My husband reads all my books as beta reader. When he read a love scene from my first book, To Love A Hero, he started laughing. The scene was not supposed to be funny. Annoyed, I asked what was wrong. He said, “If they do it on chair exactly as you describe it, they’ll end up on the floor. Come I’ll show you.” He read the paragraphs at loud voice while acting the text. Sure enough we fell on the floor laughing our heads off. It was hilarious. Of course I revised the scene.
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OMG. I’m still laughing about that, Mona. Maybe you should have left the original scene in as a kind of “out take.” *g*
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You made me laugh out loud. Thanks!
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I’ve tried a half a dozen times to reply to you, Carol, and you, Mona, but the comments just disappear. I don’t know what the problem is. Just know that I appreciate your taking the time to leave a comment.
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The only thing better than being read to is being read to in the tub while you and your partner are both naked and consuming champagne and chocolate…yep…that does it 😀
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