Sometimes, pivotal scenes don't make it into the pages of a book. This is especially true for scenes that would require an author to write from the point-of-view of a non-point-of-view character, or scenes that are too graphic, violent or otherwise inappropriate for the finished product.
Take the brief scene below, for example, written from the perspective of Jim, who is Angel's husband and Charli's father. There's no place for it in any of my books, not only because we never get inside Jim's head, so to speak, but because the content is outside the bounds of what my audience wants to read. (You've been warned. Skip past the italics if you prefer your blog posts to be G-rated).
He looked at the brunette still asleep in the bed, her hair spilling across the pillow. Not yet thirty, and with the best boobs he'd ever seen, let alone touched. Responsive, wild, and just out for a good time.
It was Marita all over again.
He pulled on his pants, then last night's shirt, grimacing at the mix of smoke and perfume that permeated it. Grabbing a dry cleaning bag from the closet, he pulled off the shirt and stuffed it into the bag, then rummaged through his suitcase for a polo shirt.
The brunette stirred, and he froze. He'd hoped to get out of here before she woke up.
She sat up and let the sheet drop. No pretense of modesty and an overdose of self-assurance. "Where're you going?"
He drank in the sight of her, temptation pulling him back. He cleared his throat. "Early flight." He shrugged. "Sorry."
She climbed out of bed. Stark naked and drop-dead gorgeous. "Okay, then. It was nice meeting you, Jim Alessio."
She turned and walked into the bathroom. Taut, perfect, and willing.
Jim pulled off his clothes and tossed them on the bed. There were no prizes for cheating on your wife only once.
So why write a scene like this? It's a means to an end -- a way to explore a character -- what he might or might not do, how he thinks and sounds and acts. Jim is a character my readers consistently tell me they dislike. A lot. Would he stoop this low? Cross this line? What would make him do this? Or stop him?And, if he did, what would the repercussions be? How could I include them in my story without including the inciting scene?
The possibilities are delicious.
I came across this scene recently when I was reorganizing a writing drawer. While you won't find it in any of my books, some questions remain.
Did he do it? And, if he did, who else knows? How will this impact him, his family, the story?
Well, I can't tell you that. But I can tell you that, if you read Courting Peace, you'll find out.
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