Naughty, Naughty…
Jess Michaels

When I wrote EVERYTHING FORBIDDEN, I knew exactly how it would start. It's not giving anything away to tell you that I knew my heroine Miranda would stumble onto the hero, Ethan, involved in erotic activity with a mistress. The question became, how would she react?

That's the trick, isn't it? We all do things or see things or say things we aren't supposed to. Come on...admit it!

You've found a Christmas or birthday present accidentally and peeked. Or maybe listened in on a conversation a little longer than you should have after you heard your own name. Or told just a little white lie. :) Just a little one to make something easier.

We all do it. I think it's probably part of human nature.

But the thing that makes us different is how we react when we do it. Like one person who finds a Christmas gift might rewrap it exactly and fake surprise when they take it out from under the tree. Another might march up to the giver and tell them what they did, maybe even ask them for something else (these people are far more direct than I am). And then some will let it slide, but not try to fake surprise on the big day. All very different reactions.

So, when Miranda saw Ethan and his lover, I was faced with a decision. Would she let them know she was there? Be horrified and run away? Or would she stay, confused and scared, but aroused? And then let it change her entire life.

I decided to go with the third option. :) Miranda not only watched the shocking scene, but it was a catalyst for her to realize that she wanted passion. She wanted desire. So that one little naughty thing she did (spying) and saw (Ethan and his paramour) really changed the entire trajectory of her life and was the jumping off point of my story.

What is interesting is when I started writing this blog, I hadn't thought about the fact that later on, in the same book, Miranda's sister, Penelope, also sees a shocking, erotic scene, much like her sister did earlier. However, she reacts in a very different way. But that's SOMETHING RECKLESS and that's a story for next year--April 2008 to be exact (see below)...

So, here's my question for you. Have you ever seen or heard or done something naughty? How did you react?

I'm very excited to say that I'll be here EVERY Friday in December as the Avon Red guest! So tune in next week for more fun with me! :)

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