As my urban fantasy novel Hard Day's Bite is in the hands of my editor, I've turned my attention to an exciting new side project: an erotic space opera series, featuring a swashbuckling hero and his motley crew, with plenty of adventure and hot alien action.

The big question is: How to write multiple sexy scenes that stand out?

Bits mashing with other bits is pretty basic stuff. And if you're dealing with human anatomy, there are a limited number of parts fitting into other parts, thus a finite number of variations on the standard fare. Given those constraints, any erotic story risks sliding into lackluster territory to become hollow, repetitive, and vacuous to read - the kiss of death for any writer.

Sure, you can dress up an encounter with... well, a slinky dress and stilettos, an exotic location, a fetish for leather, or any of a million peccadilloes, but in the end - sex is just sex.

So what is the secret ingredient? How do you write a scene with that extra special hot sauce?

I've discovered that it has little to do with the mechanics of gettin' busy. Insert tab A into slot B is technical at best. The real magic is the connection between lovers.

We all have unique attributes and experiences that shape who we are and who we become - which profoundly affects our love lives. It influences what we find attractive, who we fall in love with, and how we love them. We don't leave our personalities at the bedroom door; all of our habits, quirks, sensitivities, even our sense of humor goes with us.

No one wants to read a gratuitous, perfunctory sex scene that is robotic and completely out-of-character. There has to be a motivation to go there and it has to be real. And that means getting personal with details and genuine dialogue.

A demure surgeon doesn't suddenly turn into a sexpot without explanation. If she does have a wild side, there'd better be a reason for it - and we need to know why. A heroine traumatized by an abusive former lover will want to take things slow, but a skydiving, adrenaline-junkie won't be content with vanilla sex. If you don't get the psychology right, it won't ring true.

An encounter has to mean something - not necessarily everything, but something. Sex is a powerful cannon to bring on a stage. You don't want to blow it by throwing away a great opportunity to flesh out your characters, so to speak. An intimate encounter can explore unspoken desires or frustrations, introduce conflicts and complications, and advance the story. You get to decide how far the ripples will go.

In the end, any sexy scene has to have a purpose and come from a place of honesty, with characters we can recognize and relate to, or it won't feel real. When that magical combination happens, we're immediately drawn into the story, captivated by a relationship, perhaps even stimulated - but ultimately, we're satisfied.

The origin of every story is unique. Whether it's inspired by personal experience, the news, or a work of art, the seeds of a story can come from anywhere. The mystery of the writing process leads us to ask every author the inevitable question: "How did you come up with the idea?"

In the case of Vampire Perfect, it's origin story is somewhat far-fetched, but fortunate. The opening scene, theme and main characters were the result of a long and vivid dream. When I woke up, I immediately scribbled in my notebook everything I could remember.

Whether the dream was a gift from the writing gods or my wiser subconscious, I decided to finish writing the story that began in my sleep. Of course, hashing out the plot and details was another thing. I knew my heroine was a musician who was madly in love with a billionaire, but what I didn't know is why she was leaving him. That puzzle fascinated me. If he was so great, what was the problem?

Spoiler alert! For those who haven't read the book yet, you might want to skip the next two paragraphs.

As I worked on Rory's background, I realized that she was a foster kid with trust issues, who'd never had a real home. Although she loved Ethan, she didn't care a whit about his wealth or power - as a matter of fact, it was part of the problem. Rory was an artist who lived for her music, not diamonds and Dior. She felt out-of-place and suffocated by the trappings of a super-rich lifestyle.

In contrast, Ethan Worthington was all about a well-crafted image and having the best of everything. His love for Rory made him want to give her the world and he was confused when she threw it back in his face. Finding out why Ethan was so status-obsessed was a process. As I rewrote the scenes between him and Lizbeth, the extent to which he'd been damaged and twisted by the impossible expectations of the first woman he'd loved was an ongoing revelation.

A dream gave me a puzzle to solve and I searched for the answers along with my characters as I wrote their story. Even though Rory and Ethan were forced to endure a painful breakup and face trials that tested their commitment to one another, they ended up with a deeper understanding of each other and a love that will (hopefully) last an eternity.

If this blog were a ship, I'd know precisely what to do - crack open the best bottle of champagne on her hull and wish her bon voyage! Alas, with no grand traditions to guide me, I'll just have to wing it on my first entry.

I've named this blog after one of my favorite quotes, the modernized version of which is "Nothing human is alien to me."

The quote is from Terence, a former slave and Libyan playwright in Rome around 170-160 BC who famously stated "Homo sum, humani nihil a me alienum puto," loosely translated from Latin as "I am a human being, I consider nothing that is human alien to me."

This sentiment not only perfectly encapsulates my approach to writing, but the way in which paranormal or supernatural characters, who may not be entirely human, can be infinitely relatable and illuminate the human condition in unique ways.

A succubus can reveal the anxiety around our sexual urges and the fear of being consumed by a lover. An alien's attempt to assimilate can highlight the mixed signals and contradictions in our own society. Our mortality can be explored through a relationship between a vampire and a human. A werewolf struggling with uncontrollable rage can reflect efforts to resist our own violent impulses.

So, Nothing Human intends to touch on the myriad aspects of the human experience, exploring life through the prism of paranormal, sci fi, dystopian, contemporary, YA, horror, erotica, and urban fantasy genres in books, movies, television, comics, music, art and other media art forms.

It promises to be a fun and interesting journey worthy of a celebratory send off - even without the champagne; a journey I hope you will join me on.