Hi, it's me again. :) I know you've heard a lot from me lately, about finishing my book and eating chocolate, but here I am again... it's kind of a blog-intensive July for me, and on the chance you're getting tired of hearing from me, I pestered my fellow blog mates to answer a question for me: What does sexy mean to you, and how does that influence your writing?

Here's what my pals have to say on the matter:

Megan says: Sexy to me is so many things I'm not sure where to start. A sexy person is one who listens, really listens, and pays attention. Dancing is sexy, too. So is walking in the rain. So is snuggling on the couch watching movies while it snows outside! Sexy is an attitude, not just an appearance.

Shirley says: Sexy to me is thoughtfulness. I write both traditional (read: no love scenes) and steamy books and have to be pretty creative in how I come up with sexy :-) for those two types of books. But for me it's all about thinking of the other person--of their needs, of what turns them on mentally, emotionally and physically.

Tawny says: To me, sexy is synonymous with confidence. Someone who feels good about themselves, who exudes confidence is just sexy. And that confidence lends itself to feeling, acting and portraying a sexy vibe. And that's definitely how I bring sexy into my books. One heroine might be a bad girl in black leather and another a good girl covered head to toe in flowing silk, but both are equally sexy because they have total confidence in themselves as women. They might have plenty of other issues though LOL.

Jeannie says: After giving the matter deep thought, and realizing sexy is something I feel more than I am able to define, I put my fingers to the keyboard and came up with the following three part (partial) definition--complete with movie examples!

Sexy is competence. Keanu Reeves running out onto the football field in The Replacements. Charlie Sheen walking onto the baseball field in Major League while the crowd chants "Wild Thing." Tom Burlison riding that horse down the impossibly steep hill in The Man From Snowy River.

Sexy is when a tough guy gives way to vulnerability. Proud Mr. Darcy admitting his love for Elizabeth. The Scarlet Pimpernel falling to his knees and kissing the floor upon which his beloved just walked. Rhett dropping that kiss on top of Scarlett's head.

Sexy is outright sensuality—everything Dennis Quaid did in The Big Easy.

I think about movie scenes a lot when I write--especially how I feel when the tough guy admits or shows that the heroine turns him to jello--so I try to incorporate those moments into my writing as much as possible. That usually requires a lot of set up. You don't want the pay off to come too easily. You want the H/h to suffer for their love.

Dee says: Sexy to me is all about intelligence. I love a man with with and bite and messages in his eyes just for me. It totally influences my writing. If I can't find the hero mentally stimulating, he won't do it for my heroine either. Plus, intelligence means the guy can keep up with you long after gravity has had it's way with you, lol!

Karen says: Oooh, good question, Sam! To me, sexy is something so innate that oftentimes the person isn't even aware they have it , if that makes sense. Sexy is a natural confidence, and a sense of being comfortable in the skin you're in. To me, sexy is something that's subtle and not overt. Sexy is based more on attitude than appearance. It's not enough for a guy to have a great smile and a killer body; he has to be strong yet gentle, confident yet caring, powerful yet modest. I like to think that my heroes reflect these qualities (the sexy smile and killer bods are just an added bonus, LOL), and part of what attracts the heroine to my hero is the sense that no matter what life throws at him, he can handle it.

Sam says: Wow - can I just say, "all of the above"? LOL No? I knew you wouldn't let me off that easily.

Okay, I'll be the shallow one.

I have to admit, I find healthy bodies sexy (mind you I said healthy, not perfect), but in specific, I have a thing for extended muscle... when a man (or a woman, why not?) stretches out, showing muscles playing in tension under the skin, fully flexed and defined. I really like bodies toned by work and not by gyms, and you'll see that often mentioned in my books. A couple examples are things like a scene from one of the third season Pretender episodes where Michael T Weiss is sitting on a chair with his arms extended high above his head, tied to a post, and his chest, etc is very prominent. Yum. Another is when certain athletes (okay, I'm thinking about Makoto Nagano again, you caught me), but when certain men will stretch their backs, and you can see all the muscles there, or they let their heads fall back and you can see the length and muscles in their necks... This is sexy to me. I can extend this to women, being an open-minded kind of girl, I have to admit, I find Jennifer Love Hewitt sexy -- she's pretty and curvy and real, and I can't imagine that not being a turn-on.

If I am to be a bit less physical, I have to say competence and kindness are probably my two biggest sexy traits -- people who are really good at what they do, and people who are kind. And patience -- maybe because I have little of my own, I find it incredibly sexy when someone has patience, especially men, because, you know, they don't rush... *G* I like to think these qualities come out in my heroes and my heroines.

What does sexy mean to you? What do you consider sexy, and do you have favorite moments in life or books that qualify?

Two end notes: I'm blogging at Maverick Authors today as well, so come by and chat, the link is on the left. Also, you'll notice a new cover on our sidebar by June Phyllis Baker, who is blogging with us next week. June is a new author who donated generously to Brenda Novak's Juvenile Diabetes auction to have her cover posted here with ours for the year, and I hope you'll come by next week to chat with her and check out her new book.

That said, let's talk sexy in the Cigar Shop (because a Cigar isn't just a Cigar...)

Sam