The Spark: Sizzling at First Contact

You know how when the hero and heroine have their first meeting, and at least one of them, but usually both, have that “feeling” they can’t always describe.  They don’t know where it comes from.  And they’ve never felt it before.

It’s just that something special.

That spark.

A shock of electricity, a quiver of their insides…those feelings.

We as readers recognize this as the age old sign that they are soul mates, whether they know it right now or not.  I love that.  In fact I just tilted my head to my shoulder and sighed for the potential sweethearts.

But is that electric current passing through their fingertips always believable?  I am on a quest to find more examples of this indescribable feeling, this spark, the lovebirds get when they first meet or come into contact.  My current H & H feel a connection when he mistakes her for someone else and sneaks up on her to hug her from behind.  Is it believable enough to say the reason she doesn’t whirl around and whack him is because in that moment, her being knows somehow that he would never hurt her?  What are your feelings about this?  If you’ve read a sizzling first contact scene that stands out, I’d love for you to share it.

For the record, I really wanted her to spin around and smack him or at least elbow him.  She refused of course.  Silly girl.  😉

16 thoughts on “The Spark: Sizzling at First Contact

  1. Hi again 😉 First things first….Happy Birthday, Dana Mermaid!

    And then I had the afterthought to ask this: Have any of you ever felt that spark yourself? Or know of anyone who has? Someone throughout the ages must have had their fingers tingle or why would we be writing about it so much? As for me, I was nearly knocked off my feet when I first made physical contact with hubby. It was ninth grade, we were having another earthquake drill. This young man ran up to me on the football field and gave me a hug so forceful we nearly tumbled to the ground and then he took off running without saying another word.

  2. Carlene,
    I’m not sure I ever felt that magical, soul-mate tingly feeling, but I do believe in true love and soul mates. I just believe that sometimes we build up to it because something inside us might veer away from that scary feeling. When you put feelings and people on pedestals, they have a way of plummeting. So, I think we’re a little bit scared of feelings that powerful.
    Having said that, I will admit to loving to read about those initial sparks. Kristan Higgins talks about that exact thing in Too Good to be True. The KABLAMMY. That’s what she calls it, and I love that. “There it was…that moment when you look at someone and just…kablammy. You Just Know He’s The One.” Awwwww.
    Then at the end, Grace thinks, “Because when you meet The One, you just know.”
    Ok. Enough of quoting other people. Let me go make up some of my own…
    What’s another word for Kablammy? Hmmmmm.

    1. Hi Kim, I always love your “Too Good To Be True” references. That is such an awesome book by Kristan Higgins. “When you put feelings and people on pedestals, they have a way of plummeting.” I love the way you put that. If you come up with another word for Kablammy, let us know!

  3. For those who have read Sherrilyn Kenyon’s ‘Dark Hunter’ book Night Play with Vane and Bride–a tattoo showing up on your hand. Their hot, first meeting in her store, the tender seduction–the mating tattoo. Vane was more freaked out than Bride, understanding what it meant–but knowing he’d found his true mate was priceless–getting her to understand who and what he was… a bit more difficult.

    Always my favorite. I love writing about ‘first encounters’ and the attraction between my H&H. Just to see where it takes them.

    Great post!

    1. Hi Loni 🙂 (Fist bump for SK’s Vane Kattalakis and Bride!) Oh my goodness, you hit it right on with how he was much more freaked out (’cause he’s a sweetie under all that gorgeous fur) when the mating tat showed up. I’m proud to say that my keychain is a “Marked By Vane” emblem. I remember when Vane first saw Bride, it was in a different book, I believe she walked up to talk to Sunshine while Vane was on guard. In Night Play, it says every molecule of his body screamed for him to go after her when she walked away. That has to feel like something. Maybe the way your blood feels jittery after too much caffeine. Thank you SO MUCH

  4. OK, I love that first meet shivery scene. I haven’t had enough coffee yet today (yep, back on the sauce) to think of a fictional one. Sorry. However, I will say that when I first met Mr. Flynn I was struck speechless and I got goosebumps. I finally got over the no talking thing (come on it’s me – of course I did), but I remember going home that night trying to remember everything I said and praying I didn’t say anything stupid.

    1. Mrs. Flynn…speechless?????

      I think that’s on par with a strange mark showing up on your hand!

      😉

  5. My husband and I have often said it’s a wonder that when we saw each other across a room, the guy standing between us wasn’t electrocuted on the spot. That spark is real to us – as much now as it was then.

    1. Hi Linda! Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh!!! Yay, real life electricity! So would you say it’s a certain energy flowing between two people who are really into each other? I love that it’s still sparking for you two.

      I once got a cute country singer electrocuted by his microphone and he said it felt like he’d just had 17 little heart attacks all in a row. Somehow I don’t know if I’d want to describe a H&H soulmate moment quite like that but hey, he sure was cute! I’m sure his heroine would have seen him through it though! Thank you so much for stopping by the pond and sharing with us.

  6. She doesn’t turn around and whack him, because there is something about his touch, his smell and warmth that instantly comfort her…It is believable…If you believe in true love.

  7. Hi Diana-Mermaid! Thanks for sharing that. I think your example solidifies this mysterious zinging phenomenon that some people definitely experience with their soul mates. I love that you know when your hubby is nearby.

  8. That electricity is definitely real! My first physical contact with my 2nd hubby was when he came up beside me at my brother’s night club & bit my arm gently then flashed me a big goofy grin & wink & laugh! I saw stars, heard buzzers & bells and the words “warning, warning, danger, danger”! I knew instantly I was going to fall head over heels and it was futile to fight it! It never happened before and it hasn’t happened again – yet! 😉

    1. Do I dare say, Hi Mom! I”m blushing just a little over here. But mostly I’m beaming with pride 🙂 That is beautiful and amazing and I thank you for sharing with us.

      I think this and our other fabulous examples prove that there really is such a thing as sizzling first contact. And as fiction writers, we’re definitley getting those finger tingling, wiggly-on-your-insides scenes right!

      My next mission—to get the guy’s to confess to what our ladies have clearly felt and find out what it feels like for them!

  9. I think “spark” is very definitely real, but also mostly impossible to describe with any concreteness. But we all understand it when we read it, we all want it, and we all deserve it! 🙂

    1. Hi Natalie! Thanks for stopping by the pond. That is a wonderful summary of the spark. My many thanks to you for that 😉

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