Monday, September 13, 2010

This will go down on your permanent record

So there's this scene in WIP3 where a character recalls a first kiss and then there's a subsequent reveal... It got me to thinking about how in books, first kisses are usually magical. (Unless it's a comedy, right?)

Was that your experience? Magical first kiss? Perhaps it's a function of age.

My first kiss came when I was nine years old. There was this new boy who had moved to my neighborhood and he and his siblings had started at the little private school we attended.

Naturally all us girls had a huge crush on him. Lucky me, he was friends with my older brother and he lived down the street from me, so I had an in.

He was ten, and in my hazy memory it seems like he was a lot more experienced (which is funny, I know).

Here's how it went down: We were in his room and we were all set to French kiss. Major deal.

We tried a few times and finally he said (and I think he laughed at me) "Open your mouth."

Nine year-old me, frowning thinks: "I thought I was opening my mouth." Out loud I said, "What?"

Apparently in my nervous state I had my teeth clamped shut, and there was no breaching the wall. After that, I relaxed some and it happened.

My (again internal) response was, "That's it?" There were no fireworks, no sparks, no tingles. I actually thought it was kind of weird.

But I'd done it at least, and when I told all my friends at school they were SO IMPRESSED.

Now that I think about it, following our kiss he and I still didn't hang out at school or hold hands or anything. Just the occasional, furtive glance (from me mostly). Fourth grade's a funny time for boy-girl interaction.

So spill it kids. Was your first kiss magical? Is all this fictional falderall about first kisses and fireworks a bunch of horse hockey? Time to kiss and tell.

It's back to the writing cave for me, but I'm doing my best to make the rounds. I look forward to reading your stories. Love~ <3


[Follow up note: Lest you all think I was either cooler or more of a 'ho than I actually was (depending on your POV), I should add that my kissing career went on hiatus for a few years after that encounter. And kissing was as exciting as it ever got for teen Leigh. I did not have the steamy YA experience of the books I was reading. In fact, I was pretty much Marian the Librarian in HS.]

39 comments:

Stina said...

Hmmm. I'm not sure when my first magical kiss was. I didn't start french kissing until I was in university. I was very innocent, and it wasn't like the YA books I read had much in the way of kissing. It was apparently a big no-no back then. Characters just kissed on the lips and that was it. Maybet that was why I started reading historical romances in my late teens. Today's YA steamy novels have nothing on those ones. But I don't think the historical romances really explained french kissing. They were too busy showing how you can have sex on a horse (which turns out was all fantasy!).

S.A. Larsenッ said...

*sigh*, to have had a big brother.... That was sweet. See, a first kiss can be seen in many different ways. For me, excluding nursery school when a boy rushed up to me and muckled a wet smear on my cheek, I think I was 12 and playing spin-the-bottle. Yeah, magical. lol

Candyland said...

Magical? No. It was awkward and fast. But the more we practiced, the better it got!!!

Vicki Rocho said...

I have a memory of kissing a boy under the table in kindergarten though I would have to actually ask the other party to see if it really happened or if I'm reconstructing history again.

There was another one when I was 8 or 9, but um, I think I'd like to forget that (at least until a Mock Me Monday demands its publication).

My first *real* kiss was a let down. Gonna have to come back and read the rest of these responses later!

LTM said...

@Stina: We had all the steamy YA, but I don't think I was reading it for a few more years... I think I got my big ideas from TV actually. I've never read much historical romance, but now I'm intrigued... BAH!!! :D

@Sheri: He was actually better at busting up my relationships that helping w/them. Which again, looking back was a *good thing.* At the time I just wanted to kill him... :D spin the bottle, eh? WAS it magical???

@Candy: Whoot! Maybe I should've hung around and practiced more... ;p

@Vicki: OK, I told my 9 yr-old Fail story. You have to tell yours... :D Define *real.* (And later Is... ;o)

Natasha said...

Hey, I blogged about a kiss too today! Maybe I am worrying too much.

And if you promise not to laugh, I will confess that my first kiss was three months short of my 20th birthday. Yes, honestly. And all I remember of it was the taste of cigarette smoke in his breath. /not nice at all

LTM said...

@Rayna: You were a very sweet girl, and it should've been magical since you waited so long... :o\ I wonder if it's just the whole *first* thing. You know. You build it up too much... I'll be curious how our fellas experienced it. Running over now~

Unknown said...

Nothing magical about my first kiss. It happened at the beginning of my ninth grade year. I felt awkward and self conscious. My second kiss did not come til the end of my sophomore year. I was a late bloomer.

Ella said...

First kiss, my 12th birthday party, in he kitchen with Colonel Mustard.
No, I was 12, my parents let me have a dance in our garage, I had the whole class. My boyfriend came in the kitchen, we were alone for a few minutes. He handed me my present and
surprised me with a tender, sweet kiss. There was no tongue, it was my first real boyfriend; Puppy love~ The present was a cedar treasure box...it was okay, but the kiss was a gift I will never forget~

Matthew MacNish said...

My first kiss was pretty special, but the situation that brought it about was awkward, I can't go into it here, but suffice to say that it was the first AND last kiss between us.

I don't think there's anything wrong with romanticizing these kinds of things in literature. There's nothing wrong with dreaming, after all.

LTM said...

@Andrea: Aww! :o) I don't actually remember my second kiss... ! I think it was w/this same little guy a few years later. It's funny we never actually dated. I guess he wasn't sparky enough for me. LOL~

@Ellie: AWWWW!!! I love him. You win sweetest first kiss story. I actually quizzed JRM, and he was 14 and said it was pretty magical... Awww! He got a kiss for that~

@Matt: Hmmm... sounds like *somebody* was after somebody else's somebody else...
Yes? (Did I guess it???) And I agree completely. It's fun to read about magical first kisses. Vicarious living and all~ :o)

Hart Johnson said...

Boy, you southern girls are FAST! *snicker* I was a later bloomer, but not for lack of trying. In reality, I can probably blame my height... or my awkwardness with boys... or both.

And, erm... no. No magic. No sparks. More an 'I should have done this already' dive in. I was 13 and on a student trip in Europe... there was a lot of kissing that trip... in fact at one time we had 6 boys and 6 girls in a room and there was some rotation of partners involved *shifty* (I suppose if you are going to take the plunge, you might as well dive in)

Scarlett said...

I was in ninth grade. He was obviously a pro at it and I was the timid, shy girl who was as scared as a mouse. In my world, sparks were flying everywhere! His world, probably not so much. I remember we were in my house watching a late night scary movie, mom in her bedroom. I noticed him continuing to looks at me and when I turned to say something to him, BAM! He layed it on me! Ooh-la-la!

Julie Musil said...

Oh what a fun topic! I was in 7th grade, and the first kiss was with an 8th grader. I knew it would take place later in the school day, and I didn't know how to do it. A friend wrote out a note, telling me exactly what to do. It's the funniest note in the world, and I can't find it! Oh how I'd love to find that note and read it again.

Cinette said...

Junior high, awkward and embarrassing, a complete disappointment. Don't make me go back there!

LTM said...

@Hart: I decided after reading Carolyn's post today it's because in south-La. there's lots of cheek kissing... You have to do something *more* than that... Yes? (didn't think so... ;o) And your deal sounds like a GREAT way to get mono... :D

@Scarlett: Awww!!! That's five for sparks! :o) ooh la la indeed~

@Julie: That note sounds AWESOME. You must find it and post it~ :D

@Cinette: LOL! ehrm... I mean, sorry~ :D

Unknown said...

Hahaha. Unfortunately, not so much. It wasn't bad, it just wasn't what I'd expected/hoped for. I was at Bevis and Butthead Do America (I know, ew, right?) with my best friend, and there was a boy that liked me there. My friend was trying to get us to "go out," even though I really wasn't that into him. Poor guy.

So, anyway, after much badgering and pressure from my friend and his friend throughout the movie, we had a chaste little peck across the seats. But that, of course, wasn't good enough, so they kept pestering us until we kissed with tongue.

The kiss itself was fine. Not nearly as awkward as it could have been. But it was definitely not romantic. But oh well. I had many other "first kisses" that were much better :)

RaShelle Workman said...

Leigh -ROFL!!! Impressive. My first kiss was with my pillow and it was a-maz-ing!! Sparks. Fireworks. The whole nine!!! Incredible. LOL First real kiss. I was 11 and 5'5". He was 4'9". It was memorable, but not is a good way. First french kiss wasn't good either. My first real "Oh my gosh, this is incredible, was college!" Def not a YA experience.

DL Hammons said...

My first kiss story isn't so much about who I kissed, but who I didn't. A group of us were playing spin the bottle in somebody's basement, including the one girl I had the HUGEST crush on. There were three boys and three girls, we played for about 30 minutes, and NOT ONE TIME did the my spin land on her.

The other two kisses...unremarkable!

Vicki Rocho said...

hahaha. Real is with a guy I actually liked...at the time anyhow (I was 17). LOL. I'm really not sure if the kindergarten ones happened or if I dreamt them up. And the other...well, it would probably make it into a Mock Me Monday someday. Let's just say it was like a twisted game of Simon Says....sorta.

Carolyn Abiad said...

You expect me to come clean with a title like that??? LOL. I guess I'll tell you. It was in kindergarden, behind the garage. No big deal. (first "real" kiss was ten years later, also not memorable) Then he left me (moved away) and decided he might try again when I was a senior in high school (take a hike buddy!).

Lisa Gail Green said...

Interesting point. I don't think it's necessarily the first kiss ever that's magical per say. I think it's the first kiss with that special someone. Does that make sense?

Melissa said...

My first kiss was NOT magical. I think, first kisses with a specific PERSON can be magical, in their own way. But I think that only really comes after you have some idea what your doing and what kissing a few other people is like. Then, I think, you can really tell if there is something *special* with someone. I mean I have felt very floaty, and goofy, and happy, and warm and all those tingly things on first kisses. But that was after a couple `that`s it`

My MC's first kiss isn't magical. Or comedic. It isn't horrific or anything either. It's fairly normal, I'd say. A little awkward moment following. The second kiss... now that's a bit different.

Talli Roland said...

Haha! Love this story!

I don't actually remember much about my first kiss but I do remember thinking how strange it was that I was touching someone else's saliva... ew...

Yes, I was full of romance.

LTM said...

@poor Steph: B&BH + audience = major buzz kill... :o\ but Yay! for "other" first kisses~ :o)

@RaShelle: mmm... pillow... come w/me to the casbah... So you like the short boys. Short & fluffy. But college kisses... reow! :D

@DL: That's really sweet in sort of a mixed up way... Awww! :o)

@Vicki: Simon says! :D

@Carolyn: Behind the garage! Fast movin KG'er... :D And sounds like your kiss stayed w/Mr. Move~ ;p

@Lisa: YES. :o)

@Mel: See you're blowing a little kiss right there~ I agree. Experience helps. At least it did for me. I know kissing JRM can still sparkle~ :o) That bit about your MC is very good... I like it!

@Talli: That was ME! I was all, "ew. That's like his tongue." LOL! :D

Samantha Vérant said...

My first kiss was with a guy whose last name, seriously, is Hickey. Yeah. It didn't go that well.

LTM said...

@Sam: omg--LOL! That's HILARIOUS~ :D

Angie Ledbetter said...

This is so sad...but I can't even remember my first kiss, so it must not've been that noteworthy. LOL

Unknown said...

Jim Someone and I were both in 6th grade, the year we girls got to wear the plaid skirt and white blouse instead of the jumper for school uniforms. Maybe that made me feel more grown up? But when he leaned in for a smooch while walking me home from Catholic School, my heart stopped beating. It was just a little peck on the lips, but it was better than my first French kiss. I had my mind on too many details for that one -- tongues and saliva and bad breath. Sheesh. Can't believe I did it a second time!

Fun post, Leigh!!

Ella said...

I'm not southern. I found out the day the difference between a yankee and a damn yankee. A yankee leaves a damn yankee stays! So I'm a damn yankee~ lol (I'm from Maine; We are called Maniacs)

Jennie Bailey said...

First kiss was awkward and not magical in the least. But my kiss with my first love? Now THAT was magic and curled toes and butterflies and gasping breath and fireworks and fairies and love love love forever! At least it felt that way at the time.

PK HREZO said...

Hi, Leigh. Found your blog onthe I Got U Blogfest hop. :)
I remember my first kiss and I thought it was awful. i remember thinking "Eww, his tongue was in my mouth!" lol.... not at all magical, but then I don't think love had anything to do with it, either.
Nice blog! Cheers!

Unknown said...

My first magical kiss would have been my husband (totally cheating here) because my first kiss EVER was horrid. I try not to remind myself of those times. But the sparks flew from day one when I kissed my NOW husband.

I missed your blog Leigh! So glad I'm back and making my way through blogger... one overwhelming step at a time :)

Portia said...

I think I was in the 9 or 10 range, too :-) It was a kiss we "snuck" when parents weren't looking. I don't think it was a particularly good one, but the furtive nature of it made it feel thrilling at the time!

Portia

Jessie Harrell said...

I'm with you - not magical at all. 6th grade, movie theater, boy whose twin I actually liked better than him. it wasn't magical - it kinds sucked actually. we got into a big, mature name-calling fight over the phone after that where we mocked each other's inability to French kiss. *sheesh*

LTM said...

@Angie: Dangit! Theory blown... I was all set to declare "you never forget your first kiss." :D

@Nicole: Those plaid skirts--Reow! :D but that's a sweet story. I'm thinking it's those stolen cheek-kisses that can be the most sparkly.

@Ellie: I thought they were ALL damn yankees... ;p

@Jennie: First love... :o)

@PK: Hey, girl! I'm Tardy to the Party--I will have mine up tomorrow! But HEY! Welcome and kissie kiss~ :D

@Jen: Awww... props to the hubs. I missed you! Hope the visit was fun~

@Portia: Stolen/sneaked kisses = all good~ :D

@Jessie: LOL! "big mature name-calling fight." omg--I would've loved to be a fly on the wall for that~ :D

Pearl said...

Big brothers are wonderful.

Would you believe I don't remember my first kiss? But I remember many others, and I've come to this conclusion: Some kisses are magical. And some kisses are lesson in sobriety.

:-)

Pearl

LTM said...

@Pearl: there are many lessons in sobriety... but to forget your first kiss? OK, that's two votes. My theory is officially blown. ;p

Morgan said...

That is an adorably hilarious story! First anythings are never as magical as on TV/in movies. My first kiss was in eighth grade on a field trip to see scenes from Edgar Allan Poe's stores performed at the Fox in Atlanta. Nothing gets hearts racing like A Tell-tale Heart, right? Yeah. I've pretty much always been a nerd.