Tessa Bailey: 'You done messed up now'

Tessa Bailey, author of Risking It All (out now!), book one in her new Crossing the Line series, shows some love for The Grovel.

Tessa: Groveling is a nasty business. Your hero — or heroine — has been sunk to their lowest point. Hit rock bottom. They've seen what life looks like without the benefit of love making it rose-colored and shiny. And now they have to beg for their life. As an author, those scenes are simultaneously difficult and a-mazing to write. The smoke screen is gone, there are no more pretenses and your character finally says what's on their ever-loving mind. Just like readers have no doubt been shouting at their e-readers to happen since page one.

But deep down, we all love the Grovel, don't we? Maybe it's just me. In real life, husbands occasionally do things that earn an eyebrow raise, such as coming home too late from a night with friends and making a mess in the kitchen. Or forgetting to make the reservation for your birthday dinner even though you told him five times. And it's the place that serves the green tea crepes you've been craving … they have 29 layers. Twenty-nine!

Where was I? The Grovel! Right. Don't we all secretly know the payoff grovel when our significant other (or would-be significant other) messes up, is the actual reward?

"The best grovels are never easy; I like to watch the groveler squirm a bit — OK, a lot," says Edie Harris, author of Blamed (Blood Money No. 1). "In my most recent title, the hero, a rather duplicitous MI6 agent, has some major explaining — and apologizing — to do to his badass former-assassin heroine ... and she doesn't make it easy for him (atta girl!)."

"Where are we going?"

"Somewhere public to have this out."

"Public, huh? You really think that's a good idea."

Leaning down to stare at her through the open door, he sighed, weary. "I believe you are marginally less likely to slit my throat around witnesses."

"I don't have a knife on me."

"Funny how I don't find that reassuring."

Ah, the Violent Grovel. Hard to execute, but highly satisfying. Harris's Blamed couple proves there is more than one way to skin a groveler. All grovels have one common denominator, though, which is the happily ever after is riding on its potency. That is why it has to be convincing and, more important, sincere. Pride must be cast aside in favor of survival. And survival equates to winning back the trust and love of the one who has been lost.

Until recently, I didn't realize I was beginning projects with the Grovel already in mind. As a confessed pantser, I rarely follow my outlines past the fourth or fifth chapter (every author reading this just cringed), allowing my characters to develop nuances as I write that end up affecting, well, everything — even the plot, which I'm constantly restructuring. But somehow I always — always — find my way to that original grovel one way or another, whether it be my hero singing Wind Beneath My Wings through the courthouse doors or storming JFK airport to stop the heroine from flying to Paris. It was a comforting discovery for me to make, because it meant I'm not completely flying by the seat of my pants. My writing is simply Grovel-Driven (trademark).

Although I live for a good hero grovel — some of my favorite grovels have come from heroines. In my first New Adult book, Unfixable, my heroine, Willa, flies to Italy (spoiler alert), determined to attend the Formula 1 race in which the hero is competing. Specifically, she needs him to see her there, before the race begins, so he'll know she didn't split back to Chicago, thus upsetting him before he takes part in the dangerous race. When she arrives, he's already on the track and Willa is forced to climb aboard a stranger's shoulders and scream the hero's name until her voice gives out. That's one of my favorite grovels, mainly for its unique quality.

"Groveling. What an art form. Tee hee," says Christina Lee, author of the Between Breaths series. "My favorite grovel I've written is probably in All of You, when stubborn and unapologetic Avery needs to win back her sexy virgin hero, Bennett. The make-up scene that follows is hot and sweet and oh-so-satisfying. And as a reader, I completely revel in that."

And grovels by other authors? "It's so difficult to choose my favorite grovel," Christina says. "I love the sweeter versions like between Nate and Liv in Before Jamaica Lane by Samantha Young and between Jack and Grace in Alice Clayton's The Redhead Revealed. But I also appreciate the sexy smutty groveling — how Davis makes it up to Jill in Playing With Her Heart by Lauren Blakely. Or how about Logan and Tate in Try by Ella Frank? Now I need a shower. Woo."

Well said, Christina. Speaking of showers, I'm now feeling inspired to write a shower grovel. Sort of a symbolic washing-away of past transgressions … nothing to hide anymore because of the lack of clothing. This is good stuff. I need to go write this down …

Here's the blurb about Risking It All:

She's gone rogue.

Seraphina Newsom isn't looking for vengeance…she wants justice. Three years ago, Sera's brother was ruthlessly gunned down by one of Brooklyn's most dangerous mob kingpins. The investigation has stalled out, deemed "too dangerous" by the police commissioner. So to track down the evidence she needs to take down her brother's killer, Sera turns in her hospital scrubs, joins the NYPD, and goes undercover. Unsanctioned. Alone.

He'll live to keep her safe.

With his father behind bars, Bowen Driscol has reluctantly taken over his family's sprawling South Brooklyn crime operation. New York's finest have other plans. By threatening the safety of his sister, they "convince" Bowen to extricate a rogue cop who's in over her head. But when he meets Sera and feels that deep, damning shiver of desire course through him, Bowen knows there's only one way to keep her safe without blowing either of their covers…by claiming her as his own.

Find out more about Tessa and her books at www.tessabailey.com.