Word of mouth

They can be quick and innocent, messy and open-mouthed, or awkward and misplaced.

Regardless of how they turn out, great first kisses start long before mouths meet. In the best cases, before the lip-on-lip action goes down, there's a long drum roll of anticipation, excitement, and the hope that if you're the person leaning forward to smooch, the other person won't recoil in disgust - or contempt.

Pulling off a flawless first kiss isn't easy. Writing one is even more difficult.

That's why the New England chapter of the Romance Writers of America runs an annual First Kiss Contest for unpublished authors. If a new writer can make first-kiss magic in 10 pages, he - or, more commonly, she - is probably publishable.

"There's hokey, and then there's the real romance," explains Lisa Mondello of Brimfield, one of the First Kiss judges. "One of the things that's disappointing is when a kiss just kind of happens - when there's no buildup. All that tension, the wondering if it's going to happen . . ."

Every year, Mondello and other local judges narrow a pack of about 50 entries so that a high-profile name in the romance novel biz can choose a winner. Mondello's own books include the mystery-themed romance novels "Her Heart for the Asking" and "His Heart for the Trusting." (I'm assuming those books are somehow related.)

Her favorite of her own first puckers appears in "The More I See," a novel about a blind hero who must use his hands to find first base.

"I ended up doing this thing where he touches her face to get a feel of what she looks like," Mondello says. "Several of my readers said it had them fanning. It was all that buildup."

Jessica Andersen, a First Kiss Contest judge who grew up in Hanover, explains that when she reads entries she's looking for more than mechanics. A kiss is not just a kiss.

"Tab A into slot B - you can only write it so many different ways," she says. "The whole point about a romance novel is the way in which these people come together and how it propels changes in their lives. It's much less about where the hands and tongues go." Although, hands and tongues always help.

Andersen's favorite first kiss is by sci-fi romance novelist Linnea Sinclair.

"She has a great first kiss in the middle of a spaceship crash scene. It's just phenomenal."

It's not shocking Andersen would be turned on by a spaceship kiss. Her own first kisses are also somewhat extraterrestrial. Her romance series "Final Prophecy" is about a group of men and women who must save the world during an astrological conjunction that threatens to end the universe. Imagine the first kiss (and last kiss) potential in that setting.

It seems that as New Englanders, Andersen and Mondello represent the region of best first kisses, at least based on this year's First Kiss Contest. Despite the fact that entries were sent in from all over the United States, the winner of this year's competition - chosen this month by Harlequin editor Patience Smith - happens to come from Massachusetts.

First place went to Karen Woodward, an occupational therapist from Sturbridge whose speciality is historic romance novels (appropriate, considering her hometown). That means her characters wear kirtles, which are old-timey tunics with slits up the sides.

Did you catch that? Slits up the sides.

Her winning first kiss, which can be found in her yet-to-be-published book "Dagger's Destiny," goes like this: "A look of surprise crossed her face as he tilted her head to the side. Stepping close, he leaned down and brought warm parted lips to her full, soft ones. One arm reached behind her back, encircling her body in a crushing embrace as the other cradled and caressed the side of her face."

Take a moment to catch your breath.

I'll tell you that the buildup to that moment is even better - the anticipation, nerves, hesitation, hope, and doubt. I'd share that part here, but I wouldn't want to ruin the good stuff. You'll have to wait until the book comes out.

Meredith Goldstein can be reached at mgoldstein@globe.com.