Jane Austen's Heroes

I tend to read a lot of regency novels, and some of my all time favorites are those written by Jane Austen. There is a reason she is the godmother of romance! I also love when these novels are made into movies and her heroes can come to life. I am a big fan of Masterpiece Classics and even mark my calendar so that I remember when they are playing each show. Just a few years ago, their focus was entirely on Jane Austen. Well, I was in heaven that season. Although the BBC is not the only one that can make a great British classic, Hollywood has been known to do it right occasionally too.

In fact, but the BBC and Hollywood did fabulous jobs on their versions of Pride and Prejudice. The BBC adaption has Colin Firth play Mr. Darcy and Jennifer Ehle play Elizabeth Bennet and in the newer, shorter Hollywood adaption the leads are by Matthew MacFadyen and Kiera Knightly. I must admit, I loved Mr. Darcy when I first read the book years ago and that has not changed. Both Firth and MacFadyen did wonderful jobs portraying the proud, private hero. The Mr. Darcy character is interesting though, he is the quiet man, the one that seems to be unshakable, and he is. That is until Elizabeth points out his flaws and while he feels he has been “laboring under a misapprehension,” he doesn’t stop loving her. Trivia: Did you know the book/film Bridget Jones’s Diary was an updated version of the Pride and Prejudice and Colin Firth played Mark Darcy, aka Mr. Darcy, again?

Another of my favorite Jane Austen heroes is Mr. Knightley from Emma. Again, there are many versions of this film as well but one of my favorites stars Gwyneth Paltrow as Emma and Jermey Northam as Mr. Knightley. This is a unique tale of falling in love with one’s best friend; a man that has known her before she walk or talk. He is older than her and does chastise her because at times she is young and foolish, after all she believes herself to be a great matchmaker when she knows nothing of relationships herself. While he does chastise her, it is obvious that he does it because he loves her and wants her to be the best she can be and well, who won’t want a man that sees the best in us.

Lastly, one of my other favorite Jane Austen heroes is Mr. Edward Ferris from Sense and Sensibility. There was a great version from the nineties with Emma Thompson as Elinor Dashwood and Hugh Grant as Mr. Ferris. In this story, it isn’t that the hero is too proud or a family friend, but instead they fall for each other immediately. However, Mr. Ferris promised to someone else, but Elinor finds out later from someone else. Alas, everything does work out in the end.

Jane Austen is a staple for me and a great example that everyone should follow. She could write great heroes whether they were brooding and proud, or trustworthy and steadfast, or charming and unsure. She was great at capturing their attributes as well as their flaws and whether you read her books or watch the movies; her stories capture the imagination and draw her readers in.

Procrastinators Unite...Later

First and foremost, CONGRATULATIONS to Jennifer Jakes! RAFE'S REDEMPTION is going to be published by The Wild Rose Press in e-book and print formats. This manuscript was a 2010 Golden Heart Finalist, and we are all so very happy for Jennifer.

Now, for a little inspiration to get us all moving forward on our writing journeys:

I do love to write. Writing has been a steady force through a few ups and downs, but let's face it--sometimes, a girl just has to do a little...ahem...research to get inspired. Some might call it procrastination. Some might question the necessity of searching through semi-nude male photo after semi-nude male photo, but take it from a pre-published author--in the end, it will be worth it. And as for how it helps in the here and now...well, do I really have to expound on those benefits?

For example, my current WIP is about two competing chefs. Who can really resist a man in an apron? Especially if he's wearing little else and catering to my foodie needs. So I painstakingly pored over images, hoping to get some sizzling pictures to inspire my hash-slinging hero until I finally found just the right ones. Here are just a couple of the too-hot-for-my-kitchen top chefs I came across:

Rocco Dispirito





Sam Talbot

Jeff McInnes

Bryan Voltaggio

Oh, my, is it hot in here, or is it just that chefs wear too many clothes? But what exactly is the cure for procrastination of this sort? The need to give my fully visualized characters their HEA, of course.

Okay, okay, I've "researched" enough.

But before I go, any other chefs warm your burners?

Happy writing!

Sherry

Chocolate Anyone?

Men are like chocoloate. They come in different packages and flavors. Some you want to try more than once and with others, one taste is more than enough. They can be nutty, sweet and full of so much crap their true flavor is hidden.

They entice us, thrill us, infuriate us and make us love them even if we shouldn't or don't want to; much like our male characters.

Discovering a new man, or male character is like discovering a new chocolate indulgence. He catches your eye with his smile, gorgeous eyes or captivating gaze and you want to unwrap him and enjoy all his flavors. Here is one of my favorites to unwrap.


THE CLASSIC

Pierce Brosnan: Hot, hot and more hotness. He's inpired most of the characters in my books with his dark hair, and who could resist those Irish eyes and sexy smile. Like Sean Connery, he gets better with age.

The inspiration of covers...

We can all say that as children we lolled around in the grass, feeling the heated rays of a summer sun warming our skin while we transformed puffy white clouds into wild mustangs or castles from far off lands. The truth is that penchant for creating something from nothing has never left us-especially for writers.

The writer inside of us loves to create, to shape and mold, until the story that has been trapped inside emerges. Now that doesn’t mean the story is perfect-sometimes far from it-but it is the inspiration for that story that has pushed us to that level.

So what gets your gears working? What is your inspiration? A few of you have already shared it.

For a romantic suspense or dark paranormal writer it could be the barren landscape of a cemetery at night, where solemn headstones stand as moonlight and mist conceal, yet reveal its ominous presence. For a sweet inspirational writer it could be something as simple as a bouquet of roses or the sight of a couple holding hands as they walk down the street. Even a historical writer feels her writing presence awakened by certain things, the gentle strain of a sweeping waltz, the smell of sandalwood and soap or a picture from the past could trigger her instincts.
But for some of us a picture says a thousand words.

Any Romance writer, be it erotica or Rom. Suspense has seen her (or his) fair share of covers out there. Some of them are tame and some push the envelope of being too much to handle.
As a fan of covers (that don’t show faces-like Lisa Kleypas’s new historicals) I like to break down the whole picture, step back and all. The glimpse of the man (usually shirtless) is enough to send my creative writing juices flowing. From his sculpted jaw, defined chest and clean cut muscles to his penetrating gaze (if you can see it), that is all it takes for an image to form in my mind of my future hero-flaws and all.

Who wants to ignore a hot cover anyway?

Getting a glimpse of the hero in the flesh is enough to spawn fantasy upon fantasy. With his strong hand clasping the heroine’s hip in a fierce grip, his whole body screaming “She’s mine” as he holds her close-well, hell-that’s pretty damn inspirational to me! The reader can almost taste his possessiveness as he stands there boldly declaring how much he wants her for his own. Usually in life I don’t care for overbearing, assertive men. (Clayton Westmoreland from Whitney, My Love comes to mind) They annoy the heck out of me, but throw them in a book and BAM! My interest is piqued to say the least.

I consider my inspiration to be anything visual. And usually if I’m stuck on a scene and can’t get my gears going, I pick up the nearest cover, drool a bit, then return to my current WIP, hoping that in the future my covers will be an inspiration to somebody out there.

So, fellow angels, clue us in on your inspiration, be it visual, therapeutic, routine or hanging out with friends. What gets you going? What makes your fingers tingle or your palms itch to write? Share your secret, maybe it can inspire us all!

Dmitri H

Thought I'd help you out a little Barb! He's too purty not to post!

I was looking for something to watch on TV the other night--I don't even recall which night it was--when I tuned-in to PBS, which was carrying a performance that included Dmitri Hvorostovsky, a Russian baritone. The music was wonderful and the view, even better.

There he was, silver hair and all, looking very heroic. I'd love to post a picture, but it defies my limited abilites to capture it and post it here--I've been trying. So I'll just give you the link to his website.

www.dmitrihvorostovsky.com

Pop over and give the photos a look. You'll see costumes, certainly, but on the third page of photos, you'll be able to see why I say--he's Giles in 20 years. Giles is the hero of my second book.

Check out the video, too. It's not for the faint-hearted, but it's worth it. Spectacular voice.

W magazine once called this (now) 40-something Siberian native "opera's reigning--and perhaps its one and only--hunk."

Take a look and you'll see why.

Barb