Monday, December 27, 2010

Trimming off the Fat?



Ok, so after the office party, family gatherings, and other holiday celebrations, people unsnap their pants and put on their sweats to lounge around in and think, "I shouldn't have eaten that last cheese log all by myself."  Hey let's face it, we all face that guilt of over indulging during the holiday season.  Once the season is over, the gym membership becomes activated after several months of no use along with dusting off the old treadmill in the bedroom corner.  Yes, trimming down becomes the goal; however as a writer, coming to that conclusion can be a daunting task.

When writing a story, there are times which trimming away the extra, unimportant, or the non-necessities is essential.  Then at other moments within the story, the extra crispy bacon fat along with the side dish of buttered potatoes is just the right touch.  Yet deciding what extra ingredients make the right combination of sleek muscles and round curve appeal, instead of the nasty cottage cheese fat pockets, can be mind boggling for a writer. 



As writers, we often ask 'what motivates the character' and throughout the story we drop bread crumbs of background information with the sultry details of the hero's past.  Yet as I write, I find myself giving away too much of the goods too soon or not enough at other times, especially during the rough draft stage of the manuscript.  It can be frustrating but with patience, time, and the help from a critique partner, the finished product can have the right balance of everything needed to create a well written story.

So as we continue our writing endeavors, let's not be too hard on ourselves.  We can add and delete and then add some more when needed.  Nothing is written in stone; therefore, it can be changed...until published.  And by then, it's obvious others have found your story included the perfect combination of muscles and fats too.  So don't worry about not fitting into those skinny jeans or filling out that curving dress because it's one size fits all. 

Sunday, December 19, 2010

A Little Holiday Inspiration

I am wrapping up a lot of grading and Christmas shopping, but I thought while I was working on that, you could take enjoy these hot and sexy Santas or Christmas attired gentleman to get you into the spirit of Christmas. I think there is something for everyone! I hope you all have a Merry Christmas!














Sunday, December 12, 2010

Help Me Hurt My Hero

I do not consider myself a contest junkie. I don't even consider myself on the contest circuit, but I entered a few this year and got some constructive and encouraging feedback even if the judges' missed my genius, and I didn't final. But my delusions of genius aside, one comment stuck with me. More than once, a judge commented that my hero didn't have enough clear motivation for his actions. He really wasn't tortured enough for his current behavior. Hmmm. Another judge suggested I think of a couple of my recent reads that featured a tortured hero and analyze how and when the author revealed the character's motivation. Where to begin? Many of my favorite reads feature angsty heroes. One of my all time faves, Wuthering Heights, comes to mind first. Poor, poor Heathcliff was as tortured as they come, and when I first read it years ago, I remember feeling his pain so deeply and reacting with intensely strong emotion (I cried). And although I've never seen this version of the movie, I can imagine it was well cast. Ralph Fiennes plays a great, tortured hero.


But more recently, I have gotten into Kresley Cole's Immortal After Dark series. She does a great job of creating a tortured Alpha male. I could list many from this series alone. One of my favorites is Bowen MacRieve from Wicked Deeds on a Winter's Night. Ms. Cole creates major angst for Bowen, a werewolf who believes he unintentionally caused the death of his one true mate, and just when he has the opportunity to go back and undo it, he encounters an irresistable witch who impossibly evokes his mating instinct, causing intense guilt. I don't want to spoil it for any who haven't read it, but let's just say, I fell in love with Bowen and wanted to be the one to ease his torment.











To me Hugh Jackman makes the perfect Bowen MacRieve.














Of course, T. V. shows and movies are loaded with tortured heroes. Take your pick:



























So, what do these gorgeous (ahem), I mean, troubled men have that we find irresistible? Is it the fact that they are in so much pain that draws us? Maybe we have what it takes to fix them? Maybe we'd just like to try? It's possible, but I think it's their resiliency that attracts us as well. They are modern-day warriors. They take a lickin' and keep on tickin'. These men are worthy of the strong heroine, and they can work through anything that comes their way without caving under the pressure.


Now, if you will excuse me, I have a hero who hasn't hurt enough. *sound of knuckles cracking* Let the torture begin.


How about you? Which tortured heroes have stuck with you long after you closed the book?
Happy writing!

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Jail Bait Hottie










ZAC EFRON











The male characters in my stories are usually based on people in my life or that have caught my eye at the coffee shop, in restaurants and more recently, fellow writer's blogs. My preference has always veered towards older more experienced men, however, when my eyes caught sight of this jail bait cutie's abs on E News, I had to take a second look.

He starred in the movie 17 Again, where he flirted with his soon to be ex-wife. Mama Mia! His smile was playful, seductive, and his expressions sultry, and when he twirled his older co-star around the dimly lit patio, I thought, I could easily do him.

He sings and dances and can spin a basketball on one finger. How sexy is that? Although he's technically not jail bait, he is younger than most men who hold my attention and not just catch my eye with their hot bodies.

So, tell me ladies, are there any jail bait hotties hiding in your closet or that have inspired you or a character in your story? You can tell me. I promise not to call the police.