Thursday, April 22, 2010
Girl on Girl Action - Let's Talk Heroines
First off, a quick update on the 30 pages a week mission. Got behind last week due to the Nickelback show so I have a lot of pages to get in this weekend to get back on track. Currently sitting at the middle point of the book. The good news is I had a plotting breakthrough this week and found a whole new story complication. Booyah!
Now, to the blog.
Ever sit around with your girlfriends and the whole body image subject comes up? And then that question goes around – If you could choose anyone in the world, who would you want to look like? There are the usual answers, Angie, Jennifer (pick one), Heidi. There’s a lot of ways you could go. But this week, I found the body I would choose.
This one.
[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="451" caption="Christina Hendricks"]
[/caption]
When they coined the term “Bombshell”, this is what they meant. Forget the waif look or even the size twos, this is what a woman’s body was meant to look like.
Oddly enough, when I create my heroines, they look nothing like this. So far, my heroines have all been tall and slender brunettes with long legs. Simple, sleek, almost understated. Nothing like Ms. Hendricks here.
When talking about our characters, J Perry and I realized that our heroines are complete opposites, just as we are in real life. If you’ve never seen J Perry, she could hide behind the pole of a stop sign and you’d never find her. If you’ve never seen me, let’s just say, me trying to hide behind a stop sign pole would be the height of comedy.
But J insists her heroine has my body. The poor thing. What she really means is her heroine has curves. To put it bluntly, she has a rack and those much-toted child bearing hips. I'm guessing she looks like Ms. Hendricks much more than me. Whereas my heroine has J’s body, slender with the perfect proportion of womanly curves, but nowhere near what one would call hour glass.
This led me to wonder about other authors.
Do they create heroines that are their likeness or do they use this fictional opportunity to create the body they wish they had? And what about readers? Do they want to read about a woman who sees that extra bit of cellulite when she looks in the mirror, or do they like to become the heroine and prefer she have a perfect body?
You tell me. And while we’re at it, we might as well answer the first question up there. If you could pick one woman whose body you could steal, who would it be?
Now, to the blog.
Ever sit around with your girlfriends and the whole body image subject comes up? And then that question goes around – If you could choose anyone in the world, who would you want to look like? There are the usual answers, Angie, Jennifer (pick one), Heidi. There’s a lot of ways you could go. But this week, I found the body I would choose.
This one.
[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="451" caption="Christina Hendricks"]
[/caption]When they coined the term “Bombshell”, this is what they meant. Forget the waif look or even the size twos, this is what a woman’s body was meant to look like.
Oddly enough, when I create my heroines, they look nothing like this. So far, my heroines have all been tall and slender brunettes with long legs. Simple, sleek, almost understated. Nothing like Ms. Hendricks here.
When talking about our characters, J Perry and I realized that our heroines are complete opposites, just as we are in real life. If you’ve never seen J Perry, she could hide behind the pole of a stop sign and you’d never find her. If you’ve never seen me, let’s just say, me trying to hide behind a stop sign pole would be the height of comedy.
But J insists her heroine has my body. The poor thing. What she really means is her heroine has curves. To put it bluntly, she has a rack and those much-toted child bearing hips. I'm guessing she looks like Ms. Hendricks much more than me. Whereas my heroine has J’s body, slender with the perfect proportion of womanly curves, but nowhere near what one would call hour glass.
This led me to wonder about other authors.
Do they create heroines that are their likeness or do they use this fictional opportunity to create the body they wish they had? And what about readers? Do they want to read about a woman who sees that extra bit of cellulite when she looks in the mirror, or do they like to become the heroine and prefer she have a perfect body?
You tell me. And while we’re at it, we might as well answer the first question up there. If you could pick one woman whose body you could steal, who would it be?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Books by the Crew
48 comments:
Shakira with my 5'5 height. And I'm not sure it's because of her shape or because of how she can move. And boy do I want her hair. Mine is about the same, but it looks like frizz and it's way darker. My eyes are green, sometimes brown depending on what day of the week it is. I'd much prefer the dark richness of her eyes. Okay, enough about whose body I'd choose. (When I was in junior high I wanted Pat Benatar's body).
I think I take an even ground where my heroine's are concerned. Kate Winslet was the inspiration for my first heroine, followed by Gwyneth Paltrow. My two current heroines are based off Mandy Moore and Natalie Portman. I think they're all taller than me and their boobs are way smaller than mine. Mandy Moore has a butt. Somehow I was blessed in the chest and not in the rump.
I don't often steal bodies, but if I did Christina would do very nicely. I would want to change the color scheme though. Strawberry blond hair with matching ensemble please. Course my motives may differ slightly from others here.
In fiction I want to meet the woman who haunts my dreams. She looks like a Goddess. She Talks like a Goddess. She Thinks like a Goddess. She drinks like a Goddess. She cooks like a Goddess. And she does the washing up.
Yep, I think that about sums it up. Perfection in motion. :D
Monica Bellucci for me all the way.
I have every body type in my books. Jinan was very curvy (she even got a booty on the cover). Emma is tall, beautiful, slender, with the big Barbi boobs. Grace was voluptuous, big boned, and somewhat heavy (secondary story and Emma's sister in the seduction of his wife). Abby is my tiny little waif with small everything.
I like playing with sizes. I think carefully about it when planning each book.
Great topic, Ter.
Uma Thurman. She's tallish, but lean and athletic, smallish to medium boobs. I never wanted big boobs.
As for my characters, I think I mix it up too. Though my past two have been blonde. Actually, all three have been blonde. But this heroine is more buxom than my last.
I haven't been able to keep up on the writing goals, especially this week. The African plague swept through here earlier this week. I'm happy my house is just back in order now. :)
I think the only quality I would give a heroine that I don't possess is height. I have always wanted to be taller! Other than that, I'm kinda happy with my body. Now if you would have asked me this question any time between the ages of 10 and 30, I may have given a dozen different answers :)
I have created several different and distinct heroines and their physical make-up does play a part in their personality. I guess my reasoning is that women in general, unless they are extremely well adjusted (and you can't have well adjusted heroines cause then there is no conflict), probably have body issues. So, that is a perfect place to form their personility - their issues with how they look (big/small boobs, red hair, long legs). I do tend to steer away from blondes for some reason (nothing against them if any of you are blonde!). It seems that my characters appear to me with brunette, red, mousy brown or black hair.
What is extremely fascinating to me is how I envision a heroine I'm reading about and when they get to the physical description she is nothing like what I pictured her to be.
Oh, and I've got the same problem. I got all the boobage and my sister got all the ass. So annoying.
Renee - How tall is Shakira IRL? She's pretty short, isn't she? But she is gorgeous. There are times that she does some really weird dance moves and it looks more like a seizure, but no one could argue that tommy-roll thing.
When you picture these actresses, do you use their facial features as well? I never picture real life people, but I know lots of authors do. I think Crusie calls them "place-holders" but admits the people in her head don't ever look exactly like the star.
Scarlett Johansson. BOMBSHELL body; and I wouldn't mind being married to her husband Ryan either. *LOL* (Win, win there.)
I think I tend to give my characters bombshell bodies (since I'm just chubby and not bombshellish), though one of my heroines was built along my lines. Not bombshell, a little overweight. (Not that I spent a lot of time describing her; it was in first person, so it might not necessarily have come across that way. Maybe readers could read it and imagine whoever or whatever.
Eve is a bombshell: petite (my characters are either shorter or taller than me--I've always either wanted to be shorter, since men seem to like short women, or taller, so I can kick their ass) but with rocking old school Hollywood curves.
Lillith is leaner--a Kate Beckinsale--because I needed her to be the opposite of Eve and make her feel fat. *LOL*
I don't have a particular favorite hair color--maybe red--I do like flame red hair. But otherwise, I tend to spread the hair color around.
Then again, I've only completed a couple books--so we'll have to see the trend when I've completed 20. *LOL*
Q - I did think you might enjoy this blog more than the rest of us. Strawberry blonde, huh? I can see that. In most pictures (and on MAD MEN) Ms. Hendricks hair is much lighter than this picture. You should check google images, for research purposes and all that. ;)
And you had me until you got to the washing up. Mind flitted away right there.
Tiff! I had to google Monica and OMG! She's gorgeous!! Pasty-white America Mutt just can't compete with that. LOL!
You do mix it up. My heroines just appear in my head, as if I don't create them but rather they find me. But since clearly my subconscious is at work here, I have something to do with it. My future heroines, waiting ever so patiently, are a little different. One is shorter with wild red hair, and one is a little fuller figured. She's the "always a bridesmaid never a bride" one. Her story is pure comedy and she's going to come out with some bruises. The poor thing.
Uma, Marnee. Marnee, Uma.
Really? I never would have guessed that. She is so TALL. I liked her in the Cats & Dogs movie, and Prime was good (with a stupid anti-HEA ending) but I've never really seen her as the raving beauty. She looks almost odd to me. But don't get me wrong, would be an upgrade and a good one.
So you have a thing for blonde. I can see that. They do have more fun and all. And often they have a delicacy about them. Which makes it all the more fun to bring out their inner strength.
Sorry to hear about the crud sweeping through the house. Hope everyone is better and you just take it easy. Keep your feet up! When I got to where you are now, I looked like the Michelin Man.
Irish - You may be the most well-adjusted woman on this ship! I really do like my body, party because I expected to be way heavier by now (like my mom) and it's a miracle I'm still pretty close to my HS weight. (We won't mention I was overweight when in HS.)
That's what happens for me! They just show up and they look like what they look like. So far, no blondes. Oh, there's one blonde. Got a story a couple years ago for this strange RomCom/para story about a 20-something being haunted by her recently dead PI grandpa. She has short, blonde hair. But the poor girl may have gray hair by the time I get to her story. LOL!
Hellie - I think Christina (above) and Scarlett have very similar figures. And I totally see Eve as a bombshell, even before you told me that's how she's supposed to look. I remember Livie being neurotic about her body, but Livie was neurotic about everything. :)
I must have a deep desire to be taller because my heroines are always taller than I am. And my secondaries are often shorter. Huh. I see some therapy working out in that.
And you're right, I do wonder how much variety I'll have when I have enough heroines to field a ball team. LOL!
I remember Livie being neurotic about her body, but Livie was neurotic about everything.
What's frightening is that Livie is still not as neurotic as I am.
It really is true that the older I get the more well adjusted I become. I really wish I could take all this positive self image and give it to the teen girls who really need it.
When I was way younger (teens) I wanted bigger boobs (and to be taller, always taller). Then I had babies and experienced the big boobs. The DH loved them but they were pain (figuratively and literally). That was a really great way to get what I wanted and realize it wasn't really what I wanted.
I think, to be brutally honest, I wanted big boobs cause that's what I thought guys liked and I wanted to be attractive to guys. But when I was faced with the reality of them it wasn't that great.
LOL! Ter, I'm tall. Not overly tall, but tallish (almost 5'9"). But unlike some tall gals, I never wanted to be short. I love being tall. And Uma just pulls it off, I think. She's this 6 foot, amazon kind of woman, with this lean (but not skinny) body. Nothing about her says waif, just strength and capability. No one would ignore Uma in a room.
:)
Irish - I got the boobs at a young age and I've always loved them. I've never wanted to be less. Well, I take that back, I had them reduced when I was 20, but only down to a well-rounded C. In the last ten years, they've grown back. Damndest thing, but me and the girls are a team and I wouldn't give them up again. :)
Hellie - Ah, you're getting better. Everyone has their moments.
Marn - I always forget you're that tall. Could be that I've never seen you. LOL! Uma is definitely a warrior, no doubt. My kiddo is well on her way to 6' and she's going to be a total warrior. She already has the broad shoulders at 10 and can't go without a bra.
She doesn't seem to mind towering over her friends. But keeping her fed when she's in a growth spurt is almost impossible.
Luckily girls stop growing in their teens. Only a handful of more years. :) And I'm glad your kiddo doesn't mind her height. Some of my taller friends had problems adjusting.
Nope, doesn't seem to phase her. And some of her friends, boys included, barely reach past her elbow.
She can be klutzy though. LOL! Working those long legs must be kind of tough.
LOL! I had all kinds of growth spurts from about 9 until about 15. I'd just fall, randomly. I couldn't pour things into glasses because I couldn't get the hang of how long my arms were. I had stretch marks on my legs from growing too fast. LOL! I felt like a giraffe.
Thank God for my mom. When I just dropped stuff or fell on something, she'd just call, "are you ok?" And I'd say, "Yeah, I'll clean it up mom."
It got to be a joke.
Now that I think about it, I would like to have gorgeous legs and feet. My legs and feet are not at all attractive (a genetic thing). I can't wear fancy shoes and it is impossible to paint my toenails. So when I see women with snazzy sandals and their toenails painted pretty colors I get a little sad.
I really think that this issue (body image) is so interesting. Women come in all shapes and sizes and each variation has its own advantages and disadvantages. I also think that being comfortable in your own skin has a lot to do with being comfortable with who you are on the inside too. If you don't like yourself you are gonna find fault with everything. If you do like yourself you can excuse a lot of flaws.
I've also had a really sweet guy telling me I'm the most beautiful women in world for about 20 years now. I guess it has sinken in :) For the 20 years previous to that I had 4 rotten brothers pointing out all my defects, continually. Positive reinforcement is a powerful thing.
Now, see, I'm reading Marnee's posts and I never considered the down side to be taller. All I saw were the defects in being short. LOL The grass in always greener!
Marn - There are two repeated phrases in our house. "What was that?!" and "Do I want to know what happened there?" The answer to the first is always different, but the answer to the second is always, "No. No you don't."
Irish - I want some of that positive reinforcement! And I keep reading in my most recent fav romances the line about "Men like women with curves." And I think it's true. The women in the men' magazines may be skinny, but they are no waifs. Of course, they don't have real boobs either, but whatever.
I think it's encouraging that the list of top female bodies included in this Esquire magazine article were all voted on by women. Which means we're finally getting over wanting to be size zeroes.
I've always said, if I were alive during the resaissance, I'd have been a super model.
I believe that should be "... it has sunken in"! UGH!
Technically, I think it would just be "sunk" but it's been a long time since I conjugated anything to know for sure. :)
We know what you meant!
What a great blog! I'm all for "real" women being the icons and role models, since I hit puberty when Tw*ggy was the ideal female. LOL And I don't have anything in common with that gal except for blonde hair!
I don't usually visualize real people as models for my characters - they may have one or two characteristics in common. Maybe a smile, or their hair, some mannerism or characteristic that I find interesting and want to include.
My grammar these days just plain ole sucks! I don't know how many times I've had to go back over something I've written cause it just sounds off to me.
The low point came about a month ago when the DH and I were trying to help out my son with an English assignment. We were arguing and arguing and we finally Googled and HE was right! He came and put his arms around me and patted me on the back saying "I know your world is spinning out of control at this moment but just give it about an hour or so and I'll mispronounce a word. Guarantee it!"
Donna - I'm sure Twiggy is a nice person, but she totally fucked things up for the rest of us. So glad I'm not the only one who just gets visited by totally imaginary people.
Irish - It's a shame we can't be right everytime, isn't it? Truly the most annoying part of my day. But I'm sure he didn't let you down and you got to correct him within the hour.
LOL, Bo'sun -- I read an interview with the Twigster the other day, and no one was more surprised than HER about her crazy success!
Since I didn't post an excerpt yesterday, I thought I'd get brave and try one today. This is how the heroine in my current WIP describes herself. She's just gone through an unexpected breakup:
Here I was, slinging snot in Brooke's kitchen, and keening like a madwoman. I wasn’t even sure what I was wearing. Before coming over to deliver the wretched news to my two best pals, I’d thrown on some shirt and a pair of pants. Who knew if they even matched, or if they were inside out?
All I knew was that I was inside out. My blonde hair was wild, but not that "great sex" kind of wild, and my face, which always seems to be fighting off redness, was massively bright red. Just like my eyes probably were—that eerie "caught in the photo flash" red that makes you look like Satan’s evil twin sister.
I’m thirty-something, but look younger. Not today though. Add a hundred years to my age today, and you’re still being kind. I’m tall, not exactly willowy, but not a sturdy oak either. I’m kind of like a medium-sized tree, one that doesn’t work out much, but always makes that her New Year’s resolution.
Thanks for playing along, Donna! I love this and it's a fun way to fit in description in first person. I never thought about it before but that must be hard.
I could never be called tall, but this line describes me perfectly.
I’m kind of like a medium-sized tree, one that doesn’t work out much, but always makes that her New Year’s resolution.
Great description, Donna! I can "see" your character clearly.
I walked hunch-shouldered with bent knees from 5th-8th grades. I felt like a giantess and I had these protuberances growing from my formerly flat chest that drew unwelcome looks. The only thing that saved me was that my bff was as tall as I was, although not as full bosomed. I'm only an inch taller now than I was then (5'4") and a C cup. I just "bloomed early," as my mother said. By the time I was in high school, I longed to be taller and thinner. I'm still longing. :) My imagination's not strong enough to fantasize looking like the women y'all mention. I'd settle for looking like Helen Mirren.
My characters are composites of celebrities, models, and people I know. Dori's slide show has about ten different people in it because I wanted the eyes of one, the smile of another, the hands of an artist at work, the curve of a mother's cheek resting against a sleeping child's head, etc. The only character I have who looks like one person is Dori's friend Saja, the heroine of book 2, who looks like an art teacher I once taught with--a gorgeous gypsy with dark, tangled curls, green eyes, and the style to make anything she wore look like haute couture. I always planned to use her looks for a character some day.
I would love to look like Helen Mirren too, Janga. And I saw a pic of Jaqueline Smith yesterday. At 62 she doesn't look a day over 40. Lucky lady.
I've always been in awe of those people with an inate style and grace who can make anything look like it was meant for them. My aunt is that way, also of gypsy heritage. She could throw on a fabric remnant and make it look couture. Does your friend know she inspired a character?
Now I need to make a slide show. I work with spreadsheets all day and the Power Point stuff never occurs to me. Maybe I'll find the time to play with something this weekend.
Thanks, Bo'sun and Janga.
I've been tall forever, and always wanted to be shorter. LOL I was 5'8" in junior high and they always sorted us by height, so I was always at the back, wishing I was more in the middle!
Now I'm fine with being tall - basically because I don't FEEL tall because I don't have long legs, so I tell everyone my butt is as close to the ground as the shorter people! LOL
Q – I did think you might enjoy this blog more than the rest of us. Strawberry blond, huh? I can see that. In most pictures (and on MAD MEN) Ms. Hendricks hair is much lighter than this picture. You should check google images, for research purposes and all that. ;)
*grin* I did my research and yes she is lovely. If I can't have strawberry blond then light brown or wine red would be just as good. See, I'm easy to please! *grin*
Its easy to become obsessed with a personal image. Before meeting my wife I had several girl friends of varying size and geometry. I can truly say that if the magic is present then the shape is irrelevant. I have been sent into raptures by plump ladies and bean stalks alike.
It is amusing to recall the wildness of student life, but now I am 'respectable' with eyes for one lady only.
Happens to most of us eventually! :D
Donna - Kiddo is about 5'3" and she won't hit middle school until next year. At this rate, I'm not sure how tall she'll be by the time she's a Freshman. I do know she'll pass me up before long since I'm only 5'4". She has a long torso AND long legs. Darndest thing. And I'm the opposite of you, long legs on a short body. I actually used to buy my jeans in "tall".
Q - That makes so much more sense, but few people go with the "what's on the inside matters more than the outside" way of thinking these days. The guys I've dated have ranged from 5'6" to 6'7" and anything in between. Obviously, not all (or maybe any) of these were keepers, but who they were was way more important than what they were.
PS
That should have been 'Almost Respectable' :lol:
PPS
Started using Firefox and it was in off line mode without telling me so I missed your last post Terri.
Technology can be confusing even to the experts! *grin*
Absolutely agree with your sentiment. 8)
I thought I had a pretty good handle on computer stuff, but I'm finding lately I know almost nothing. Quite disconcerting.
I'll give you a pass....this time. :)
Ziva...yup. Or the girl in the X-Man who had the mental telepathy powers?
HI!
And my characters...all are the ideal me. Me with about 40-50 pounds gone... Without a heart problem, no back problems, no thyroid problems...and with a metabolism that can eat whatever they want and not gain weight.
Yup, totally unrealistic!
Chance! How was the mall? Didcha find some shoes?
Your Emily is not unrealistic at all! In fact, I thought you'd be the first to jump on the real life heroine, cellulite and sagging and all and still beautiful.
Shoes! Two beautiful pairs of shoes! A jacket...and news from Scapegoat I'll e-mail you about late. Got to head out with jane, again!
I didn't intend for my heroine to look like anyone, so imagine my surprise when I looked up at the t.v. one day and saw her on a commercial. I gasped, "That's my Sarah!" My DH thought I was nuts. That actress was Michelle Trachtenberg (sp). Although, my sarah's hair has a little more brunnette in it.
I don't think I'd trade bodies with anyone, I'm used to the quirks and faults of the one I have. However, when I met my big sister (she'd been adopted) I told my mom that it wasn't fair that my sis had gotten tall and thin. She's 5'9" and wears a size 2. I figure that I missed all those years of sibling rivalry with her, so this was it.LOL. The best thing about her is she is one of my favorite people in the whole world-I am so lucky.
Great Blog!
Di
Chance - There is no message in my inbox? It's not like you're busy at a conference or something. :)
Di - That happened to me with the last book. Don't even remember how I found her, but I came across a pic on the internet and it was like Celi walked onto the screen. Michelle has such a unique look. So beautiful. Happy to hear your inspiration walked across your screen.
And you now share the most well-adjusted award with Irish. :)
Ooh! Can I copy? I pick Scarlett Johansson, too!
Hey, Kate! I'm sure there's enough of Scarlett to go round. LOL! Can you imagine having all that "naturally"? Dang, that must be nice.
FABULOUS blog, Ter. Sorry I didn't get to it sooner.
If I could choose a body, it'd be yours. I wasn't kidding when I said that before. You're are all that's voluptuous and yummy, and if I swung that way, I'd get some. ;)
J - It's never too late! LOL! And this is sort of awkward considering you've toyed with my unmentionables and I've seen way more of your ass than I'm comfortable with.
That's true. In a way, we've already gotten to second base.
If only it was you I slept with at Nationals ...
Post a Comment