skibigsky's Diaryland Diary

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I need a Hero.

I finished the Deathly Hallows this afternoon. I'm not going to post any spoilers, although I'll be ready to chat with people about this when The Time Is Right.

Instead, I'll go back to the statement I made in my last past. Let me revise it. I like fanfics better. Don't get me wrong. I loved the books (and, well, without the books, there'd be no fanfics). Fantastic. But. After 7 books, the characters are in a bit of a rut. Sure, they mature and all, but their basic natures remain the same. I'm being a little simplistic, I know. But this is a kid's book (basically). The characters are not as complex as in, say, The Lord of the Rings (that's an extreme, I know, but the first example that came to mind - Gabaldon's 'Outlander' series would be a less extreme example). The best fanfics (and I would link to my favorite, but I don't know where it is housed - if at all - anymore. Fuzz?) develop the characters into multidimensional, living people.

Not that the originals aren't, but, well, it's different.

And where this all becomes relevant, is in my own writing. I've been inspired to get back to my poor neglected novel. I still think I've got a great idea, and a decent plot (the people I discuss it with are excited by the idea, at least, and I don't think they are just being nice). But my characters feel flat to me. Neither my hero nor my heroine have grabbed me and forced me to sit down and write. (Ironically, I have felt this feeling at least once before, the last being my last HP fanfic - honestly, Lucius forced me to sit at his mahogany desk and write. The fact that it didn't get finished was due to the fact that the husband's illness (at the time) outweighed Lucius' threats. But the blonde bastard tasks me. He wants his child, and he wants his wife. He may get them soon.

See? Seriously. I need characters for my own book that do the same. Which means that I am doing some heavy thinking about why Lucius made me write - what characteristics made this happen? How do I take those (or similar) traits and make an equally compelling character. It's Rome, 67AD,so no long blonde hair (well, I guess he could have it, but it wouldn't work, trust me...), and frankly, I've got to find physical attributes that I can fixate to create him. He's a son a freed slave, so he doesn't have to look classically Italian (thank the gods), but I can't picture him yet, and that's a bit of an issue - once I can see him, I can write him.

So... I've got to see him. I've just got to put my brain to it. Maybe with Norwegian blood. Certainly if he came from Brittany or the British Isles, I could justify that. But he'd keep his hair short, in keeping with Roman styles of the time. But he could still have grey eyes (I'm partial, as my own have that same odd shade). Yeah. I've got to find a face. Any suggestions as to where I might find random face shots of guys to give my hero a face?

I REALLY want to write this, but I can't force it. And my heroine. She can't look like me, but that's okay. She can look however she wants, as long as I am her. And for that to happen, I've got to get an appealing hero. It's easy after that.

The real issue, and maybe why I'm subconsciously hanging back? Mr. V. would be supremely jealous if he thought I was interested in Another Guy. What he doesn't get is that the face doesn't matter - it's the insides that really count, and the insides will be him. But bringing up the topic? Not such a good idea. Good man, but a jealous man. Knowing him, he won't want to know who my hero is based on, but I most definitely need a visual of some sort. Ever since I was a kid, I have always written stuff based on faces that I knew (whether the personalities matched or not was NEVER important).

What I need to do is see if Jason Isaacs, or a young Ricardo Montalban, or a young Sean Connery has a look that will fit the time period. Isaacs looks Gallic, Montalban certainly Spanish, and Connery - eh, actually, he won't suit. Yes, these are my 'suitable' (for the time period) celebrity crushes. Maybe Isaacs. Although I'd like a stouter frame. Which leads to Montalban. Definitely strong. A little too Spanish looking for the son of a slave, but maybe a combination of the two.... Any suggestions? I am looking for a strong (not lanky) guy with good cheekbones, a strong chin, and piercing eyes. Any suggestions?

So yeah. I'm doing background research at the moment,until I 'find' my hero (or until he finds me).

Ironically, the 'sub-characters' - the 'regulars' are very fixed in my mind. I just need a good hero, so my heroine can emerge.

On that note, dinner is almost ready.