Why do we love men? I am not a scientific person at all, but since I’ve hit my forties, I’ve firmly decided it’s purely chemical. We can’t help it. What else explains our attraction to a gender that looks so much better than us—effortlessly—most of the time? A case in point. A friend recently showed me a photograph she had taken with Mark Harmon at his annual Oklahoma City charity event. Gazing at his handsome face, which is SEVENTEEN years older than mine, I marveled at how he looked just like he does when I watch NCIS. “Yes,” my friend gushed. “He wears no makeup on the set, either. That’s just how he looks.”
Have you ever noticed on TV or in movies, when the actress wakes up in the morning, you can tell her hair has been styled to look “artfully” tousled, and she’s definitely wearing base, eye shadow, eye liner, etc? The handsome guy looks like a guy waking up early in the morning – tousled, sleepy-eyed, unshaven and still handsome. Without her makeup team, the actress would be a washed out dish rag with electric-socket hair. That’s no offense to her; it’s simply how we are, with our thin skin that, to paraphrase Dolly Parton, shows every footprint of the march of time. Including the last hour, day, week, etc. Snort.
Same issue for the big fight/action scenes. The actor arrives, shirt half torn off (thank you for that – there’s those chemicals again), rolled in ash, blood - hell, it could be pig poop, and that would be fine. We’d still jump him in a heartbeat. She arrives with a couple tiny rips to her clothes, again an “artful” smudge of blood or dirt, but nothing that interferes with the overall packaging. As I’ve said in other blogs, a woman actually rolled in dirt and blood appears exactly like you’d expect – someone who needs a shower. Desperately.
My husband has gone 95% gray at this point. Beautifully layered, silvery gray hair that’s soft as a baby’s and coaxes the touch. My gray hairs arrived in erratic clumps that feel like spiked tumbleweeds when making contact with human skin. When I wake up in the morning and roll over to eye his sleeping form, I sometimes have an insidious desire to put a pillow over his head.
About the time the urge overwhelms me though, he opens his eyes and smiles at me. This look fills his brown eyes, the one that says, “you are my everything”. At that point, he’ll say something like “You’re more beautiful now than ever.” Hmmm. Okay, some things might be chemicals, but the little leap in the heart – that might be something else. He’s staved off the pillow treatment for another day.
My thoughts about this were inspired by my upcoming release, Something About Witches, because Ruby and Derek get into a lot of fights. Not just with each other (grin), but also with demons from the Underworld. There’s blood, gore, slime, smoke, etc. However, the advantage to the written word versus the movies is I don’t need a makeup and hair team. I can make sure Ruby looks just as jumpable as Derek, no matter the scene, and of course Ruby (as well as Derek) is very appreciative of that!
Anyhow, I hope you all have a wonderful 2012, full of lots of positive chemical attractions (wink). The following gives you some more info about the upcoming book, as well as a link to a free excerpt!
GIVEAWAY: If you leave a comment or question, you’ll be eligible for a random drawing to win a book-of-your-choice from my titles, which includes this one.
by Joey W. Hill
BLURB:
Ruby Night Divine is a gun shop owner. She’s also a witch who knows magic can fail. She’s experienced it firsthand, with full-blown tragic consequences. Smith & Wesson is a whole hell of a lot more reliable, and nothing’s as cathartic as the ability to put a few holes in the things that piss you off. Like Derek Stormwind.
A powerful sorcerer, Derek is determined to get to the bottom of why she pushed him away and ran three years before. He also needs her help. A coven needs training to help them fight a demon and his minions. While Ruby is willing to do it, she’s sure it’s just a ruse to get back in her heart—and her bed. The thing is, that’s where she wants him. Unfortunately, her bed’s already made, she’s this close to losing her soul, and she fears nothing can save her. Not Derek. Not even Smith & Wesson.
Click here for free Excerpt. Click here for Amazon buy link.
I have to agree with you Joey men just look good naturally... I would have to spend hours in front of the mirror. Thanks for the excerpt it sounds great
ReplyDeleteFaerymom, you and me both - and I'm not sure any number of hours would help me! (lol) Glad you liked the excerpt.
DeleteGreat post. I enjoyed reading it.Can't wait to read Something About Witches. My question is who would you cast as Derek and Ruby if this book was made into a movie?
ReplyDeleteelaing8(at)netscape(dot)net
Elaine, I'm thinking Russell Crowe or Gerard Butler would make a great Derek, and Olivia Wilde for Ruby. After watching Casino Royale and Cowboys & Aliens, I might even think Daniel Craig for Derek. Never thought I'd say that, but the guy definitely has a certain something.
DeleteI definitely agree with you Joey. Overall, I do think that men age much better than women.
ReplyDeleteSo looking forward to SAW!
Yep, at least we have the pleasure of looking at them. That's something! :>
DeleteThe grey hair thing makes me crazy-men with grey look great and there is something wild about mine. They are not like any other hair :)
ReplyDeleteI love everything you write. I am even loving vampire books now which I swore I would never read. Thanks :)
ERicka, we have a lady on the fan forum site who says vampires are totally not her thing, and all the others are always trying to get her to read them, telling her she'll change her mind if she does. Chuckle - don't know if they'll ever be successful, because she's pretty adamant about it, but I have been pleased with how many readers have given me the feedback that you just did, that they aren't normally vampire readers, but they like how I write my vampires. Hope that will always be the case for you! Thanks for the wonderful compliment. And of course, as you can tell above, I agree with you about the gray hair thing completely. Female gray hair is like straw!
DeleteI think you are talking about SM and I have felt the same way! :) It is very fun to have my mind changed :)
DeleteLOL - you're exactly right! SM takes a lot from the vamp-lovers on the site, and very good-naturedly.
DeleteWe all love SM but she really needs to join the dark side LOL!
ReplyDeleteAlthough I'm extremely happy that I won't have to wait long in between Something About Witches and In the Company of Witches does it change your writing style or make it easier/more difficult to have your release dates within a few months of each other? It just seems like you've had a lot going on is the writing an escape and relaxing venture at times like this or does it just add to the grays?
About the aging thing I'm 27 and my fiance will be 41 soon, no one ever believes he's that old and I hate it! Whenever he or I make a comment about our age difference the reply is always "But he doesn't look that old" My first though it "and I do?" I never say that of course but really? Sometimes I just wanna kill him, keep telling him I'm going to trade him in for 2-21 year olds when he turns 42 but then people would think I'm robbing the cradle so it's an empty threat!
Started ranting about fiance and forgot e-mail, he'll have to pay for that LOL.
Deletepypercharmed@yahoo.com
Pyper, hey, if they're legal age, let them talk all they want about robbing the cradle - it will just be envy (laughter). Seriously, I bet you love your 41-year-old to pieces, despite his nefarious lack of aging. Again, chemical attraction. We can't help ourselves!
DeleteAs far as your question, when I received notice they were moving ICOW up in the schedule, I was ass-deep in alligators, so my reaction was "Sure, WTF not??!" lol However, that didn't affect the creative process for THAT book, because that decision was made after the book was turned in, so the "creation" of the book was done - it was just editing that was the challenge.
However, I was also working on another book at that time, for EC. Since I was still in the creation process/first draft of that one, the aggressive schedule for ICOW would have been detrimental to that book, but EC was gracious enough to give me more time on Hostile Takeover. Publisher understanding/cooperation is a huge factor in protecting the creative process; otherwise a writer can get burned out pretty quickly. Especially when you write for more than one publisher.
That's not a direct answer to your question, though. Getting lost in a story has always been my therapy, my escape from tension, the place I feel most "at home" with my own self, in my head. There's a release of tension there. However, if I'm pushed really hard on the deadline/business end of things, it's harder to reach that "Zen" state when I write, but that's also where I touch base with the muse. Therefore - and you'll hear a lot of authors say that - you have to figure out how to balance the pressure with the creativity. It's an ongoing struggle, and it seesaws all the time (smile).
A little bit of an up/down answer, but let me know if that doesn't satisfy the question!
Oh, and I think you all will get SM there eventually - when she does read a vampire book, I'll be interested to see her reaction - if she turns, or if it just confirms her original opinion (lol). My mother was a very "vampires are so NOT sexy" person as well. ;>
DeleteThanks Joey, I'm sure it was a difficult question and your answer told me exactly what I was originally thinking... It's a love/hate relationship. Or at least that's my interpretation, it's great that you have publishers that are willing to work for you and I'm sure I'm going to thoroughly enjoy this new series!
DeleteAs for the release of Hostile Takeover from EC I just got it today, had to purchase it at work and wait until I got home to download workday didn't end fast enough; then again that's an ongoing issue. Thanks for your time and response.
I love what you said about gray hair. Mine is coming in slowly.
ReplyDeletedebby236 at gmail dot com
Debby, mine started slowly, then all of a sudden - clump, clump, clump. It's all right, though - that's why the God/dess invented L'Oreal!
DeleteI'm looking forward to SOMETHING ABOUT WITCHES!
ReplyDeleteIt is so unfair that men look distinguished whereas women just look old. :( I see so many men on TV with bags under their eyes but not older women. But then, some women age really well; just look at Betty White.
By the way, I've always wanted to dye my gray hairs bright blue, but I haven't done so yet. One of these days...
ironss [at] gmail [dot]com
Sheree - chuckle - I think that would look lovely! If they're going to call us "blue hairs" eventually, we should embrace it. Hope SAW lives up to expectations. Let me know if it doesn't!
ReplyDeleteHehe, I'm only 20 and I've already had my first gray hair. Only one though! Still, guys do seem to age better, but that just means we will have to plot our revenge in other ways. (Dye his hair blue while he's sleeping!)
ReplyDeleteI'm so excited about Something About Witches! A whole new series to drool over and hoard to my shelves... if I can find room...
ashley.vanburen[at]gmail[dot]com
Hmm...I'm trying to imagine my husband with actual blue hair...nope, couldn't do it. Much as it drives me crazy, it's too beautiful. Maybe just one streak, a forelock (grin). Give him that punk look. Ley, I hope you enjoy SAW enough that it makes its way to your keeper shelf!
DeleteThe winner of the book-of-your-choice giveaway is...Ericka! Congratulations, Ericka! I'll be in touch to find out what your choice is. Thanks everyone for the discussion and for coming out to visit me here. And thanks, Brenda, for having me as a guest!
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome, Joey :-)
ReplyDelete