****The winner of the signed copy of HOT SPELL is: Tori Lennox. I have contacted her via email. Thank you to all who entered! I loved your “inspiration” picks!!!***
I don’t know how many other authors do this. I suspect many based on “inspiration” blog posts I see. But part of my process of writing a book is to do a fantasy casting of the characters so I can picture them more easily in my head when I’m writing. Now that I’ve written more than a dozen books, I find that I don’t have to dig too deeply into Hollywood to find my perfect heroes. In fact, the same actor has been used in my mental processes… (counting)… three times now.
There’s something about (L) Josh Holloway (L) that seems to fit very nicely with the type of hero I like to write, especially if I need him to have a little swagger and attitude and big-time sex appeal. Josh was my mental image for Jacob in my Blaze debut, HOT SPELL, and he also ended up being (with a bit of a mental hair and fashion makeover) the perfect Patrick, the hero of my second Blaze, STORMY WEATHER.
Don’t know why.
Wait a minute…sure I do! He’s just so darn pretty! (K) Plus he’s got expressive eyes and has that angsty way about him that I need for a good romantic hero. On Lost, I’ve gotten to watch bad boy Sawyer pine over (annoying) Kate for five seasons now. Can’t wait until the final season starts up at the beginning of February! I’ve been a loyal fan of this show since the premiere.
Also? The man does look mighty fine without a shirt on.
What can I say? Inspiration comes to me in strange and wonderful ways. And I hope to continue to be able to use Mr. Holloway to inspire many characters to come. I hope he doesn’t mind too much.
Happy Reading!
Michelle Rowen (D)
*************** CONTEST ***************
I want to give away a signed copy of HOT SPELL to a commenter. Please tell me — whether you’re you’re a writer or not — what Hollywood actor you find the sexiest and most…uh, inspirational. (K) I’ll be back to pick a winner on Monday, January 25th at 9:00 pm EST!
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Entries (RSS)
Mmm. Josh.
Nice.
I’m a Gerard Butler fan girl myself.
Although, oddly enough I don’t picture real people in my characters’ roles when I’m writing. Later, when it’s finished and someone asks me this very question I’ll think about it and come up with someone, but during the process I need the character’s image to remain unbiased by an actor’s real-life traits.
I have to completely agree with you about Josh Halloway! I think he is one of the main reasons I have continued to watch Lost, well that and just maybe a teeny bit might have to do with the interesting storyline going on!
I am a new writer and am currently trying to write my first book as we speak! My inspiration for my characters are: Alison Lohman as the mysterious woman falling in love with Jake Gyllenhaal, the tough guy and Taylor Kitsch as the best friend to Jake and third member of the triangle.
Thanks for sharing Michelle! I’d love a signed copy of Hot Spell! It was an awesome story!
I have to agree with you about Josh Halloway! I think he is the major reason I still watch Lost. Well…him and maybe it has a teeny bit to do with the interesting storyline going on!
I am a new writer and am attempting my first book right now. My inspirations for my story are: Alison Lohman as the mysterious woman falling in love with Jake Gyllenhaal, the tough guy and Taylor Kitsch, best friend to “Jake” and the third member of the triangle.
Thanks for sharing Michelle! I loved Hot Spell and would adore an autographed copy for my collection!
P.S. I tried to post something else, but I got an error, so I apologize if this is a duplicate!
I’m a fan of Johnny Depp. I have been for years. I first show him in the tv show 21 jump street. Then in pirates of the carribaen. He just been a very good actor. I’m a Author of Inherited Blood and love to write. I also love to read all kinds of books.
Sorry that was suppose to be “I first saw him in”…..lol
Josh is yummy.
I am not a writer but always have a book on my desk, nightstand, purse, whereever!
I will confess to not watching much for TV or movies but I do think Owen Wilson is just the sexiest guy out there and he is funny too!
Hi Michelle,
I am a new writer and I am so pleased to see that I am not the only one that finds “inspiration”. I have used several different people, both men and women throughout my stories but I seem to return to my beloved Peter Facinelli.
Carlisle does little for me but I have found many good guy/bad guy roles for Peter on You Tube that I never knew about, the Anti-Carlisle.
I also tend to use fellow Canadians Ryan Gosling and Ryan Reynolds for characters with “softer sides”.
The possibilities are endless and the eye candy is not bad either.
Keep the wonderful books coming!
Angela
I’m not a writer just a reader
I would have to pick Johnny Depp or maybe Colin Farrell. I read a lot of paranormal romance and I always visualize the character with dark hair and eyes and about 6+ feet tall. Even when the author describes blonde and blue eyes it’s hard for me not to think of darker. It’s just sexier to me.
Oh, wow. So many to choose from. But the one who springs to mind right now is Hugh Jackman. Yumminess.
Alas, I am not a writer but would love to be. Ideas and stories are always floating around in my head. One day I will get them on paper though. I have faith in myself.
While reading a book I like to imagine what the characters look like so Hollywood’s pool of stubs is a huge help. Nothing tickles my fancy more then a brooding man with an accent. So my first pick would have to be (K) Collin Farrell. Not only is he hawt-ness reincarnated but he’s got that mysterious bad boy thing down pat. Another fav of mine would have to be, yes, (K) Gerard Butler. I (L) him SO MUCH! He’s HAWT, sexy/passionate, strong and makes me weak in the knees when I hear him speak. (Hot flash) “Pshew…” (I say as I wipe my brow and fan my face.) *lol*
(*) Thanks for the opportunity to win HOT SPELL. I’ve been looking so forward to reading it.
Josh is very good-looking!
There are a few guys that come to mind, but I have to go with Hugh Jackman. His good looks and accent, what could be better.
I’m not a writer and I don’t have an answer to your question because I’m not a movie goer so I really don’t know movie stars. And when I read books I really don’t picture anyone in particular as the hero. But I would love to win your book. If I had to picture a hero I think I would choose Mark Harmon. At least he’s only six years younger than I am and 26 or more years younger.
OOPS ~~ that last sentence should read “At least he’s only six years younger that I am and NOT 26 or more years younger. :-S
Michelle~ Great topic! I loved Hot Spell, it was a great book. I am a writer, at least trying to be anyways, lol! Everyone above have listed some good men, Hugh Jackman, Mark Harmon, Gerard Butler, all very sexy men. I think alot of my man charaters get some of there looks from my favorite actors, just depends on the man. Some of my favorite men are Channing Tatum, Colin Farrell, and Robert Pattinson. Cant wait to read what you come up with next! Have a great day!!
I forgot Keanu Reeves, He is another hottie!
I’m a reader but if I were writing a hero I’d think of George Clooney.
My inspirations would be Eric Bana and Christian Bale.
I write as a hobby (don’t know if that counts!). Under hot guy inspirations it would have to be actor Johnny Depp and musician Peter Steele (Type O Negative). I couldn’t pick just one (D)
Hhmm, I don’t actually know who this Josh is, but I could probably handle looking at him (or imagining him as a hero) for a while!
What Hollywood actor….hhhmmm. Keanu Reeves isn’t bad. Tom Cruise from way back when. Harrison Ford if I was going for an older guy. People have compared my DH to Mel Gibson in Braveheart, so that certainly wouldn’t be bad, LOL!! But if I have to pick one fantasy guy, I think it would be Viggo Mortensen….specifically from Lord of the Rings. Mmm….even if you were an elf fan throughout the trilogy, by the end, “everyone wanted the King” (as a friend of mine put it).
I love Josh Holloway! He is the inspiration for my work in progress. And my hero likes to come up with nicknames like Sawyer!
But I also love Keanu Reeves, Gerard Butler, and Hugh Jackman.
I dabble in writing but can’t claim true writer status but every girl has to have a fantasy guy or twenty! Gerard Butler is yummy, as is Channing Tatum, Viggo Mortinsen and Robert Downey Jr, but I am a total accent ‘ho so add in Colin Firth, Jude Law, Jonathan Rhys Myers, Alex O’Laughlin, Stephen Moyer and Alexander Skarsgaard….mmmmmm.
Great post, and very nice inspiration if i must say.
I’m a writer, unpubbed so far. the last book i finished my inspirations was hugh jackman for my hero, a cop with attitude and very tight jeans. Hugh looks great in them.
gerard is good too, pierce brosnan for more of a sophisticated hero. Ooh i could go on for a while here. But my fave is Hugh baby!
the book sounds great.
jody (K)
Josh is such a good choice. Lately I have been really liking to watch David Boreanaz as a reader, I have pictured him in quite a few roles.
Hi Michelle,
Oh wow, you picked a great subject! I don’t write but I am an avid reader. Lot’s of times when the cover of the book doesn’t have a picture of the hero, I conjure up my own impression of what he looks like. Most of the times I picture Keanu Reeves. He is so handsome and very sensitive. The bone structure in his face is remarkable and his eyes almost bore into your soul. I saw him in a lot of movies and he is a very talented actor that really gets overlooked in his acting abilities. I have seen him in SOMETHINGS GOTTA GIVE, THE MATRIX MOVIES, THE LAKE HOUSE, CONSTANTINE, SPEED, etc. He is so funny, very romantic, and carries himself well. He really inspires me after seeing his acting ability in THE MATRIX. What a difficult and complex movie and he carried it off so well!
The other actor that really inspires me is Hugh Jackman. Oh wow, he is marvelous to look at and is he ever a talented actor! He has starred in so many different types of movies.
I had a crush for a while on Matthew Perry from FRIENDS but when I saw Keanu Reeves in SPEED, I found my new man to crush on!
I am not a writer just a avid reader and the actor that inspires me is Johnny Depp I mean when have you honestly seen him in a bad movie he can play and be anything from adult movies to kids films.
I always enjoy looking at Johnny Depp, Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Harrison Ford, and even though he’s looking a bit older now, Mel Gibson. Josh Holloway is pretty darn good to look at as well – I’m a Lost fan too.
Josh Holloway is about the only thing I miss about that show. I quit back in the secon season when the storyline started getting complicated and hard to follow.
I do write and have found lots of inspiration out there. Lately it’s british actor Jonas Armstrong from BBC’s Robin Hood. Yum. Nathan Fillion works well, too, when you need someone smokin’ hot but with a sense of humor. And I’ve never read a cowboy hero I didn’t see as George Strait.
I still like:
Orlando Bloom,
Keith Urban
Ewan MacGregor
Tom Cruise
Mark Harmon
Justin Hayward- Lead singer Moody Blues
Athletes: Beckham! Sakic! Fedorov! Rodgers! Favre!
I am an avid reader. As for hot guys, here is my list.
1. Gerard Butler
2. Mark Harmon
3. Colin Farrell
4. Josh Dumall
I’m going to chime in for a chance to win!
I love a bad boy, so Josh is right up there. Also a fan of Johnny Depp and Robert Downey, Jr. Sigh…
Hmmm… my choice changes everyso often, but for now I will say Hugh Jackman!
Hey ! First, I’m French. And I’m a writer (not published, but soon to be i hope !) and the guy that inspired me the most would be … Ian Somerhalder. And I think that it’s mostly because of his strong jawline (i love strong jawlines !) I first discovered this HOTNESS in ‘The Rules of Attraction’, where he plays that gay boy always smoking, and totally in love with some other quite hot guy, and there I said to myself “If I was a boy, I would be gay for him.” (well, now that i’m a girl, i keep saying that i would be gay for Megan Fox, but that’s another story.) So then my parents were watching Lost (it was at the very beginning of the show), and I saw a glimpse of a face I recognized, so I just stood there and waited, and there he was : my beautiful Ian Somerhalder playing Boone in Lost (soon to be a hit show lol). So i just watched EVERY episodes, EVERY week, but then, well, he died, and I did not see him in five years in a new stuff (but i watched him on old shows and/or movies…).
And well, I’ve always been a big vampire fan, and I had read the Vampire Diaries books for a while when I learned that there was going to be SHOW. My favorite character was Damon, because I always love the bad guy (in your Immortality bites, of course i love thierry, but Gideon was… mmmh); so first there was Elena, and then Stefan, and then… WOW : IAN SOMERHALDER WAS GONNA PLAY DAMON. And there I was, waiting everyday in front of my comp for more pics and more news and more everything.
And well, ever since he’s in my top three, and every picture of him makes him get higher and higher in my esteem lol.
Thanks for the contect !
I am not a writer. But, I do appreciate a good looking man. On my list are:
Clive Owen, Gerard Butler, Robert Downey Jr., Johnny Depp, and Keanu Reeves.
Clive Owen. A million times, Clive Owen.
Josh is hot to be sure. I stayed with LOST for awhile just for the eye candy shots of him possibly removing his shirt. If I had to name one now, I’d have to nominate Sam Worthington (the man of the hour). There’s something so rough and rugged about an Aussie male. When I write I can’t do the celebrity casting. I build a picture in my head as I work on the characterization. It might end up looking like someone I’ve seen before but I can’t cast someone else. It wouldn’t be my character any more. Does that make sense? Doesn’t stop me fantasizing about them of course (H) !!
Hi! I am writing my first book (almost done!) – and a what a wild, amazing ride it has been. I love your question about the people who are your inspiration – before I start a book or story, I surf the net for photos that I can print, clip and save to use as my reference points for my main characters. So . . . I frequently have pics of hots guys falling out of my notebook and getting quite the looks from those nearby! Oh well . . . .
Lately the Aussie actor, Alex O’Loughlin has been steaming up the pages of my manuscript. He’s yummy, tall, full of muscles, with captivating hazel eyes and with a drool-worthy array of tattoos . . . . excuse me while I go take a cold shower . . . .
I always cast characters whether writing or reading. Just brings it to live. Josh is gorgeous, also Keanu has always done it for me, as have Brad Pitt, Johnny Depp, Pierce Brosnan, Matt McCoughnahay (never can spell his name right, but he’s gorgeous) and many more. Please don’t make me choose one.
Pamela Stone
LOL! I’m a fan of Hugh Jackman, but am not sure that I mentally cast books as I read them–I’m terrible at connecting names and faces, so even when I see someone famous, half the time, I can’t remember who they are!
I like Ryan Gosling, Robert Pattinson, and recently, Matthew Goode.
No wonder you think of Josh when you write, Michelle, I think of him whenever I read a romance!
Really glad to know that when I read Hot Spell and Stormy Weather I´ll have the right image in my head!
Awesom!
Josh, Josh, Josh! The one and only!
(L)