Thursday 14 January 2010

Jack & Nancy

One of the perks of writing romance is definitely getting to play casting director isn't it?

It's like making your own movie, but taking all of the associated jobs on yourself - writer, producer, editor, director, head of casting - everything but starring in it and bagging the hero yourself in actual fact! There's something not quite right there surely?

My wip at the moment stars Jack & Nancy, and i've finally settled on my castings for the main roles. ;O)


Actually Nancy has been pretty much sorted since day one, she's fiesty & modern, and in my minds eye she is very similar in looks and personality to the character of Lois Lane in Smallville, as played by Erica Durance.
Finding Jack was trickier. I knew he was dark haired and sexy, with a glint of humour. I have trawled through loads of men ( tough job, one best done without my husband and children to distract me) and although many were goooood, none were pefect for Nancy.

It then struck me why I was struggling - because he was right under my nose all of the time!



I'm a smallville fan of epic proportions anyway, and honestly, who can out alpha a bone fide superhero? No one, or  at least not for me in the case of Jack & Nancy. I'm going more with the image than the actual character in his case though, as as Clark Kent he's not nearly alpha enough.
I've tried to nail in my head who my perfect alpha male character would be, and the closest I can get is a divine cross between Sawyer from Lost ( too hot to actually live), David Duchovny in Californication, and Gene hunt in Ashes to Ashes... although I realise i'm probably alone on that last one.

Having now settled on Jack & Nancy, the gorgeous thing is I can easily find images of them together, and today I found I can even watch little montages of their romance set to music on youtube... is that taking things too far? I am thinking probably.....erm, yes?



Another good thing about going with these two is that i've watched their frustrated would-be romance blossom and can really feel the tension & chemistry sizzling between them, so it's easy for me to transfer that emotion over to my own characters.

I have no idea if this is a bad move or not - is it usual to choose characters you've seen work as a couple on screen in the past, or is there a danger it might have an influence on your writing? I'm hoping not?


6 comments:

  1. I love it, Joanne! You have pictures of them together...that could be your cover right there! I'm actually no one who usually 'casts' characters like that. I'm SO picky about my heroes that no one measures up. And my husband can't be ALL of the heroes...

    Although, for this MS, I did 'cast' my H and h with real live people. And you've inspired me to do a post!

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  2. ooh, you're right - I might crop that image and make it cover shaped. I'm trying to create a mood board, but true to my usual techno-failings I can't suss how to do it on the computer. I might have to resort to actually cutting it out and sticking it with the kids glue-stick...

    I don't think I could use my H, I wouldn't like to have to spend my days imagining him with another woman, lol! Or do you cast yourself in your own head? Hmmmmm....now that could be FUN!

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  3. Great choices.

    I love Tom Welling - sadly I'm far too old for him, but an old bat can dream.

    XX

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  4. How old do you reckon he is Suzanne? I could have fallen off my chair when I checked - he's 33. Doesn't seem it does he, I think it's because he's literally grown up on Smallville.
    I reckon I could come to terms with being 4 years older than him. :o)

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  5. Nothing wrong with casting from the same pool - I did that with my latest wip. Katherine Heigel (Izzy) as my heroine and Eric Dane (Mc Steamy) as my hero. Love casting - one of the best parts of writing!

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  6. They look gorgeous together. I have to do the cut and stick thing if I'm making anything. I try to resist adding glitter, though ;-)

    Also, have to say, Sawyer from Lost is truly too hot to live. I would love to write a really tortured hero with him cast. I might have to close my eyes for a mo and have a little think!

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