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I normally don't have an actual picture for my heroes as I write them, but this shot of a young Colin Firth was so like the image of the newest hero that had blossomed in my mind, I thought I'd share it with you. This pic captures the essence of Greydon Quinn. (I'm using one of the names entered by a reader in my PLEASURING THE PIRATE Name contest last October. And yes, I wrote and got her permission first!)Quinn is a typical Regency hero--a hopeless romantic, charming enough to be a bit of a rake, and a rugged man of action when the occasion calls for it. He has just one tiny flaw. He's a little . . . dead.
Your eyes are fine. You read me correctly. Greydon Quinn is a ghost.
How he became one, and more importantly, what he intends to do about it, are the main plot threads in the new story I'm playing with. I thought I'd invite you along for the ride as I "flesh out" (pardon the ghost pun!) this proposal.
So far, I've tinkered with Quinn's backstory, figuring out what led him to his current predicament, and started writing my first chapter. It's a way for me to explore Quinn's special circumstances before I lay out how my story will proceed.
Music sets a mood for me. I've chosen the music I'll write this story to. It's Rachmaninoff's 3rd Piano Concerto. It was popularized a few years ago in SHINE, a fascinating movie starring Geoffrey Rush (Captain Barbossa for you PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN fans.) I love this piece because it has alternating episodes of melancholy and lightning wit, just the kind of wide swings of mood I need as a backdrop. If you're interested in hearing a bit of it, pop over to my MySpace page. I've set this up as my profile music. Please "friend" me while you're there!
I'll keep you posted on my progress with Quinn!
If you're an aspiring writer, you might want to get a jump on my process. Visit www.emilybryan.com and click on my WRITE STUFF link. There are several pages of material just for YOU!
7 comments:
I can't wait to see how Quinn plays out as you develop his character!
So far, so good, LuAnn. Quinn is very forthcoming with his goals. Now I need to learn more about his soulmate, Grace. So far, she fears she's going mad because she keeps catching glimpses of Quinn from the corner of her eye and scenting a whiff of his pipe tobacco at odd moments.
That's so cool, a dashing young man who smokes a pipe! They don't make them like that anymore... I'm really curious to see what happens to them!
I know smoking is terribly unpopular now, but frankly I needed some sensual way for Grace to be aware of Quinn's presence even though she can't see him and say what you will about the habit, pipe tobacco smells wonderful.
Besides, it's not as if it will give Quinn cancer. The man's already dead!
It does smells nice, doesn't it? So nice that I (a non-smoker) even tried it once. I was so disappointed at the bitter taste it left on my tongue! Pipes are better smoked by other people, especially if they're ghosts :)
I'm not a smoker either, Nynke, never have been. But I used to live Winston-Salem, NC--cigarette capital of the world.
And when the tobacco came to market in the fall, the whole city smelled of it, really quite wonderful if you can put the whole cancer risk thing out of your head.
I'm NOT advocating smoking. Not at all. I'm just using the scent of of tobacco, which even non-smokers have to admit is a pleasing one, as a device for my heroine to recognize my ghost-heroe's presence until I can figure out a better way for them to make contact.
Besides, scent is so closely tied to memory, it's a strong sensual element to use.
Sounds like a good (and kind of novel) idea to me :)
Have a nice day!
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