Of Men and Mr Potato head…

Am I likening men to Mr Potato Head? Sort of but stick with me as I have a point. The thing is, I have been thinking about this feedback I got from a fan. I still think it’s bizarre that I even have fans. Me? Seriously? Shucks…anyway I love reading the feedback they send – the good and the bad. I take it all under advisement as readers know what a book should and should not have. This one reader said she liked how my heroes were all ‘incorrigible’ in that bad boy way. Okay, I’ll admit, I like incorrigible, bordering on shameless men so I tend to write that kind of man. I did go through a phase where I had this thing for wild, Latin men but they’re exhausting…or probably more two
like forces exhaust each other. Anyway, I snapped out of that phase. Now I like quirky men. I’m not big on what someone looks like. I am attracted by what they say, how they laugh and the look in their eyes. Why do mention this? Am I shopping for a man? No. I mention it because I was thinking are all my heroes alike? The answer is probably yes. As a writer it’s hard to completely break free from your own beliefs, ideals, preferences etc. I know my heroine’s are all smart arses…can’t think why -but there it is. So preferences in men follow my own.

Anyway, my point is - what is the ideal man? I know - stop laughing – and I caught that eye roll…why I ask is that how do you write a man that is going to appeal to a broad cross section of women without coming across like every other hero? This is where the Mr Potato Head theory comes in. So, we start with a potato…I’m not fussy what sort – sebago or idaho – up to you – what do we put on the potato/hero to make him irresistible to women? I believe women always go for eyes first. There has to be that knowing, sexy look and sense of humour. But what colour? Blue, green…steely
grey? What the hell – give him hazel – that covers the spectrum. Hair? Does blond appeal most or the standard raven black? What about auburn? I know – give Mr Potato Head a mohawk and make it all the colours of the rainbow. This would also give him a quirky, bad boy edge. Nose? I know some women who swear that nose size, and not feet, is an indicator of penis size…not going there…so we’ll give potato boy an average snoz to avoid issue of inadequacy as heroes are never inadequate. Lips? Two I think – but thin, indicating an edge of bad boy or a thick suckable bottom lip indicating sensuousness? Do we give him piercings or tatts? How much can a potato stand before he becomes ridiculous in the quest for the perfect potato…er, man? And we haven’t even gotten the important stuff like feelings, thoughts and emotions. Do you stuff the man…I mean potato with extra cheese? Salt him? Pepper him? Slather him with sour cream? Mash him or fry his arse off in the deep fryer?

It’s bloody hard making up a man that is not real but you want to come across as real. Everyone sees something different in a man. So what do you want in your hero that will make him the one you want to fall in love with for a couple of hours? Writers –what do you do to make up a hero? And yeah, I reckon I do tend to fall back somewhat on my own preferences when it comes to potatoes… men I mean. What do
you think? Do you build a man using the Amarinda potato principle or do you write what you know? Can you ever go wrong with that? Is there a perfect man? I think not…only women are perfect. Okay, you’re right – not all…only 98% are.

Just finished reading….

Daffodil by Anny Cook – holy snapping ducks! What a book - funny, hot and amazingly I was agog at parts of it. I am rarely ever agog. Anny, I no longer believe your story about babies coming from cabbage patches now. Buy the book and get an education.

Rose Quartz by Sandra Cox – no one writes a sexy, lonesome, cowboy quite like Sandra. What I loved about this story is the contrast between the two main characters. This is what I would call an ‘aww’ book because you feel really nice at the end of it.

Contest you would be crazy not to enter… Ashley Ladd and Jacqueline Roth/Elyssa Edwards have excellent prizes up for grabs on their blogs. Hurry over and put your name down to win.

Lastly…what the?

I have a reminder in my email calendar thingy for today. It says ‘cone’. Yes, how very deep and meaningful…I just wonder what that means? Probably it’s an existential statement of something but stuffed if I know what. Ice cream cone? The cone of silence? Cone like breast ala Madonna in her Jean Paul Gautier phase? I generally like being cryptic but not with myself – then its just annoying….hmmm…cone…what does that mean? I just know someone is going to say something like “You have the cone right?” And I’m going to go “Well yes, like I could forget it…”

I suspect Anny and Kelly are not talking about potatoes so rush over and see what amazing words of information they have to impart.

www.freewebs.com/amarindajones/
Go ahead: Live with abandon. Be outrageous at any age. What are you saving your best self for?