Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Whip-It UP Wednesdays!

A new month is dawning and January is nothing but a bad memory. How have you kept up with your goals? Are you staying motivated?

I've done pretty good. I dropped a few pounds last month . . . thanks to a doctor ordered low fat diet. Bland chicken and veggies is on my menu, thanks in part to a disgruntled gallbladder. I've got two weeks of cooling my heels and eating like an obsessed Hollywood Starlet until I find out if I have a date with Dr. McDreamy and a knife. So, cry for me Argentina because this chocoholic has had the jake-brakes slapped on her habit. All I can say to that traitorous organ of mine is Et tu, Brute?

As for my WIP, it's been smooth sailing. I've finished a chapter and have chugged on toward another turning point. I've found the bread crumb trail and am making headway through the forest of confusion in my mind.

Praise be and pass me a carrot stick!

I'm hoping to finish up the another chapter this week. I think setting small attainable goals has been my dark horse in this side show called life. For once, I haven't been second guessing my voice. Ha! I guess I've reached my own turning point. lol

This weekend, I watched THE DUCHESS with Keira Knightly and Ralph Fiennes. What a treat! Ms. Knightly did a fantastic job playing Georgiana Spencer, the Duchess of Devonshire. The costumes were absolutely gorgeous and the sets were actual locations in England. In the 'special features' section, I watched the behind the scenes snippets and was fascinated by how much information the author had on the grand dame. The real life caricatures of the duchess were awesome . . . but brought to mind a question.

While the ever-talented Ms. Knightly knocked it out of the park in her usual fashion, she didn't quite fit the buxom mold the real duchess seem to fit. Curves. The paintings and drawings of Georgiana all showed a VERY buxom woman. Obviously this is no slight to the actress as she was quite stellar in her role, but why didn't the powers that be fit an actress with more plump in her trunk?

So, with that in mind . . . what about you? Do you tend to fit your heroines within the standard norm of body types? Trim and lean with nary a roll in sight? I find it interesting that most romance novels cast the heroine in the "curvy, but trim" category. Ever after child-birth, the leading ladies of romance just keep on truckin' in their banging little bodies. I realize this is fantasy, but I think it would be fun to have a fuller figured heroine. I'm thinking kind of like a Bridget Jones and her "always just a little bit fat" body.

Do you think romancers would shy away from a buxom heroine? Is that a character you would gravitate to? On the flipside, what about a hero with a little cushion for the pushin' ? Would he be just as dreamy if his hips weren't so lean? Truth be told, I'm a bit of a chubby chaser myself, so a super trim hero doesn't do much for me. I like a man with some meat on his bones. Picture a Kyle Chandler or a Triple H (WWF). Sure they're fit, but also rounded in a very real way! Certainly no half-starved Hollywood actor. What about you? Would you want to read about a hero or heroine who has a little more to love than just angles?

12 comments:

Emma Lai said...

You crack me up, Sarah. None of my heroines are typical and most of my heroes aren't either. In real life, I don't mind a little extra meat on a man.

Helen Hardt said...

I admit it -- my heroes and heroines are all built! Lol. Romance is fantasy, after all. But they're all very real in their personalities. Barbie and Ken, they're definitely not :).

Nicole McCaffrey said...

So funny, Sarah!

I like atypical heroines, whether it's size or age that sets them apart. I haven't necessarily done a heroine who is curvy, but I've done over 40 and one where the heroine has --in the hero's words--the face of an angel and the personality of a rattlesnake, LOL. My current WIP features a very plain heroine. So I do try to put a different twist on things.

Good luck with your sensible eating, hope it helps that traitorous gall bladder! Meanwhile, I'll be glad to take that stash of chocolate you can't eat off your hands, gf, LOL--all for a good cause, of course. ;o)

Kaye Manro said...

I think many romance readers like their h/h sexy and hunky. They like to excape into a fantasy and pretend they are those characters, at least for a while-- suspend reality so to speak. But hey, look who is talking! T'Kon (hero in Forbidden Love) has Reptilian DNA-- maybe not everyone's fave hero! But it's the way he turns on the heroine (Maya) that makes him appealing.

There is a subgenre line at many pubs now that open the doors for more chunky characters.

I'd hate to give up chocolate. I feel for you. But hey, you are eating so healthy now!

Cari Quinn said...

Great topic, Sarah! I hate perfect heroes/heroines. Yes, it's fantasy, but if I can't relate to the character on some level, I have trouble enjoying the story. Holly in Full Disclosure is a fuller figured lady...and one of my Blaze-targeted heroes wears glasses and is, in a lot of ways, a quintessential nerd. I enjoy "going outside the box" with my h/h.

Good luck with your diet...and hope your gallbladder is feeling better soon!

Debra Kayn said...

Those darn gall bladders! I hope the new way of eating helps...I've heard it is no fun when your gall bladder is unhappy.

Your post reminded me of John Travolta in the movie Michael. That was his "fat" role, but mm..me...I'll take him fat then!

Sarah Simas said...

Hi Emma!

There is just something about those beefy boys that make my knees go all buttery. (ok, obviously I've got food on the brain. lol)

Besides, Kyle and Triple H, I adore The Rock and Colin Firth. Just love a tall man with broad shoulders. Hollywood just seems to like short, waifishly-thin guys. (and if the gent ain't waifish, they make him that way!) I can tell if the actor is small by the cut of his clothes and the angles they use. *sigh* The scouts need to find men who look like Tom Selleck or Trace Atkins. Big boys! lol

Sarah Simas said...

Helen!!

Ha! With the steamy scenes you craft up, you're characters had better be fit! *wink wink* You are the Queen of Spice!

Sarah Simas said...

NICOLE!!!!! ((hugs!!))

I've missed you!! You can have all my chocolate, lady! Anything for you!

I love that line- face of an angel and the personality of a rattlesnake. Wowza! That's a zinger of a line!

It's so great to see you! Missed you!

Sarah Simas said...

How cool is that?! A reptilian hero! Now, that is unique! Forbidden Love sounds like a fantastic adventure, Kaye!

That is so interesting! A subgenre for plump characters. Who would have thought?! I'm always amazed at the news lines that pop up. It's wonderful that there is an outlet for any kind of creativity. :)

Chocolate and diet coke are definitely what I miss the most! Such a cruel world. LOL

Sarah Simas said...

Cari!!

You're creativity is boundless! A hero who sports glasses sounds cool to me! Sounds very Clark Kent-ish. Hope you keep us updated on his story. :)

Thanks, lady! I can't wait to get back to normal. Having a busy schedule makes eating hard. I have to cook every meal. No pre-packaged or fast food. Apples and carrots have become my friends. lol

Sarah Simas said...

Oh, I forgot about John Travolta, Debra!

I loved him in that movie. I don't know if Alec Baldwin is tall or not, but he was always a very robust looking actor- young and middle-aged- I've always thought he was hot, too.

Thanks for popping over, lady! Loved your "Batty Problem" post. Too frickin' funny!!