Portside Wonderland: There's just something about Michael Keaton

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

There's just something about Michael Keaton

I am ridiculously, incomprehensibly, obsessively attracted to Michael Keaton.

It's not my fault. Go watch him in Batman and Beetlejuice. You'll see.

Look, logically speaking, I know he's not typically defined as handsome or sexy or hot. But I've never been the type to listen to definitions.

But wait, Heather. What does this have anything to do with writing?

Two things: Number 1 - many times, we are attracted to more than just a pretty face, and pretty faces can even turn us off. Number 2 - chemistry: We can't explain why we're attracted to people, we just are (I'm actually going through this at the moment with a guy at my work - I know, I got a job, say what? - we'll call Poncho).

When I write, I want to be as realistic as possible. My heroine is smart and pretty and therefore, she's attracted to good looking, intelligent guys. I have to keep in mind that my readers are living through my heroine, which means not only does the hero have to win her over, he has to win my readers over too.

A lot of the times, my heroes are interesting looking rather than typically attractive. It's more than just his looks my heroine is attracted to. For example, in STRANGER, Jane is a smart girl who thinks she's pretty but doesn't know she's beautiful. Her hero is Nikolai Depogare, a man who is known for being unattractive. But the more Jane falls for him, the more attractive he becomes. If I can win you over with Nikolai, get you to be attracted to him, I've done my job as a writer.

What does this have to do with Michael Keaton?

Well, let me just say this: As a reader, hot boys in books start to blur together. A lot of the times, they're accompanied with bland personalities and even though I get why the heroine falls for him, there's no chemistry between me and him. The writer didn't win me over. As such, I'd rather read about a girl falling for an interesting looking guy like Michael Keaton than some faceless hottie.

1 comment:

EricSeptember 6, 2013 at 11:39 PM
This article is hope inspiring for me... especially since people have told me I act and look like him since I was 16. A sense of weirdness and personality are much more intriguing than physical beauty alone:) I enjoy your outlook.
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SmashMouth

I could not be more excited to feature this new release! Who hasn't rocked out to the music of Smash Mouth?! Now you can go behind the music with a band that carried the spirit of a generation in Walkin' on the Sun; The Official Smash Mouth Biography.

Blurb:

Hello. My name is Paul DeLisle. I’m the guy who wrote this book. You've probably never heard of me. That's okay. Most people wouldn't know me from Adam. But, unless you've been living in a cloistered monastery for the last fifteen years, you have heard of my band.

So begins the memoir of the creation, rise, and current state of the multi-platinum recording artist Smash Mouth as told by bassist Paul DeLisle. Well known for their hits “All Star,” “Walking on the Sun,” “Then the Morning Comes,” “Can’t Get Enough of You Baby,” and “I’m a Believer,” the band carried the spirit of a generation, but didn't stop there. Enjoy this behind-the-scenes look from Paul’s unique, there from the start, insider’s view.

Excerpt:

There's an episode of Cheers where washed-up ball player Sam Malone, frustrated with either Diane or Rebecca, proclaims, "Y'know, most people don't know this ... but I’m famous!"

I love that line. I can totally relate. You see, I am a founding and continued member of the band Smash Mouth. Yet I am, proudly and alas, the bass player. I’m not famous. My band is.

From the beginning, Smash Mouth was set up as a democracy between four musicians and a manager, each player having an equal voice on band matters. Yet we were all fully aware and accepting of the fact that, as lead singer/frontman, Steve Harwell would be getting a disproportionate amount of attention. Seeing as he is the face and mouthpiece of Smash Mouth, you may be a little disappointed he didn't write this book.

But stay with me here. Because as you'll see, I have a unique vantage point: as one of only four original constituents, I’ve been involved in every aspect of the band since day one. Only Steve and I have trod every step of this Smash Mouth journey. Also, while traditionally under-recognized, the bass player himself sees everything. Plus I went to college. Who better to write a book about Smash Mouth?

That said, keep in mind this book is solely from my point of view. Steve, Greg, Kevin, and Robert would obviously have different takes on certain events. However, this book is simply intended as a comprehensive account of our rise to fame and continued success.

So without further ado ... here’s what happened:

EEP!!! How awesome is that! Pick up your copy of Walkin' on the Sun today and get your own "backstage pass" to the world of Smash Mouth!

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