Jess Harper . . . my kind of hero
People always ask writers where they get their ideas (which I've discussed). What I want to know is, why people don't ask me, "Where do you get your heroes?" Now that's a topic worthy of discussion!
Michelle Styles is talking about heroes on her blog. And she's right when she says that if you gave each of us the same hero (Hugh Jackman, for instance!) we would all write him a different way.
For example, Kate Walker and I had a Hugh Jackman theme going through our talks we gave in Australia and New Zealand two years ago (and Kate kindly brought along an overhead projector ready page of Hugh in the towel from Swordfish which -- as a visual -- made things much more interesting) and we both talked about how 'inspiring' we found him (much to the chagrin and dismay of the Christchurch journalist who thought we were writing 'beneath ourselves' and 'taking advantage of the fantasies of poor foolish women who didn't know any better.' What's 'poor' and 'foolish' about a woman who finds inspiration in Hugh Jackman, I'd like to know!).
But anyway, the point is, Kate and I were both inspired by the man, by the photo, but our books are nothing alike. Our heroes -- tough, competent, honorable, determined men who all look like Hugh though they are -- are nothing alike.
Why not? Because our voices are different. Our approach to conflict is different. The way we arrive at a story is different. So we can both start with Hugh and end up somewhere entirely of our own making. Writing is fun that way.
The first time I realized this very very clearly was when I was at a writers' conference in Iowa and Jessica Douglass/Linda Benjamin (real name: Linda) was giving a talk right before lunch. She was talking about her cowboy heroes, and saying that when growing up she liked Little Joe on Bonanza a lot, and used to daydream of the adventures she would have with "her brother, Little Joe." But then, she said, "I saw the tv show Laramie. And I saw Jess Harper. And I didn't fantasize about Little Joe anymore. I fantasized about Jess. And he was definitely not my brother!"
And I sat up straight in the back row and went, "Whoa! What's this? She thinks Jess was hers? Wait just a minute!" And I sat down with her at lunch and said, "I just have to tell you that Jess has been two-timing you -- with me!"
Linda and I have grown a great enduring friendship out of our youthful infatuation with Jess Harper. I've read all her books and can tell you that yes, in this case I find the core of both her Jess and mine -- and presumably the Laramie screen writers' -- there. But again, her heroes are not my heroes and vice versa. They are starting points. They are spurs (how's that for a cowboy metaphor?) that get us going. Where the characters and stories take us is always a new adventure.
In this case they took us on an even more amazing personal adventure as we ended up giving a talk called "My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys" at the RWA National Conference some years ago. And to do it, we thought we'd ask Robert Fuller how he felt about his alter-ego Jess. We never really thought we'd get an answer to the letter we wrote. Much less did I expect to pick up the phone one snowy December afternoon and have that memorable gruff baritone voice say, "Hi, this is Robert Fuller."
Be still, my beating heart. I still smile just thinking about it. And it turns out I had very good taste in men when I was 13 years old.
Now what I want to know is: when's Hugh going to call?
Michelle Styles is talking about heroes on her blog. And she's right when she says that if you gave each of us the same hero (Hugh Jackman, for instance!) we would all write him a different way.
For example, Kate Walker and I had a Hugh Jackman theme going through our talks we gave in Australia and New Zealand two years ago (and Kate kindly brought along an overhead projector ready page of Hugh in the towel from Swordfish which -- as a visual -- made things much more interesting) and we both talked about how 'inspiring' we found him (much to the chagrin and dismay of the Christchurch journalist who thought we were writing 'beneath ourselves' and 'taking advantage of the fantasies of poor foolish women who didn't know any better.' What's 'poor' and 'foolish' about a woman who finds inspiration in Hugh Jackman, I'd like to know!).
But anyway, the point is, Kate and I were both inspired by the man, by the photo, but our books are nothing alike. Our heroes -- tough, competent, honorable, determined men who all look like Hugh though they are -- are nothing alike.
Why not? Because our voices are different. Our approach to conflict is different. The way we arrive at a story is different. So we can both start with Hugh and end up somewhere entirely of our own making. Writing is fun that way.
The first time I realized this very very clearly was when I was at a writers' conference in Iowa and Jessica Douglass/Linda Benjamin (real name: Linda) was giving a talk right before lunch. She was talking about her cowboy heroes, and saying that when growing up she liked Little Joe on Bonanza a lot, and used to daydream of the adventures she would have with "her brother, Little Joe." But then, she said, "I saw the tv show Laramie. And I saw Jess Harper. And I didn't fantasize about Little Joe anymore. I fantasized about Jess. And he was definitely not my brother!"
And I sat up straight in the back row and went, "Whoa! What's this? She thinks Jess was hers? Wait just a minute!" And I sat down with her at lunch and said, "I just have to tell you that Jess has been two-timing you -- with me!"
Linda and I have grown a great enduring friendship out of our youthful infatuation with Jess Harper. I've read all her books and can tell you that yes, in this case I find the core of both her Jess and mine -- and presumably the Laramie screen writers' -- there. But again, her heroes are not my heroes and vice versa. They are starting points. They are spurs (how's that for a cowboy metaphor?) that get us going. Where the characters and stories take us is always a new adventure.
In this case they took us on an even more amazing personal adventure as we ended up giving a talk called "My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys" at the RWA National Conference some years ago. And to do it, we thought we'd ask Robert Fuller how he felt about his alter-ego Jess. We never really thought we'd get an answer to the letter we wrote. Much less did I expect to pick up the phone one snowy December afternoon and have that memorable gruff baritone voice say, "Hi, this is Robert Fuller."
Be still, my beating heart. I still smile just thinking about it. And it turns out I had very good taste in men when I was 13 years old.
Now what I want to know is: when's Hugh going to call?
posted by Anne McAllister at 1:23 PM
6 Comments:
a blog. she has a blog!!
i've been whoring myself for a year now and my blog has become much more important than any current project. i must do something about that....
Anne Frasier? Here? Whoa!
I know what you mean about the blog becoming more important than the current project. I can already feel it happening. Not much progress on Spence, but I had a dandy time looking for that photo of Hugh in the towel!
You have to love HughJackman in the towel. And Kate showed THE picture at the RNA workshop we had in Newcastle.
But wow that Robert Fuller phoned you.
Michelle,
Kate, out of the kindness of her heart (or maybe I was holding something hostage!), let me take that Hugh home to America. So what you're seeing is a second generation Hugh. A different Hugh -- because he's Kate's!
Anne I was there in Australia when you guys had you Hugh Jackman-athon. It was fabulous! I even remember that picture. Poor Kate, hard for the rest of us to conentrate on what she was saying with that piccie on the screen.
I have to admit here that I've used Hugh myself. In my sixth book. I even had him walking around the heroine's apartment in a towel! And it was a pure delight.
Sigh... on the Robert Fuller call. I think if my secret obsession called I would likely just faint. So best if he never calls, really!
Hi Ally,
Thanks for stopping by. Nothing like men in towels to attract visitors!
Yes, I remember you being there when Kate and I were having our Hugh-marathon. You were very well behaved, as I recall. Didn't even try to snatch the hero off the projector!
If Robert Fuller had called anytime before I was 21, believe me, I'd have been a far bigger wreck. But I got married at 21 and had found someone else who stirred my blood. Still, I must admit, RF even 30 years later, had an impact!
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