Thursday, October 12, 2006

Happy Birthday Hugh


I’m sure I don’t have to tell you that being a full time writer can be very very hard work. You need to spend long hours at the desk creating tall, dark, charismatic, devastatingly handsome men. It’s tough.

And research – well, that can be even tougher. A novelist who is serious about her craft, who wants to portray tall ,dark, charismatic, devastatingly handsome men with any degree of accuracy, has to do her research thoroughly. She has to observe them, study them, - closely, She needs to know what they look like smiling, frowning, laughing – in a tux, in jeans – in – ahem - in a towel.






I am serious about my craft – deeply serious about my craft. I do my research thoroughly and carefully. I work hard at it. It’s a hard job but someone has to do it. We authors need inspiration.

And Inspiration was born on October 12th . October 12th 1968 to be precise. Today is Hugh Jackman’s birthday. And as the Pink Heart Society proved when they had their Hugh Jackman day last month - Hugh is Inspiration to romantic novelists the world over. Inspiration with a capital I.

Not only are those words tall, dark, charismatic, devastatingly handsome apply perfectly – you have to add in charm, a killer smile, the fact that he appears to be refreshingly non-egotistical, a devoted husband, father – and, damn it there’s such talent too. Acting, singing, dancing. . .


It was the singing that made me discover him first. I’ll admit it was actually because of Michael Ball. I love Michael Ball’s voice – I love the way he sings- so a video called Mr Producer, with Michael Ball singing on it, was a natural gift for me from my son one Christmas. But also on that video, appearing just once, singing Oh What A Beautiful Mornin’ from Oklahoma was one Hugh Jackman. Appearing just once – but the impact was instant. – Who is that? It was the start of an addiction.

I was lucky enough to have The Offspring working in Blockbuster videos in university vacations. He brought home a copy of Paperback Hero. The perfect film for a romantic novelist doing research. A film about a romantic novelist – starring Hugh Jackman. My sister living in Tasmania was roped in to help. Australians have great taste – they discovered Hugh J before we did.

So it was sort of coals to Newcastle when I went to talk to the Romance Writers of Australia and RW New Zealand that my major visual aid was a transparency of Hugh J - several transparencies. Well, they asked me to talk about heroes – and I needed something to illustrate what I was talking about.


Alpha heroes – HJ as Wolverine (okay – silly hair and he needed a good manicure, but watch the screen test where Hugh, in jeans and a sweatshirt, no makeup, sideburns, no claws, hangs around until the director says ‘Action’ and then becomes Wolverine without any trappings then you’ll see what I mean. That screen test is on the XMen DVD and if you ever get a chance to watch it – do so. I have – several dozen times. All in the interests of research of course)

Beta Hero – HJ as Leopold in Kate and Leopold.


Gamma hero – guess who (Guess Hugh?) HJ in Someone Like You aka Animal Attraction.

But it was only Hugh-in-A-Towel that Anne McAllister stole from me and used I her talks as well. Our talks were always wonderfully, gratifyingly full. But I’m forced to wonder if anyone actually remembers a word of what we said – they were either waiting for the picture of Hugh to be displayed or looking at the pic of Hugh or sighing as, reluctantly the pic of Hugh had to be put away.


But it was only Hugh-in-A-Towel that Anne McAllister stole from me and used in her talks as well. Our talks were always wonderfully, gratifyingly full. But I’m forced to wonder if anyone actually remembers a word of what we said – they were either waiting for the picture of Hugh to be displayed or looking at the pic of Hugh or sighing as, reluctantly the pic of Hugh had to be put away.

Talk to anyone who was there and the Kate Walker/Anne McAllister/Hugh Jackman combination is one of their major memories of the conferences. The one that everyone talks about now. And in my heart of hearts I really don’t believe it was because my talks – or Anne’s - were so brilliantly inspiring that no one can forget them.

No, it was the Hugh effect. Or, more particularly the Hugh-in-a-towel effect.

Like I said, Inspiration with a capital I.

So Happy Birthday Hugh Jackman. There are many many novelists out there who have cause to celebrate today. Let’s be honest - Many many women, full stop.

And if there’s one thing that’s better than that pic of Hugh-in-a-towel – it’s a different version of Hugh in-a-Towel – so working on the premise that a picture is worth 1000 words – here’s another thousand for you.








10 comments:

Michelle Styles said...

Trust you to know when Hugh's Birthday is!

Many many inspirational photos...

Anonymous said...

'Sigh'...just what I needed!! Aussie's favourite son at the moment!! Sigh!!!

Anonymous said...

ANY excuse for Hugh in a towel.

(If I could remember the smiley for "eyeroll" I'd do it now *g*)


I'm catching up with my post. So expect something to put a smile on your face in the next day or so (and the BM's, except it's obviously teaching him to suck eggs).

PS would you believe my word verifcation was bedbug?!)

Anonymous said...

Here's to add the Japanese flag! Hey I LOVE Hugh Jackman with all capital letters!LOL. Great pics of him here.

Anne McAllister said...

Clearly great minds thing alike -- and pretty much write the same things about the same Inspiration on their blogs today. Uncanny, that.

Kate Hardy actually got a real word? Well, I may have, too. Fhobtoin? Sounds gaelic to me.

Passionate Dilettante said...

Your dedication is a beacon to us all. Whoo-Hugh!

Passionate Dilettante said...

P.S. I just went back to the second pic, which was coming up with a small red cross. It's been blocked by our censors! What have you got there?! Did the towel slip?

Kate Walker said...

Well, surprise surprise - post Hugh in a towel again and they all come flooding back ;-)

Michelle - but of course I'd know when his birthday is - and I knew we all needed inspiration.

Cindy - Aussie's favourite son is always just what I need.

Kate - want the truth? I don;t need *any* excuse for Hugh in a towel. Bedbug, hmm? Is that trying to tell you something?

Grace - Welcome! I've been hoping to get Japan on my list of flags for ages - I sell lots of books in Japan but until you no one has visited. So thank you for adding another country to my list. And yes - Hugh has an appeal that carries far and wide - you have great taste. ;-)

Anne, but of course great minds think alike - well, okay our minds think alike - not too sure about the 'great' bit. Your celebration of the birthday boy was well worth a visit too. And yes Fhobtoin is a little known Gaelic Mushroom (as opposed to a Garlic Mushroom ) it only grows on the town (toin) of Fhob - hence the name the Fhobtoin Mushroom.

And if you believe that . . .

Duck - how wonderful to see you here again. Yes, I am dedicated to my craft and work really really hard on all the research I have to do for it.
The second picture?? Second up or down? The first - at the top - is of course H-I-A-T part one. The second one after that is the most innocuous photo of all - but lovely - that killer flashing grin. Definitely a danger to vulnerable minds but not exactly censorable I would have thought. But the second from the bottom - above H-I-A-T mark deux - well that's Hugh-in-black-boxers , Was that the one that got the censors worried? I could see that.

Shall I send you a private copy?


Anne thinks we should have a Hugh day once a month - purely for inspiration of course. And all in the cause of intense research.

I'm inclined to agree - just a little.

Kate Walker said...

Now would you believe that my word verification was

ohladdy!

How appropriate

Unfortunately this time it's ypheajqf

Passionate Dilettante said...

Twas the killer grin. Must be the look in his eyes!

 

Home Bio Books USA Readers Writers Contests Events Blog Links

Join Kate's Newsletter

Email Kate

Modified and Maintained by HR Web Concepts