Head Over Heels In Love With Dance
I wrote in a previous post about my dance journey--coming late to the party and not realizing just how much I needed dance in my life until I was well into my twenties. I'm now thirty-six and I am still learning. The passion for the art, however, has not diminished in any way. The only thing that ever makes me feel reluctant to go to a dance lesson is the fact that I live in a small town, so I have to drive for forty-five minutes to get to the nearest place that teaches adult classes. That drive occasionally threatens to make me lose my resolve, but it never fully succeeds. I always end up going to class.
Dance classes are not always fun. There are dance steps that are so awkward you find yourself hoping you'll never be asked to do them again. That's how I feel about the Flora in my highland dance lessons. There are warm-ups that are so taxing for the legs that you wonder if you will make it through the rest of the class. This pretty much describes the entire first thirty minutes of my ballet class. But then you do a step that you find not just easy, but also fun, and you realize...yeah, this is why I keep coming to class.
When I have those fun moments in class I experience a high that I never want to come down from. But I do come down. We all have to come down from our highs eventually. Usually by the time I've completed the forty-five minute drive back to my house I'm already feeling depressed that I'm not in dance class anymore. Then I go to bed, but I can't fall asleep right away because I'm just lying there thinking about how much I'd rather be dancing.
A Coffee Snob
Alright, I know what that heading made you think: Coffee? I thought we were talking about dance. Yeah, we are, but bear with me for a moment. A love of coffee is another thing I did not discover until well into my twenties, but now I'm completely addicted. Not to the caffeine. I'm just as happy drinking decaf as I am regular coffee. What I love is the taste and the feeling of the warm cup in my hands. But like most coffee lovers, I'm picky about the taste.
When my husband and I first started drinking coffee all we had to make it in was my grandmother's old aluminum stove-top percolator, and we used it happily. After a few years someone gave us a drip coffee maker as a gift. Being used to percolated coffee, it took awhile to get used to the taste of coffee made in the drip machine. I still like percolated coffee better, and this preference got me thinking about all the different brewing methods that are out there. I love cappuccino, which is made from espresso, so at some point I bought a little cheap stove-top espresso maker. I don't use it very often, but I'm actually drinking coffee that I brewed in it right now as I write this post. Something I've always wanted to try is a French press because in many of the coffee blogs I have read it is listed as the best way, or at least one of the best ways, to make coffee. I've never tasted coffee made in a French press and am curious to know if it lives up to the hype.
Choosing Dance Over Coffee
Okay, here we go, back to talking about dance. Because dance lessons cost money, I've come to filter all potential impulse buys with the question, would I rather buy that, or take a dance lesson. This happened just yesterday. I was shopping and happened to see a French press coffee maker sitting on a shelf. I picked up the box and held it in my hands for a few minutes, marveling at the fact that I could buy it and make a pot of the world's best coffee that very afternoon. I looked at the price. Eighteen dollars. Hmm...not too expensive. Should I buy it? I hovered over it for a while, trying to make a decision, and then thought to myself, that amount of money could pay for one dance class. Do I want good coffee, or do I want to dance? In that moment I decided that I wanted to dance, so I put the coffee maker back on the shelf, and that is why I'm having espresso this morning instead.
Have I just experienced what it really means to be a dancer--giving up certain coveted material possessions so I can spend the money on lessons instead? I've already told my husband that all I want for Christmas this year is extra dance lessons. Of course, a new dance bag might also be nice because the one I have looks like it should belong to a five-year-old (to be fair, I bought the dance bag for my daughter when she took her first dance lesson at age five). But again I find myself asking, do I want a dance bag, or more lessons? If asked to choose, I'll have to say more lessons. After all, what's the point of looking good when I walk into the studio if I look like crap when I actually get out on the dance floor?
If you share my love of dance, or my love of coffee, I would love to hear about it. Please feel free to leave a comment.
Also remember that you can follow me on Twitter for updates on this blog and all my other passions and hobbies.
Saturday, November 28, 2015
Sunday, November 22, 2015
Introverts and Social Media: Friend or Enabler?
My Introvert Journey
I wrote in a previous post about the challenges of being an introvert with an artistic side. The push and pull of those two parts of me have troubled me my entire life. The introvert wants to hide away while the artist always wants to be center stage. What usually happens is that I make some accomplishment of which I am immensely proud, like writing a book or learning a new style of dance, and I want the world to know about it, but when I venture out of my house and find myself among people to whom I might announce my great news, I am terrified to do so. Then I return home feeling dejected because there is this whole part of me that no one will ever know about.
It is interesting that I am not self-conscious about my abilities. I studied music in college and did so many recitals that playing an instrument on stage does not frighten me in any way. Throughout my twenties and early thirties I did a considerable amount of community theatre, and never felt nervous performing. Now I take dance lessons and crave those moments when I can dance in front of an audience. But I don't dare go up to people I know and invite them to come and watch me, even though I want to. It would be too embarrassing.
A quick anecdote on this subject: this humiliation I feel when I toot my own horn sometimes also extends to the more domestic side of my life. I remember when I became pregnant, both times, I dreaded the moment when I would have to tell someone about it. What I ended up doing was telling my mom, and then I let her tell everyone else so I wouldn't have to. And even when I told her, I didn't use the word "pregnant", I simply showed her my ultrasound picture and let that speak for itself.
Enter Social Media
I have two different personalities on social media. I have my twitter account where I mostly follow, and am followed by, strangers. I use that account for networking with fellow writers, sharing my blog, and promoting my book. Then I have my Facebook account where I am only friends with people I have actually met in the real world. On that page I share more personal things, like my kids' Halloween costumes or what I think about a new restaurant that has just opened. And occasionally I also use Facebook for a little bit of self-promotion. I announced my most recent dance performance there as well as the publication of my book. I have to admit, doing that terrified me. I hesitated with my mouse poised over the share button for I don't know how long before I finally worked up the nerve to post the information. Once I did, despite the fact that the reaction of my Facebook friends was very positive, I still felt terrified the first time I stepped out into the real world and saw some of those people face to face. The fact is, I know how to write about my life, but talking about it to a flesh and blood person is surprisingly difficult.
Has Social Media Helped Me?
It has definitely become easier to share news about my life with others now that I am on Twitter and Facebook, and I no longer spend hours moping around my house because no one will ever know the real me. If I need the world to know badly enough, I will post it on social media. But is this good? Is it helping me get out into the world and let my voice be heard, or is it simply a crutch? Do I use it as an excuse to avoid actually interacting with real people?
The way to overcome fear is to face that fear. Take my four years of playing the flute (and three years of piano) in college. I said above that I never get stage fright, but the fact is I used to. In high school I did experience the racing heart and the sweaty palms and the churning stomach that causes many people to run from the spotlight at lightning speed. But when you do three or four recitals a year for four years, you eventually get used to it. You start to experience the positive aspects of being nervous, like heightened awareness, but shed the more crippling aspects like hands that shake so much you can barely play your instrument. It's only through repeated experience that it starts to get easier.
So I conquered my stage fright, but what about my social anxiety? By the above logic, I must conclude that the only way to overcome being afraid to brag about myself to others is to get out there and start doing it. So I have to wonder, am I just hiding behind my social media profiles?
I don't know the answer to that question. On the one hand, yes, I have noticed that I use social media as an excuse to avoid talking about certain subjects when I see people face to face. But another way to look at this is that it is the first in a number of baby steps that will be necessary to helping me shed my fears. The fact that I feel nervous when I share things on Facebook is evidence that I am facing that fear, even while hiding behind my computer. And every time I hit "share" and get a positive response from my friends, I will feel a little less afraid to share in the future.
Caution is needed. The thing about baby steps is that you have to take a lot of them if you want to go anywhere. Once I overcome my fear of announcing things on social media, I need to move on the next phase. I won't want to, so I'll have to make myself do it. The big question is: Will I?
Remember to follow me on Twitter for updates on this blog and other projects of mine, and don't forget to take a peek at Amelia's Children on Amazon.
I wrote in a previous post about the challenges of being an introvert with an artistic side. The push and pull of those two parts of me have troubled me my entire life. The introvert wants to hide away while the artist always wants to be center stage. What usually happens is that I make some accomplishment of which I am immensely proud, like writing a book or learning a new style of dance, and I want the world to know about it, but when I venture out of my house and find myself among people to whom I might announce my great news, I am terrified to do so. Then I return home feeling dejected because there is this whole part of me that no one will ever know about.
It is interesting that I am not self-conscious about my abilities. I studied music in college and did so many recitals that playing an instrument on stage does not frighten me in any way. Throughout my twenties and early thirties I did a considerable amount of community theatre, and never felt nervous performing. Now I take dance lessons and crave those moments when I can dance in front of an audience. But I don't dare go up to people I know and invite them to come and watch me, even though I want to. It would be too embarrassing.
A quick anecdote on this subject: this humiliation I feel when I toot my own horn sometimes also extends to the more domestic side of my life. I remember when I became pregnant, both times, I dreaded the moment when I would have to tell someone about it. What I ended up doing was telling my mom, and then I let her tell everyone else so I wouldn't have to. And even when I told her, I didn't use the word "pregnant", I simply showed her my ultrasound picture and let that speak for itself.
Enter Social Media
I have two different personalities on social media. I have my twitter account where I mostly follow, and am followed by, strangers. I use that account for networking with fellow writers, sharing my blog, and promoting my book. Then I have my Facebook account where I am only friends with people I have actually met in the real world. On that page I share more personal things, like my kids' Halloween costumes or what I think about a new restaurant that has just opened. And occasionally I also use Facebook for a little bit of self-promotion. I announced my most recent dance performance there as well as the publication of my book. I have to admit, doing that terrified me. I hesitated with my mouse poised over the share button for I don't know how long before I finally worked up the nerve to post the information. Once I did, despite the fact that the reaction of my Facebook friends was very positive, I still felt terrified the first time I stepped out into the real world and saw some of those people face to face. The fact is, I know how to write about my life, but talking about it to a flesh and blood person is surprisingly difficult.
Has Social Media Helped Me?
It has definitely become easier to share news about my life with others now that I am on Twitter and Facebook, and I no longer spend hours moping around my house because no one will ever know the real me. If I need the world to know badly enough, I will post it on social media. But is this good? Is it helping me get out into the world and let my voice be heard, or is it simply a crutch? Do I use it as an excuse to avoid actually interacting with real people?
The way to overcome fear is to face that fear. Take my four years of playing the flute (and three years of piano) in college. I said above that I never get stage fright, but the fact is I used to. In high school I did experience the racing heart and the sweaty palms and the churning stomach that causes many people to run from the spotlight at lightning speed. But when you do three or four recitals a year for four years, you eventually get used to it. You start to experience the positive aspects of being nervous, like heightened awareness, but shed the more crippling aspects like hands that shake so much you can barely play your instrument. It's only through repeated experience that it starts to get easier.
So I conquered my stage fright, but what about my social anxiety? By the above logic, I must conclude that the only way to overcome being afraid to brag about myself to others is to get out there and start doing it. So I have to wonder, am I just hiding behind my social media profiles?
I don't know the answer to that question. On the one hand, yes, I have noticed that I use social media as an excuse to avoid talking about certain subjects when I see people face to face. But another way to look at this is that it is the first in a number of baby steps that will be necessary to helping me shed my fears. The fact that I feel nervous when I share things on Facebook is evidence that I am facing that fear, even while hiding behind my computer. And every time I hit "share" and get a positive response from my friends, I will feel a little less afraid to share in the future.
Caution is needed. The thing about baby steps is that you have to take a lot of them if you want to go anywhere. Once I overcome my fear of announcing things on social media, I need to move on the next phase. I won't want to, so I'll have to make myself do it. The big question is: Will I?
Remember to follow me on Twitter for updates on this blog and other projects of mine, and don't forget to take a peek at Amelia's Children on Amazon.
Thursday, November 12, 2015
The Strange Thing That Happened When I Ran My First KDP Select Countdown Promotion
The New World of Indie Publishing
EBooks have changed the way we think of publishing. Much of the stigma that used to be associated with self-publishing a book has been removed, and people are coming out in droves to put their books on the market. Where self-publishing used to mean paying heavy fees for printed copies of your books and then putting in hours of work trying to get bookstores to carry them, you can now get your work onto Amazon in just a few minutes. Okay, that may be a bit of a simplification, and you can read about my experience with at least part of the process here, but my point is that it is a lot easier, and cheaper, than it used to be, and lots of people are taking advantage of that.
KDP Select
For those of you who haven't entered the world of eBook publishing yet, KDP stands for Kindle Direct Publishing. It's one of the things that has made it so easy for authors to put their books on the market. You just upload your manuscript and a book cover and boom...within a few hours your book is available for customers to purchase in the Kindle Store. Just inserting some of my own opinion here--I said above that this has removed some of the stigma of self-publishing. This is because there are actually some really good books out there by indie authors. That, of course, does not mean that all of the indie published books are of good quality. If you are picky about where you spend your money, read the free sample before purchasing a self-published book.
KDP Select is an optional program for authors publishing on Amazon. If you opt in, you get a lot of benefits in exchange for your promise to not publish your book on any other site during the time in which you are enrolled. KDP Select enrollment lasts for 90 days, after which you have the choice of renewing or opting out. There is a lot of debate out there regarding whether KDP Select is a good idea or not. I don't really have enough experience with it to answer that question here. My decision was to do Select for the first 90 days and then opt out.
Countdown Promotions
This is just one of the benefits you get if you enroll in KDP Select. The way it works is this: you have a book listed at a certain price. It must be available on Amazon at that price for at least a month before you begin a countdown promotion. When you are ready, you go in and select a sale price for you book, which must be at least $0.99. Then you select the duration of your sale, which can't exceed one week. If you'd like you can have your book price increase incrementally during your promotion, or you can keep the same price the entire time. Theoretically you will see an increase in sales during your promotion.
The Weird Thing About My Promotion
My book was on Amazon for exactly one month before I put it on sale. All purchases prior to the promotion had been from the US. This did not surprise me. I live in the US, my book takes place in the US, and most of the people who saw my advertisements were living in the US. I did not sell a single copy in any of the international markets during the entire first month that my book was on Amazon. I was expecting to see a similar trend when I ran my promotion. Naturally I was hoping to sell more copies, but I wasn't expecting to suddenly get noticed in other countries just because my book was on sale. I was therefore surprised by what happened.
All of the purchases that occurred during my promotion were from the UK. Every single one. A couple of people downloaded free copies (another thing you can do with KDP Select) from the US site, but no one actually bought the book. However, the UK sales for that one week totaled more than the entire preceding month. I even made it onto the top 100 lists for a couple of sub-genres, and I got to something like number 6,000 overall in the Kindle Store. But only on Amazon's UK site. In the US my sales ranking hovered somewhere in the 100,000s. It even plunged lower than that a couple of times.
So what happened? Honestly I have no idea. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad enough people bought my book to boost my ranking. I just wish it could have been boosted in my own country as well. But, really, more than anything I'm confused about why it worked out that way. As far as other trends that supposedly accompany a countdown promotion (I've heard rumors that the increased sales continue even after the book is no longer on sale), it's too early for me to know. If anything surprising happens in that department, I may blog about it.
Are you an indie author who has seen surprising trends in your book sales? Do you have any theories to offer about my own odd experience? If so, please feel free to leave a comment.
Don't forget to follow me on Twitter for the latest information about my blog, my book, and my other projects. And please check out Amelia's Children on Amazon, especially if you happen to live in the US. Why let the Brits have all the fun? (just kidding!)
EBooks have changed the way we think of publishing. Much of the stigma that used to be associated with self-publishing a book has been removed, and people are coming out in droves to put their books on the market. Where self-publishing used to mean paying heavy fees for printed copies of your books and then putting in hours of work trying to get bookstores to carry them, you can now get your work onto Amazon in just a few minutes. Okay, that may be a bit of a simplification, and you can read about my experience with at least part of the process here, but my point is that it is a lot easier, and cheaper, than it used to be, and lots of people are taking advantage of that.
KDP Select
For those of you who haven't entered the world of eBook publishing yet, KDP stands for Kindle Direct Publishing. It's one of the things that has made it so easy for authors to put their books on the market. You just upload your manuscript and a book cover and boom...within a few hours your book is available for customers to purchase in the Kindle Store. Just inserting some of my own opinion here--I said above that this has removed some of the stigma of self-publishing. This is because there are actually some really good books out there by indie authors. That, of course, does not mean that all of the indie published books are of good quality. If you are picky about where you spend your money, read the free sample before purchasing a self-published book.
KDP Select is an optional program for authors publishing on Amazon. If you opt in, you get a lot of benefits in exchange for your promise to not publish your book on any other site during the time in which you are enrolled. KDP Select enrollment lasts for 90 days, after which you have the choice of renewing or opting out. There is a lot of debate out there regarding whether KDP Select is a good idea or not. I don't really have enough experience with it to answer that question here. My decision was to do Select for the first 90 days and then opt out.
Countdown Promotions
This is just one of the benefits you get if you enroll in KDP Select. The way it works is this: you have a book listed at a certain price. It must be available on Amazon at that price for at least a month before you begin a countdown promotion. When you are ready, you go in and select a sale price for you book, which must be at least $0.99. Then you select the duration of your sale, which can't exceed one week. If you'd like you can have your book price increase incrementally during your promotion, or you can keep the same price the entire time. Theoretically you will see an increase in sales during your promotion.
The Weird Thing About My Promotion
My book was on Amazon for exactly one month before I put it on sale. All purchases prior to the promotion had been from the US. This did not surprise me. I live in the US, my book takes place in the US, and most of the people who saw my advertisements were living in the US. I did not sell a single copy in any of the international markets during the entire first month that my book was on Amazon. I was expecting to see a similar trend when I ran my promotion. Naturally I was hoping to sell more copies, but I wasn't expecting to suddenly get noticed in other countries just because my book was on sale. I was therefore surprised by what happened.
All of the purchases that occurred during my promotion were from the UK. Every single one. A couple of people downloaded free copies (another thing you can do with KDP Select) from the US site, but no one actually bought the book. However, the UK sales for that one week totaled more than the entire preceding month. I even made it onto the top 100 lists for a couple of sub-genres, and I got to something like number 6,000 overall in the Kindle Store. But only on Amazon's UK site. In the US my sales ranking hovered somewhere in the 100,000s. It even plunged lower than that a couple of times.
So what happened? Honestly I have no idea. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad enough people bought my book to boost my ranking. I just wish it could have been boosted in my own country as well. But, really, more than anything I'm confused about why it worked out that way. As far as other trends that supposedly accompany a countdown promotion (I've heard rumors that the increased sales continue even after the book is no longer on sale), it's too early for me to know. If anything surprising happens in that department, I may blog about it.
Are you an indie author who has seen surprising trends in your book sales? Do you have any theories to offer about my own odd experience? If so, please feel free to leave a comment.
Don't forget to follow me on Twitter for the latest information about my blog, my book, and my other projects. And please check out Amelia's Children on Amazon, especially if you happen to live in the US. Why let the Brits have all the fun? (just kidding!)
Thursday, November 5, 2015
Parallels between The X Files and Supernatural
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Thursday, October 29, 2015
Will the Perfect Television Show Ever Exist?
What is Perfect?
The truth is there is no such thing as the "perfect television show". Why? Because everyone has a different definition of "perfect". Here's an example. A few years ago I discovered the show The Incredible Hulk. I remember this series existing when I was a child in the 80s, but I always thought it looked stupid and never watched it. Then I saw a rerun of it one day and realized I had really missed a good program. It had a number of my requirements for the "perfect show" (which I will describe later in the post) and I was hooked right away. But my requirements for perfection are not the same as someone else's requirements. In fact, what I liked about The Incredible Hulk actually turned some people off. I know this because of a conversation I had with a friend one day.
It was one of those conversations where you're just sitting and relaxing and talking about everything and nothing, and I happened to mention that I had discovered The Incredible Hulk and was amazed that I had never given it a chance before because it was so good. I mentioned that the thing that drew me to it was the main character's vulnerability, at which point my friend said, "Oh I hated that about that show. All he does in every episode is whine." Well, there you have it. The reason the perfect show will never exist. If it has everything necessary to make me absolutely love it, someone else will hate it for those very same reasons. So what are my criteria?
The Right Actor
When it comes to who we find attractive, we all have a type right? I certainly do. I go for the tall, dark, and handsome ones. The lead actor in my perfect TV show would have to fit that description. He would need to look like...hmm...Eduardo Noriega would be a good example of my "type".
Mmm...Eduardo Noriega...Oh...What was I saying? Oh yeah, leading actor. Well he doesn't have to be my type, physically, for me to like his character, but we're talking perfect here, right? So he would have to look perfect. My definition of perfect.
A Bit of a Creep Factor
I like creepy stories. I don't know why. I just do, and I always have. I remember when Lost first aired, my husband wanted to watch it, but I was uninterested. I thought it was just going to be about a group of people trying to survive a plane crash. I imagined it being a show that focused on the politics of survival in a hostile environment, with arguments about food and shelter and where to go and how to get rescued. Those things definitely are a part of the story of Lost, but of course there is so much more to the series than that. It was the episode "Numbers" that made me realize that the show was about a good bit more than just survival. The creepy atmosphere of that episode hooked me, and afterward I tuned in faithfully every week. My perfect show would have to be a little bit creepy and mysterious.
The Main Character
I've already described his appearance, but what's his story? Who is he, and what's going to make me like him? Well, I've already mentioned it. Vulnerability. He must have a vulnerable side. Not that I want him to be a wimp. I mean, he should be able to kick some butt every now and then, but there has to be some weakness there. In fact, I have a pretty specific idea of exactly how vulnerable he is and why.
I know I am not alone in wanting a vulnerable main character, because these characters are constantly making appearances on television. The Incredible Hulk, of course, is an example. Fox Mulder on The X Files is another strong male lead who happens to have a vulnerable side. But I seldom see a character with my idea of the perfect level of vulnerability. So what is that perfect level?
All About Him
I've written in a previous post that my favorite seasons of Supernatural are the first two. This is because the first two seasons fit more of my criteria than the later seasons do. The show was creepier then than it is now, but the characters' storylines also fit almost perfectly into my criteria in the beginning. The main thing that hooked me on the show was the story arc involving Sam that lasted for the entire first two seasons. While Sam and Dean both showed some vulnerability, Sam showed the right kind. Well at least the right kind for me. What do I mean? Let me explain.
The first two seasons were all about Sam. I mean, yeah, Dean was important too, but all of the bad stuff that was happening was centered on Sam. He was the one the demon wanted. He was the one who had to be saved. But he was also the one who had a special gift. Remember Sam's psychic powers? The writers of the show seem to have forgotten about those in recent years. I miss them. Explaining why I like that part of the story is hard to put into words, but I'll try. Sam was special, and I need my leading male character to be special. He had a gift that was also a curse. It gave him the ability to do things that others could not do, but it also made him more vulnerable. Sam had visions, and he could see things before they happened, but those visions weakened him. He needed to recover from them. I liked the fact that his strength was also his weakness.
Getting Frustrated
Part of me wishes that Supernatural had continued to be all about Sam, but of course that is not how the story has played out. There will be one story arc involving Sam, followed by one involving Dean, then another with Sam, and so on. I know why that is. People will get tired of everything always being about Sam. People want Dean to go through some drama as well. Writing a TV show is about pleasing as many people as possible, so they alternate between characters to give everyone a little of what they want. Supernatural is not the only show that does this.
I recently started watching Haven, and have seen the same trend. I must say, in the beginning it was a little difficult for me to get into this show because the main character is a woman. As I said above, I want to be attracted to the main character, which means I want the story to center on a handsome man. The fact that the story is pretty much all about Audrey in the beginning kept me from getting pulled in completely. But it's an interesting show, so I kept watching, and I was not disappointed.
It takes a really long time for any character other than Audrey to get an interesting storyline on this show. Okay, Nathan goes through some intense stuff fairly early on, but it's a little bit here and a little bit there. The story doesn't really focus on him. Then, as the series progresses, we start to get a glimpse of Duke's backstory, and that's what finally hooked me. It fits my criteria exactly. The gift that is also a curse. The strength that is also a weakness. And by season five...wow. But still I was left feeling a little bit disappointed. Why? Because, again, it's not all about him. The other characters are still there, and they still have their own drama to go through. That drama is often completely unrelated to Duke and his struggles. For a show to be "perfect", it all needs to center on the one character.
So What Do I Do?
Okay, some of you may be asking, "Well, Greta, you call yourself a writer. Why don't you write that perfect story?" Well, I guess I kind of did. And I kind of am. Amelia's Children, the book I just completed, has all of these elements. Well, except for the lead actor. I can't really have that in a book, but I do describe David as looking a bit like my perfect man. And the story is all about him. Bad things happen to other people, but David is at the center of it. And yes, he has a gift that is also a curse. The new book I'm working on centers around a character named Damian (I seem to like names that start with "D"). Again, bad things happen to other people, but they wouldn't have happened if those people had not been somehow connected to Damian. And yes, Damian is also described as tall, dark, and handsome. It feels good to write these stories because I can take all of my frustrations about my favorite movies, books, and TV shows, and deal with them in my own way. I can write the story the way I think it should have been written. But occasionally...just every now and then...I would like to see that story written by someone else. And if it happened on a TV show, I would get to tune in week after week and experience that little emotional release again and again.
If my perfect show exists, and I just haven't found it yet, please leave a comment and let me know about it. If you have your own ideas of perfection, and they differ from mine, tell me that as well. I would love to hear from you.
Remember to follow me on Twitter for updates on this blog and other projects I'm working on.
The truth is there is no such thing as the "perfect television show". Why? Because everyone has a different definition of "perfect". Here's an example. A few years ago I discovered the show The Incredible Hulk. I remember this series existing when I was a child in the 80s, but I always thought it looked stupid and never watched it. Then I saw a rerun of it one day and realized I had really missed a good program. It had a number of my requirements for the "perfect show" (which I will describe later in the post) and I was hooked right away. But my requirements for perfection are not the same as someone else's requirements. In fact, what I liked about The Incredible Hulk actually turned some people off. I know this because of a conversation I had with a friend one day.
It was one of those conversations where you're just sitting and relaxing and talking about everything and nothing, and I happened to mention that I had discovered The Incredible Hulk and was amazed that I had never given it a chance before because it was so good. I mentioned that the thing that drew me to it was the main character's vulnerability, at which point my friend said, "Oh I hated that about that show. All he does in every episode is whine." Well, there you have it. The reason the perfect show will never exist. If it has everything necessary to make me absolutely love it, someone else will hate it for those very same reasons. So what are my criteria?
The Right Actor
When it comes to who we find attractive, we all have a type right? I certainly do. I go for the tall, dark, and handsome ones. The lead actor in my perfect TV show would have to fit that description. He would need to look like...hmm...Eduardo Noriega would be a good example of my "type".
Mmm...Eduardo Noriega...Oh...What was I saying? Oh yeah, leading actor. Well he doesn't have to be my type, physically, for me to like his character, but we're talking perfect here, right? So he would have to look perfect. My definition of perfect.
A Bit of a Creep Factor
I like creepy stories. I don't know why. I just do, and I always have. I remember when Lost first aired, my husband wanted to watch it, but I was uninterested. I thought it was just going to be about a group of people trying to survive a plane crash. I imagined it being a show that focused on the politics of survival in a hostile environment, with arguments about food and shelter and where to go and how to get rescued. Those things definitely are a part of the story of Lost, but of course there is so much more to the series than that. It was the episode "Numbers" that made me realize that the show was about a good bit more than just survival. The creepy atmosphere of that episode hooked me, and afterward I tuned in faithfully every week. My perfect show would have to be a little bit creepy and mysterious.
The Main Character
I've already described his appearance, but what's his story? Who is he, and what's going to make me like him? Well, I've already mentioned it. Vulnerability. He must have a vulnerable side. Not that I want him to be a wimp. I mean, he should be able to kick some butt every now and then, but there has to be some weakness there. In fact, I have a pretty specific idea of exactly how vulnerable he is and why.
I know I am not alone in wanting a vulnerable main character, because these characters are constantly making appearances on television. The Incredible Hulk, of course, is an example. Fox Mulder on The X Files is another strong male lead who happens to have a vulnerable side. But I seldom see a character with my idea of the perfect level of vulnerability. So what is that perfect level?
All About Him
I've written in a previous post that my favorite seasons of Supernatural are the first two. This is because the first two seasons fit more of my criteria than the later seasons do. The show was creepier then than it is now, but the characters' storylines also fit almost perfectly into my criteria in the beginning. The main thing that hooked me on the show was the story arc involving Sam that lasted for the entire first two seasons. While Sam and Dean both showed some vulnerability, Sam showed the right kind. Well at least the right kind for me. What do I mean? Let me explain.
The first two seasons were all about Sam. I mean, yeah, Dean was important too, but all of the bad stuff that was happening was centered on Sam. He was the one the demon wanted. He was the one who had to be saved. But he was also the one who had a special gift. Remember Sam's psychic powers? The writers of the show seem to have forgotten about those in recent years. I miss them. Explaining why I like that part of the story is hard to put into words, but I'll try. Sam was special, and I need my leading male character to be special. He had a gift that was also a curse. It gave him the ability to do things that others could not do, but it also made him more vulnerable. Sam had visions, and he could see things before they happened, but those visions weakened him. He needed to recover from them. I liked the fact that his strength was also his weakness.
Getting Frustrated
Part of me wishes that Supernatural had continued to be all about Sam, but of course that is not how the story has played out. There will be one story arc involving Sam, followed by one involving Dean, then another with Sam, and so on. I know why that is. People will get tired of everything always being about Sam. People want Dean to go through some drama as well. Writing a TV show is about pleasing as many people as possible, so they alternate between characters to give everyone a little of what they want. Supernatural is not the only show that does this.
I recently started watching Haven, and have seen the same trend. I must say, in the beginning it was a little difficult for me to get into this show because the main character is a woman. As I said above, I want to be attracted to the main character, which means I want the story to center on a handsome man. The fact that the story is pretty much all about Audrey in the beginning kept me from getting pulled in completely. But it's an interesting show, so I kept watching, and I was not disappointed.
It takes a really long time for any character other than Audrey to get an interesting storyline on this show. Okay, Nathan goes through some intense stuff fairly early on, but it's a little bit here and a little bit there. The story doesn't really focus on him. Then, as the series progresses, we start to get a glimpse of Duke's backstory, and that's what finally hooked me. It fits my criteria exactly. The gift that is also a curse. The strength that is also a weakness. And by season five...wow. But still I was left feeling a little bit disappointed. Why? Because, again, it's not all about him. The other characters are still there, and they still have their own drama to go through. That drama is often completely unrelated to Duke and his struggles. For a show to be "perfect", it all needs to center on the one character.
So What Do I Do?
Okay, some of you may be asking, "Well, Greta, you call yourself a writer. Why don't you write that perfect story?" Well, I guess I kind of did. And I kind of am. Amelia's Children, the book I just completed, has all of these elements. Well, except for the lead actor. I can't really have that in a book, but I do describe David as looking a bit like my perfect man. And the story is all about him. Bad things happen to other people, but David is at the center of it. And yes, he has a gift that is also a curse. The new book I'm working on centers around a character named Damian (I seem to like names that start with "D"). Again, bad things happen to other people, but they wouldn't have happened if those people had not been somehow connected to Damian. And yes, Damian is also described as tall, dark, and handsome. It feels good to write these stories because I can take all of my frustrations about my favorite movies, books, and TV shows, and deal with them in my own way. I can write the story the way I think it should have been written. But occasionally...just every now and then...I would like to see that story written by someone else. And if it happened on a TV show, I would get to tune in week after week and experience that little emotional release again and again.
If my perfect show exists, and I just haven't found it yet, please leave a comment and let me know about it. If you have your own ideas of perfection, and they differ from mine, tell me that as well. I would love to hear from you.
Remember to follow me on Twitter for updates on this blog and other projects I'm working on.
Thursday, October 22, 2015
A Personal Meditation on Matthew 25:14-30
Disclaimer
The thoughts contained in this post are my own personal musings. I do not claim to speak for God, nor do I claim to know the "correct" way to interpret the Bible. I only know how this passage has inspired me in my own life.
Matthew 25: 14-30
14 For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. 15 And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey. 16 Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. 17 And likewise he who had received two gained two more also. 18 But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord's money. 19 After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them. 20 So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, "Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them." 21 His lord said to him, "Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord." 22 He also who had received two talents came and said, "Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them." 23 His lord said to him, "Well don, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord." 24 Then he who had received the one talent came and said, "Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours." 26 But his lord answered and said to him, "You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed. 27 So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. 28 Therefore take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents. 29 For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. 30 And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
A Literal Interpretation
It's obvious from reading the story that the literal meaning of the word talent refers to money. A talent was a unit of weight, and the talents that were given to the three servants represented a rather large sum of money. More information about talents in the Bible can be found here. But of course this story is a parable, so it has meaning beyond just the literal.
A Common Interpretation
As modern English speakers, we cannot hear the word talent without thinking of its modern meaning, and that meaning is often applied to this story whenever Matthew 25 is read in churches today. An interpretation that I have heard many times is that God gives us talents (or abilities) and He expects us to put them to use. He does not want us to "bury our talents in the ground." Of course this brings up the inevitable question of just how we are to use our talents. As Christians we are taught to use our abilities for God's glory, and often think of acts of service. A musician can play the piano in church, a chef can open a soup kitchen, a linguist can work as a translator in international missions. But are these the only ways we can use our talents?
My Own Personal Dilemma
Writing about this is hard, because I don't want to get off on a tangent and talk about all of the times I have questioned my faith, or the times I have felt that my fellow Christians have let me down, or the times I have shaken my fists at God and asked, "Why?" I want to stay on topic, and talk about my feelings about Matthew 25, but when I start talking about talents, in the modern sense of the word, I can't escape the feelings of frustration that often have followed my desire to use my own abilities. I will try my best to streamline the topic a bit.
I have always viewed humility as a virtue to which we should all aspire. I look to Jesus's example in John 13 when he washed the disciples' feet. In addition to that story, there are also many verses in the Bible that talk about viewing others as better than ourselves. With this mindset, the idea of using my talents to glorify myself is a difficult one to wrap my mind around.
Nevertheless, I struggle constantly with the desire to show off. And I don't just want to use my talents in church. I want to show the world what I can do. I often wonder if this is something God wants me to do. Then I read Matthew 25 and I have to ask myself, "If I believe in God, and I believe He gave me life, don't I also have to believe that He is the one who gave me my talents? Shouldn't I also believe that He wants me to use them?" I've struggled with that question many times. By way of inserting another disclaimer in here, I must say that the conclusion I have drawn is my personal opinion. As I stated above, I do not claim to speak for God.
Here's what I've concluded. If I think of God as my father, I have to think that He sees me the way I see my own children. If my children are good at something, I want to shout it from the rooftops. Doesn't God feel the same way about me? He gave me a voice, so He must want me to sing. He gave me a body, so He must want me to dance. He gave me an imagination, so He must want me to write. And he gave me a desire to do those things in front of an audience, so He must want me to perform. I remember one day when I was feeling particularly discouraged by my own personal struggle with humility vs. pride I prayed, "God, put me on a stage and let me be your shining star. Sit in the audience and applaud as I show the world what I can do. Be proud of me." I think that he is proud of me.
I know that many of the people who read this blog may be looking at it from different points of view. Even if you do not agree with my conclusions, I hope that you can find some inspiration in what I have written today.
Remember to follow me on Twitter for updates about future blog posts. Also, check out my paranormal mystery, Amelia's Children, available on Amazon Kindle.
The thoughts contained in this post are my own personal musings. I do not claim to speak for God, nor do I claim to know the "correct" way to interpret the Bible. I only know how this passage has inspired me in my own life.
Matthew 25: 14-30
14 For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. 15 And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey. 16 Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. 17 And likewise he who had received two gained two more also. 18 But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord's money. 19 After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them. 20 So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, "Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them." 21 His lord said to him, "Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord." 22 He also who had received two talents came and said, "Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them." 23 His lord said to him, "Well don, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord." 24 Then he who had received the one talent came and said, "Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours." 26 But his lord answered and said to him, "You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed. 27 So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. 28 Therefore take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents. 29 For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. 30 And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
A Literal Interpretation
It's obvious from reading the story that the literal meaning of the word talent refers to money. A talent was a unit of weight, and the talents that were given to the three servants represented a rather large sum of money. More information about talents in the Bible can be found here. But of course this story is a parable, so it has meaning beyond just the literal.
A Common Interpretation
As modern English speakers, we cannot hear the word talent without thinking of its modern meaning, and that meaning is often applied to this story whenever Matthew 25 is read in churches today. An interpretation that I have heard many times is that God gives us talents (or abilities) and He expects us to put them to use. He does not want us to "bury our talents in the ground." Of course this brings up the inevitable question of just how we are to use our talents. As Christians we are taught to use our abilities for God's glory, and often think of acts of service. A musician can play the piano in church, a chef can open a soup kitchen, a linguist can work as a translator in international missions. But are these the only ways we can use our talents?
My Own Personal Dilemma
Writing about this is hard, because I don't want to get off on a tangent and talk about all of the times I have questioned my faith, or the times I have felt that my fellow Christians have let me down, or the times I have shaken my fists at God and asked, "Why?" I want to stay on topic, and talk about my feelings about Matthew 25, but when I start talking about talents, in the modern sense of the word, I can't escape the feelings of frustration that often have followed my desire to use my own abilities. I will try my best to streamline the topic a bit.
I have always viewed humility as a virtue to which we should all aspire. I look to Jesus's example in John 13 when he washed the disciples' feet. In addition to that story, there are also many verses in the Bible that talk about viewing others as better than ourselves. With this mindset, the idea of using my talents to glorify myself is a difficult one to wrap my mind around.
Nevertheless, I struggle constantly with the desire to show off. And I don't just want to use my talents in church. I want to show the world what I can do. I often wonder if this is something God wants me to do. Then I read Matthew 25 and I have to ask myself, "If I believe in God, and I believe He gave me life, don't I also have to believe that He is the one who gave me my talents? Shouldn't I also believe that He wants me to use them?" I've struggled with that question many times. By way of inserting another disclaimer in here, I must say that the conclusion I have drawn is my personal opinion. As I stated above, I do not claim to speak for God.
Here's what I've concluded. If I think of God as my father, I have to think that He sees me the way I see my own children. If my children are good at something, I want to shout it from the rooftops. Doesn't God feel the same way about me? He gave me a voice, so He must want me to sing. He gave me a body, so He must want me to dance. He gave me an imagination, so He must want me to write. And he gave me a desire to do those things in front of an audience, so He must want me to perform. I remember one day when I was feeling particularly discouraged by my own personal struggle with humility vs. pride I prayed, "God, put me on a stage and let me be your shining star. Sit in the audience and applaud as I show the world what I can do. Be proud of me." I think that he is proud of me.
I know that many of the people who read this blog may be looking at it from different points of view. Even if you do not agree with my conclusions, I hope that you can find some inspiration in what I have written today.
Remember to follow me on Twitter for updates about future blog posts. Also, check out my paranormal mystery, Amelia's Children, available on Amazon Kindle.
Thursday, October 15, 2015
Why Are Stories About Brothers So Amazing?
Fan Girl
If you've been reading this blog, then you know I have written about Supernatural in the past, but my obsession with brother stories goes back further than that. In fact, I didn't even discover Supernatural until about three years ago. Before Sam and Dean, there were others.
Growing Up On Soaps
Remember soap operas? I've heard rumors that a few of them still exist, but I honestly don't know how many people are watching them, so many have been cancelled in recent years because of diminishing audiences. Why is this happening? My theory is that now people have Netflix, Amazon Prime, and huge dvd libraries, so if they're home during the day they can actually find quality programming to watch and don't need to turn to soap operas with their cheap cameras, cheesy writing, and over the top acting. But that's just my theory. Anyway, moving on.
I grew up watching soaps, primarily CBS soaps. The characters of Guiding Light were talked about in my home as though they were real people. My mother and grandmother would spend half an hour on the phone just talking about how Roger and Holly really should get back together, or how hard Michelle's life is going to be now that Maureen is dead. Because the show came on late in the afternoon, I was usually able to watch it when I came home from school. If I was going to be late, my mom would tape it for me. Anybody remember those days?
What I Love Most in a Fictional Character
Okay, are there any other Guiding Light fans out there? Did you have moments when you were absolutely in love with Roger Thorpe, even though you knew he was evil? I think Roger was the first fictional character I was really drawn to. Why? Because of what the website TV Tropes refers to as the Heel Face Turn. Boy howdy am I a sucker for that. And Roger Thorpe did it at least every couple of years. Generally he was the show's biggest scoundrel, but occasionally, especially if it involved Holly or Blake, he could be made to show his softer side. And when he did women's hearts melted all over America. This so-called Heel Face Turn was what turned me on to the first brother story with which I became completely obsessed.
Richard and Edmund
This was a story line that began on Guiding Light sometime in the late nineties. Looking back on it, I have to recognize that it was ridiculously hokey. It involved a royal family in some made up country somewhere...well I'm not even sure where it was supposed to be, but, wherever it was, it was a country that was ruled by a monarch. Richard was the older brother and heir to the throne. Edmund was the younger brother and...well...not the heir. Remember The Lion King? It was kind of like that. Edmund came on the show as the new villain, probably because it was around the time that Roger left and the show needed to replace him. In his first few storylines he was pure evil, but of course as time wore on he started to show a little of his vulnerable side. And as this vulnerable side started to show itself more and more, there was this suggestion of an incredibly strong bond between the two brothers. Even though on the surface they hated each other, even though they were sworn enemies, in some place deep down they really loved each other, and I loved them for that.
Michael and Kevin
This was a story from The Young and the Restless. It was much more believable and relatable than the Richard and Edmund story had been, but it had all of the same elements. Michael was the older brother; Kevin was the younger brother. Again, Kevin came on the show as the villain. He did some pretty heinous things before he finally made his Heel Face Turn. And when he finally saw the error of his ways, Michael was there to pick up the pieces. The story was made more touching by the fact that Kevin had been abused as a child. This made him more sympathetic, but it also provided the motivation for Michael to want to help him, because Michael carried around the guilt of having left home while Kevin remained at the mercy of his abusive father.
A Pattern Emerging
These two stories were so similar, and I loved them so completely, that I actually started doing Google searches for other stories that fit this pattern: older, responsible brother holding together the broken pieces of the younger, rebellious brother's messed up life. That's a very specific thing to search for, so I naturally did not get many results.
Sam and Dean
Supernatural deviated a bit from the set pattern. Sam was not the bad seed--at least not until season four--and though he did go through some intense stuff in the first episode, it was quickly revealed that he was no more broken than Dean. So why did I fall so hard for these two? I have no idea, but I know I'm not alone in my obsession. Just search for Supernatural on YouTube and you'll see what I mean. There are people who post videos just about Sam and Dean hugging.
So What's the Big Deal?
Okay, so I have no idea what makes brother stories, in particular, so powerful for me. I have some theories, though. I'm an only child, so maybe part of me wants to experience a sibling relationship vicariously through fictional characters, but if that's the case, it should be sister stories that do it for me. They don't. I feel very little when I watch a heartwarming story about two sisters. A big sister and a little brother is a little more interesting, but not much. A big brother and a little sister turns me off completely. But when it's two brothers...sigh...I just can't get enough. So maybe it's the whole sexual attraction thing that hooks me. I would rather look at two handsome men than two beautiful women. And when those two handsome men are crying and professing their undying love for each other--in a completely platonic way--it has an effect on me that I can't quite explain.
What Next?
At the moment, Supernatural is still going strong on The CW, but nothing lasts forever, so I know at some point I will be in search of my next great bromance. Any suggestions? Do you know of an absolutely amazing brother story that I haven't explored yet? If you do, please leave a comment. I would love to hear from you.
Don't forget to follow me on Twitter for information about future blog posts. Also, pop over to Amazon and check out my paranormal mystery, Amelia's Children. Interestingly, there's no bromance there, but there's plenty of drama, so give it a read.
If you've been reading this blog, then you know I have written about Supernatural in the past, but my obsession with brother stories goes back further than that. In fact, I didn't even discover Supernatural until about three years ago. Before Sam and Dean, there were others.
Growing Up On Soaps
Remember soap operas? I've heard rumors that a few of them still exist, but I honestly don't know how many people are watching them, so many have been cancelled in recent years because of diminishing audiences. Why is this happening? My theory is that now people have Netflix, Amazon Prime, and huge dvd libraries, so if they're home during the day they can actually find quality programming to watch and don't need to turn to soap operas with their cheap cameras, cheesy writing, and over the top acting. But that's just my theory. Anyway, moving on.
I grew up watching soaps, primarily CBS soaps. The characters of Guiding Light were talked about in my home as though they were real people. My mother and grandmother would spend half an hour on the phone just talking about how Roger and Holly really should get back together, or how hard Michelle's life is going to be now that Maureen is dead. Because the show came on late in the afternoon, I was usually able to watch it when I came home from school. If I was going to be late, my mom would tape it for me. Anybody remember those days?
What I Love Most in a Fictional Character
Okay, are there any other Guiding Light fans out there? Did you have moments when you were absolutely in love with Roger Thorpe, even though you knew he was evil? I think Roger was the first fictional character I was really drawn to. Why? Because of what the website TV Tropes refers to as the Heel Face Turn. Boy howdy am I a sucker for that. And Roger Thorpe did it at least every couple of years. Generally he was the show's biggest scoundrel, but occasionally, especially if it involved Holly or Blake, he could be made to show his softer side. And when he did women's hearts melted all over America. This so-called Heel Face Turn was what turned me on to the first brother story with which I became completely obsessed.
Richard and Edmund
This was a story line that began on Guiding Light sometime in the late nineties. Looking back on it, I have to recognize that it was ridiculously hokey. It involved a royal family in some made up country somewhere...well I'm not even sure where it was supposed to be, but, wherever it was, it was a country that was ruled by a monarch. Richard was the older brother and heir to the throne. Edmund was the younger brother and...well...not the heir. Remember The Lion King? It was kind of like that. Edmund came on the show as the new villain, probably because it was around the time that Roger left and the show needed to replace him. In his first few storylines he was pure evil, but of course as time wore on he started to show a little of his vulnerable side. And as this vulnerable side started to show itself more and more, there was this suggestion of an incredibly strong bond between the two brothers. Even though on the surface they hated each other, even though they were sworn enemies, in some place deep down they really loved each other, and I loved them for that.
Michael and Kevin
This was a story from The Young and the Restless. It was much more believable and relatable than the Richard and Edmund story had been, but it had all of the same elements. Michael was the older brother; Kevin was the younger brother. Again, Kevin came on the show as the villain. He did some pretty heinous things before he finally made his Heel Face Turn. And when he finally saw the error of his ways, Michael was there to pick up the pieces. The story was made more touching by the fact that Kevin had been abused as a child. This made him more sympathetic, but it also provided the motivation for Michael to want to help him, because Michael carried around the guilt of having left home while Kevin remained at the mercy of his abusive father.
A Pattern Emerging
These two stories were so similar, and I loved them so completely, that I actually started doing Google searches for other stories that fit this pattern: older, responsible brother holding together the broken pieces of the younger, rebellious brother's messed up life. That's a very specific thing to search for, so I naturally did not get many results.
Sam and Dean
Supernatural deviated a bit from the set pattern. Sam was not the bad seed--at least not until season four--and though he did go through some intense stuff in the first episode, it was quickly revealed that he was no more broken than Dean. So why did I fall so hard for these two? I have no idea, but I know I'm not alone in my obsession. Just search for Supernatural on YouTube and you'll see what I mean. There are people who post videos just about Sam and Dean hugging.
So What's the Big Deal?
Okay, so I have no idea what makes brother stories, in particular, so powerful for me. I have some theories, though. I'm an only child, so maybe part of me wants to experience a sibling relationship vicariously through fictional characters, but if that's the case, it should be sister stories that do it for me. They don't. I feel very little when I watch a heartwarming story about two sisters. A big sister and a little brother is a little more interesting, but not much. A big brother and a little sister turns me off completely. But when it's two brothers...sigh...I just can't get enough. So maybe it's the whole sexual attraction thing that hooks me. I would rather look at two handsome men than two beautiful women. And when those two handsome men are crying and professing their undying love for each other--in a completely platonic way--it has an effect on me that I can't quite explain.
What Next?
At the moment, Supernatural is still going strong on The CW, but nothing lasts forever, so I know at some point I will be in search of my next great bromance. Any suggestions? Do you know of an absolutely amazing brother story that I haven't explored yet? If you do, please leave a comment. I would love to hear from you.
Don't forget to follow me on Twitter for information about future blog posts. Also, pop over to Amazon and check out my paranormal mystery, Amelia's Children. Interestingly, there's no bromance there, but there's plenty of drama, so give it a read.
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