I Need a Man by Rachelle Chase
I’m obsessed with men these days. Each morning, as I walk to BART, get on the train, get off the train, walk to the office, etc. my eyes rove the crowd, pausing at a set of piercing eyes here, mentally undressing a well-dressed guy there, while one question loops endlessly through my mind …“Could he be Derek?”
And then, at night, I’m scouring the Internet, looking at site after site, photo after photo, of hunky men. When one catches my eye, I send him an email … “Wanna be Derek?”
Yes, I am desperate for a man – in fact, I’m desperate for MANY men. But not in the way you think. You see, I recently launched the SEX LOUNGE Finding Derek CONTEST, an online contest where hunky guys compete to be the hero of my book.
So when I see a great-looking guy, my pulse races, my heart sings, and I instantly think, “Derek!”
And when one of these sexy men I’ve approached says, “Yeah, sure, I’d like to be Derek,” the thrill of victory shoots through my body.
And when one of these sexy men turns me down rudely (that’s another story) or nicely, the pain of rejection nicks my heart.
I’m not surprised by this physical reaction. But what I am surprised by is the fact that this physical reaction is triggered by … business, that my appreciation of men is with an eye towards business. The business of finding Dereks. The business of providing interesting content to attract web site visitors. The business of giving the men who enter the contest something of value for their time.
It’s only when I’m not thinking about business … when I allow myself to view their photos, listen to their audio clips, and read their words without the focus on business, that I appreciate them as real-live men.
Which, I suppose, now that I think about it, shouldn’t be so surprising.
For, is this really much different than writing? I mean, when I’m immersed in the business of writing and under deadline to get a book done, there are a lot of emotions swirling through my body, but not one of them is arousal. But afterwards, months later, when I read the book as if I were a reader, I do feel the flush of arousal.
Yet another example of the power of the mind. Yet another example of the role my mind plays to get me “in the mood.”
So … is it just me? Have others been in situations where they’ve been attracted to men for non-personal reasons — or been able to turn the valve of sexual attraction on and off?
NOTE: Just a quick note to say thanks so much to Amie for inviting me here and to the Naughty and Spice gals for allowing me to be here!
June 22nd, 2007 at 10:16 am
[…] In other news, we’ve made every other Friday guest blogger day at NAS, and today Rachelle Chase is blogging today about Finding Derek…what you don’t know who Derek is? Well come find out! […]
June 22nd, 2007 at 10:21 am
I SO know what you mean! I have definitely seen guys (and women!) and gone, “That’s so and so from my book!” I’ve even had a friend do it–she swears she saw one of my characters in San Antonio once.
I know lots of writers go to a lot of trouble doing collages and hunting down photos of their characters. I don’t but if I run across a pic (and I have one of my current hero *sigh*) I definitely save it. It’s nice to have that visual aid.
June 22nd, 2007 at 10:36 am
Oh good. I’m so happy to hear that there are others like me.
Your point about your friend, Amie, is what I’m trying to address in the contest, too. That is, not every guy I post is my exact vision of Derek - but, since this is about the visitors and readers, not me - I’m trying to post a variety, someone that others may see as a hero and/or Derek.
No, doing that collage thing takes too much time.
I’m like you. If I find a picure, I keep it. However, most times, I don’t even do that - namely, because I never think about it. LOL. When I’m stumped - or need inspirate - I just take the easy way out and look for a photo online of a popular actor that I know will get my juices flowing.
Yeah, I always thought I was a word and/or audio person, but I am definitely learning the power of the visual.
June 22nd, 2007 at 11:11 am
That’s a great idea Rachelle! I’ve never even considered doing something along those lines. I guess I just have this ambigious vision of a guy in my head, someone that I’d never expect to see. but now that you mention it, I may try it in my next book. Picking a guy and keeping him as my visual in my head.
And I’d probably still lust after him, at least a little.
June 22nd, 2007 at 1:36 pm
You know I even have to do rough sketches of character’s houses etc for logistical purposes
June 22nd, 2007 at 1:43 pm
June 22nd, 2007 at 10:01 pm
Shelli, I’m usually like you. I only break out the star photos when I’m truly desperate/stuck and the visual in my head isn’t working for me. Yeah, well, it’s hard not to lust a little.
Amie, that is far too detailed for me. But … my hat goes off to you! :-)
Emma, thanks for the compliment. Glad you enjoy it.
June 22nd, 2007 at 10:47 pm
I don’t do the collage thing either just cos it takes so much work/time but if I do find a pic of a hot guy I save it to a folder. And I have one right now of my current hero (yum yum). I love your Finding Derek site! Very cool.
June 23rd, 2007 at 10:57 am
Karen - I really need to become more organized - like your idea of saving them to a folder. And thanks regarding the Derek site. :-)
June 23rd, 2007 at 1:22 pm
Awesome post!!
My problem is that pretty much every hero I write is either Han Solo or Indiana Jones. I try to break out of the box, but it’s hard. I think it’s because I could never be attracted to a man I don’t know. It’s personality that makes me hot, ya know?
June 23rd, 2007 at 1:24 pm
Oh, and owen Wilson. I love him! Love!
June 23rd, 2007 at 2:07 pm
OMG, you’re so right, Feisty. I realized that the other day. Am I just recylcing heroes? So I’ve decided to start doing character charts and pics.
June 23rd, 2007 at 11:51 pm
Not that I KNOW Han Solo or Indiana Jones…I guess what I was trying to say was that I can’t just pick a guy out of a magazine ad and say “there’s my hero!”
And Shelli, I would definitely say you are NOT recycling heros.
June 24th, 2007 at 2:01 pm
Feisty and Shelli - I so agree with you! I mean, oftentimes, a certain image of a guy I find sexy won’t be out of my mind even after I finish a book so … I’m embarrassed to admit this but, sometimes the hero I’m imagining in my mind does not look like the hero I’ve described in my book. Which is why I try to give only the barest of information about my characters, because I want readers to imagine him/her to look like whoever they want him/her to look like.
October 30th, 2007 at 5:49 am
greatings
wonderful post