I should be resting

[serafina20]

But I'm not. I'm being random.

A few weeks ago, or something like that, sageness asked who I'd mentally cast as Mark Townsend in COTW. I told her the truth, that I hadn't cast anyone. The closest actor would be the stuttering guy on Everwood, because they have the same coloring, except Mark doesn't have such a narrow face.

To be perfectly honest, I based the character off an English teacher in the book The Perks of Being a Wallflower, which is one of my favorite books ever, but I'm not allowed to read it since I tend to have a mental breakdown/day-long sob fest after reading it. But I found it, wow, two years ago and it actually lent a lot to my characterization of Clark, too. But, anyway, in the book, the teacher, Bill, is really encouraging to the protagonist, Charlie, and very supportive because he thinks Charlie is so gifted. He gives him a bunch of books to read outside of class, and at least two (The Fountainhead and Catcher in the Rye) have shown up in my series.

But, anyway, that's my incredibly geeky confession. I stole a character in a book because I loved him so much, and never bothered to mentally cast him.

In other news, the kid's gifts are almost done, except I broke the pencile sharpener, so can't sharpen their pencils Dumb, dumb, *snore*

Comments

[garryowen.livejournal.com]

You could cast they guy who played Jen's shrink on Dawson's Creek. He also appeared on Everwood (oddly), but not as the stuttering guy. I can't remember the actor's name...

[serafina20.livejournal.com]

Well, I don't really feel the need to cast him, because I know who he is. I know what he looks like physically, where he is emotionally, his motivations, etc. It wasn't until Sageness asked that I'd really thought about it (although when I saw the stuttering guy i knew he looked like Mark), but I was thinking about the book last night and how it was an inspiration and all.

And I barely know who Jenn is on Dawson's Creek, so I have no clue as to what her shrink would have looked like. ;P

[sage]

Ok, I did a little digging. Assuming the google gods gave me the right people, Eyal Podell is the guy who played Justin on Everwood.

The guy who played Jen's shrink on DC is named Rob Nagle, but I'm not finding much in the way of pics for him. Here's a headshot, though (scroll down to nearly the bottom).

Rob is way more teachery than the hotness that is Eyal. (Not that teachers can't be hot--but if I'd had a teacher that hot when I was in high school? Yowza.) This is a guy who could come between Clark & Lex. So to speak. :P

Also...I haven't read the book you mention, but I'm not sure how much you could have outright swiped--simply because you haven't written that much Mark. Also, by writing him, you're necessarily recasting him through the lens of your own experience and the lens of the COTW universe. That changes Bill into a new entity all your own, ie. Mark. :) At least in theory. Like I said, I haven't read the book. But now I might...just out of curiosity. ;)

Yay for creative process!

*hugs*

[serafina20.livejournal.com]

Rob is way more teachery than the hotness that is Eyal.

Yeah, but he doesn't look like he's the right age. I mean, I know that some men go bald young, but his face is a lot older than what it should be. I still think the first guy (Eyal?) is closer.

When I said I stole the character, I wasn't feeling guilty or thinking it was out and out theft. The character in the book, to me, is what a teacher should be, and that's what I wanted for Mark. I mean, yes, he's also there for another purpose, but one of his major roles it to encourage Clark academically and ... writerly? As a writer. So, I guess Bill from the book was more inspiration than a character I appropriated. :P

Thanks for the research!