Thanks to Jen at Unedited for hosting one of the most enjoyable blogfests evah! Her ingenious idea is this: Based on the character's voice as you read the short excerpt below from my current WiP, tell me in the comment section what you imagine the character looks like. Tomorrow I'll post her "photo," and we'll both get a kick out of learning: how closely you guessed her physical characteristics; and how successful I was at infusing her essence into the writing.
Keep in mind this is rough, rough, rough -- first draft, for real! Not a lot of literary magic in there (YET) :D Okay, disclaimer aside, here goes:
When the digital clock alarm sounded the next morning, Julie was already washing her face in the bathroom. Early morning was her favorite time of day. The air always smelled fresher, and her energy was always the highest, just after the sun came up. If reincarnation was real, and she suspected it was, Julie was quite certain she was once a bird who soared across dawn skies, heralding each new day with twitters and chirps.
She switched the alarm to off and changed out of pajamas and into a cut-off pair of jean shorts and boxy white tee shirt. She gathered the bottles and tubes from the ledge around the bathroom sink in her one laundry basket, lay the towels from the racks on top, and placed the framed mixed medium collage she’d done in a college art class on top. She spent the minimum amount of time necessary to prep the room, mostly running a dust rag along the baseboards and window sash. She prided herself with having a steady hand, plus she’d be armed with the ten dollar detail paintbrush, so she skipped taping off the trim entirely.
When she pried off the paint can lid and stirred the Toasted Pine paint, her excitement grew. Pouring the thick paint into the roller pan doubled her elation. But when she drew the roller across the middle of the wall, a swathe of silvery moss-colored paint covering the uninspired perfection of beige, her heart sang. Within minutes, she was lost in her project and her joy.
So what do you think Julie Knotts looks like?
Swing by tomorrow when I'll post her photo!
Also click HERE to read all the excerpts by Guess That Character Blogfests participants!
45 comments:
After reading several entries I've already concluded I suck at this. However, I will guess she has a 'natural' look to her - longer wavy hair and little makeup. Thin with a willowy, organic appearance. Okay, that was a real stretch for me.
I see her as petite, with pony-tailed hair, fresh-faced and perhaps not yet in her thirties. She has smiley lips, a pert little nose, and a determined chin.
Btw, I love your blog and am going to follow you rightaway. Great to meet a fellow literary fiction writer!
I think Julie is quite petite and blonde (maybe not naturally blonde though). Although she is artistic by nature, getting very focussed on certain projects, she is also very neat and clean... so, maybe neat, manicured nails; "fresh", natural make-up; and very straight teeth.
I'm thinking Taylor Swift. Lovely in a natural way, waif-thin and birdlike (gee I wonder why). It's of course nearly impossible to know for sure (even though this is a great little scene) but that's what pops into my head.
Thanks Nicole!
I see Julie as a blonde that may or may not put colored streaks in her hair. Brown eyes and a medium build. Nice legs because of the shorts. Long slender fingers that help with drawing and she likes to go barefoot a lot.
Awesome entry!
Hmm. I see Julie as blonde, with green eyes. She's pretty, but not in an obvious way...at least she doesn't think so.
Nicole, this is a fun exercise!
I'm seeing her as average height(5'4" to 5'6"), long messy hair, jeans and a t-shirt, freckles, fresh, the girl next door type.
hi miss nicole! i think shes a red head with hair in a pony tail. i think she in her 20s and is a little pale for her skin. i think shes not skinny or fat and is kinda boyish.
...smiles from lenny
Tall and willowy with wavy brown hair. I think I have a clear picture of who she is from this section, but not quite what she looks like. The only other detail I can imagine, with her painting finesse, are long, graceful fingers.
5'5", mid twenties, dark, shoulder length hair, fit, and fresh faced, a bit boyish, she might wear glasses.
Dark blonde (natural blonde), doesn't need or wear a lot of make-up. Pretty in a girl-next-door way.
Hi,
Oooh, she's cute, fresh-faced pretty airing beautiful, waif trim/fit, medium height, immaculate short dark hair, big brown eyes, manicured nails, and Audrey Hepburn lookalike. ;)
best
F
Love this!
I think she is a natural beauty - no makeup required. Long, wavy sandy blonde hair. Green eyes.
I can she her hair pulled up in a ponytail (on the back of her head.)
Great job!
Blonde hair, brown eyes. A young(er) Julie Bowen.
I've got an image of the young Cameron Diaz from my Best Friend's Wedding. Shoulder length blonde hair with a little flip. Energetic and cute!
Hmmmmm...after reading it a couple times the actress Zooey Deschanel popped into my head. Don't ask me why. I just feel it.
Julie is blond,with shoulder length hair, and usually has a serious look on her face. She's medium height, not too then, but not overweight either, somewhere in between.
Hmm, natural blond hair, always in a neat ponytail. Kinda lanky, long fingers, bitten nails, likes to wear mens flannel shirts :o)
PS, STUNNING line this: "If reincarnation was real, and she suspected it was, Julie was quite certain she was once a bird who soared across dawn skies, heralding each new day with twitters and chirps"
Guess my character correctly and win a prize!
i pictured taylor swift- all creativity and anal attention to detail. long, curly hair, and great legs... comfortably casual, and down to earth- despite her artistic flare
Like most commenters, I imagine her with blond hair, probably dark blond. She's got pretty eyes but doesn't bother trying for a glam look. She's shortish to average height, and you wouldn't pick her out of a crowd as the stunning one, but she's cute.
25, old paint spots on her hands, blonde hair in a pony tail and dazzling green eyes to match. Tall and slender.
darting ice blue eyes.
too perky for this time of day.
skinny.
permed curly blond hair.
pierced eybrow and cheek.
above all, she appears manic...
MAN! Not much to go on here Nicole... Hmmm... birdlike, fresh faced, morning person...
I'm thinking someone like the young Gwyneth Paltrow--like from her days when she was in Great Expectations. Yes? :o)
I love this blogfest~ And I love your excerpt! Good stuff!
Well, I'd say she was petite, honey blond hair, light eyes, a college student with OCD (JK)she seems to like everything in its place. She likes morning so she'd have a chipper personality, and since she thinks she was a bird in a prior life, I'd say she is a free spirit and likes adventures. Eek. This is hard. Hope I'm close.
She does sound a little OCD:)
I imagine honey brown cropped hair, green eyes with specks of gray, and a lean toned frame. A runner. An early morning runner.
I'm picturing her as short and petite, with shortish strawberry blonde hair, slightly curly. Light-colored eyes, maybe some freckles. Maybe not. Pale skin...
I'd say artsy, creative, high energy.
A blonde, brown eyes. Fresh-faced by day, but quite glamourous when she dresses to go out at night.
Loved the reincarnated bird:) Great snippet!
The first thing that came to mind was literally Jen (Unedited), lol.
I didn't forget you!!! I promise!! Honest! I got caught in my work load and with 61 people joining in on the fun it's been hard to keep wraps!
My Guess: Wait a minute... wait a minute. All I saw was my name above this comment (as I was writing it) now I'm laughing hysterically that Candyland chose me for the look alike, I feel honored and put off (only because now I'm distracted) so basically what I'm saying is that now I'm jaded. Thanks Candyland.
Real Guess: Short blonde hair, blue-green eyes, Medium build, very petite, long sexy legs, small delicate fingers.
Crap I just described myself... you're sure to be the first one I visit tomorrow and I'd die laughing if you posted a picture of me. :)
Thanks for playing! You're awesome!! Can't wait for tomorrow!
I'd say Julie's a slender woman with short, light-brown hair and green eyes, maybe some small hands.
Julie is a perky blue eyed blonde, of the dishwater variety. Not cheerleader perky. (nothing against cheerleaders) She's smart, independent, and talented. Comfortable in the cut off jeans or the little black dress and heels.
Psst...I now have the strongest urge to paint a room.
Well groomed and overly perky (to hide the mess inside maybe). Mid 30's and project driven. Precise is her thing--a white Tshirt while painting? Confident in her ability till she is hit with something outside her plan.
Great scene!
Okay - slim, athletic (energy level, clothing choice and steady hand). Blonde (don't know why) - I'm picturing a straight pony-tail. Blue eyes (goes well with new paint :))
She has straight, shiny, perfectly brushed light chestnut hair. She has blue eyes, fair skin, and a pretty face. She's particular about her appearance, always dresses her best, and keeps her long nails perfectly manicured.
Can't wait to see how I did tomorrow!
Very thin and "bird like". Long fingers, long legs, wears cute house dresses a lot. Short pixie blonde hair.
I'm envisioning a blonde with blue eyes. She likes to keep her hair pulled back away from her face. She's maybe 5'4" or 5'5" (basically, average height, slender build).
Great little snippet!
I imagine her as very athletic. She doesn't bother with make up. She's plain, but pretty still. She has straight blonde hair and a statuesque face. :)
This is so much fun! What do you think of my entry?
Oh fun fun fun. Okay my cute is just under average height, athletic build. Brown eyes and light brown, shot, wavy hair. Now, I’ll read what everyone else wrote and see if anyone concurs with me. ;)
She has blonde hair that is wavy and usually pulled up in a loose know or a pony tail. She toned and tanned and always has a smile.
Dude! Matthew so stole my vision. I totally pictured a Taylor Swift type too. But the cute version of TS, not the trashy-trying-to-look-older-than-she-is version.
Great snippet! I see Julie as dark blonde with green eyes, petite and maybe early twenties. I'm such a bad guesser!
Can't wait to see your reveal!
I hate Julie!
Another cheery morning person. Aggh!!
I see her as athletic hence the energy. Clear blue eyes hence the cheery morning attitude. Intelligent eyes. Mindset of a goal setter and goal reacher.
Unanswered personal issues which Julie keeps submerged with her focus-demanding tasks and assignments.
I think I make a lousy Sherlock Holmes!
Come check out my entry, will you?
Roland
Julie has straight short hair cut in layers, tied up in a pony!
Brown hair, I dont know I really pictured her as Ellen Page!
Cute, petite redhead with short curly hair in a pixie cut, and freckles on her nose and high cheekbones. Generally very elfin in features: pointed chin, small and slender, pale complexion with a smattering of freckles.
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