Heart of darkness

One of the biggest joys of writing fiction is getting to know the characters as they form themselves into personalities that seem real and almost tangible. Once a writer has gotten to the point that his/her characters are more than fiction on the page, finding an actor or actress who could fill their shoes is like searching for treasure.  Wanna see who I’d choose to play the roles of my characters?

Drum roll…….

Blair Reynolds: Amanda Seyfried

Blair, the main character and narrator of Cicada, is very intelligent. She is the kind of person that observes people and happenings around her and evaluates the situation. She is a thinker, yet also a doer. Above all, Blair is loyal and brave and loves with the ferocity of a lion. Amanda Seyfried would be an excellent choice to fill Blair’s shoes. She resembles Blair in appearance, temperament, and mannerisms a great deal. And her voice is very similar to Blair’s, too! 

Andrew (and the memory of Aaron): Zac Efron

Andrew, Blair’s surviving big brother, is one of those souls who is loved and respected by everyone. He’s got that All-American charismatic appeal, and he is a genuinely nice guy. Andrew is very protective of his little sister Blair and their mom. After losing his twin brother Aaron and their father, he turned to religion to deal with the pain and loss. Zac Efron would be an excellent actor to fill the part of Andrew, because he’s got that same good-guy persona and really looks a lot like Andrew’s character.

Everett: Josh Hutcherson

Everett Forster, loved by all–readers and fellow characters alike! He is probably the most loved character by my readers. And I’m not surprised. Everett is super-loyal and brilliant! He begins the story as the typical nerd and ends as a sexy hunk! Not only is Everett the best friend of Blair, but he’s also her true love. He would go to any lengths to protect her. And he does, almost to the point of paying the ultimate price. Josh Hutcherson would be a terrific actor to play the part of Everett.

David: Kellan Lutz

David Hargrave, high school sports star, is Andrew’s best friend and Natalie’s boyfriend. David is huge, strong, and straight forward. He doesn’t have a lot to say, but when he says it, he means it. David is handsome, blonde, with blue eyes. And he’s definitely got Andrew’s back. He helped Andrew get through the loss of his brother and father. And he loves his girlfriend with his whole being. Kellan Lutz is a good fit as David. He’s big, strong, and good looking! 

Natalie: Lucy Hale 

Natalie is David’s true love. We don’t really know much about Natalie’s family or even her last name. What we do know is that she wants to be a kindergarten teacher after she graduates from college. But the most important thing to Natalie is to marry David and have children. Beautiful Natalie was a high school cheerleader and homecoming queen. She and Blair were not necessarily friends in high school, but their friendship grows as the story unfolds. Lucy Hale looks very much like Natalie and would be a very good actor to fill her part. 

Grandpa: Sam Elliot

Grandpa is actually based on my dear father, whom I love and miss dearly. He is protective of his family…and family is the most important thing to him in the world. Grandpa is a large animal veterinarian and has a clinic on his ranch where he has trained Blair to work with animals so that she can take over the clinic one day. Grandpa has played a huge role in Blair’s and Andrew’s lives since the loss of their father. Sam Elliot really looks and sounds like Grandpa. He would be perfect for the part! 

Grandma: Gena Rowlands

Grandma is the typical grandmother. She loves her two surviving grandchildren with all her heart, and she’s very close to her daughter, Blair’s mom, who is an only child. We don’t know a lot about Grandma, except she likes to cook and entertain at the ranch. And she’d do anything for her family. Grandma seems meek and mild. But we might find out there’s a different side to Grandma before it’s all over with! The lovely Gena Rowlands would be a wonderful actress to fill the part of Grandma. 

Dad (the memory of him): Daniel Craig

Dad was an explorer and had served in the military during Desert Storm, before Andrew and Blair were born. Dad loved Mom very much. They were soul-mates. Daniel Craig is a dead ringer for Dad! 

Well, there you are! A list of possible actors and actresses who would fill the shoes of my characters beautifully! 

Thank you so much for having me over for a cappuccino and a chat!  It’s been wonderful getting to know you and your readers!  I hope y’all will stop by any or all of my social networking sites and say “howdy” sometime!  I love hearing from readers, and I always respond. J

Do you like the cast? Me, I do!