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| Image: French painter Eugene Deveria |
Hi Everybody! Today we have a special guest here at my blog: Penny Watson, author of several books including the Holiday Romance series and Lumberjack in Love.
Carolyn Crane: Welcome Penny Watson! Thanks for stopping by the Thrillionth
page and congrats on the release of LUMBERJACK IN LOVE!!
Penny Watson: Hi Carolyn!
Thanks for the invite!
CC: Okay, I’ll be honest, when you first started your beardy
goodness bit up around 3 years ago, I was like, WTF! While I enjoy your Santa’s
strapping sons holiday series, I will confess to picturing them as beardless in my
mind. *ducks*
* Penny chucks Gillette razors at Carolyn’s head *
CC: LOL. Sorry! For a while now on your blog, you have had your
beard of the week and I felt like, scruff is okay, but I’m not a beard person.
And then beards started appearing all over. On Marky Mark. And other guys. And
movie stars. And Marky Mark. And, Jenn Bennet has that hot bearded hero Lon in
her Arcadia Bell series. And scruffy Marky Mark. And I started, if not to love
them, to get them. But you were so ahead of your time. What do you have to say
for yourself?
PW: Just call me Penelope, Trendsetter and Founder of The
Hirsute Appreciation League. I blame Laura Ingalls Wilder, author of the Little
House Books. I was addicted to that series when I was a little girl, and of
course Pa had a big bushy beard, and I was smitten.
CC: OMG, Pa! With his hot suspenders and broad shoulders! lol.
That is so funny. Okay, as you know, I really enjoyed LUMBERJACK IN LOVE and so
did a ton of other people. It’s a fun, romantic read! Are you always going to
stick to bearded heroes? Will there be any more Lumberjacks?
PW: I’m so glad you liked it! Strangely, a number of
readers are clamoring for a lumberjack series. Perhaps I’m starting a new,
hairy trend in romantic fiction! I already have a story idea for Marcus’s
younger brother which involves a lumberjack competition in New Hampshire.
CC: I’m so psyched! You definitely have to do that.
An infamous quote from your LUMBERJACK:
His face was dark, thunderous, and absolutely freaking
gorgeous. Electric blue eyes, high cheekbones, and a black lush beard that Ami
wanted to rub all over.
Question: Did you do any direct beard research for this?
Please elaborate.
PW: Haaaaaaa! Does downloading thousands of Hugh Jackman
images from Wolverine count as research? Then yes, yes I did.
CC: Okay, readers want to know: favorite all time beards?
Contemporary category.
Forcing myself to stop now….hee hee!
CC: Okay, thanks for that. I think you broke my Safari
software with that little trip down beardy lane.
Considering that you were such a beard visionary, I thought
it might be good to get your commentary on some beards through history (all images public domain from wikipedia).
Penny, let's see
what you think of these beard styles, and if you see any of them coming into
fashion.
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Image:sculptor James Vibert (1853-1918)
by artist Ferdinand
Hodler |
PW: Interesting combination of big bald forehead and
beard-that-looks-like-a-blanket. I’m skeert.
CC: On the plus side, though, it gives you something to grab
onto, right?
PW: Or a red fluffy blanket if you get cold.
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| Image: Nakht, from tomb of Nakht, 15th century BC |
PW: Haaaaaaa! This reminds me of the little tuft of hair
the Boston Celtics players were growing on their chins. Umm…I’m gonna vote NO
on this one. :^)
CC: It’s very stylized! I could see this coming in if the
Celtics went for it.
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| Image: Portrait of Diego Hurtado de Mendoza (c.1580) |
PW: Beard, stache: Masculine. Weird hairline: Odd.
Ruffle: Pansy-Ass. Eyes: Sad Puppy Dog Overall: The beard saves him.
CC: This was one of the hotter beards of history I could
find. I actually do agree the beard saves him. Don’t you think if you were a
woman of this era that the ruffle would grow on you?
PW: I think I would borrow the ruffle. We would probably
fight over it every morning.
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| Image: artist Alfons Mucha self portrait (1860-1939) |
PW: Oh my goodness! The bottom half of his face looks
like he’s turned into a werewolf. (And not in a good way). In fact, it sort of
looks like his beard is growing over his ears. It must be difficult to
hear. Overall
assessment: Get Alfons to a groomer, stat!
CC: Wait, I thought this was a hot beard! Maybe I am
beard-challenged. Don’t you think he looks manly in a tousled way? Though he is
hairy beyond the beard, and now that you’ve drawn my attention to his ears…do
they look pointy to you? I can stop seeing him as a Vulcan.
PW: Historical Bearded Vulcan Werewolf. New genre! New
genre!
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Self-portrait of French painter Eugène Devéria (1805-1865).
Etching by Paul Lafond (1847-1918) |
PW: You’re killing me, Carolyn! Is this an intervention?
Are you trying to make me hate beards?
CC: LOL Is it working? Please, take a closer look at this
beard, Penny. I would suggest printing this image out and putting it up on your
wall.
PW: * Penny wipes sweat from brow in anxiety.* OK, OK, I
can handle this. The side portions of his stache look like a squirrel’s tail,
and the center portion looks like the hind legs of a small furry animal. *
Penny winces * This is hurting me.
CC: Snort. Squirrel’s tail. You don’t think this will come
into fashion? Can’t you imagine it flowing in the breeze as this man rides a
bike to the coffee shop? And wouldn’t those handholds come in handy in intimate
situations?
PW: Please God tell me there’s a good one coming up soon!
CC: Don’t worry, Penny, there is a super hot one coming up!!
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| Image: Artist Jan Mabuse; self portrait (1478-1532) |
PW: Haaaaaaa! His face stops several inches before the
end of the beard? How is that possible? Artistic license?
CC: It’s a chin beard, Penny! Get with it. I understand Jon
Hamm is growing one of these right now so it’s ready in time for the Oscars.
Actually, I’m loving his outfit. I’m not being funny. Do you think he was a
hipster of his time? Because, I sort of do.
Well, that was fun!!
PW: That was cruel, Carolyn. To offset the trauma I’m
experiencing from looking at these disturbing beardy images, I’m going to spend
a few hours with my Hugh Jackman jpeg collection.
CONTEST!!
Penny is offering awesome prizes today: one lucky winner will get a fabulous LUMBERJACK themed mug full of candy, book marks, twiggy pencils and Vermont maple syrup PLUS a free download of LUMBERJACK IN LOVE or print book. (US only)
And, one international winner will get a free download of the ebook!
How to enter:
In the comments, tell which historical beard (from the pictures above or another one) that you like best and why. [If you are reading this on Goodreads or Facebook, come over to
my blog and enter.]
About LUMBERJACK IN LOVE
blurb:
City slicker Ami Jordan was just dumped by her back-stabbing
boyfriend, has no job prospects, and can't find a decent cup of coffee in the
entire state of Vermont. The last thing she needs is a sexy, bearded lumberjack
complicating her life. Even if he’s smart, talented, and has the hottest ass
she’s ever seen.
Tree house builder, environmental champion, and Bulldog
owner Marcus Anderson has no patience for flatlanders with an attitude. But
when landscape designer Ami Jordan shows up at his log cabin, he suddenly
develops a hankering for a high-maintenance city gal. Now his house looks like
a jungle, his recycling is in disarray, and his libido's on fire.
He's a lumberjack in love.
CC: Thanks so much for stopping by, Penny!
PW: Thanks for having me! Happy Beardy Day!!
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