Carrie Lofty: Rough Posh

Actor Damian Lewis has played turn-of-the-century control freak Soames Forsythe in The Forsythe Saga, national hero Capt. Dick Winters in Band of Brothers, a regular guy possessed by a Stephen King monster in Dreamcatcher, and most recently, in the TV series Homeland, an ex-captive suspected of being a Muslim terrorist mole.

Why do I mention Mr. Lewis, other than how much I adore him? He mentioned in an interview that he knew, as a British actor with formal Shakespearean training, he fought early to keep from being pigeonholed in period pieces. He admitted that he was posh, but that he was working toward “rough posh.”

Fabulous phrase.

For STARLIGHT, I needed Alex Christie to rough posh. He’s an intellectual and a would-be businessman. A father and steadfast family man. An all-around straight shooter. Yet he has much to fight for, including an inheritance large enough to save his son from his evil father-in-law. In other words, the man was in desperate want of sharp edges and a couple mean fists.

Polly had expected some equivalent of a desk clerk, stooped and thin. Or just the opposite—a fat man with heavy jowls and a pocket watch worth more than her parents’ tenement flat. Instead, Mr. Christie was the worst sort of challenge. He had caught her off guard.

Where was his coat? And his neckcloth? She couldn’t remember the last time she had seen a gentleman so informally dressed—if ever. The shock of finding a hint of chest hair poking out from the collar of such a fine, expensive shirt was dangerously distracting. The contrast of wild and civilized was as pronounced as the stark white cloth lying against his tanned neck.

And despite her indignant temper, she had to admit that Agnes was right: he was a man born of Calton stock. Tall and broad-shouldered, he had a hard jaw designed to absorb life’s toughest punches.

 

Alex also turned out to be very creative about how to use a walking stick. Who knew?

So aside from Damian Lewis, I decided to spend a few lovely, lovely minutes contemplating a list of actors who fit the bill. And I hope commenters will add their recommendations! Here goes:

Daniel Craig: He wears a tuxedo while carrying a machine gun. He is Bond. So much win.

Michael Fassbender: Dapper and darkly magnetic in X-Men: First Class and Inglourious Basterds, then stripped, bloody and fighting for his life in Centurion, Fassy can put on a villain cape or fur cloak and still be mesmerizing.

Christian Bale: From American Psycho to playboy Bruce Wayne, he has more faces than a deck of cards. The man is scarily chameleonic.

Hugh Jackman: Sure he played Wolverine. Very, very well. I noticed him first, however, as Leo in Kate & Leopold, where his charm and manners were absolutely adorable. Hard to pick a favorite when  a guy can do both so well.

Richard Armitage: Most in Romacelandia know RA from North & South, but he also starred in the British spy drama Spooks. As did his tattoos.

And then there’s the man who inspired Alex. (I’m not revealing who he is, because I hate to spoil reader expectations!) Let’s just say he’s not an actor at all, but a professional soccer player…who also happens to wear the heck out of a tuxedo and model outrageously expensive watches. Rough posh!

To write STARLIGHT, I needed a bit of both. Am I complaining? Oh, no no no…

What’s next for me:

After RT BookReviews 4½ Star Top Pick  STARLIGHT hits the shelves, I'll be looking forward to the release of HIS VERY OWN GIRL, a historical romance set in World War II. It's not women's fiction. It's not literary fiction. It's a genuine romance, complete with sexy times and a happy ending. Look for it September 4th as a Pocket Star digital original novel. I cannot wait to see how readers respond!

I'll also be launching a new co-written pseudonym, Katie Porter, with my long-time friend and critique partner, Lorelie Brown. Our "Vegas Top Guns" series of contemporary erotic romances will launch from Samhain on July 31 with the release of DOUBLE DOWN, which is also a RT BookReviews 4½ Star Top Pick. Two more from the series, INSIDE BET and HOLD 'EM, will follow in August and September. You can learn more about these and future books at our website. 

Where to find me: http://www.carrielofty.com  /  Twitter: @carrielofty

I'd like to give away a copy of STARLIGHT, and I'll ship anywhere. Just answer the question: Rough posh…does it work for you? And more importantly, any recs?? Either books or movies, lay them on me. I’d love to add to my collection!

Thanks again for having me!


***Carrie's winner is Rosie Hong!  Please email totebag@authorsoundrelations.com with your mailing info. Thank you!***