When I envision my characters as I’m writing them, I usually have a rough idea of their physical traits. At some point during the writing of the story I get on the internet and surf for that perfect picture of them. Sometimes it’s someone well-known other times it’s just a stock photo.
With a Taylor-Made Life, I knew exactly what each of the main characters looked like even before I started writing. They came to me fully formed. And while these actors make a good guide for Gavin and Taylor, the details like eye color, hair color, body type may be different. But in my mind this is generally how I see them.
Gavin Taylor age 25 is best represented by Milo Ventimiglia. I love that Milo has a contrasting maturity and boyishness about him that captures Gavin so perfectly. He looks smart, sweet and sexy.
Taylor Marie Smith age 17 is best represented by Dianna Agron. She’s a beautiful bundle of effervescent enthusiasm and bubbly optimism. Her smile lights up a room and that’s exactly how I envision Taylor.
So tell me – If you’ve read A Taylor-Made Life, How do you see Gavin and Taylor?
And if you haven’t read A Taylor-Made Life, you can go get it right now.
“A Taylor-Made Life is one of the best books I’ve read this year and it’s not one I’ll soon forget… Taylor and Gavin stole my heart and my breath, and I wasn’t ready to let them go.” – Nikki Barrett, Storm Goddess Book Reviews
“6 Stars, 2 full boxes of Kleenex…Beautiful!” – a.c. Mason, bestselling author
“Kary Rader is a wonderful new voice in New Adult fiction. Taylor-Made is a must-read.”– Jill Limber, author and editor, Boroughs Publishing Group
Live the life you’re given; love the life you make. Get out your tissue box; A TAYLOR MADE LIFE by Kary Rader will make you laugh, cry, and contemplate your own life and mortality.” –The Romance Reviews
They lived the life they were given; they loved the life they made.
Cheerleader Taylor Smith doesn’t want to die a virgin. Unfortunately, if the terminally-ill leukemia patient doesn’t find a lover or a stem-cell match within months, her fear will become reality. When her cancer mentor is revealed to be a hottie entrepreneur from California, it seems fate might finally be on her side.
Tech-geek Gavin Taylor has everything he ever wanted, except someone to grieve for him when he’s gone. With his melanoma cancer beyond the help of his riches, he agrees to participate in a cancer patient mentoring program where he’s matched with a dying teen from Texas. Despite his immediate attraction, the Silicon Valley whiz intends only to provide friendship and happy memories to the beautiful, young woman who is determined to win his love.
When it’s discovered that his frozen sperm and her harvested eggs could lead to a cure, Taylor’s mother offers to be a surrogate. And Gavin must decide if he can risk the heart he has never given and a child he’ll never know to a girl he just met.
Book Sale Links:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DU52U5K
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/334257
Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-taylor-made-life-kary-rader/1116156956?ean=2940044642799
Kary,
Great post! These pics are exactly how I saw the characters too 🙂
Thanks, Andrea! I thought these guys were a perfect match for them too. I loved Milo in Heroes. The character of Peter has stayed with me a long time – and I like to think of Gavin as a superhero able to overcome any obstacle.
Oo your Taylor is definitely how I envisioned her but I had more of a younger Ryan Gosling for Gavin but I get Milo too
Yes – Melissa I can see Gosling too. He has a sensitive romantic side that fits Gavin well. Great one!
Sounds like a box of kleenex read. 🙂 The characters are great!
Thank you, Melissa. I hope you get a chance to read it. A few tissues have been used in the reading and writing of the story. But it’s not all about the sad. It’s about the happy and the hopeful too.
The guy is exactly how I saw Gavin. Taylor was bald but the face works for me. I think your cover shot was an excellent representation as well.
Thanks, Liza. The cover is a perfect representation of them in my mind too.
Taylor is perfect. Gavin, for some reason, I saw as a little bit older than Milo. I don’t know. This might be weird but maybe an extremely young Viggo Mortensen? I always find it hard to match up real people with characters. But I too think the cover is spot on!
Viggo Mortensen? Really? Hmm…that’s an interesting choice. He seems like such a man’s man kinda guy.
I agree with Jenna–the pic you chose for Talyor is very close to how I envisioned her, but I pictured Gavin a little older looking–and that is probably because of what he was going through. I think maybe what I see different is his eyes. I picture him with older, wiser eyes–lol, if that makes sense.
An older and wiser Gavin could be good,Brenda. And yes – I can’t see Taylor any other way (except without hair) She is “sweetness” incarnate.
I think you hit it, Kary!!
Thanks, Ella. I think so too.
I never have a totally clear picture of characters in mind while I’m reading or writing, but I have to say those two come pretty close to what I thought they might look like! Gavin’s face might have been a little fuller in my mind, but that’s about the only thing I can pinpoint that would be different.
Cool, Lisa! We are on the same page, so to speak! LOL