BY MINDI SCOTT

I was always a girl who had many crushes on boys. In school, from kindergarten on, there was always at least one boy with whom I was “in love.” By the time I got to high school, I was often crushing on someone in each of my classes!

Over the years, I’ve also been affected in the racing-heart/sweaty-palmed/ beyond-distracted way by some strange things, like . . .  a car that was at the park & ride I used to go to. An old, beat-up Chevy Nova. Dark yellow.

Also, the name Rhys/Reece/Reese makes me all dreamy. It can be a first (preferred), middle, or last name. But the magical, tingly feelings only appear for me if the name belongs to a male (and not a female. Or a type of candy).

Then there’s always Anakin Skywalker from The Clone Wars CGI cartoon, of course. Every episode in which he appears, I turn to my husband at some point and say, “He’s so hot.”

Another unexpected crush I had once was on Cassandra Clare’s fan-fic version of Draco Malfoy. I was so smitten that I decided back then the song “Maps” by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs was all about us: “They don’t love you like I love you.”

And, of course, I have had dozens and dozens of crushes on actors, musicians, and fictional characters from books and television. It’s normal. I’m fine with it. It’s fun, even!

But you know who I don’t get crushes on?

The male narrators in the books that I write.

In my first published novel, I found Seth to be a very attractive young man and I loved writing him. I have immense fondness for him to this day. Truly, I adore that boy, and I’ve had readers tell me that they feel the same way.

But the very idea of Seth + me = NUH UH. NO WAY. NEVER. *SHUDDER* *SOB*

I’ve recently alluded to, but never actually explained, the Garrett Hedlund (I swear, this is the last time I’ll type his name in this blog, Michelle!) craziness that’s been happening around here. Short story: Kyle, the narrator I’m writing in this book that Michelle and I are working on together resembles a young, blond GH. And somehow, Michelle and I both started crushing on GH in a big way.

For Michelle, this is not a bad thing at all! (Well, maybe she thinks so. But I don’t.)

But it is a bad thing for me. Having racing-heart/sweaty-palmed/beyond-distracted feelings for one’s narrators really works for some writers. I am not one of them. I need to love my characters completely to write them effectively. I also need to love them . . . chastely.  I can’t entirely explain why, but that’s how I feel. How can I lust for someone I know inside and out, who exists in the pages that I write simply because I decided that he should exist?

It is for this reason that I’ve now been avoiding GH movies and the millions of pictures of him on the internet. (But ZOMG! Have you guys seen this one? Where he’s in an old car? Reading a BOOK???? Ahem.)

It took a couple of weeks of hard work at GH avoidance, but I’m now able to totally separate my sad, adorable, funny, young Kyle from him. I have to be diligent though! I CANNOT SLIP UP ON THIS, YOU GUYS. Or who knows what will happen.

I’d love to hear about your crushes! Any weird ones that we should all know about? Any writers out there who want to tell us about the crushes you get (or don’t get) on your own characters? 🙂