When your MC turns up on TV...(Waterloo Road, to be precise)

This post might get a bit Brit-focused for my American readers, but keep reading anyway!

One of my favourite TV serial dramas is WATERLOO ROAD. A fictional, failing school in a rough area of Manchester (I think) and now Scotland, it's this rather soap-opera-ish yet brilliant programme all about the teachers and students, and tackles issues like rape, domestic violence, alcoholism, homophobia, incest, teacher/pupil relationships, young love, and friendship (had to add the last two not to put anyone off!).

I was happily watching all the angst and excitement when suddenly, into shot walked my protagonist. I mentioned in a previous post that the troubled bully-turned-heartbroken and unstable-social-outcast Luke would have to be played by George Mackay, but I've changed my mind. He's not blond, and he's got a Scottish accent instead of an English one, but Shane O'Meara (aka Waterloo Road's Connor) is the perfect Luke.

He's got such melancholy eyes *Amy realises that she's sounding a bit stalker-ish and weird so posts picture to cover embarrassment*

AND THEN IN WALKED HIS DEAD BEST FRIEND. Benjamin Gur was the actor I've always wanted to play Noah, the cruel charmer whose death started the whole plot of THE BRIGHTEST FELL, and his character in Waterloo Road is so similar to Noah in personality (and looks) that it's like watching Noah on screen.

(I'm not mad, these characters are just very real to me in my head)...

(Benjamin Gur/ Noah is the one on the left with the smug expression!).


Has anyone else had a moment like this, seeing the perfect actor for your MC and then greedily watching the programme to get your fill of character awesomeness?

Are there any Waterloo Road fans here?

And finally, do you like my actors? Anyone who's read this post, do you think they would be perfect for the roles or what?

Look out for my Waiting On Wednesday post in a few days!

The Raven Boys and Author Artwork

So this is sort of a Waiting on Wednesday, just on a Tuesday because I have work tomorrow ;)

I really want to read THE RAVEN BOYS. Like, seriously wishing it could come out in the UK, because I love love loved the WOLVES OF MERCY FALLS series (particularly Shiver) and this has four times the boys.
Oh, and the storyline looks really interesting too.... here's the summary from Goodreads:

“There are only two reasons a non-seer would see a spirit on St. Mark’s Eve,” Neeve said. “Either you’re his true love . . . or you killed him.”

It is freezing in the churchyard, even before the dead arrive.

Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue herself never sees them—not until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks directly to her.

His name is Gansey, and Blue soon discovers that he is a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble.

But Blue is drawn to Gansey, in a way she can’t entirely explain. He has it all—family money, good looks, devoted friends—but he’s looking for much more than that. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents all the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul who ranges from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher of the four, who notices many things but says very little.

For as long as she can remember, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love to die. She never thought this would be a problem. But now, as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she’s not so sure anymore.

From Maggie Stiefvater, the bestselling and acclaimed author of the Shiver trilogy and The Scorpio Races, comes a spellbinding new series where the inevitability of death and the nature of love lead us to a place we’ve never been before.

Sounds pretty good, huh? I think Ronan and Noah will be my faves (fun fact: my book THE BRIGHTEST FELL has a Noah AND a Ronan - although mine are a bully and a rugby jock).
But to the second part of this post's title - author artwork.

Maggie Stiefvater is a mega-talented artist, and it was her animated, hand-drawn book trailer for TRB that drew me in. Here it is, in all its cool, artsy glory...

And finally, here's a (very inferior) drawing I did of my main characters from THE BRIGHTEST FELL - India, the FMC isn't in here, it's just the gang of three back when life was good, they ruled the school, and none of them had any idea plans were being laid for their kidnap...
Luke (MMC, witty, womanising rugby player) is the boy leaning against the wall, Noah (good looking, sly, with a twisted streak that means he will happily destroy anyone who hurts one of his best friends) is sitting down, and Rachel (Queen bitch, finds it hard to get on with other girls, but is like a sister to Noah and Luke) is on the table.

(if anyone's interested, here's the link to the blog post I did with more info about the book)