The "Brit a Day" series

What does a months-long parade of attractive British men have to do with fiction, you might well ask? These gentlemen have inspired some lovely scenes, part of the life I live in my head. Over time, some of these scenes reach out to one another and begin to form a story. For the present, each one of these pictures provides a writing prompt for me, a way to keep me writing with a sense of passion and narrative, even when the stories are not yet fully formed.



Tuesday, August 31, 2010

A Brit a Day [#197]

Here is an article Dan Radcliffe wrote about his life around the release of HP4. It was published in these 2 formats. He is probably the only person on the planet who could have written about "Being the World's Most Famous Teen" without a trace of irony. He turned 21 this past July, I believe, and he is looking forward to another run on Broadway in "How to Succeed..." next year.

Monday, August 30, 2010

A Brit a Day [#196]

Christian Bale has graciously agreed to let us post Dan Radcliffe/Harry Potter a day early. This layout is really fun to read. Tomorrow we'll touch on Dan's more serious side. And if you were enamored with the newsprinty pic of Mike Newell and company yesterday, here it is clearer and in color.



Sunday, August 29, 2010

A Brit a Day [#195]

I thought this week the posts could include some outside journalism beyond the usual pictures. Hence, our theme is "....Plus something to read." The top item featuring Alan Rickman in Classic Snape Mode would be a great kick-off to the theme, except that the text is in....I don't recognize that language. Nevertheless, this is a great example of a page layout where the placement of the text enhances the photograph rather than obscures it. That's what I'm shooting for this week.

Lovely, but I can't actually read it. So I'm adding a snip of a feature in English about brit Mike Newell below, introducing him to the HP audience as he set out to direct "Goblet of Fire." It is always a treat, as well, to see Rickman in Snape regalia breaking character with a good laugh.


Saturday, August 28, 2010

A Brit a Day [#194]

This is the principal male cast from LOST season 1, and the representative brits are Dominic Monahan [third from right] and Naveen Andrews [left of Dominic]. Even though Naveen Andrews played his character Sayid with a Middle Eastern accent that was quite believable, his real life speech is delivered in the most adorable South London twang I've ever heard.

You can imagine this spiffy group of attractive men hanging out to the side of the wedding reception where you have become a little tipsy and alienated the family members you came with. You have no one to talk to, you look up, and they are welcoming you to come join them on the periphery. Each of them has his own story to tell about why he is not dancing with his date or sitting at a 10-top with his mother and sister. You are all outcasts together, but if you are going to be out, what a way to go. You have definitely put your best face on it.

Friday, August 27, 2010

A Brit a Day [#193]

Eddie Argos interpretation of this week's theme--Put Your Best Face on It--was 'Put It on Your Face.' I think he was unhappy with his record label at the time.

Thursday, August 26, 2010

A Brit a Day [#192]


Henry Ian Cusick--a face so nice I thought you should see both sides of it.

Today is my mom's 87th birthday. I've definitely inherited some of my tendencies from her. When she was just a blushing girl of, oh--maybe 80, she had a tiny crush on the handsome 30-ish guy who made photocopies for her at the copy shop. Her friend, another elderly lady, was appalled. "He's probably married," the friend said, as though she seriously thought my mom might act on it. That was ridiculous. My mom and I both know that you are allowed to have a life in your head that belongs to nobody else--it doesn't even really belong to your earthly self, it's separate from that. She said to her friend, "You know, I'm not dead yet."

Happy birthday, Mom. I love you heaps, and I love your style.

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

A Brit a Day [#191]

Jason Isaacs looks perfectly content here, and so does his beautiful family. He sports the perfect look for a man on a relaxing vacay. I believe a resort offered him and his family a stay in exchange for keeping a journal about their favorite activities there. This picture was published with the resulting article.

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

A Brit a Day [#190]

I've never seen a bad picture of Dan Radcliffe--and I have seen a lot of pictures of him--so I really had to work to find just one in which Daniel quintessentially stuts his stuff. But if I have to choose, then this is the one. Here he is on the red carpet at the South Bank Awards [2006, I think].

Monday, August 23, 2010

A Brit a Day [#189]

You bet Armani asked Christian Bale to model handmade suits. Nobody rocks this look like Bruce Wayne.

Saturday, August 21, 2010

A Brit a Day [#188]

This post is for Sunday.

There have been a couple of mighty quakes in my psychological sphere in the last two months, complete with aftershocks. My self-confidence is low, and what I need is to be reassured; I am lucky--my family and close friends provide more than enough love and support to do just that. But we can all use a bit of proof now and then that our more public personae are valued, too.

So this week's theme is going to be The Best Face You Can Put on It. I'm going to have the guys strut their stuff. Starting with Alan Rickman--his beauty transcends a slightly wrinkled suit and gently tousled hair. He has earned every graceful line in that majestic face.

Friday, August 20, 2010

A Brit a Day [#187]

This post is for Saturday.

Graham Nash [left] isn't the owner of the biggest whiskers in this picture, but he did make up the refreshing Brit-pop quadrant of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. This photo by Henry Diltz is from one of my favorite photo sessions of all times, from the tour on which '4 Way Street' was recorded. The center fold of that album cover hung on the wall in my room for a long time, a single shot taken within minutes of this one, as I remember it. I found this one decades later, but now as then, the harmonies these guys made seem like they could only have come from angels. Yet they were so solid they made you feel like you could reach out and catch the notes in your hand.

A Brit a Day [#186]

There are plenty of photographs of Eddie Argos with whiskers, including his infamous pencil-thin moustache of years ago. But Eddie himself admits that every time he tries to grow a beard, it turns out "a bit shit." This picture illustrates one thing we know best about Eddie, paraphrasing his own words--God gave him all the facial hair he was meant to have above his eyes.

Thursday, August 19, 2010

A Brit a Day [#185]

The choice for today's 'Brit-a-Day: Whiskers' post is so easy it hurts. Or at least is warm and wet. Vincent the dog greets unconscious Desmond [Ian Cusick] in one of the final episodes of LOST.

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

A Brit a Day [#184]

Jason Isaacs as Captain Hook. Wonderful set of whiskers, especially the 'stache. Hope it was all real.

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

A Brit a Day [#183]

Daniel Radcliffe sporting some lovely stubbly whiskers, or if you prefer, scruff. He's not your little girls' Harry Potter anymore.

Monday, August 16, 2010

A Brit a Day [#182]

I've used this image of Christian Bale from GQ in an earlier post, but it resurfaces today as a spot-on example of how lovely whiskers can be. I call dibs on the place where the beard intersects the 'stache on his right jawline.

Sunday, August 15, 2010

A Brit a Day [#181]

The theme this week is....."whiskers."

I snagged this photo from The Slightly Weird Alan Rickman Fansite. I think this might have actually been the weirdest picture there.

So--whiskers. Those things that both men and mutts have around their snouts.

Saturday, August 14, 2010

A Brit a Day [#180]

Yay, I'm back home! One last look at the Manx Missile, Mark Cavendish. Welcome to the podium, Mr. C.

Friday, August 6, 2010

A Brit a Day [#179]

Awww...this is actually the first picture of Eddie to come up in his file after I skip over all the ones I've used before--and Eddie is the small one in the middle.

I'm going to leave the boys minding the store for a few days while I go away. The boys are more likely to party than get any work done, though, so your next Brit Post will be next weekend when I return.

Thursday, August 5, 2010

A Brit a Day [#178]

Quite ironic that this was the first picture to pop up in HIC's file. This was the scene [from LOST] that endeared me to the character of Desmond--endeared me, as in "oooo, this guy has issues, I think I can help him [soothe, pat, hug]".

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

A Brit a Day [#177]

Jason Isaacs...the first picture I came to in his file. I think we're going to need room service to bring more towels.

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

A Brit a Day [#176]

Magazine covers are little time capsules. In November 2005, all eyes were on Daniel Radcliffe as HP4 was set to open, and LOST was now taking the world by storm.

Monday, August 2, 2010

A Brit a Day [#175]

Randomly appearing as the first picture in his file, here's a twofer of Christian Bale.

Sunday, August 1, 2010

A Brit a Day [#174]

The theme this week is...Random. In a nod to how my Sistahs-in-Ian define 'random,' I'm going to open each cast member's dossier [picture file] and take out the first thing that comes to hand.

Here's Alan Rickman at the London premiere of whichever Harry Potter movie featured the blowing-up of Aunt Margie [note Marge-attired helium spheres in the background].