I’m going to admit it.
I’m the type of author who likes to cheat wherever possible. I like shortcuts. I like doing things the easy way. I’m a big fan of not reinventing the wheel. How does one cheat in writing romance, you might ask? Well you can be sure I’m not passing off anyone else’s text as my own. Even cheaters have standards.
No, my shortcuts are far more ethical and way more creative. I steal character types and conflicts from all sorts of pop culture personality analysis tools. From Enneagram charts to the Myers-Briggs test, I love anything that catalogs character types and helps people figure out their strengths and weaknesses. Better yet, I love it when these tools go so far as to say Type A is a difficult match with Type B because then I have great ideas to plug in for my heroes and heroines.
Of course, my long time favorite analysis system is astrology. One look at Linda Goodman’s Love Signs and I was hooked. Say for example, I’m writing a tempestuous heroine with a dark side. Goodman’s book let’s me look up a Scorpio profile that can help me flesh out secondary character traits and helps me see my character more three dimensionally. Then, if I want to give my heroine as much man trouble as possible, the Goodman text helps me see who are the most challenging matches for her and why. Then voila! I can read all about why the Scorpio-Aquarius mix clashes and apply the generalizations to the life situations I’ve given my characters. It’s a great resource.
I adore any kind of compatibility tests, personality profiles, and even the occasional Cosmo quiz to help me develop characters and conflicts. Numerology? Been there. Color profiles? I know I’m yellow and my husband is red. Bright red.
And of course, when it comes to star signs, my husband and I have one of those combustible mixes that aren’t for the faint of heart. But then, I’m a big believer that opposites attract. Really. Just read one of my books…
Come chat with Joanne about your star sign! Or your colors, or your Myers-Briggs results (I’m an INFJ). Have any of these personality profile systems taught you anything about yourself or made you see yourself in new way?
Joanne will be giving a copy of her book THE PLEASURE TRIP to one random poster. Winner announced Sunday!
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I’m such a sceptic. I don’t believe in horoscopes and such things.
by Minna
on September 22nd, 2006 at 6:23 am
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I don’t know too much about much about astrology but I do know my sign and I had thought both my children were the same sign. I was talking to someone who knew a bit about astrology and told them that I can’t see how astrology can work when both children had the same sign and yet were totally different, like night and day. They told me that my son was actually born on the cusp which made everything different.
by Maureen
on September 22nd, 2006 at 6:29 am
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Normally I don’t believe in horoscopes, but the strange thing is that I am really a typical taurus.
by Danny
on September 22nd, 2006 at 6:35 am
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I don’t really believe in it either, but I do find it fascinating. I think people are way more complicated than these tests give them credit for, but I love reading them sometimes, and seeing how close they are. But when it comes down to it, there’s no guarantees. It’s not that simple. But it’s fun trying.
by Stacy ~
on September 22nd, 2006 at 7:34 am
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I am a Leo and some of the characteristics listed do match me but others are way off.
by Crystal B.
on September 22nd, 2006 at 8:08 am
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I’m a Leo so is my husband, what a LOVE match we have. Not only are we the same sign, we have the same birthday. We get along great.
by Tammy G.
on September 22nd, 2006 at 9:25 am
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I think horoscopes are fun to read…but I don’t believe in them.
by Kathleen
on September 22nd, 2006 at 10:08 am
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My spouse and I are supposed to be incompatible according the star signs and stuff. Or so I’ve read. But I think they don’t take into account individuals falling in love, which somehow seems to negate all the negatives. 
by Sanjay
on September 22nd, 2006 at 10:12 am
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Hmmm…according to the Chinese Horoscope I married my ideal mate. You don’t hear me complaining.
by Little Lamb Lost
on September 22nd, 2006 at 10:27 am
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How about a full astrological read where you take into account not only your sun sign (the face you show to the world) and your moon sign (your more emotional side that’s more your inner nature) and an ascendant sign? This might give folks a more full picture if your sun sign doesn’t match up to you well.
Of course, I’m not suggesting we are born into a particular personality either, but I do think the multiple dimensions of a full astrology chart add to the things you can pick over and think about in your character and in the characters of the people around you. And I guess for authors it can be more fun simply because– whether you believe or not– an astrological profile can create a very well-fleshed out character.
Example– I’m a Virgo to the world. That’s my sun sign, and I couldn’t fit it more perfectly for my public face. Perfectionist. Very tough on my self. Occasionally a bit demanding of those close to me.:oops: But my moon sign is Leo, and that inner fire makes sense for my very *driven*nature and a more gregarious, loves-to-entertain person at home on a small, intimate scale. The fire also gives me enough leverage to stick with my Aries (sun sign) husband who is a *big* personality.
Is it all hooey? It could totally be! But I look at is a teaching tool… a way to intitate introspection and conversations about what makes us tick.
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I find this whole concept rather interesting, but I’ve never looked into it. I’m a libra, but don’t really know anything about my sign. And I’ve never heard of a moon sign.
Do you have some links for those of us who would like to learn more about these profiles/tools/ or whatever we are to call them? 
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Great idea, Jennifer! Here’s some basic information on astrology and astrological compatibility http://www.astrologycom.com/astromatch/index.html
For more on the Myers-Briggs personality model: http://www.teamtechnology.co.uk/tt/t-articl/mb-simpl.htm
Enneagrams: http://www.enneamotion.com/enneagrams.html
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I am a Sagittarius and my husband an Aqaurias I think - Jan. 15th - dont really follow the horoscope. I like blue and green. Moving soon and will have a blue carpet in our bedroom and beige in the long l.r./d.r. area. Come to think of it, my mom has lots of beige and blue in her home too. Think that means something?:wink:
by Karen T.
on September 22nd, 2006 at 12:28 pm
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I am a Sagittarius too. I don’t know how much stock I put in astrology, I really think most of what happens to each of us is due to the chocies we make.
by Susan
on September 22nd, 2006 at 1:05 pm
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I am also a Saggitarius, and I agree with Susan.
by Estella
on September 22nd, 2006 at 2:49 pm
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I am a Saggitarius too and don’t know much about astrology so I am not sure what that is supposed to say about me.
I was a Psych major in college and took a psychology of personality class where we discussed personality traits, tests, etc. and what they mean. One personality theory that I found to somewhat describe me was the one on birth order. However, a lot of that had to do with environment rather than innate characteristics. I have done the Myers-Briggs test (several times in different Psych classes), but can’t remember my type.
by Jennifer Y.
on September 22nd, 2006 at 4:19 pm
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Well, I know I am a virgo but that is as far as it goes. I love to read about this kind of stuff but in the end I think I just get more confused about it. There are just too many versions. Hopefully I will one day begin to understand it all. Maybe then I will undersand a little more about myself and those around me.
by Billie
on September 22nd, 2006 at 5:51 pm
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I don’t know much about astrology but I find it fun to read the horoscopes!
by Carol
on September 22nd, 2006 at 7:01 pm
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Boy lots of Sagittarius’ here. 4 in a row! I am a Scorpio. Dont really follow astrology. But like Susan said, it is what choices we make.
by Pat L.
on September 23rd, 2006 at 12:00 am
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Hi
I’m also born on Jan 15th and my sign is capricorn… the mountain goat is our representative. We tend to be goal orientated… once we start something we like to see it through to the end, we can be very independent, hard working, driven and STUBBORN!! Does that sound like your husband Karen? Aquarius follows Capricorn ( late jan into feb) they tend to be more artistic or/and musically talented. I love reading about the characteristics and people’s personality traits. Moon signs I’ve never followed.
by Laurie G
on September 23rd, 2006 at 5:44 am
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Yes, Laurie, as you can see I know not much about astrology - yes you are right, My husband is Capricorn, not Aquarius. And Yes the traits you mentioned about Caps do fit him to a tee.
by Karen
on September 23rd, 2006 at 9:29 am
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Joanne, thanks for the links. I’m a Libra (birthday is next week) and I never really knew what astrology had to say about my sign. I also took the Myers-Briggs mini-test on the site you provided. I’m evidently an ESFJ. It’s all quite interesting. I’m looking forward to reading more.
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My Mom was really into Astrology so I learned a lot about it, but I’m not into it. I like those quiz’s in magazine’s there fun and quirky. The big relationship ones that are for profiles I’ve never done.
by Dena
on September 23rd, 2006 at 2:52 pm
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I’m an Aries (April 14th) but what I read about Aries I don’t think I fit
the profile; at least not some of the things mentioned. Are there any other
persons who are described differently than what they are? I was born a
month premature-does this have anything to do with it?
by Robyn
on September 23rd, 2006 at 5:11 pm
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it is cool, i am a sag and can be fire and ice as my sign says lol:grin:
by kim h
on September 23rd, 2006 at 8:38 pm
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I am an aquarius and that is the extent of my knowledge of Astrology.
by Helen Mac
on September 24th, 2006 at 8:23 pm
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Jennifer Y, the birth order information is interesting too. I’m a youngest child and I married a youngest child. More trouble!!
And Robyn, I’m not sure about being premature having anything to do with it. I do know that if you’re born close to a the end of your zodiac sign you can have the qualities of the next sign merged with your sign… same with people born close to the beginning of a sign.
Thanks for chatting with me about personality profiles! Dena is the winner for the signed copy of THE PLEASURE TRIP. Dena, I’ve emailed you privately… just zip me a note at joanne@joannerock.com.
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Congrats Dena!!!!!
by Danny
on September 25th, 2006 at 4:11 am
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Thanks Joanne,I’m so excited to have won!
Thanks Danny for the congrats.
by Dena
on September 25th, 2006 at 6:46 am
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Congrats Dena!
by Little Lamb Lost
on September 25th, 2006 at 9:30 am
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wtg dena
by KIM H
on September 25th, 2006 at 12:32 pm
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Joanne, my hubby and I are right there with you and hours. Aquarius and Pisces are not supposed to mix (because Aquarius usually rides roughshot right over him. 
But my opinion has always been that a fish and water always go together and we have been wonderfully happy for 21 years!
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Hey, something must be working! Don’t mess with success, Leslie! 
