Okay this is St Patty’s week and I say week because after all the alcohol consumed on that day it takes many a week to recuperate…but that’s another blog.
Today I’m thinking about being Irish and if it makes any difference if you are Irish or German or Italian etc and does this carry over into book characters?
My maiden name is Castelluccio…thus the Castell. The best I can figure is I’m one-fourth Italian, one-fourth German, one-fourth Irish and one-fourth Jewish (with a name like Castelluccio bet you never saw that one coming). This is a guess as my grandfather was an orphan and linage is a bit vague. Does my gene pool make a difference from someone who is of Russian decent with a bit of Swiss thrown in the mix?
There’s got to be a reason I have these artsy-fartsy kids, live with the motto close-enough, always notice the clouds and shadows and nature in general.
I think what happened is the German genes of precision were lost (I can’t even do my own taxes) to the Italian and Irish genes of passion and emotion and delight in delicious food thrived along with the spirit of Jewish survivalist.
I like who I am. I like being a hodgepodge and think I’m better for it. Sort of like a mutt. Makes me unique.
Okay, Castell, you say. What the heck does this have to do with books?
Well, it does. Your characters have a gene pool too. When I did the O’Fallon series I chose that name for a reason. I wanted the family to be fiercely loyal to each other at all costs, be headstrong to a fault, and sometimes be ruled by their hearts and not their heads. IMO the Irish are all those things.
In Hot and Bothered out in April, I have four orphans as the main characters. Four women who have no idea who they are, swore never to find out and then there’s a will and an old murder and they come face-to-face to who they really are and why they have certain unique qualities.
Why can prissy sense things? Why can Charlotte build a house with a pocket knife and box of toothpicks, why can Bebe shoot the fly off a donkey’s butt and why BrieAnn is always neat and perfect?
So, the question today is… Who are you? Irish for real or just this week? German? English? Japanese? Indian? Native American? African?
And does the heritage of the characters in a book matter to you? Do you think… Ahhh, a hot Italian guy! or Ahhh, a passionate Irish guy! Ah-ha, a smart English gal!
I’ll give away a Hot and Bothered t-shirt from the answers.
Hugs,
Dianne Castell
Hot and Bothered (Kensington BRAVA 4/08)
www.DianneCatell.com
DianneCastell@hotmail.com
-
Good Morning Dianne. I am also a hodgepodge, a little Italian, Scottish, English, and Irish. I know that I get my fiery temper from my Irish side, and my talkative hands from the Italians. It’s to early in the morning for me to be contemplating who I am! LOL
I never purposfully pay attention to the ethincity of characters, but I just read Deidre Martin’s book “A Simple Taste” (? title), and the herione is French and the hero Italian and I did picture them with accents and all. 
by Patty L.
on March 19th, 2008 at 7:14 am
-
Hi Dianne. I’m a Hentz 57. Native American, Irish, a whole lot of German, and who know what else. For some odd reason I love a hero that is Scottish. I like being told what the heritage of the charaters is. The more I know about the charaters the more I feel that I get into the book. I like to picture them in my head, so the more the description the better.
by Rebekah
on March 19th, 2008 at 8:25 am
-
Oh, I love mutts. I have two furry ones and based on your description I’d say I’m one too. Scots/Irish with Cherokee on my Dad’s side and German/Welsh with Cherokee on my Mom’s side. I can do our taxes (although it’s a trial) and I’m verrry frugal, so I’d say the Scottish and German genes dominate in my mix. 
-
Hi Dianne,
I’m not at all sure about my ancesters, but I do know I like the person I am today. I also think no matter who we are, if we want something badly enough, there is always a way to get it. Doesn’t matter who our great great great granddaddy was.
As for characters, I guess I never really thought about it. The authors I’ve read have made the heritage of the character fit the role and that’s all it takes for me.
by Lisa F.
on March 19th, 2008 at 10:11 am
-
You know to me the most important thing about a book is how well it is written. There is something about a Scotish highlander that turns me on. I will pick a book about a highlander out of my TBR first that is why there in no highlander books in there right now. I do switch my books around a lot though to keep from getting bord with the same thing.
by Virginia H.
on March 19th, 2008 at 12:24 pm
-
I am American. Married into a Scandinavian family and have an Asian background of my own. I believe that sometimes being kind is more important than being right, pragmatism has become a strong part of me, and I believe that education is the key to overcoming much in the world.
by Little Lamb Lost
on March 19th, 2008 at 12:28 pm
-
Hi, Dianne, I’m Asian American, with a strange affinity for many things Irish–I love Irish names and chose them for my children (although not overly so–they would have sounded a little odd with our last name). And I like all sorts of characters in the books I read. The one time it weirded me out though was one Aphrodisia title I picked up that had Chinese villains–one had the same name as a cousin of mine, and I was so squicked out I couldn’t finish the book. 
by Fedora
on March 19th, 2008 at 12:59 pm
-
I am Irish- English, with Apache way back when.
by Estella
on March 19th, 2008 at 1:24 pm
-
All my grandparents came from Sicily and no known mafia member in the group - lol. I love hearing about different ancestry but I’m thinking when everyone is a Heinz 57 it will be one less thing for some to be intolerant about. My children are half Sicilian, almost l/4 german and 1/4 french (there’s 1/8th irish lol). Seems like a nice mixture 
As far as stories - any ancestry is fine - I like them all.
by catslady
on March 19th, 2008 at 3:07 pm
-
Hi Dianne (waving). I’m (mostly) Finnish with probably a bit of Swedish tossed in (I don’t really know if anyone’s 100% of anything anymore). We a reserved people, but we like to have our fun. I love reading about all kinds of different backgrounds, and really like Scottish & Irish & Italian characters, but I would love to see more Asian and Hispanic and other ethnicities, to learn more about their fascinating cultures. We tend to associate certain nationalities with certain traits (i.e. Italians as being full of life, who are outgoing and very family-oriented, also with strong passions, whether for food or for lovin’) and I would like to see more diversity, because the world is a very colorful place, and I’d like to see more of it shown in the books I love so much.
Get ready, readers, for 3/25 - you will enjoy Dianne’s book, “Hot and Bothered”, so make sure you get your copy!
by Stacy ~
on March 19th, 2008 at 6:42 pm
-
the heritage of the hero doesn’t matter but I do like if it is mentioned that he is a certain one.
I am double German on Dad’s side and Swedish/Norweigan on Mom’s side.
by RobynL
on March 19th, 2008 at 7:26 pm
-
Don’t you just love delving into your roots?
I esp like finding there’s a black sheep in the family. We’ve had a few. With a
name like Castelluccio we’ve had our share. 
Makes life interesting and I don’t feel so bad when I screw up. I can always blame it on my genes. 
Dianne
by Dianne Castell
on March 19th, 2008 at 9:52 pm
-
I’m Asian American. To be specific, I’m and ABC. I don’t think I have any “Irish” in me.
The heritage of the characters in the book I read doesn’t not matter to me as long the story is good. I love to read the books especially the hero is dark and handsome. A hot Italian guy do sound hot!
by Amelia
on March 19th, 2008 at 11:29 pm
-
I like Irish sounding names too. Don’t know why. They Italian names sound great too. Heck, anything sounds good in Italian.
I always think of tall, dark and handsome for Italian but in reality it ’s probaby more short, bald and chunky…least that’s the way my dad was.
Sweedish women are gorgeous. No wonder man go nuts over them.
Dianne
by Dianne Castell
on March 20th, 2008 at 5:45 am
-
I’m Irish, Scots, Scots-Irish, English, French, Welsh, German, Italian and Dutch. (Notice I claim my Irish ancestors first). My mom has done our family tree for over 40 years and it is really neat learning about where you come from. It’s also neat finding “famous” ancestors.
As far as whether it matters what heritage a character comes from, nah, no real preference for me.
by Laura J
on March 20th, 2008 at 9:09 am
-
Hi Dianne,
I got my book and goodies today.
THANK YOU again,
Hug’s
Dina
by Dina
on March 20th, 2008 at 4:08 pm
-
Hi Dianne,
O.k. I am with the majority and a mix of sorts. I am part Czechoslavakian, German, English and a wee bit Irish. I have green eyes and auburn hair so it makes me think I have more Irish than my grandparents say. My husband is English, German and a lot of Italian. It sure is funny how there aren’t many who are pure bloods anymore.
by Michele L.
on March 20th, 2008 at 6:14 pm
-
I forgot to mention that I love characters in books that are certain nationalities. I don’t really care what nationality they are but it does help me visualize what that guy might look like though when he is described as a hot italian lover!
by Michele L.
on March 20th, 2008 at 6:18 pm
-
Laura J.
Famous ancestors. Now that’s neat . I think most of mine are infamous!
Michele, I like knowing the nationality of the character too. If they are USA I like thinking for all American boy etc or the girl next door. Or if they’re a southern Belle or a good-old-boy.
Hi, Dina. So glad you got the packet of goodies and copy of Hot and Bothered.
Dianne
by Dianne Castell
on March 21st, 2008 at 7:22 am
-
irsh , indian LOT, dutch , my granny thinks
by tasha t
on March 22nd, 2008 at 1:18 am
-
interesting combo, tasha!
Amazing how mixed up we all are.
Have a good week.
Dianne
by Dianne Castell
on March 24th, 2008 at 7:01 am
-
BYRDLOVESTOREAD is the winner of the
Hot and Bothered T-shirt.
Sorry I’m so late getting to this!
Email me at DianneCastell@hotmail.com with your address.
by Dianne Castell
on March 24th, 2008 at 7:04 am
-
wtg byrd
by kim h
on March 24th, 2008 at 9:21 pm
