Jenny Wade

In my book, On the Edge of Someplace Else, one of the three recurring voices is that of Jenny Wade, the 17 year-old girl whose rape sets the town on edge and is the catalyst for the events that follow. I've lived with this character for years now. She's been the focal point of the book, the nucleus around which all the other characters exist. If it weren't for her story, her rape, I wouldn't be in this town reporting on their actions. For the longest time, the title of the book was: I Love You, Jenny Wade. Can't get more Jenny Wade-centric than that.

So, my partner and I are bored last night, but don't want to go through the rigmarole of actually getting dressed and going out to a movie (something we rarely do anymore now that we're crotchety old gays, who can't stand the way people act in movie theatres these days, which is possibly another post in and of itself) and decide to watch a movie-on-demand. We settle on Feast, a horror flick about the patrons of a bar in the deserts of Texas who are set upon by a clan of monsters out to eat them. It's a fun movie: lots of humor, lots of blood and gore (though so over-the-top that you quickly become desensitized, much like with Tarrentino's Kill Bill movies), decent acting by a decent cast. I'd recommend if you're into those types of movies.

Now, the reason for this post is the actress who played Honey Pie in this movie, a good little actress by the name of Jenny Wade. I'll be honest, when I saw that name come up on screen, it threw me for a loop. After all these years (I've been working on my book periodically for over 7 years, diligently for the past 3), to see her name, my character's name somewhere other than my mind or my manuscript was strange, interesting, exciting, and any number of other emotions, but mainly exciting.

Now, Jenny Wade, the actress, doesn't look anything like Jenny Wade, the fictitious character. Jenny Wade, the actress, is blond and sexy (at least in Feast), where Jenny Wade, the fictitious character, has medium-brown, straight hair and, while not mousy, is somewhat reserved in her interactions with others. To be honest, Jenny Wade, the fictitious character, looks like my sister, Beverly, circa 1976 (though not based on my sister in any other way). So, the fact that I've seen this live-version Jenny Wade, though she hasn't imposed on my personal image of my character, there is still something odd and, maybe, disturbing about her walking around out there in the world.

When my book is a resounding success, maybe I'll get a chance to meet Jenny Wade. Maybe I'll be able to sit down with her and talk to her (any writer's dream and nightmare all in one). Would I be able to seperate the two? I doubt it. I'm sure I'll have the urge to take Jenny Wade in my arms and tell her everything is going to be all right. Tell her she's fine. She's not that 17 year-old girl anymore. She's strong and free now. All of which will certainly freak out Jenny Wade, the actress, and, possibly, cause her to press charges for assault, but if not, then most definitely take out a restraining order against me. Then I'll be that crazed author on TMZ and the gossip blogs, which will either help the sales of book or tank my career for ever.

On second thought, maybe it would be best if I never meet Jenny Wade.

Jeff

Feast: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0426459/
Jenny Wade: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1023127/