One of the reasons I wrote the novel, GOOD MAN HUNTING, was because I wanted to illustrate the extreme measures society is willing to take when it comes to pursuing the opposite sex. Reality television is filled with couples competing for the attention, a date, or even marriage with a person they may not really know. I recently tuned in to see an episode of "Rock of Love," a reality show that has two dozen girls living in rock star Bret Michael's house and trying to vie for Bret's heart. None of these girls have even met Bret before. All they know is what they have heard or read about him and his band, Poison. Nevertheless, they are willing to participate in outlandish (if not somewhat risque) competitions against the other women in the house, hoping they will ultimately be chosen by Bret to be his girlfriend. The concept for this show is far from unusual. Shows such as "The Bachelor" and even "Desperate Housewives" perpetuate the idea that it is cool to go to great lengths to "get" the opposite sex.
In my book, I have illustrated this latest trend and have taken it even further. A group of wealthy ladies called the Hunt Club exists for the purpose of helping "average" girls land the guy of their ultimate dreams. The main character, Sandra, is the latest member to join the club, and she can't wait to go after a gorgeous television actor. Almost as if it is just routine, the ladies of the Hunt Club get to work at collecting information on the actor, and they make over Sandra to be his perfect match. The goal of the Hunt Club is to get the actor to propose to Sandra, and they will stop at nothing to make sure that happens.
I wanted to create a sense of irony about relationships and dating by exaggerating the steps people are willing to take to successfully land their perfect mate. But, aren't we headed in that direction in real life? In shows such as the "Rock of Love," the ladies go after a famous rock star. I wonder if it's not just a matter of time before it becomes acceptable for people to go after the opposite sex like it is a hunt, pursuing the person as if he or she were a prize. It is almost like buying a car and then giving it a test-drive, as opposed to getting to know a person a little over time and then deciding with that other person if they should continue a relationship.
GOOD MAN HUNTING explores how a woman's limits can be influenced by the people around her and begs the question: how far would you be willing to go in order to "get" the person of your wildest dreams? Would you be willing to move to another state? Compete in competitions? Learn a new skill? Change your appearance? Would you lie and cheat? I hope you will read GOOD MAN HUNTING and consider where your line would be drawn if you could have any person you wanted.
Gives a new meaning to "shotgun wedding". Good Man Hunting is a featured book in Fiction Readers, a group to discuss contemporary women's fiction, books, women's issues and much more. Click here to join the group.
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ATTENTION Texas readers! The GOOD MAN HUNTING Texas book tour is currently underway! Please click here for dates, times, and locations. I look forward to meeting you!
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Comments: 22
I suppose you saw all the episodes of Ugly Betty last year where Selma Hayek's character set out to get Daniel Mead, the perpetual "most eligible" bachelor in NYC to propose...I suppose that sort of trickery really happens.
Surely the extreme tactics help keep divorce lawyers in business!
WM, yes, shows like the Bachelor make me wonder what type of girl would share a guy with 10 other girls! I don't even like putting on ice skates someone else has worn...
Susan, I'm going to have to start watching that show! Lawyering in Texas is sure heck a lot of fun! :) How's lawyering in France these days?
Lera, I'm with you (about the block being as far as I would probably go), unless it was a (single) Brad Pitt, perhaps... Is there anyone you would do crazy things to "get"?
I thought it had always been this way.
I guess my answer would have to be ' pretty darn far '. :)
Two people gave my daughter the first season on DVD for Christmas, so we've watched them over and over the past two months (we don't have tv here, so dvd's are what we watch).
Ugly Betty quite legitimately earned all those awards.
I followed my boyfriend (now husband) all the way from Australia to Japan just to be with him!
It did get me thinking....prior to the book, I would have said that I would do just about anything for love.(not necessarily marriage) Now, I see that I hadn't thought big enough. There is no way in heck that I would stalk someone or change who I am just to get married.
I have done a lot of things to be with the man that is the love of my life, but I gotta draw the line on checking his credit, interviewing past girlfriends, looking into his medical records and oh yeah, murder. Well, murder was, at times, fun to joke about, but I never seriously considered it! LOL!
I think any woman who would debase herself by getting into the competitive and very public catfight in order to win the attentions of a man she doesn't even know has no self respect at all.
The whole "reality TV" phenomenon is the latest example of lowest-common-denominator 'entertainement'. I don't get the attraction to watching people behave poorly in contrived situations. They all come across as spoiled children with, again, no self-respect or principles.
If you have met a person and become attracted to them as an individual (not just as a piece of meat) and there are obstacles to your being able to engage in a meaningful relationship, then extreme measures to overcome those obstacles can be very romantic and admirable.
Where to draw the line? At criminal behaviour, including anything done to scare off or intimidate potential rivals or any kind of stalking behaviour that violates the rights of your intended target of affections.
Other than that, all's fair in love and war.
Thanks for that. I so agree with you on not being able to watch people debasing themselves. How is that entertaining? I find it depressing and sad. and agree that it creates an atmosphere in society where it is okay to behave in ways that years ago would have been humiliating. respect for others, but also for ourselves.
I would love to hear if anyone out there has used extremes to get their mate and had it work out successfully?
Gwen, thanks for reading my book, and thanks so much for the feedback!
I might arrange to be at an event, party, or meeting someone I'm interested in is at, but nothing unreasonable.
I guess I have enough self-esteem to feel that I am worth a man focusing on me exclusively. If that is not the case then he is not the right man for me.