Saturday, April 21, 2012

My Fantasy Girlfriend - Kjersti Skomsvold

As I've noted a number of times before, there's something about Norwegians - they do seem to produce the prettiest girls in Europe, in the world. But, of course, I am not easily swayed by such superficialities as wide blue eyes and a cute smile. No, no, it's vivacity, intelligence, wit that get me smitten. Although sometimes a wry smile or a dazzling eye can suggest these things...

A couple of months ago, I found myself bowled over by this publicity photo of the Norwegian writer Kjersti Skomsvold. From what I gather, there is a formidable creative brain behind those bewitching eyes: her debut novel, The Faster I Walk, The Smaller I Am, has been extremely well reviewed, and I'm now very curious to read it - to swoon over the mind behind it, not just over the author photo on the back jacket!


Ms Skomsvold was in Beijing last month to talk about her book at the Bookworm International Literary Festival. Alas, I felt inhibited from going to see her; it seems rather stalker-ish to try to introduce myself to one of my hypothetical infatuations. The 'Fantasy Girlfriends' should remain in the realm of fantasy - things are much safer for the fragile heart that way. [Of the ladies so far celebrated in this series, I've only 'met' - or had a real-world encounter with, I suppose I should say - two of them, and only spoken to one. Now, there's a quiz question for you: who were they?]


8 comments:

John said...

They say you should never meet your idols but I shouldn't see any harm in a brief encounter at a book signing; that's what she's there to receive after all. Perhaps not the best idea to give her the link to your blog but a suave compliment never hurt fair lady.

JES said...

For a number of years in the late 1980s-early '90s I was smitten with Patricia Cornwell. I took several paperbacks to a book signing, and bought a couple more there. When my moments with her arrived, I spent a couple of minutes kidding or, I suppose, flirting with her -- had to do with the ways in which her regular protagonist (Kay Scarpetta) might or might not resemble Cornwell herself. I left with her utterly at the to of my own fantasy-girlfriends list.

And then a few weeks later I learned that she, well, she swung the other way as the saying goes. Sigh.

Kjersti Skomsvold is a fine addition to your pantheon here. (A little of the Zoe-Deschanel-in-a-blonde-wig about her, I think.) In your shoes, though, I probably would've felt the same way as you about going to see her.

Must confess though that I don't recognize her book at all. Will look it up.

Froog said...

I'm not sure I can manage 'suave' under that kind of pressure.

The snippet of jacket-blurb summary that sold me on the book explained that its about a woman in late middle years who, after the death of her husband, begins to worry about the apparent insignificance of her life and her low level of social 'visibility'. She sets out to try various ways of reconnecting with the community around her, but is mostly rebuffed. "She starts wearing her late husband's watch, hoping that people may ask her the time. They never do."

"Zooey Deschanel in a blonde wig"! Well, who wouldn't fall for that?

Froog said...

JES - as a keen follower of this series, you might possibly recall which two of these ladies I've actually met.

JES said...

Oh, right -- I meant to say that I remembered Kate Beckinsale, but not whoever the other one was. (I was reminded of your Beckinsale (near)-intersection the other night, by a showing of Underworld on one of the satellite channels.)

Now that I've admitted to not remembering the other one, I'll have to look her up!

JES said...

Oh, gosh -- how could I have forgotten her?!?

Froog said...

It was, of course, Tilda Swinton.

Froog said...

And we were dredging up that link at the same moment!


Blogger's latest oddness seems to be failing to update the comment counter, so I can't easily see when someone's added something new. I am getting seriously fed up with this platform.