Friday, January 2, 2009

The Secret of Imagination According to Ann Voss Peterson


I love action figures. It probably stems from my love of making up stories. From the time I could remember, I loved inventing my own stories, and action figures were the perfect way to act those stories out.

When I was a kid, female action figures didn’t exist. My brother had G.I. Joes. You know, the good twelve-inch-tall G.I. Joes with Kung-Foo grip and life-like hair. His were peace-loving former soldiers who belonged to the Adventure Team (since Vietnam had made military toys no longer politically correct at that time). G.I. Joes could do a lot of fun things. For me, the biggies were shooting guns and riding horses. Barbie could do neither of those things. Her hands couldn’t hold a gun, and she couldn’t sit astride one of my many model horses. Those deficiencies in Barbie left me playing with G.I. Joes and wishing for a day when female dolls could do everything the male dolls could.

Flash ahead a few years–
Before I sold my first novel, I was a professional window washer. Kind of an odd choice for a job, I’ll grant you. But I was a creative writing major in college and needed to make a living. There were many dirty windows in the world in need of washing, so my brother and I started a business to answer the demand. One of our regular clients was a former NFL quarterback, and he had a collection of memorabilia in his office that included an action figure of himself in uniform. Well, I thought that was just about the coolest thing ever. Just think of it! An action figure of yourself! What could be more bizarre and fun than that?

Flash ahead a few years–
I am a published novelist writing stories for a living. But I still haven’t gotten over my love for action figures. Only now there are female action figures in stores. I can collect my favorite strong, female fictional characters and use them to decorate my office. Super heroines like Batgirl, Hawkgirl, The Huntress, Wonder Woman and The Invisible Woman. Villains like and Harley Quinn (because I write for Harlequin, don’t you know). And my favorite movie characters - so far I have Eowyn from Lord of the Rings, Elizabeth Swan from the Pirates of the Caribbean movies, Princess Leia from Star Wars and Marion Ravenwood from Indiana Jones.



I have a few odds and ends, too. The head Ringwraith is here so Eowyn can kill him (no man can kill him, after all). And I have a Cairo bad guy for Marion to hit over the head with a frying pan (above). And there’s my newest addition that my brother gave me for Christmas, the Barack Obama action figure (“an action figure we can believe in,” it says on the box). He also bid on a John McCain, in the interest of bipartisanship, but wasn’t able to win him on Ebay.



Although I’ve realized my childhood dream of gender equality in plastic action figure form, I cannot forget the yen for an action figure of myself. What would she do? Slay a bad guy with a pen? Bash a villain over the head with a laptop? Or would she be sucked into the world of her books, having to duke it out on the page with serial killers while being mistakenly chased by the law and falling in love with a cowboy?

Well, I may not ever have a little plastic me to play with, but inspired by a November interview I did at the Writers At Play blog, I discovered something close. An animated me! And so here I am, dressed in something I might wear to a winter writer’s conference.




I’m a little wacked, I know. I suppose when you make up stuff for a living, some wackiness is bound to rub off. Or maybe I’ve just always been this way. But I’ll tell you a secret. It’s a boat load of fun. And if you haven't figured it out, that is what I believe is the secret of imagination. Fun. Play. So why not let your imagination loose to celebrate the new year? What were your favorite toys as a kid? And do you still get the urge to play with them now?

20 comments:

  1. Ann, what a fun blog and insight into your thriller mind! I love the action figure of you, but you'd better arm yourself with your best and most effective weapon, your pen! :o)

    I loved Barbie growing up. What a great wardrobe.

    I love action figures too. I have Sherlock Holmes, Jane Austin, and Edgar Allen Poe action figures in my office. And wow, I'm jealous of your Barack Obama!

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  2. Sherlock Holmes, Jane Ausin and Edgar Allen Poe? Cool, Kathy! Where did you get them?

    I have a Mozart finger puppet on my desk. And yes, I play with him, too. :)

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  3. I didn't have action figures as a child and I don't remember my brothers having any either. We spent the days outside being our own action figures....swinging from trees, jumping off fences and on one memorable occasion off the roof of a shed. And jumping out from behind bushes and trees and tackling each other. Or playing tackle football. Oh yes I was definitely a tomboy and had quite a few scrapes and bruises and even joint damage to go along with it.

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  4. Ouch, EllenToo! The joint damage doesn't sound good, but the rest sounds a blast. I liked playing tackle football, too. I'd pretend I was a Green Bay Packer fullback. Ahh, memories. I don't think my joints or bones would stand up to that now.

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  5. I guess I am really behind the times. I didn't realize there were so many action figures available.

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  6. Barbies were my favorite toy when I was growing up and when my daughter was young it was great fun to have her around again except that she ended up losing body parts and her hair ended up chopped off.

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  7. It's amazing what's out there, Estella. You have to go online for most of it. But we have a local comic book store that has a lot of fun stuff as well.

    Maybe some day we all will be able to have action figures of ourselves made. Who knows? It's a crazy world.

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  8. What is it with girls wanting to cut Barbie's hair? LOL! I did that with one of my Barbies, too, Maureen. Funny.

    I bought a new Barbie over Christmas. I couldn't resist. It's The Birds Barbie, released to commemorate the movie's anniversary. Have you seen it? It's really creepy. Barbie is actually being attacked by little plastic birds.

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  9. Ann, I loved playing with paper dolls as a child. I had hundreds, all kept in drawers meant for sandpaper from the lumberyard. I loved those dolls and the stories I made up for them to live in. Not many male paper dolls so it was a world of females. When I see paper dolls today I do have an urge to buy them but have so far passed. Now maybe I will have to give in. I'm old enough to not care what others might think of my playing with dolls! I have never owned a Barbie but the Birds doll may just be the one I would buy. That Movie scared me silly, but arriving home with my friend to have her mother yell at us as we entered the house, "BIRD!" sent both of us fleeing. A bird had gotten into the house and the whole family was trying to catch it. We colapsed on laughter after helping to catch the bird and expaining the movie to her mother. I had not thought of this friend foir years. Think I will see if I can find her. Thanks.

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  10. Definitely pick up some paper dolls, Connie. And the Birds Barbie. And what a great story! I hope you can find your friend.

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  11. I have some Justice League action figures that are still in the box. My brother used to have a bunch of the G.I. Joe action figures. My favorite toys growing up included the Lite Brite. I always wanted an Easy Bake Oven, but never got one.

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  12. Justice League? Cool, Jane. I always have a hard time keeping my action figures in the box, although I know they're worth more as collectibles that way. I just can't resist playing with them.

    I never got an Easy Bake Oven either. My friend had one, though. She made the most delicious cakes. Somehow they always tasted better coming from an Easy Bake Oven. Mmmmm.

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  13. I had Barbie, Ken, Skipper and Midge when I was growing up. I still have these dolls but they are put away now. I had a ladie make me some old fashion dresses one time and I displayed them on my bed. These dolls are pretty old now, but I still keep them. I think Barbie is dated 1958 but she is not in good shape.

    As far as action figures we have an attic full of Power Ranger action figures that where my sons. I think GI Joe is around somewhere too.

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  14. Wow, Virginia! I'll bet those Barbies are worth a pretty penny, even if they are in "played with" shape.

    My youngest son (6) went through a major Power Rangers stage. I used that inspiration in Wyoming Manhunt, where Power Rangers provide an important bond between the hero and the heroine's young daughter. Power Rangers will always have a special place in my heart.

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  15. I had a Barbie, PJ and Skipper (still have them somewhere) but my favorite thing was paper dolls. I loved playing with them. I also liked putting on plays with my brother and the other kids in my neighborhood. I would write the play and cast the play. Then we would perform it for our parents.

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  16. Great topic, Ann! I had the Wonder Woman and Bionic Woman dolls as a kid AND the Princess Leia action figure from Star Wars. The Bionic Woman had little bionic plates in her arms and legs, which were probably a massive choking hazard for my little brother, but fortunately, Lindsay Wagner did not do him in!

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  17. So Tammy, have you played paper dolls or done anything in the theater lately? Might be something fun for 2009.

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  18. I wanted a Bionic Woman, Tracy. You lucky dog, you. My little brother had Mike Powers, who was the G.I. Joe version of Lee Majors. He had a hole in the top of his head so light could shine out one eye -- the bionic eye, of course. We used to make him blink Morse code.

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  19. Ann,

    I have retired from the theater, But, i did get some paper dolls for my daughter. She never really played with them. She would rather watch Disney channel and play with her Brartz dolls.

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  20. Tammy--

    How cool that you have a daughter you can introduce to paper dolls and theater, even if it doesn't end up being her thing.

    I have two sons. The oldest didn't really care about action figures. He loves Hot Wheels and Lego. My younger son is an action figure nut, particularly super heroes and Indiana Jones. He likes to steal mine from my office to help or oppose his toys. And better yet, he wants me to play pretend with him. In fact for Christmas, my boys gave me the Batgirl action figure at the top of this blog.

    That's the beauty of having kids. They allow you to relive your childhood and at the same time introduce you to new toys of which you could only dream. :)

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