I think it's safe to say we all wish we had it at some time or other - even though we probably can't even define it. I'm talking about the "It Factor," which to me is that ethereal, illusive something that draws people to an individual. I've read that the It Factor has to do with talent and ability, but to me it has more to do with personality. Ability and talent are important, of course, but all things being equal, a person with the It Factor has a leg up on the competition. Like most people, I know what the It Factor is when I see it, but am perfectly unable to define it.
Perhaps the It Factor is best put as something unique about an individual that elevates that person to be more attractive than the rest of us. Strangely enough, the attractiveness doesn't have to be physical. There may be beautiful stars, co-workers, friends, and family members who have the It Factor, but many do not. The one person I know of who most certainly possesses the It Factor is neither young nor attractive. He gets preferential treatment, however, wherever he goes. And if he finds himself somewhere where people aren't particularly impressed, he simply moves on to somewhere else where most people will be.
Betsy Bonaparte, the subject of my novel America Socialite, most certainly has the It Factor. Jerome Bonaparte, the brother of the feared and powerful French conqueror Napoleon, asks her to be his wife even though he could probably choose countless other woman on earth. And even when her marriage disastrously and suddenly falls apart ("explodes" might be a better way of putting it), Betsy, an American commoner, is still taken in, beloved and helped by those of the upper echelon of European society. Just how much of an It Factor does Betsy have? Enough to say no to a king's invitation.
Yet Betsy is not entirely happy. Nor is she entirely successful in achieving her dreams. Perhaps having the It Factor leads to a set of expectations that can never be fully realized. American Socialite is ultimately a novel about expectations, how they can negatively impact us, even when it appears we're operating miles above the rest of the world. Could it be that too-high expectations are a great equalizer, as even the It Factor can't seem to prevent their destructive impact? Maybe. Then again...
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