Author inspirations: 'Crouching Tiger,' 'Say Yes to the Dress,' 'Jane Eyre'
Today's featured authors: Kerrelyn Sparks, author of Crouching Tiger, Forbidden Vampire; Tessa Dare, author of Say Yes to the Marquess; and Megan Frampton, author of The Duke's Guide to Correct Behavior. They're sharing some of the inspirations for their new releases.
Kerrelyn Sparks, author of Crouching Tiger, Forbidden Vampire
While writing my latest release, Crouching Tiger, Forbidden Vampire, I often drew inspiration from past memories and experiences. Here are three examples:
• The most obvious, of course, is the title! I loved the movie Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Since my book takes place in China and features a were-tiger princess, a vampire and even a dragon, I was immediately drawn to the title, Crouching Tiger, Forbidden Vampire.
• At one point, vampire Russell wonders to himself, How could a were-tiger princess ever be interested in a vagabond vampire who lives in a cave down by the river? The inspiration? Chris Farley, and his motivational speaker who lives in a van down by the river!
• The were-tiger princess, Jia, is engaged to a prince from South Korea. Her fiancé is the handsome heir to a wealthy, were-tiger kingdom. I gave him the Korean name Kim MiNam. The inspiration? The fabulous Korean drama You're Beautiful, where a girl has to help her twin brother's career by cross-dressing and pretending to be him. She takes on his name, MiNam, which means handsome man. How can the vagabond vampire, Russell, compete with the wealthy were-tiger, Kim MiNam?
About Crouching Tiger, Forbidden Vampire:
New York Times bestselling author Kerrelyn Sparks delivers the exciting conclusion in the Love at Stake series, where a Marine-turned-vampire finds love with the shifter princess forbidden to him ...
Russell wakes from a coma to find he's become a vampire. Now he has a thirst for revenge. Determined to hunt down the master vampire who turned him, he's used to working alone ... until he meets Jia. She is after the same vampire for murdering her parents and insists she can help Russell on this mission. Reluctantly, he agrees, and sets up some ground rules:
Rule #1: Their partnership is strictly business. If he holds her a little too close ... if she looks at him with those exotic eyes ... well, that has to stop.
Rule #2: He's in charge. Jia isn't used to taking orders and questions every move he makes. So he stops her the only way he knows how.
Rule #3: Don't fall in love. But the kiss that was supposed to quiet her awakens something else in him ... something forbidden. Because Jia is engaged. To someone else.
Find out more at www.kerrelynsparks.com.
Tessa Dare, author of Say Yes to the Marquess
Three things that inspired Say Yes to the Marquess:
• Say Yes to the Dress. It's probably obvious to anyone who watches cable TV that this book's title is a play on a certain bridal-themed reality series, and yes — this romance features wedding planning! Except in Say Yes to the Marquess, Clio Whitmore, the bride-to-be, is reluctant to marry after waiting eight long years. And the groom's brother, a disreputable prizefighter named Rafe Brandon, is saddled with the difficult task of changing her mind.
Rafe believes that if he can give Clio choices and make her excited about the spectacle of a lavish wedding — gown, banquet, flowers, cake — she'll change her mind and marry his brother. As you can probably guess, Clio does start to change her mind — not about marrying the marquess, but about marrying Rafe instead!
• Castles. The whole Castles Ever After series is based on heroines who each inherit a castle from their wealthy, eccentric godfather. For Say Yes to the Marquess, I created a fictional castle in the county of Kent, England, and called it Twill Castle. Kent is a beautiful area of England, known for its lovely estates and gardens. I drew particular inspiration from visiting Leeds Castle, known by many as the most beautiful castle in England, and Hever Castle, the childhood home of Anne Boleyn. Like Twill Castle, Hever Castle still has a functioning portcullis at the entry arch. And the best part is, one wing of the castle is now a hotel — I was able to stay there overnight!
• My beloved Big Brown Dog. The hero of Say Yes to the Marquess has a very old, very ugly bulldog in his care, named Ellingworth. Both the humorous and emotional sides of dealing with an aging pet were inspired by my real life. Our family dog (known to those who follow me online as "the big brown dog") was 13 years old when I wrote this book, which is quite ancient for a large breed. We rescued him from a shelter when he was around a year old, and he was my faithful writing buddy. He would follow me around the house and never went to his bed before I went to mine, even as his eyes, hearing and legs began to fail. Right around the time I finished the book, the big brown dog passed away. He went peacefully and surrounded by the family, and he continues to live on in our many happy memories. Say Yes is dedicated to him with much love.
Find out more at tessadare.com.
Megan Frampton, author of The Duke's Guide to Correct Behavior
Three things that inspired my writing and The Duke's Guide to Correct Behavior:
• Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre. For me, it always comes back to Jane and Mr. Rochester. I love the governess/lord trope, the fierce, determined heroine and the damaged charismatic hero.
• Oddly enough, my writing career happened because of 9/11. I had been working at a music conference, all of which occurred in downtown New York City. It was scheduled to begin 9/14. Obviously, it did not, and subsequently I got laid off. I decided to stay home with my then 2½-year-old son, and I thought it might be the right time to finally try my hand at writing a romance novel. I did, my first attempt was published by Signet in their traditional Regency line and here I am.
• Richard Armitage. I first saw Armitage in North and South, based on the Elizabeth Gaskell novel of the same name. That miniseries is my favorite one ever (yes, even including Pride and Prejudice!), and it's due in no small part to Armitage, who plays the role of Mr. Thornton superbly. Plus there's the fact that he is tall, dark-haired, blue-eyed, with a large, sharp nose. My type to a T.
About The Duke's Guide to Correct Behavior:
All of London knows the Duke of Rutherford has position and wealth. They also whisper that he's dissolute, devilish, and determinedly unwed. So why, everyone is asking, has he hired a governess?
When Miss Lily Russell crosses the threshold of the Duke of Rutherford's stylish townhouse, she knows she has come face to face with sensual danger. For this is no doting papa. Rather, his behavior is scandalous, and his reputation rightly earned. And his pursuit of her is nearly irresistible—but resist she must for the sake of her pupil.
As for the duke himself, it was bad enough when his unknown child landed on his doorstep. Now Lily, with her unassuming beauty, has aroused his most wicked fantasies—and, shockingly, his desire to change his wanton ways. He's determined to become worthy of her, and so he asks for her help in correcting his behavior.
But Lily has a secret, one that, if it becomes known, could change everything…
Find out more at meganframpton.com.