Vanessa Kelly is an award-winning author who was named by Booklist, the review journal of the American Library Association, as one of the "New Stars of Historical Romance." Her sensual, Regency-set historical romances have been nominated for awards in a number of contests, and her second book, Sex and The Single Earl, won the prestigious Maggie Medallion for Best Historical Romance. Vanessa's next series, The Renegade Royals, is due to hit the shelves on Nov. 26 with Lost in a Royal Kiss. Book one in the series, Secrets for Seducing a Royal Bodyguard, will release in January, 2014.
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Why Can’t They All Look Like Gerard Butler?
Most romance authors I know tend to play casting director with their characters, often basing heroes and heroines on certain actors or models. Not only is this entertaining—who doesn’t like to look at pictures of hunky guys for a living—it’s also a useful writing exercise. When my frazzled writer’s brain is ping-ponging around trying to figure out what a character is all about, a picture of a real person can help bring that into focus.
But when it specifically comes to my heroes my brain seems to do this funny little twist. For some reason the first example I usually come up with is Gerard Butler. Not that anyone could really blame me, I guess—not when you have material like this to work with.
But I have to be realistic. Not all of my heroes can look like Gerard Butler, especially when I have more than one hero from a series present in a book. So for The Renegade Royals, my new series starting with Lost in a Royal Kiss, I used a number of different actors. I started with Gerard Butler as Dominic Hunter, the informal leader of the Renegade Royals, and rolled in Hugh Jackman and Johnny Depp as the heroes of Secrets for Seducing a Royal Bodyguard and Confessions of a Royal Bridegroom. Trust me—it’s not too difficult writing sexy, dashing heroes with those guys as inspiration.
For Lost in a Royal Kiss? I went a bit outside the box, at least for me. For Sir Anthony Tait, the powerful and oh-so-cool hero of that story, I used Ioan Gruffud, the talented and quietly sexy Welsh actor.
It was the eyes that did it for me. Along with his other attributes, Ioan Gruffud has a truly mesmerizing gaze.
You can check out my Renegade Royals Pinterest Board to see some of the other good-looking guys I’ve been using as inspiration for my heroes. Yeah, it’s a tough job, but someone has to do it!
Do you like to cast actors or models as characters in your favorite books? Does one actor in particular stand out as perfect hero material? One person who comments will win an ARC of my January book, Secrets for Seducing a Royal Bodyguard.
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In this thrilling introduction to her Renegade Royals series, Vanessa Kelly transports readers to the court of King George III—where a London street urchin unwittingly plays Cupid, ushering in a new era—and ultimately a new kind of royal…
With her widowed mother working long hours as governess to the royal children, Linnet St. Clare must look after her siblings and run the household. Now she must add to her worries the fate of Dominic, a poor orphan who has inspired the wrath of the king himself. Clearly Linnet has no time to consider her own desires—much less notice the attentions of a certain handsome, powerful magistrate…
Sir Anthony Tait is at a loss for how to capture Linnet’s interest. If only she would be still long enough for courting. Outright seduction seems the only answer. But will his kisses be enough to persuade her—or might Anthony have something to learn from young Dominic about matters of the heart? And in saving the boy’s future, might Anthony and Linnet at last create their own?
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Check out the The Renegade Royals:
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Check out what's up for grabs.
- 1 ARC copy of Secrets for Seducing a Royal Bodyguard
To Enter:
- Leave answer Vanessa's question: Does one actor in particular stand out as perfect hero material?
- Please fill out the Rafflecopter form.
Good Luck!
Special thanks to Vanessa Kelly for sponsoring this giveaway.
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58 comments :
Eric Bana is one who I always picture as a hero.
Richard Armitage is my embodiment of the perfect hero. And that voice!
Honestly... I don't think any actor can live up to my expectations of my perfect hero. BUT Colin Firth comes close...
Hugh Jackman...
I've a few that I picture as my hero. Henry Cavill, Richard Armitage and Rupert Penry-Jones. All of them are swoon worthy, and have beautiful eloquent speech.
Colin O'Donoghue
Good choice, Jan!
RA has a lovely voice, Linda. He's a very popular model with many romance writers!
He's dreamy, May!
Jo, Hugh Jackman is the model for my hero in Secrets for Seducing a Royal Bodyguard.
Love Henry, Diane! He's the model for the hero in His Mistletoe Bride.
Olga, I don't know him. I'll have to look him up!
Gerard Butler is number one. But he is closely followed by Hugh Jackman and Chris Hemsworth when I'm thinking blond.
Sting has always been my number 1 hero pick. If I need a "bad boy" I have leaned toward Alan Rickman! My newest favorite it Matthew Macfayden!
Hi Vanessa! I visualize a lot of actors in hero roles. I love Chris Hemsworth--definitely hero matrial! I can defitely see him as a hot Scotsman in a kilt!....I also think there are a few hotties on tv that are hero material--i can see Jensen Ackles and Jared Padaecki as two hotties i Regency style clothes and riding on black horses, saving damsels in distress.
Sorry for any typos, I'm in the hospital and the monitor is 10 feet away from me and this keyboard is stupid wonky. My dumb gall bladder suddenly filled up and had to come out. They said it looked like a bag of rocks. Can't wait to go home tomy own computer.
I usually just imagine how the character is described, I have a good imagination I typically don't use an actor. but I have been in Love with Billy Zane since I was 14, and Ethan Hawke on and off since before then. Nathan Fillion and Gary Oldman to round it off.
No actor stands out as the perfect hero material because I don't like imagining my hero as real people. I like them as my imagination that way I can change the way they look all the time.
Richard Armitage is my favorite. I love his voice!
I love all of the men listed above, but I've always been a geek fan. I'm gonna go with Matthew Gray Gubler (Reid on Criminal Minds) or Sergio Di Zio (Spike from Flashpoint).
I love Gerard Butler, since I saw him in the movie 300. He does it for me
I don't usually picture real men when I am reading a romance. I find that my own imagination is better than the real thing.
Chris Hemsworth :)
Hi Vanessa! I usually can picture the hero of the story in my head based on the description of him in the book. Right now, Tom Mison (Ichabod from Sleepy Hollow) looks the the perfect hero material to me!!
Congratulations on the upcoming release. When I read a book, I don't usually picture an actor as the hero. However, the man who plays Captain Hook in the tv show Once Upon a Time would make a good hero.
I usually don't picture an actor, but I like using the cover models to picture the heroes or heroine's. My favorite is Paul Marron! He's on the cover of Sex and the Single Earle, isn't he?
I'll go with Nathan Fillion, because I think the perfect hero has a touch of humor as well as courage and loyalty.
Oh my goodness, I have quite a few that I consider worthy. Karl Urban tops my list and then it is for sure Gerard Butler - gotta love that accent!
lattebooks at hotmail dot com
no one single actor can fully optimize it, why limit oneself afterall ;)
No, I never imagine an actor or actress portraying the characters!!
I will always choose Alexander Skarsgard. He is ALWAYS my hero in my reads! If they are brunettes, blondes, redheads... it doesn't matter! I imagine Alexander.
Christopher Hemsworth does it for me!
hugh jackman...yumm :p
thx u for the giveaway...
I can't really picture a perfect hero because really, perfect is boring lol But close to perfect in my opinion are the Canadian Ryans -- Reynolds and Gosling. They are the best combination of charm and sexiness
Great choices, Glenda!
I'm a huge fan of Alan Rickman, Tevon, and I like Matthew Macfayden, too!
Oh, no, Sandra! I hope everything goes well for you. I've spent much of the last 3 days in the hospital, too. My 90 year old dad got a pretty nasty infection and had to go in for IV antibiotics. Hope you're home, soon!
Love Nathan Fillion and Gary Oldman!
Sometimes are imaginations are way more powerful, Sandy!
Me too, Missy!
Very interesting choices, Aquarian Dancer!
Does he ever, Sheryl!
Many readers agree with that approach, Cathy!
Dreamy!
Anita, I LOVE Tom Mison! Sleepy Hollow is one of my favorite new shoes.
I have to confess that I don't watch Once Upon a Time. I'll have to check Captain Hook out, Kim!
Yes, he is, Sharlene. Paul Marron is fantastic!
I love Nathan, Barbara. He's a cool guy, that's for sure!
Those two are totally hot, Susan!
I like your philosophy, gamimistress!
Using imagination is fun too, Martha!
He's pretty cool, Meghan!
Yep, he's the bomb!
Nurmawati, he's great - HJ has been inspiration for several of my books!
I love Ryan Reynolds, Ada!
If it is a romantic comedy....Gerard Butler.
If it is a dark romance....Christian Bale
If it is a sweet romance.....Ryan Reynolds
Hugh Jackman for sure.
I've always had a thing for Joseph Morgan ;)
Because Thor Movie, i choose Chris Hemsworth!! :)
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