Photo inspiration for Deceiving the Duke of Kerrington

Whenever I write a book, I like to find pictures that are similar to what I envision for settings, clothing, houses, and even the characters that I use to draw inspiration from. Of course nothing is ever exactly how an author (or reader) pictures it in their own imaginations, but it is kind of fun to have some visuals. Today I wanted to share some of my inspiration for Deceiving the Duke of Kerrington.

 

 

Ridgecrest Manor, Pierce's country estate, was loosely based off of Adare Manor in Ireland. It has an elegant beauty all of it's own without being overly pretentious. I used one of my own photos from my stay there last year on the cover of the book.

 

 

 

 Um...Yum! Ha Ha. So, it's always hard to find pictures that depict exactly what you envision a character to look like. This picture is not exactly the image I had in my head for Pierce, but it is pretty close. Of course we know that the Duke's eyes would have to be so dark they were almost black, but you get the picture. I must confess that I have a penchant for men that are tall, dark, and handsome so I love writing about Heroes that embody that persona. But do not despair if that is not to your taste; my Hero in the third book of the trilogy, Devon, is a blonde!

 

Who did you picture Pierce looking like? My good friend Ashley told me that she envisioned him looking like the actor that plays superman in the new movie, only tanner!



This writing desk is similar to the one Pierce gifts to Hope in Deceiving the Duke of Kerrington. Regency furniture is much more dainty and elegant than the bulky and contemporary styles we prefer nowadays, but I love how feminine this particular piece looks. I can just envision Hope sitting here writing one of her whimsical tales, nibbling on her lower lip as she concentrates. I'm sure she'll spend many hours writing at this desk!

 

 

 

 This gold ballgown was the inspiration for the dress Hope wears to the ball the night Pierce announces their engagement. Remember the scene where she comes out wearing her beloved ruby necklace with this dress, infuriating Pierce that she isn't wearing the amber necklace he gave her?

 And speaking of the amber necklace, these stones are similar to the ones found on the necklace Pierce gave Hope. Imagine Hope's eyes being similar in color. I used to know a lady with the most beautiful amber eyes and she was the inspiration for using the odd color for my heroine.



 This is a typical regency cravat that men of that era wore. Just imagine the stark white contrast of the material against Pierce's strong, dark jawline!

 

 

I hope you enjoyed seeing some of the pictures that inspired me as I wrote Deceiving the Duke of Kerrington. It's kind of fun to see an actual visualization of the world and characters created inside your head. I also wanted to let you know that Misleading Lord Martineau is coming along nicely-I should have it ready to be released in early September. Elliot and Felicity are dying to share their story with you and I'm excited to hear if you love it as much as I do!