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! 

The Birth of Deceiving the Duke of Kerrington

I have to admit, I haven't always been a fan of historical romances. It probably was mostly due to the fact that I hadn't read many, but once I started I was hooked! I had read probably hundreds of books set in the regency time frame and found myself drawn to the endless and somewhat silly rules of the ton, the strict rules of propriety, and of course the elegant fashions of the time and decided that was the time period I wanted to write my first historical romance in.

The problem I now faced was trying to decide what to write about. After reading so many books from that era I felt like every subject had been broached. I thought about it and thought about and one day as I was thinking I realized that though I had read lots of novels where the heroine had posed as a lady's maid, I had never read one where the lady's maid had posed as an actual lady. Thus, the seed began to take root for my first book in the Ladies of Deception Trilogy, "Deceiving the Duke of Kerrington". Immediately I knew that there would be three books even though I had only conjured up an idea for the first one, but as I began to write, new characters emerged and I quickly knew who all three of the books would be about.

Coming up with Pierce's character was easy for me. Of course I imagined he would be tall, dark, and handsome! I wanted him to have a rugged handsome appeal with a touch of the alpha male in him. He wasn't someone easily taken in by simpering young debutantes or title-seeking women of the ton, having had his heart broken in the past by just such a lady, so I knew it would take a special heroine to capture his somewhat jaded heart.

Hope of course was the perfect solution to what our hero needed! Unlike the typical young woman of the aristocracy, she was not bred to be spoiled. Hope is many things that her mistress is not; warm, caring, hard working, intelligent, strong, and witty. And, like me, she also likes to write!

One of my favorite parts of any romance is the chemistry between two characters. I personally like a little badinage and some of my favorite scenes in "Deceiving the Duke of Kerrington" are when Hope and Pierce are bantering back and forth. Pierce can be a touch arrogant, typical of his station as the Duke of Kerrington, but Hope can hold her own and doesn't back down when handling him. Maybe it's because she's not impressed with titles and ranks and is more concerned with who people are on the inside. Luckily for her, despite the duke's sometimes abrasive manner, he too has a heart of gold!

I'm really excited to hear what you thought of "Deceiving the Duke of Kerrington". I have lots more behind the scenes information to share, including pictures and songs that inspired me as I wrote, sharing my favorite scenes with you, and insights into the hero and heroines themselves. I can't wait to share it all with you!