Samhain Publishing Ltd Weblog

Cool People We Meet

Have you ever met someone you knew you wanted to get to know better? I remember the first time I met my childhood best friend, Myra. We were twelve and my brother introduced us. I thought she was fascinating from the first. We shared so much in common, but it was our differences that made me want to get to know more about her. She had a huge stuffed animal collection. I hadn’t started any collections yet…boy did I make up for it later. She wore her hair in this really cool style I was quick to emulate. She’s still got the best hair of anyone I know. We became best friends and have been as close as sisters ever since.

That sensation of needing to get to know someone better can drive more than friendship for me, it can drive my creative process. Before writing Annabelle’s Courtship I met a young woman who fascinated me to the point of distraction and so did the sexy man determined to marry her. The problem? They both only existed in my dreams. The only way to get to know them was to write their story. I’m talking about Annabelle and Ian of course.

I remember the first time I dreamed about them. It was the scene where they first danced….only in my dream, that’s when the proposal happened. I thought Ian was the sexiests, most clueless, not to mention ultra stubborn guy I’d ever met. Well, excepting my husband of course. (Nope, not even my heroes top him in the sexy stakes. Lucky me. LOL) I loved how feisty Annabelle was. She just didn’t take anything off anyone…not the other members of the Ton, not Ian, not even her crotchety aunt. And man, could that girl find trouble.

Getting to know her and Ian was more fun than my last trip to Disneyland. Way more fun! I guess it’s kinda obvious that my characters become very real to me, isn’t it? I can’t help it. Whether I meet them in a dream or a waking fantasy, they find their way into my heart and my mind and never let go. Nothing makes me happier than to hear from a reader that feels the same way.

I’ve met a lot of special people in my life that ended up finding their place into my heart, some real some that ended up between the pagess of a book. I’m glad I had that dream about Annabelle and Ian…I’m glad they wouldn’t let go until I told their story and got to know them the way I needed to, but most of all…I’m glad I got the chance to share two people I love with readers who also have a piece of my heart.

And just in case you haven’t seen it…the book trailer for Annabelle’s Courtship. I really felt like the designer had met Ian and Annabelle just like I had. :)