Actors I’ve been (slightly) obsessed with in recent history and the roles they played

Authors often get asked where their inspiration comes from. I don’t know about others, but I get pretty inspired by hot guys 🙂

In writing any romance novel, it’s important to have a likable, relatable heroine, but for me, the most important part that keeps me writing is creating the sexiest, most badass, usually tortured, too-good-to-be-true fantasy hero. I mean, really, these men don’t exist in real life. Not all wrapped up in one wonderful package in any case—the looks, the body, the personality, the devotion, and all the other stuff. Otherwise we’d all probably read a lot less romance novels.

When I get inspired, I can get a little obsessed. I might watch every single movie or show the actor has ever been in. I might watch or listen to or read interviews they’ve done. I might spend hours poring through their images online… Here are a few that have really got my creative juices flowing at one point or another.

• Keanu Reeves in Point Break, Speed and The Matrix movies. I wouldn’t say Keanu is the best actor in the world, but he sure is gorgeous to look at. His is a face and body that appeals to just about any race in the world.

• Charlie Hunnam in King Arthur and Sons of Anarchy. I wasn’t impressed by him when I first saw him in Pacific Rim, but I did take note of his scrumptious posterior. Recently I watched King Arthur on the plane and was so taken with his bad-ass-ness that I watched it twice! Then spent the next few days stalking the guy on the web. Love his sense of humor and intelligence. I’ll be modeling one of the key characters in the Pure/ Dark series after him. 🙂

• Lee Soo Hyuk in Scholar Who Walks the Night, King of High School Savvy and The Boy from Ipanema. I’ve said a lot about this actor in another post. You’ll have to Google him to find out more.

• Brad Pitt in Mr and Mrs Smith and Legends of the Falls. Brad definitely made a memorable first impression on me when I saw him in Thelma & Louise. The abs, abs, abs! Not a bad actor either.

• Henry Cavill in Immortals and Superman. Gorgeous contrast, dark hair, startling blue eyes surrounded by spiky lashes. Body’s not bad 😛 I wouldn’t model any of my characters off of him – he reminds me of a “proper gentleman,” too straight and narrow. Maybe if he plays a rough and tumble badass character in a movie next…