Oooops (Anne Stuart)

Family emergency, so no time to chat. Instead I'll leave you with some pretty pictures.

First we've got Shane, the hottest cowboy who ever lived (David Carradine in his very young, incredibly sexy prime). He gave me my first book, BARRETT'S HILL, plus a couple of western novellas I wrote for Berkley and St. Martins.

Then we have Daniel Day-Lewis in his prime (I do like prime meat) who gave me A ROSE AT MIDNIGHT and TO LOVE A DARK LORD.

And then there's Yoshiki, who gave me a novella and ICE BLUE.

Gackt, who gave me THE DEVIL'S WALTZ (and part of Taka in ICE BLUE)

And there's Reno from Final Fantasy VII and Hyde as inspiration for Reno in the upcoming FIRE & ICE.

But the all time winner for book inspiration, the one who inspired bits of MONSTER IN THE CLOSET (in the Shadows collection), the novella in TO LOVE AND CHERISH (or whatever that was called), LORD OF DANGER and half a dozen others, including Elric in THE UNFORTUNATE MISS FORTUNES (just his attitude -- Elric looks like Howl and was inspired by Full Metal Alchemist) -- the winner of the Sister Krissie Award for Inspiration is:

Alan Rickman!

So who's your favorite of all these? Are you curious who inspired certain books? Ask and I shall tell. Sometimes I don't even realize it until later (Alan Rickman's voice in THE UNFORTUNATE MISS FORTUNES was a complete surprise).

Now I'm off to do damage control. A mother's work is never done. But in the meantime, let me know who of my choices appall you and who you adore.

And what other heroes you're curious about.