Found my inspiration!

I'm working on LOVER'S DAWN, my first erotic novella for Harlequin SPICE right now, and really trying to get a visual in my mind of my hero, Will Cooper.

The novella is set in Edwardian-era England, and Will comes from a dubious background--his mother is a washerwoman, and no one knows who is father is, though it's assumed that he is a (probably married) gentleman. Someone (likely his father) has paid for Will to attend university, and he's now a botanist working at Cambridge's Botanic Garden. So he's that interesting mix of rough-around-the-edges working class but educated and artistic. He's a reader and thinker, but used to using his hands and working hard.

Because I'm a very visual person, I generally look around for a photograph--usually of an actor--to inspire my current WIP's hero. When I find *just* the perfect picture, I print it out, write my character's name on it, and tape it to my computer desk. In essence, I "cast" the character in my mind.

Anyway, I hadn't yet found my picture for Will. Then, I caught one of my old favorite movies on cable--Desperately Seeking Susan. Oh, how I *love* young Aidan Quinn in this movie (and I love Aidan Quinn in general!). So, I did a bit of searching today, and VOILA! I've found my Will! To me, this picture of Aidan perfectly embodies the character and all his subtleties.

Thought I'd share....



Pretty nice, huh?!