Searching for a hero (and heroine)

I love the period between finishing one book and starting another – the holiday period, where I decide which one of the stories in my head to concentrate upon, and I'd like your help to "find" my characters.

When I begin a new book I like to have some idea of what my hero and heroine look like – their personality I can describe in words, but I prefer to have a "visual", a picture of the character that I can keep  in my mind (and on my noticeboard) while I am writing.  I therefore like to have pictures of my characters.  This can be actors, models or even in some cases a building.  In my forthcoming book, "Bought for Revenge", it was the house that started it all off –  the picture on the left shows the remains of the house, which is quite l close to my home. It inspired my story and is the backdrop for many scenes in the book.

  I am currently looking for characters for my latest books – yes, I do mean books. There is a future book that I just need to "outline" in readiness, an on-going project and the book I am going to crack on with next. So…..

 I need a stern, military man for the Regency period,  a young Spanish nobleman to sail with the Armada and aboyish charmer who doesn't want to settle down.

I love dark and brooding heroes, but my military man needs to be a little older, reserved, not really a ladies man (which means the ladies will find him enormously attractive!)  My mind immediately turns to Gregory Peck in his role as Captain Hornblower.  Or perhaps Peter  O'Toole as Lawrence of Arabia.  The result, of course will be a mixture of the two, plus maybe a few others thrown in.   He is to meet his match with an independent woman, an educationalist whose views are totally opposed to his own… so, a strong woman (actually, I hope all my heroines are strong women, in their own way) – maybe Emma Thompson?

Then there is my young Spanish nobleman – at  the beginning of this story he is very young and headstrong but by the end he has matured into a strong and handsome hero.  Mention Spain and Antonio Banderas immediately comes to mind, but as my hero also has to be (at one point) bearded and a little wild, then maybe the lovely Hugh Jackman in his role as Wolverine – without the claws, of course! This hero has a plethora of women in his life, but his ultimate partner is small, dark and determined -Anne Hathaway, perhaps, or Kate Beckinsale as she appeared in van Helsing?

Hopefully by now you have got the idea – remember, this is just a visual image, not their inner character,

And last is the book I am going to work on next – the Regency Rake, young , boyish, not ready for responsibility or settling down.  His lady already has too much responsibility on her shoulders – two young children that she has taken under her wing.  I am currently searching for the "visuals" for these characters –can you help?  Whose looks would you suggest epitomise that boyish charm and the steely, steadfast determined young woman?  

Or maybe you have suggestions for the other characters I have mentioned. Do let me know!

Melinda Hammond/Sarah Mallory

OUT NOW – Melinda Hammond Lady Vengeance – e-book, Regency Reads

COMING SOON – Sarah Mallory, Bought for Revenge –Harlequin Historical