Author inspirations: Vintage stuff, a wolf sanctuary and combining genres

Today's featured authors: Courtney Rice Gager, author of Tess in Boots; Collette Cameron, author of Triumph and Treasure; and Eva Gordon, author of Alpha Wolf's Pet: Kept. They're sharing some inspirations for their new releases.

Courtney Rice Gager, author of Tess in Boots

Three inspirations behind my new release:

• A love for all things vintage. I adore vintage items, especially those you can use or wear on a daily basis. I find it fascinating to imagine the story behind a particular piece. Vintage items spark my creativity, serving as a subtle reminder for me to make my own story count. The vintage boots in my book have a great story behind them ... and in front of them, too.

• My childhood backyard. The house I grew up in had grapevines in the backyard. I used to linger there for hours, eating grapes straight from the vine and letting my imagination wander. At one point, my family went through a homemade winemaking phase, and I got to help squash the grapes. This wasn't as fun as the classic I Love Lucy episode made it seem, and yet I found a lot of beauty in the process. Setting Tess in Boots on a vineyard felt right. It felt a little like home.

• Leo Tolstoy's quote: "All great literature is one of two stories; a man goes on a journey or a stranger comes to town." My main character, Tess, is living both of these stories. She's a girl on a journey who arrives as a stranger in a small town. I've always been enamored with plot lines that pull characters out of their comfort zones. I believe we have the opportunity to experience maximum growth when we suddenly find ourselves without our usual creature comforts.

Here's the blurb for Tess in Boots:

Tess Dougherty plans every aspect of her life right down to the last detail. But she doesn't plan on running her boyfriend off by bringing up the topic of marriage before he's ready. And she doesn't plan to lose her job on the day she's set to receive a huge promotion. So when her perfect world unravels, Tess makes a new plan: disappear.

Tess packs her bags and leaves her city apartment for a remote vineyard in North Carolina. At first, she's put off by the slow pace of small-town life in the South. She's especially irritated by Thatcher, the vineyard's smart-mouth, dimple-faced farmhand. But she soon begins to appreciate the area's charm, and Thatcher's charm, too. She even swaps her trademark heels for a pair of cowboy boots. As Tess spends more time getting to know Thatcher, she finds herself loosening her grip on her old life little by little. Unfortunately, things on the vineyard aren't as simple as they seem. There's a secret here, and when the truth comes to light, Tess is forced to reconsider every plan she's ever made.

Find out more at www.courtneyricegager.com.

Collette Cameron, author of Triumph and Treasure

Three things that inspired Triumph and Treasure:

• Triumph and Treasure, the entire series actually, was inspired by my first series, the Castle Brides Series. I so loved many of the secondary characters from those three books, I wanted to create a spinoff series, and my six-book Highland Heather Romancing a Scot Series is the result.

• I was excited to combine my two favorite genres, Regency and Scottish/Highlander, and because my books are set in the early 1800s, I can incorporate many of the traditional Regency trappings, yet add some delicious Scottish elements, such as cant, superstitions and customs. I wanted to create unique Scottish characters for the series, which means they would have a connection to Scotland, though that association might be indirect.

• Finally, I dreamed about a heroine who found herself pregnant and unmarried through no fault of hers. I knew it would take a special kind of hero to fall in love with her and understand her plight, especially in an era where her situation was scandalous. Flynn, the Earl of Bretheridge, has been one of my most favorite heroes. I added a mention of him in my second book, The Viscount's Vow, and he was a strong secondary character in The Earl's Enticement.

Here's the blurb about Triumph and Treasure:

A disillusioned Scottish gentlewoman.

Angelina Ellsworth once believed in love—before she discovered her husband of mere hours was a slave-trader and already married. To avoid the scandal and disgrace, she escapes to her aunt and uncle's, the Duke and Duchess of Waterford. When Angelina learns she is with child, she vows she'll never trust a man again.

A privileged English lord.

Flynn, Earl of Luxmoore, led an enchanted life until his father committed suicide after losing

everything to Waterford in a wager. Stripped of all but his title, Flynn is thrust into the role of marquis as well as provider for his disabled sister and invalid mother. Unable to pay his father's astronomical gambling loss, Flynn must choose between social or financial ruin.

When the duke suggests he'll forgive the debt if Flynn marries his niece, Flynn accepts the duke's proposal. Reluctant to wed a stranger, but willing to do anything to protect her babe and escape the clutches of the madman who still pursues her, Angelina agrees to the union.

Can Flynn and Angelina find happiness and love in a marriage neither wanted, or is the chasm between them insurmountable?

Find out more at collettecameron.com.

Eva Gordon, author of Alpha Wolf's Pet: Kept

Three things that inspired my new paranormal romance novella and Alpha Wolf's Pet series:

• Volunteering at a wolf sanctuary and loving the concept of wolf shifters.

• The what if: What if a society of werewolves were first born wolf until they were bitten by man? It was fun creating a paranormal romance universe based on the concept of man bites wolf. Naturally, this involves magic.

• Books and documentaries about the natural history of wolves inspired me. (I also lecture about wolf/werewolf lore and other topics in animal lore.)

Here's the blurb about Alpha Wolf's Pet: Kept (book two):

In the sequel to Alpha Wolf's Pet, Hidden, Mia has two choices: remain hidden, frightened by the Russian mob determined to murder her, or become a sworn member and under the protection of Dominic's werewolf pack. Being Dominic's human lover is pleasurable while taxing. She wants more than he can give: commitment. Except werewolves never marry humans. Carnal desires aside, will she accept her low status within the pack in order to share what little time she has with Dominic until he takes a werewolf mate?

Dominic is torn. If he gives Mia beta status, his pack will mutiny. If he doesn't, she'll leave. Her stubborn independent nature will turn his world of strict pack rules upside down and he'll be scorned as pack enforcer. He loves her, but his pack rules will never allow him to claim a human as his mate. Worse, he's drawn to Mia's addictive blood. Was one taste too much?

Despite breaking the witness protection rules and looming danger, Mia is determined to visit her ailing grandmother. Can Dominic protect her from the mob, as well as from his kind? As their passion reaches a fevered pitch, will circumstances crush their happiness.

Find out more at www.ravenauthor.com.