K.C. Bateman
Generally some chocolate and a nice glass of wine are extremely helpful!
I find inspiration all over the place. I love stories about lost treasures, such as the fabled Amber Room from the Catherine Palace in Russia, that was (maybe) destroyed during the bombing of Konigsberg in WWII, or the Caravaggio painting ‘St Matthew and the Angel’ that’s been lost for decades. I hate the thought of such incredible things being gone forever. My story-telling, mystery-loving soul wants them to come to light, having been smuggled away and secretly hidden for years in a grimy cellar! As an antiques valuer I’ve discovered (and sold) many real-life treasures hidden away in people’s attics and cellars – there are always amazing items being rediscovered and the stories behind them are equally fascinating. Just reading true stories like this can give you a spark of an idea.
Sometimes reading a great book is enough to give you a kick in the pants to start typing that next book, too. I’m an avid reader of both historical romance and general fiction – everything from Shakespeare to Machiavelli and Aristophanes! Some of my favorite authors (in no particular order) are Georgette Heyer, Mary Renault, Jane Austen, Phillip Pullman, Terry Pratchett, Jean M Auel, Judith McNaught, Anne Stuart, E. M Forster, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Stella Gibbons, P. G Wodehouse, Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Laura Kinsale, Stella Gibbons.
I also love films and stories that deal with historical adventuring and spies, such as The Count of Monte Cristo and The Three Musketeers, as well as more modern shows / movies that deal with spying and the art world such as The Thomas Crown Affair, White Collar, Spooks. Even historical fantasy shows like Game of Thrones can be inspiring – that’s based on real events in European History – George RR Martin used The Wars of The Roses for his inspiration. I adore witty, passionate, intelligent dialogue, too, so I’m addicted to anything written by Aaron Sorkin, like The West Wing and The Newsroom.
I find inspiration all over the place. I love stories about lost treasures, such as the fabled Amber Room from the Catherine Palace in Russia, that was (maybe) destroyed during the bombing of Konigsberg in WWII, or the Caravaggio painting ‘St Matthew and the Angel’ that’s been lost for decades. I hate the thought of such incredible things being gone forever. My story-telling, mystery-loving soul wants them to come to light, having been smuggled away and secretly hidden for years in a grimy cellar! As an antiques valuer I’ve discovered (and sold) many real-life treasures hidden away in people’s attics and cellars – there are always amazing items being rediscovered and the stories behind them are equally fascinating. Just reading true stories like this can give you a spark of an idea.
Sometimes reading a great book is enough to give you a kick in the pants to start typing that next book, too. I’m an avid reader of both historical romance and general fiction – everything from Shakespeare to Machiavelli and Aristophanes! Some of my favorite authors (in no particular order) are Georgette Heyer, Mary Renault, Jane Austen, Phillip Pullman, Terry Pratchett, Jean M Auel, Judith McNaught, Anne Stuart, E. M Forster, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Stella Gibbons, P. G Wodehouse, Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Laura Kinsale, Stella Gibbons.
I also love films and stories that deal with historical adventuring and spies, such as The Count of Monte Cristo and The Three Musketeers, as well as more modern shows / movies that deal with spying and the art world such as The Thomas Crown Affair, White Collar, Spooks. Even historical fantasy shows like Game of Thrones can be inspiring – that’s based on real events in European History – George RR Martin used The Wars of The Roses for his inspiration. I adore witty, passionate, intelligent dialogue, too, so I’m addicted to anything written by Aaron Sorkin, like The West Wing and The Newsroom.
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