Antonella asked Kristen Ashley:

Hi Kristen,I adore your books and I just love these fabulous characters you created.I "felt" the story of Lauren(sweet dreams)the most.It's funny because on the first look we have nothing in common.Where do you find inspiration for such diversity in characters and how many of them were copy from your friends and family? Does Lauren exist in your life?If so give her a big hug I SO want to be her when I grow up...xo

Kristen Ashley Well, girl, I think this puts me in the position of accepting your hug because of all my heroines, the one that mostly comes from down deep inside the woman that is me is Lauren. That is, it was Lauren until I found my "something special" in living the dream of telling my stories for a living and having my world grow so beautifully in being able to connect with the people who enjoy them (like you :-)).

As for inspiration for characters, it comes from everywhere. Sometimes it's people in my life (like Tod and Stevie, Nick, Annette, Herb and Trish, all from the Rock Chicks, Keira and Kate from The 'Burg, to name a few).

Sometimes I take characteristics of people I love and put them into a character to instill the love I have for someone in my life into that character (Tex from the Rock Chicks, Faye from BREATHE, Sam from AT PEACE, also to name a few).

Sometimes they're just made up from the massive mental catalog of life observations I've filed away.

And sometimes they just hit like a ton of bricks, so clear, it's like I'd met them and knew them my whole life.

I just keep feeding that catalog and keep my mind open to whatever characters come to me and then I can keep giving them to you!

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