Giveaways Inspirations and Influences

Guest Author & Giveaway: Kate Noble on Inspirations & Influences

Inspirations and Influences” is a series of articles in which we invite authors to write guest posts talking about their…well, Inspirations and Influences. The cool thing is that the writers are given free rein so they can go wild and write about anything they want. It can be about their new book, series or about their career as a whole.

Today’s guest is Smuggler-Favourite Kate Noble, author of some of Ana’s most treasured Romance novels (including Revealed, The Summer of You and Follow My Lead. With a new book – If I Fall – and a new novella – The Dress of the Season – coming out this week, we invited Kate to talk about Inspirations & Influences.

Please give it up for Kate!

Who doesn’t like a little swash in their buckle? I certainly do. I have always been madly in love with adventure stories. Whether it be Joan Wilder swinging across the jungle in Romancing the Stone or Errol Flynn hiding out amongst Robin Hood’s Merry Men, I’ve always enjoyed a bit of an adventure.

If I Fall is an adventure story that doesn’t look like one on the surface. The heroine, Sarah Forrester, is angry and hurt, having recently been dumped by a duke. So she reinvents herself as the queen of society. And her childhood friend, Naval Lieutenant Jackson Fletcher sees her brittle popularity for the lie that it is. Desperate to figure out a way to get her to return to the sweet, happy girl he once knew, Jackson throws whatever is the Regency version of a Hail Mary pass: on a lark, he pretends to be Sarah’s childhood hero, the Blue Raven.

However, the real Blue Raven doesn’t find it very funny. But he does happen to need Jackson to play the role of Blue Raven again, to help him solve a murder.

Thus Jackson and Sarah find themselves falling into a mystery…and falling in love… (cue group awwww…)

Influences:

The Dread Pirate Roberts

“‘I am not the Dread Pirate Roberts,’ he said. ‘My name is Ryan; I inherited the ship from the previous Dread Pirate Roberts, just as you will inherit it from me. The man I inherited it from is not the real Dread Pirate Roberts either. His name was Cummerbund. The real Roberts has been retired 15 years and living like a king in Patagonia.’”

When Wesley makes this speech to his beloved Buttercup in The Princess Bride, he is giving light to a fact that does not often get stated: Our heroes get old. We may not like to think about it, but those that survive their battles age like the rest of us. They get tired. They want to retire, they want families. But, the world still needs its heroes. Or in the case of The Princes Bride, its pirates.

Wesley took over the role of The Dread Pirate Roberts. Heck, even Dick Grayson took over the mantle of Batman when Bruce Wayne died (note: in true comic book death, Bruce came back. Don’t worry.) The idea of having to replace a hero got into my head and would not get out.

In Revealed, one of my previous books, I introduced the Blue Raven, an anonymous spy made famous by his exploits from the Peninsular War ending up as adventure stories in the Times. Well, I thought, what if he had to come back – but several years later? What if his fame never really died, but his abilities as a man of action had faded with age? What if…he needed a young man to help him out?

Indiana Jones

I adored Indiana Jones as a kid. I was of the right age where Temple of Doom was a fun, crazy, monkey-brains eating adventure with a dashing man to steal my young heart (as opposed to the movie being a serious let down from the superior plotting and construction ofRaiders of the Lost Ark – that kind of differentiation would come later, when I was in film school. And yes, I went to film school. It was the only major that would let me write off watching TV as homework.) And by the time Last Crusade came out, I was madly in love with not just Indiana Jones, but the version of him that I had created in my mind. The one who was totally interested in my 6th grade life, and would scoff at girls who betrayed their youth by worshipping at the altar of the New Kids on the Block. I, by contrast, was a grown up. He only had eyes for me.

The point is this – we do not only fall in love with heroes. We fall in love with a fiction of them in our youth. And this warm feeling is formative, and continues on into adulthood. I know that if Indiana Jones (the one from Temple of Doom or Raiders, not the paternal version from Kingdom of the Crystal Skull – in fact, its better if that movie is never mentioned again) walked into a bar, grabbed me by the wrist and kissed me silly, I would be helpless to resist. Just as Sarah, my heroine in If I Fall, is helpless to resist when she meets her childhood hero the Blue Raven – or at least, when she thinks she does. From the moment she realizes who it is that has dragged her into a closet, her mind is completely absorbed by him, to the detriment of all others.

The Naval Academy

My last inspirational influence is a lot harder to define, as it is something that has always existed in the background of my life. I grew up in Annapolis, Maryland, the home of the United States Naval Academy. My father was a Naval officer, and we largely came of age on base. My swim lessons? At the Academy. My sister’s gymnastic lessons? At the Academy. We even got a half day off from school when the Blue Angels were in town, so we could go watch their show (also, because they tended to fly right over our elementary school, and there was no multiplication tables being learned with the sound barrier being regularly broken overhead).

One facet of being a navy brat that doesn’t get enough press is the sponsorship program. Unlike non-military colleges, the students don’t have free time. In fact, in their freshman year, they are not allowed off base for several weeks. They don’t have cars, and they are not permitted to wear civilian clothes – even while on leave — until their junior year. Realizing these harsh restrictions, the Academy set up a sponsorship program, where local families who have ties to the Academy (of which, since it’s a navy town, there are many) can sponsor midshipmen, and give them a home away from home when they are finally allowed off base. When I was a little kid, my family took part in this program. We always had a running string of skinny, scared, and incredibly polite young men coming to visit on the weekends. It was very much like having a rotating cast of big brothers. My parents keep in touch with many of them today. I wanted my characters to have this kind of relationship – closer than friends, almost family – that allowed them to be comfortable with each other, that let them know each other so well that they could recognize when someone was lying, even to themselves.

Thus, the Forresters grew up in Portsmouth, near the Royal Naval College. Thus, Jackson Fletcher, when still a midshipman, was invited into the Forrester’s home as, his father was an old friend of Lord Forrester. And thus, a childhood friendship between Jackson and Sarah was born.

Thanks Kate!

And now for the giveaway:

GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

We have ONE copy of If I Fall to giveaway to one lucky commenter. The contest is open to ALL and will run until Saturday April 7 at 11:59 PM (PST). To enter, simply leave a comment here, letting us know the title of your favorite adventure novel of movie. Good luck!

81 Comments

  • ANna
    April 2, 2012 at 12:28 am

    Favorite adventure movie…hmm, I’ll have to stay Stardust.
    Thanks for doing the giveaway, the book certainly sounds interesting!

  • Stuart
    April 2, 2012 at 3:18 am

    Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris

  • Nikki Egerton
    April 2, 2012 at 4:36 am

    I think sooner or later I had better watch The Princess Bride! It seems I have missed out on something pretty good.
    My favourite adventure novels would have to be the Narnia books (specifically The Magician’s Nephew) and I’m going to pick Pan’s Labyrinth as my favourite film, if that counts.
    Thank you for the awesome post and giveaway!

  • Brenda C
    April 2, 2012 at 5:04 am

    Favourite adventure novel(s)? The Vorkosigan series! If I had to pick just one…probably The Vor Game.

  • Tina
    April 2, 2012 at 5:44 am

    My favorite adventure movie is The Princess Bride. So happy to see that it influenced Kate Noble 🙂

  • AnimeJune
    April 2, 2012 at 5:55 am

    I love the Princess Bride, but as an adventure movie, my personal favourite is Pixar’s UP, for me. For just the reasons you’ve stated – heroes get old. But sometimes, they keep on hero’ing it up anyway!

    Another excellent show that uses the “taking up the older hero’s mantle” is the underrated animated show, Batman Beyond, which had a young man taking over the Batman cape now that Bruce is too old (and crazy!) to do more than mentor!

  • MarieC
    April 2, 2012 at 5:58 am

    I loved the Princess Bride! But a really close second are the Lord of the Ring series! (and so far, Game of Thrones isn’t too shabby either!)

  • Yeti
    April 2, 2012 at 6:03 am

    My favourite adventure novel is City of the Beasts by Isabel Allende…unfortunately it isn’t a movie but I so wish it was…truth be old the only reson I initially picked the book up was because it had pretty shimmering butterflies on the cover 😀 so glad I judged a book by its cover! Movie wise I loved Cuthroat Island 🙂

  • Patricia Eimer
    April 2, 2012 at 6:05 am

    For me it’s a toss up between Romancing the Stone and The Princess BRide with the Princess BRide maybe edging it out because I can watch that with my Oldest now and she’s a Wesley fan.

  • Peter Bess
    April 2, 2012 at 6:16 am

    I love the Indian Jones movies.

  • Alyssa @ Books Take You Places
    April 2, 2012 at 6:18 am

    The Princess Bride is by far my favorite adventure movie (and favorite movie in general) I also absolutely love Stardust beyond reason. Thanks for the giveaway chance!

  • Kari
    April 2, 2012 at 6:21 am

    She’s so right about the Indiana Jones thing! I did it with nearly every character in books and movies.

    Oh, I adore Indiana Jones. And Rambo. And Stardust. And the Princess Bride. Can I just say everything?

  • Christine
    April 2, 2012 at 6:26 am

    Count of Monte Cristo – the book, not the terrible terrible adaptation.

  • Joan
    April 2, 2012 at 6:34 am

    The Core, a campy dramatic movie but very fun.

  • Katy
    April 2, 2012 at 7:01 am

    Favorite adventure novel is The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by the amazing Cat Valente.

  • Liz
    April 2, 2012 at 7:06 am

    I would definitely have to say The Princess Bride, but I adore all the Indiana Jones love in this post.

  • Shannon H
    April 2, 2012 at 7:22 am

    Favorite adventure novel…Does the Kat Daniels series count? She certainly has lots of adventures

    Movie wise I love Avatar (blue people, not live action cartoon fail) so much more than it deserves

  • Maya S
    April 2, 2012 at 7:23 am

    The Princess Bride, both the book AND the movie (but especially the book, parts of which I have memorized)

  • Vanessa
    April 2, 2012 at 7:32 am

    I still watch The Princess Bride at least twice a year, still. And no action hero in the world has anything on Cary Elwes as Westley.

  • Jaime W
    April 2, 2012 at 7:42 am

    I agree with a lot of you about the movies, Princess Bride and Stardust are great! I’m not sure if this counts as an adventure book or not but one of my favs is the Temeraire series by Naomi Novik. For some reason I prefer to listen to the audio books of these instead of reading so maybe that makes them seem more adventurous to me.
    Also, If I Fall sounds great! I really enjoyed Revealed and am looking forward to this one.

  • Lindsay Elizabeth
    April 2, 2012 at 7:59 am

    I just read the Serpent Sea, wanting a good fantasy/adventure story. It was really awesome!

  • Raina
    April 2, 2012 at 8:09 am

    When I was little, The Mummy was my favorite movie of all time 🙂

  • miki
    April 2, 2012 at 8:13 am

    adventures only in books: Bilbot the hobbit, lord of the ring and more recently the hob bargain by Patricia briggs i loved it so much

    thanks you for this international opportunity to win

    all thet best

  • Misti
    April 2, 2012 at 8:34 am

    My favorite adventure books will probably always be The Chronicles of Prydain by Lloyd Alexander. As a girl, Gwydion was always my favorite hero.

  • Sheila
    April 2, 2012 at 10:15 am

    Indiana Jones–especially movie number 3!
    Thanks for the giveaway.

  • azteclady
    April 2, 2012 at 10:18 am

    Okay, first things first: what a great post, Ms Noble! I adore the setup for the story.

    As for a favorite action novel…(are we really only allowed one? really?)

    When I was four or so years old, during the long commute from home to school (different era and different country), my mother would tell us, from memory, a French novel written in the mid 1800s, Henri de Lagardère. The story is terribly melodramatic, but to this day, Lagardère lives in my imagination as a golden, beautiful young boy capable of incredible generosity and loyalty.

    (I doesn’t hurt that I see a very young, charming Erroll Flynn when I think of Lagardère in the first chapter of the novel *happy sigh*)

  • Sarah
    April 2, 2012 at 10:26 am

    All the Harry Potter books (and movies!). I find them to be a grand adventure!

  • Kate Noble
    April 2, 2012 at 10:29 am

    Wow, you all are giving me such a great list of adventure novels to read and re-read!

    I love Stardust, Neil Gaiman is amazing. But I’ll have to try and find the Temeraire series and Henri Legardere. 🙂

  • Desere Steenberg
    April 2, 2012 at 10:36 am

    Hi Kate !

    What a wonderful post thank you for sharing and thank you for the contest ! For me favorite adventure movie is definitely Indiana Jones all of them they are really incredible !

    Desere

  • Karen
    April 2, 2012 at 10:42 am

    Hmm, I love a good adventure! Definitely The Princess Bride was highly influential on my childhood, as well as Indiana Jones and Back to the Future. As far as books, the Wild Magic books by Tamora Pierce were full of awesome adventure!

  • Let the Blog Tour Commence! | Kate Noble's Blog
    April 2, 2012 at 10:48 am

    […] Today, I’m making two stops:  At Coffee Time Romance, for a latte and an interview, and at The Booksmugglers, where I talk about my inspirations and influences, and how much I cribbed from The Princess Bride […]

  • Allison
    April 2, 2012 at 11:45 am

    A Song of Ice and Fire and Lord of the Rings and The Princess Bride. . . and so many others haha

  • A_nna
    April 2, 2012 at 1:27 pm

    Favourite adventure movie: Laputa – Castle in the Sky. It has sky pirates, secret agents and a floating island!

  • amyyyyyy
    April 2, 2012 at 1:33 pm

    Absalutly fantastic giveaway!!

    http://goo.gl/Lc0j4

  • Sue P.
    April 2, 2012 at 1:40 pm

    Love your influences. In diana Jones – the original hunky, vulnerable hero. Great stuff! Thanks, Kate!

  • mary anne
    April 2, 2012 at 2:00 pm

    Who can have a favorite, with so mnay possibilities? Emma Bull’s book, all thing Bujold, Martha Wells, Magan Whalen Turner. An old and favorite standby is The Blue Sword, by Robin McKinley.

    Movies – all of the above. The 1st Pirates of the Carribean. And a cheesy B movie alternative, which never made a big splash but always makes me happy when I want a comfort “I gotta cold and just want to wallow” is Ladyhawke, with Matthew Broderick, Michelle Pfeiffer and Rutger Hauer. (And seeing the word “wallow” made me think of Willow. I could go on all night!)

  • Breanne
    April 2, 2012 at 3:44 pm

    I loved the Princess Bride but I haven’t seen it in ages! Loved the book too.

  • Theresa
    April 2, 2012 at 5:02 pm

    My favorite adventure was discovered as an adult – The Goonies!! I don’t know how I missed it as a kid, but I’ve made up for lost time by re-watching it over and over again now!

  • Linda W
    April 2, 2012 at 5:27 pm

    Definitely Princess Bride and Treasure Island (the books). Loved the first Pirates movie and Raiders of the Lost Ark 😀 .

  • Victoria Zumbrum
    April 2, 2012 at 5:30 pm

    I love the Mummy and Romancing the Stone.

  • DebraG
    April 2, 2012 at 5:46 pm

    I love Indiana Jones. I still watch them all regularly. I also like Alan Quartermain.
    debby236 at hotmail dot com

  • Justine
    April 2, 2012 at 5:53 pm

    Disney’s first Pirates movie is a swashbuckling adventure that I’d watch again and again. The rest of the Pirates franchise isn’t as compelling, but I definitely recommend the first!

  • Alex
    April 2, 2012 at 6:31 pm

    I would have to say the Bloody Jack series by LA Meyer. I don’t know if they count as traditional adventure, but hawt dayum do those books buckle swash.

    (Also, regardless of whether I win a copy or not, I really should read some Kate Noble soon. Her books sound EXCELLENT.)

  • sarac
    April 2, 2012 at 7:19 pm

    The miles vorkosigan books by lois mcmaster bujold are my fave adventure books. The adventure just keeps going on!

  • Jen B.
    April 2, 2012 at 7:37 pm

    Adventure novel or movie? I think I have to go with the Harry Potter series. I enjoyed both the books and the movies so it is a double whammy!

  • R E G
    April 2, 2012 at 7:42 pm

    How can I pick a favorite? I love all the ones mentioned so far that I have read.

    Posts like this just create another TBR list…

  • Kelley
    April 2, 2012 at 7:42 pm

    I guess I’m going to have to be unoriginal and add my vote to Raiders of the Lost Ark!

  • Llehn
    April 2, 2012 at 8:02 pm

    Harry Potter!

  • Kimberly B.
    April 2, 2012 at 8:19 pm

    For movies, you really can’t beat the Errol Flynn classics Robin Hood and Captain Blood. And one of my favorite swashbuckling novels is George MacDonald Fraser’s The Pyrates, which is not only a terrific adventure novel but perfectly ridiculous as well.
    Thanks for the great giveaway!

  • eliza
    April 2, 2012 at 8:35 pm

    hmmm…. i like many that you already referenced (indy, romancing the stone, princess bride). today i think my answer is: the labyrinth! been jonesing for some bowie recently.

  • Emily Thompson
    April 2, 2012 at 8:48 pm

    The Princess Bride is my favourite anything. Favourite book, favourite movie. I’ve seen the movie about a billion times (and I’ll likely watch it a billion more), and I got to read the book for a high school English project (the best English project I ever did; I dressed up as Inigo Montoya and everything). But I love adventure! Probably my favourite genre.
    This book looks excellent, by the way. I loved Kate Nobel’s “Follow My Lead,” too. (:

  • Josephine
    April 2, 2012 at 8:53 pm

    The most recent adventure book that I read and loved is Graceling, by Kristin Cashore.

  • bn100
    April 2, 2012 at 9:00 pm

    I like Robinson Crusoe.

  • MK
    April 2, 2012 at 11:41 pm

    I also have to pick The Princess Bride. It’s a classic for a reason!

  • jenn
    April 3, 2012 at 1:11 am

    Indiana Jones sound effects celebration! =P

  • Stella (Ex Libris)
    April 3, 2012 at 1:24 am

    What a terrific post, thank you Kate! I really enjoyed The Princess Bride and National Treasure. Can you believe I haven’t seen any Indiana Jones movies yet? (I know, hiding behind the sofa 😳 ) But I love the Indiana Jones ride at Disney Land if it counts for anything.:wink: Will have to do an Indiana Jones marathon it seems so I finally catch up…

    Thank you for making the giveaway international Kate!!

  • Danielle
    April 3, 2012 at 4:01 am

    I really like the novel Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi. Thanks for the great giveaway! =)

  • Jasmine Stairs
    April 3, 2012 at 5:08 am

    Adventure movie? I choose Star Wars, A New Hope!

  • Katherine
    April 3, 2012 at 6:28 am

    My favorite adventure movie was, is, and always will be Castle in the Sky. Drama? Check. Comedy? Check. Excellent Steampunk before that there was such a thing as Steampunk? Check. Sweet young romance that in no way abducts the plot? Check. Cary Elwes? Check check check. (He’s the voice of the creepy villain in sunglasses)
    And lest we forget, the best part of that (or any, in my opinion) movie – the Sky Pirates. I fully intend on being Dola when I grow up!

  • Myanmar
    April 3, 2012 at 6:42 am

    Well, I have to pick up Mattix 🙂

  • Mary Preston
    April 3, 2012 at 7:15 am

    For adventure movies I can go past LORD OF THE RINGS. I know there is a lot of fantasy, but there is also high action & adventure. Just brilliant. I love the books too.

  • Lillian
    April 3, 2012 at 7:37 am

    My favorite adventure movie is definitely The Princess Bride.

  • Meg
    April 3, 2012 at 7:51 am

    My favorite adventure movie is “Far and Away”. Yes, it’s sappy and old-school, but I just love Joseph and Shannon and the way they fall in love during their travels from Ireland to America.

  • Joni
    April 3, 2012 at 7:57 am

    Have to go with the classics, The Princess Bride, the Indiana Jones movies (1 and 3 please), and the Star Wars trilogy (IV, V, and VI).

  • Simona
    April 3, 2012 at 10:04 am

    My favorite adventure novel of movie has to be The Neverending Story.

  • joe
    April 3, 2012 at 10:49 am

    huhhh. HOWL’S MOVING CASTLE!!!

  • Tiah
    April 3, 2012 at 11:22 am

    I know a former Blue Angel! He is an old family friend and such a talented pilot.
    Anyway, one of my favorite adventure books is The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner.

  • Lusty Reader
    April 3, 2012 at 11:24 am

    great post! Kate Noble’s Revealed is one of my favorite historical romance novels ever and I own all her others as well, so would love to win this! I just re-watched Romancing the Stone after tons of chatter about it over twitter and loved it all over again, but my favorite adventure books would have to be a tie between the Alanna series by Tamora Pierce and the Leviathan series by Scott Westerfeld

  • Subette
    April 3, 2012 at 1:41 pm

    My favourite adventure movie would have to be Lord of the Rings followed closely by The Princess Bride.

  • pscott
    April 3, 2012 at 3:53 pm

    Romancing the Stone! It is everything I want from an adventure movie.

  • Megan
    April 3, 2012 at 4:10 pm

    My favorite adventure books are the Lord of the Rings, and my favorite adventure movie is forever The Princess Bride.

  • Heidi
    April 3, 2012 at 4:57 pm

    Fellowship of the Ring! Really, all of the Lord of the Rings books, but I feel like the first has the most of that adventure flare before you get all the war business mixed in. Thanks as always for hosting!

  • Jacqueline C.
    April 3, 2012 at 6:49 pm

    I’ve read the first two books in the Bloody Jack series and loved them! I’m also quite partial the films The Princess Bride and Romancing the Stone.

  • sweety
    April 4, 2012 at 1:38 am

    Mine is definitely Harry Potter Series 😀

  • Maureen
    April 4, 2012 at 7:42 am

    Raiders of the Lost Ark would be my choice.

  • Keri
    April 4, 2012 at 12:49 pm

    I would have to say my favorite is Harry Potter as well! As an aside I love Kate Noble and all of her books! I would love to win this one.

  • Lobo
    April 4, 2012 at 2:09 pm

    I have alot of favourites among the adventure movies Willow, The Princess Bride, Lord of the Rings, Indiana Jones, Romancing the Stone, Star Wars trilogy (IV-VI). I can watch them any time

  • Ileana A.
    April 4, 2012 at 2:20 pm

    Star Wars is my favorite!
    The scenes with Dark Vader 😯 😈 were pretty awesome!

  • Evie T.
    April 5, 2012 at 5:23 am

    The Goonies is my favorite adventure movie. Ahh good times!
    Thanks a lot for the giveaway. That cover is so beautiful!

  • Serena
    April 5, 2012 at 4:07 pm

    Probably The Princess Bride as well. Pretty classic, really.

  • If I Fall Blog Tour Round Up | Kate Noble's Blog
    May 6, 2012 at 8:18 am

    […] Blog April 2nd –            Coffee Time Romance April 2nd –             The Booksmugglers April 3rd –            RomCon Inc. April 5th –             Novel Thoughts […]

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