Cherish D'Angelo's "Lancelot's Lady"

Cherish D'Angelo launched her debut contemporary romantic suspense Lancelot's Lady on September 27, 2010. Her novel has already won an Editor's Choice Award from Textnovel.com and placed in the semi-finals of Dorchester Publishing's "Next Best Celler" contest. Though this is Cherish's first romance novel, she's no stranger to booklovers; she's best known as bestselling Canadian suspense author Cheryl Kaye Tardif.

Here she shares some ideas for casting an adaptation for Lancelot's Lady:

Lancelot's Lady was the first novel I've written where actors and actresses didn't immediately come to mind. I'd completed the novel before even imagining who would play the roles--a first for me as I usually have a strong image as I write. In fact, it was a struggle at first to think of who should play my unsuspecting lovers, Rhianna and Jonathan. But now that I've thought of two names, I can't get them out of my head. I can see their scenes in my mind--intense, conflicting, passionate, super Hot with a capital H, and even humorous at times.

The actress who would be perfect as Rhianna McLeod, a young mid-twenties palliative care nurse who has hidden herself away because of a horrible past, is Canadian actress Rachel McAdams.

Rhianna is a fiery redhead, beautiful and easily flustered. She has a temper and a wicked sense of humor when provoked. I think Rachel could pull that off very easily and she'll look great as a redhead. When I think of her in Sherlock Holmes with Robert Downey Jr., I can definitely see her as Rhianna McLeod. Ironically, Rhianna and Rachel have the same initials. Destiny, perhaps?

Jonathan's character was harder for me to cast, mainly because the actors that first came to mind are much older than Jonathan, a semi-recluse who lives on a private island in the Bahamas. Jonathan is a man of talent--and mystery. When Rhianna first meets him, he's covered in paint and looking rather grimy. And he's pissed that she's invaded his privacy. He finds ways to make her pay for the inconvenience she's caused. Jonathan is moody and impatient, but he's also dangerously attractive. His long dark hair is usually tied back and he's often unshaven.

When I finally thought of actor Josh Holloway ("Sawyer" from LOST), I realized I'd stumbled across the perfect Jonathan. Long haired, piercing eyes and boy, does he make unshaven look sexy.  Josh has everything it takes to pull off Jonathan's character. He does sarcasm with ease and brooding with intensity. All he'd have to do is darken his hair and pop in some blue contacts and―voila!―Jonathan is born. Actor Ian Somerhalder (Damon from The Vampire Diaries) would be my second pick.

Rachel McAdams and Josh Holloway would heat up the big screen to SIZZLING, and that's what's needed in a romantic suspense. Lancelot's Lady is a love story about fate and destiny, about secrets and lies, and redemption.

Learn more about Lancelot's Lady and Cherish D'Angelo (aka Cheryl Kaye Tardif) at the official website and author's blog.

--Marshal Zeringue