Author Override: Olivia Cunning

Author Override is the place where authors take the reins and take you on a journey into their world. Some may allow you into their private writing dens. Others may take you along with them on research trips or interviews. Whatever the case may be, sit back, relax and enjoy the ride because here you’ll get an in-depth look into an author’s musings. 

Musicians have it all! The babes, the talent and the good looks. But have you ever wondered what's the story behind the Sinner's ink? Olivia Cunning, author of BACKSTAGE PASS and ROCK HARD is here spilling those secrets with us here today! 

The Stories Behind Sinners’ Ink

Sinners is the sexy, fictional rock band in my erotic romance series Sinners on Tour. It’s all about sex, love, and rock ‘n’ roll. The five members of Sinners each have numerous tattoos. Today they’re going to share their favorite tattoo and a story about its significance.

Brian Sinclair, lead guitarist and hero of Backstage Pass.

On the inside of my left forearm, I have a dagger and the name Kara surrounded by bloody, red roses. Kara was my little sister. She died in a car accident when she was sixteen. I went and got the tattoo after her funeral. The roses represent her beauty, which will never fade in my memory. The thorns, her reckless ways. The color red signifies my love for her. The blood, her death. The dagger? That was feeling like a knife had been plunged into my heart when we reached the hospital and were told she was already gone. I never got to say good-bye to her, but I will never forget her. I think she’d laugh about her big brother being sappy enough to get her name tattooed on his arm. She was always the tough one. My only sister. We were close growing up. I still can’t believe she’s gone.

Sed Lionheart, vocalist and hero of Rock Hard.

The day we formed the band, I had Sinners’ logo tattooed on my chest over my heart. I’ve been adding to that tattoo ever since. Every time something important happens in my life, I’ll have new things added to it. First, there are the six skulls in the background. One for each member of the band. One of the skulls has a dagger through it. Not because anyone died, but because we had to kick Jon out of the band. The sixth one, which represents Jace, is only a couple of years old. I had a pistol added when Sinners signed our first record deal. I said we were going to take the music business with guns blazing. The microphone was added after our first sold out live performance. Along the bottom, there are interlocking pieces of chain. I have a new link added for each gold record. There are three so far. Then when our last record went platinum, I had a piece of barbed wire threaded through the chain. There’s a red rose that was added when I fell in love and if you look closely, you’ll see the name Jessica mixed in with the petals. I had her name added the day after she agreed to marry me. The first time. The second time, I had a padlock tattooed around the rose stem. I’m not letting her get away again. That padlock is to remind me to keep my mouth shut. The next thing I want to add are little footprints for each of my kids. I just have to convince Jess to have them first. I think six will look good along the stem of Jess’s rose. What do you think?

Jace Seymour, bassist.

I don’t have any stories to tell about my tattoos. I just like the way they look. And the way it feels when you have one done.

Eric Sticks, drummer.

All of my tattoos mean something. I guess the one with the most significance is the one on my back. It looks like fissures in the ground and through them, you can glimpse the bowels of hell. I was going through a pretty rough time in my teenage years when I had that done. That demonic claw gripping the edge of the crack? That’s me trying to claw my way out of the hell I was living in. I keep it there to remind me what life was like before I found my real family; this band.

Trey Mills, rhythm guitarist.

On my eighteenth birthday, my older brother, Dare, took me to get my first tattoo. If you’ve been living under a rock for the past ten years, Dare’s the lead guitarist of one of the biggest rock bands in the world, Exodus End. He and I learned to play guitar together at my mother’s insistence. So we decided matching flying-V guitars tattooed on our shoulders and beneath them the saying, Flying V Forever. At the time, we both played a flying V because my mother thought they were tacky. Hey, the woman is cool. It was very hard to find a way to rebel. Ten years later, neither of us plays a flying V. We both still have the tattoo though and the memory. I asked Dare why he hadn’t had it removed or covered up and he said it reminded him that forever was a very long time. Between you and me, I think it reminds him of me. I have quite a few people out there who have a tattoo to remember me by.

To enter, you must:
1. Be a follower of this blog
2. Fill out entry form below