Mystery Lady Unmasked
Hi, again!
For those curious about the painting we’ve been discussing below, the detail on the Night Jasmine cover was taken from a painting by Charles Sillem Lidderdale called At the Garden Gate.
You can see the full painting on the Fine Art Photographic Library website.
Our anonymous lady (let’s just call her Charlotte, shall we?) is standing at a garden gate, which is very appropriate in the context of the book. I can’t quite make out what she’s holding, but it looks like she has a key in one hand and a flower in the other…. Or is that a note tied in a ribbon?
Oh wow! The full painting is just beautiful. I love the fact that she is holding what looks to be a flower. Perhaps the calling card of a flowery friend?
I like to think that it might be a note– or a flowery calling card– from a lover. She has the key– but is she brave enough to use it?
Its neat to see the painting that inspired your cover. Did you have similar inspirations for your other books? Could you post those as well? I would love to see them all.
Hi, Christine!
I wish I could claim that I were the one putting inspiration to such good use, but the covers are entirely the work of the brilliant folks in the Dutton art department. They track down these gorgeous paintings and then pair them with the background color, trimmings, and flowers that create the covers that make it onto the books.
In this case, I hadn’t seen the full painting until today. Amy Mc is the one who deserves the credit for that, since she asked about it, and inspired me to track it down. I’m so glad she did, since the full painting is even more Charlotte-appropriate than the portion used in the cover!
Ok thanks. And if I was not already dying to read the new book, I certainly am now.
PS I love that you are this accessible on your site. Its nice to feel connected to the author like this where we can ask questions and discuss the books not only with other fans but the actual author. Thanks again. Your an amazing author.
Oh geez, now whatever picture I had in my mind of the original painting that the cover is from, it was not that. Not even close. LOL 🙂
And I’m so close to reading Night Jasmine — I’m going to be starting to reread Crimson Rose later today (and would have been faster for me if I didn’t have two books I needed to read for something in between rereading the other three), but anyway, hopefully by the weekend I’ll finally be able to start it! 🙂
But something occurred to me that I didn’t think of when you were asking about what to add to the site or the like — I have the paperback for Pink and Black Tulip, so I got to read the great Reader Guide questions or conversation with the characters, but I have the hardcovers for the rest, which don’t. Could that be something you could post ever in the future? Pretty please? 🙂
Lois
Hi, Lois!
If you go to the Diversions page, there’s a Readers’ Page link in the right hand column that has the Readers’ Guides and Q&A’s. Currently, both Readers Guides and Q&A are up there for “Pink Carnation” and “Black Tulip”, and the Readers’ Guide for “Emerald Ring”.
As soon as I have a chance, I’ll see about adding the missing “Emerald Ring” Q&A and some of the “Crimson Rose” stuff.
Um. . . I’m so very stupid. LOL I looked around the site first to make sure I wasn’t going to ask something that you were already doing, and ah, you’re already doing it. LOL I thought those were more of the reading group questions, didn’t occur to me that they weren’t. LOL Since I stand, well, sit corrected, I’ll watch there for the other book ones too! 🙂
Lois
I think it looks like a letter with a pink ribbon around it. She looks to me like it was kind of sad and disappointing, but she was expecting it somehow. Like she’s resigned to it.
Unrequited love? And he should have been walking her home, but instead her gave her the note turning her down. She’s sad about it, but expected it, and is now gathering the strength to hide her emotions and return inside to her family.
Note to self: no more caffeine or AP english classes….
I think it looks like a letter with a pink ribbon around it. She looks to me like it was kind of sad and disappointing, but she was expecting it somehow. Like she’s resigned to it.
Unrequited love? And he should have been walking her home, but instead he gave her the note turning her down. She’s sad about it, but expected it, and is now gathering the strength to hide her emotions and return inside to her family.
Note to self: no more caffeine or AP english classes….
….sorry for the double post. My computer is dumb. *shrinks away embarrassed*