You know what would look good on your wall? A smug bull, that’s what.
To celebrate the release of Lessons in French, Laura Kinsale is giving away a very limited edition print of an original artwork by Charles Rutledge. Inspired by the illustrated editions of classic Jane Austen novels, this sketch features the scene of Callie and Hubert in the kitchen, on the lam from the constable. To quote Kinsale, “It’s very much in the spirit of an illustration from a 19th century book. As well-known comic book curator and art critic Cliff of Dr. No’s commented; “That is one smug bull.”
Have a look:
There were only 5 prints made, with 2 artist’s proofs, and Laura gave away one on her site in January. This is one smack of a collector’s item to someone who is a Kinsale fan, especially if you enjoyed Lessons in French – and if you didn’t win that one, here’s another chance. I have one limited edition copy on archival paper, signed by the artist and by Laura Kinsale, and an autographed copy of Lessons in French by Laura Kinsale to one random commenter. (Note: All copyright in the artwork remains with the artist, and his permission is required for any copy or digital display.) The print will be unframed print number 5/5 and an autographed copy of Lessons in French.
What do you have to do to win? Simple: leave a comment and tell me which scene or line in a romance novel you’d love to see in an illustrated drawing such as this one. Comments close in 24 hours, so start pondering and making your artistic wishes! (Me? A tie between Merlin flying, and that scene in the beginning of The Duke and I where Daphne punches out that annoying guy, Nigel.)
Standard disclaimer: I’m not being compensated for this giveaway. Use only in a well-ventilated area. For a limited time only. No postage necessary if mailed in the United States. Parental advisory: explicit lyrics. Falling rock.
I had to pick…so I went to one of my personal DIK series. That sort of artwork deserves two thinks. A wonderful image, and a good passage.
So I chose a scene from Anne Bishop’s Black Jewels series. In it the urbane Daemon (for those who have not read the series, imagine Roark with magic) how his back was injured. And he explains that Kaelas, the 800 lb white tiger-like magical cat became scared by his wife when he woke her before her coffee. She yelled at the cat. So the cat ran and tried to climb in Daemon’s lap. Who found himself:
(page 42 of Tangled Web by Anne Bishop)
Hmm, gotta be the scene in “Lover Avenged” where the sympath queen makes Rhevenge (her half brother) have sex with her in return for keeping his secret – he’s half sympath which is a big no-no in vampire society.
The image of a tall, weird looking woman, in a venomous body stocking with scorpions as earrings making a great big bloke with purple eyes and a mohican haircut her bitch is just such an amusing image…
(well to me anyway)
You know, when put on the spot like this, to think of the perfect scene or line for something, my mind goes blank. The only thing I can think of is the opening scene between Lady Julia Grey and Nicholas Brisbane, when they meet the first time over her husband’s body.
The hardened sailors making over the heroine scene from Charm School by Susan Wiggs!
Pen from Heyer’s The Corinthian, dangling on the end of her knotted bedsheets, with Sir Richard standing underneath looking up at her.
Damn, Sycorax, I was going to mention that one. Oh, well, I’ll find another one.
*puts on thinking cap*
Two memorable scenes that come to mind are from Kresley Cole’s Immortals After Dark series:
In Wicked Deeds on a Winter’s Night, where the Valkerie, Reagan is throwing cars over the house because Bowen trapped Mariketa.
and
In Dark Desires After Dark, when Holly grabs Cade’s horns.
The scene in Lord of Scoundrels when Dain and Jessica almost get hit by lightning. That would be an awesome image. But then again, anything from Heyer’s The Grand Sophy would also be really cool.
I must be more bloodthirsty than I realised, because the scenes that spring first to my mind are those in Georgette Heyer where determined heroines shoot, or threaten to shoot, sundry villains and heroes: the indefatigable Sophy confronting the moneylender or shooting poor Charlbury in order to make him appear more noble and ‘romantic’, or Mary defending her virtue against Vidal in the inn. But some of the best scenes in Heyer are crowd scenes, and do not lend themselves to a single vignette.
The scene from Lisa Kleypas’s It Happened One Autumn, when the girls are discovered playing baseball in their underthings by the stormy Lord Westcliff!
I’d love to see the scene in Garwood’s Guardian Angel where Uncle Harry is carrying Caine’s stepmother out of the house, because “Caine would want me to have her!” Ha.
I’d pick the scene in Nora Roberts’ Sea Swept when 10 yr old Seth is hanging off the roof of what is to become Boats By Quinn with Philip and Ethan out of reach above him and Cam on the ground below, waiting to catch his fall.
I don’t remember which “In Death” it was, but the scene where Roarke is dangling off the top of the Statue of Liberty and Eve is desperately trying to pull him up would make an awesome illustration. But that would probably look better comic-book style rather than pen and ink.
Here’s a funny scene I’ve always loved: JAK’s “The Golden Chance” when Phila shows up at the summer party, mouths off to the security dude, and Nick hoists her over his shoulder. As he’s introducing her to his cousin this way, that would be a cute drawing.
Nadia, I’m pretty sure that’s Loyalty in Death.
I’d like the bit in Heyer’s Cotillion where Freddy’s just punched Jack and everyone is amazed. Dolph hiding somewhere, his fiancee being sensible, and Freddy’s expression of anger, pride, and sheer bafflement.
For even more ridiculosity, Julia Quinn’s What Happens in London has the Gothic novel and the Russian prince, lots of silliness there.
I might go with another bit from Sea Swept, when the line is something like, “The Quinn brothers stood in the principal’s office like a well-mortared brick wall.” I heart the Quinns so much.
Or Jennifer Crusie! Anyone but You! Trenchcoat, window, dog! That’s probably the easiest to illustrate in this style.
The scene in Jennifer Crusies’ Fast Women when Nell, Gabe, Suze, Riley, Tim (Nell’s ex), and Whitney (Tim’s new wife) are sitting in the bar.
Nell looks around and comments that she’s slept with everyone at the table except for Whitney. It is really funny. Tim and Whitney are first disbelieving, then disgusted. Riley and Suze are amused. Gabe is thrilled and winds up dragging her off for a romp. Classic Crusie.
I like the scene in Julia Quinn’s What Happens in London when Lady Olivia and Sir Harry look into the drawing room and see Sebastian giving a dramatic reading from Miss Butterworth and the Mad Baron to the Russian Prince, his bodyguard, the butler, the housemaid, and Edward, all of whom are positively rapt.
The ball scene from Celeste Bradley’s The Imposter when Clare first sees Dalton posing as Sir Thorogood in all his highly flamboyant glory.
Dammit, I was gonna say What Happens in London! You know what? I still will, except I am gonna say the scene in the park where Sir Henry and Olivia’s brother team up to taunt/tease her. I would love to see how the artist draws Olivia writhing with indignant rage, and the two men smirking.
At the beginning of Spell of the Highlander ( Karen Marie Moning), there’s a scene where Cian (your typical thousand-year old, just-released-from-an-enchanted-mirror Druid hottie) is standing in front of the heroine, Jessi, and protecting her from a baddie. Jessi, who concludes she must be dreaming all this decides to lick Cian’s back…and Cian is totally WTF.
The scene from Mr. Impossible where Daphne Pembroke is talking about Coptic to Rupert Carsington over coffee. Some great stuff could be done with facial expressions there….
I have 2 – my favorite – Lord of Scoundrels – the kiss in the rain under tha lamp post. or
Dream scene in My Sweet Folly in the market in India
or – make that 3
Merlins flying machine – in the ball room complete with statuary and gilded mirrors.
Definitely the scene in Bet Me when Cal propose to Min by putting a donut around her finger with all of their family standing around. With Min wearing only a comforter.
Oh, yes, yes! I’ll second this one (hopefully, that still qualifies me). That scene is awesome, the way Heyer writes it. 🙂
I’d also love to see that scene from Judith Ivory’s Black Silk, in the middle of the book, where Submit and Graham are out in the English countryside, chilling in a meadow. It’s summer, and the the very beginning of their romance; it seemed so lovely the way Ivory wrote it.
I’m thinking the scene in Laura Kinsale’s Prince of Midnight where the hero has taught the old, blind mare how to do tricks and is entertaining people in a barn, while the heroine is standing in the back trying not to show how touched she is.
Or any of the scenes involving Nemo.
Midsummer Moon:
The scene where Merlin’s little hedgehog curls itself around Ransom’s finger and quite literally pins it in place. Ransom sends for Merlin to rescue him, but while waiting, has to endure conversations with several visitors to his office while being tortured by little spines in his finger.
I think I would like to see the scene in Jennifer Crusie’s Anyone But You, when Fred has just stolen Nina’s bra and embarrasses her in front of Alex.
I’m going to go with Jennifer Crusie’s Bet Me also, except I’d choose the scene when Cal has just found Min’s long-missing snow globe and is holding it up to her. I think the combination of delight and horror on her face would be priceless.
Oh lord, I can’t think of the title now, but the heroine is a hard riding, brusque, not-particularly beautiful, very high ranking woman who ends up with a roguish sort.
In the scene I’m thinking of, she’s staying alone at an inn when an unknown but handsome man bursts into her bedroom, begs her shelter him, and hides in her closet. His pursuers enter and she screams for bloody murder before lecturing them like crazy about the insult and impropriety of invading her room.
Later, she confronts him (in the Bath assembly rooms, I believe) and fully upbraids him, only to have him offer some particularly compelling reply and take all the wind out of her sails in front of a large and fascinated audience.
Either one would make a great illustration!
The scene from Thief of Hearts where Lucy Snow asks Gerard Claremont aka Captain Doom, for his opinion on her seascape watercolour paintings would be my pick. Lucy expects him, like everyone else, to fawn over her paintings and is surprised by his response. I can just imagine a picture of the two of them talking over her technically perfect, but souless painting, while Gerard’s passionate description of sea creates another more powerful image alongside. My favourite line from the scene is when Gerard declares that “The sea at dawn is a cathedral, Lucy” .
The scene in the Curtis’ Sunshine and Shadows where Susan attacks the movie monster and then she hears: “It’s a costume, lady. A costume.” The she meets Alan whose first words to her are, “Not a child, after all.” This is my favorite book.
I have 2 favorite scenes from the same book—Slightly Dangerous. The first would be just after Christine has dripped lemonade into Bewcastle’s eye (I can just see her on the balcony and him below) or the scene when the entire family is gathered around outdoors and you-know-who is up in the tree ready to dive.
I would like to see an illustration from Julia Quinn’s To Sir Phillip, With Love: Eloise outshooting her brothers and Sir Phillip while her brothers stand around and complain about her freakish skill.
The card game with revenue agents in the Unknown Ajax by Heyer. Just because you are making me pick one.
Faye, that’s Freya Bedwyn’s story from Balogh’s Slightly Scandalous. 🙂 I really enjoyed that one.
Ohh, KathyB the lemonade dripping into the eye – yes.
But my pick is the orange-evisceration scene from Courtney Milan’s debut, Proof by Seduction.
I’d say the scene in To Sir Phillip with Love when her brothers show up and He tells them if they’re going to break his legs to get it over with already. I love that part.
Hmmm, that’s tough.
The scene near the end of Soulless where Alexia takes her vampire friend to a rooftop to watch the sun set would be a lovely thought to look at. Such trust and friendship there.
But then Westcliff finding a drunk Lillian with her finger caught in a bottle, and all the sexual tension therein, would make an amusing line drawing. Bonus points if Kate Beaton did it. She does the best facial expressions.
The beginning of the “reformation” in Reforming Lord Ragsdale by Carla Kelly. Having coerced Ragsdale into signing, while drunk, a contract agreeing to release her from indentured servitude if she “reforms” him, Emma Costello barges in on Ragsdale the next morning to begin the process. She wipes the vomit (!) off his face, locks up his liquor cabinet, and orders him to take a bath. He responds by stripping off every stitch of clothing in front of her, including the eyepatch that covers his gouged-out eye (!!), and flipping her off before he steps into the bath and insists on having her scrub his back.
I would pay good money to find the artist who can depict the goosepimples that Kelly describes covering Ragsdale’s ass, and also convey Emma’s desperate need to escape so she can “laugh herself into a coma.”
Any of the chess scenes in Eloisa James’s Duchesses series – I can’t choose just one. Maybe all of them, cartoon strip style!?
I want an illustration of a Pall Mall game featuring all those lovely Bridgertons!
Just about any scene from The Windflower! Especially anyone where Merry is frustrated, or Cat is awesome.
My favorite Kinsale is The Dream Hunter but it doesn’t have very many light moments. Maybe Arden reading the book by A Lady of Quality.