Lessons in French GIVEAWAY #1
Here we are at Day One of the LESSONS IN FRENCH giveaway.
As a passionate fan of Laura Kinsale's work, I read her books for the people in her stories and the gorgeous writing. With a few words, she can shade in the details of a scene, bring a character to life, and expound on life's profound mysteries. The magic of that deft hand never fails to enchant me.
In keeping with my fascination... Here are seven lines from her novels. In your comments, guess which book each line comes from.
(Psssst...If you're never read a Kinsale, you might find some clues here.)
1. "My dear girl! I could never fall in love by letter. Though I have no doubt you are a notorious breaker of hearts, not to mention a princess in disguise, and if I were a few miles closer to Toot-above -the-Batch I would be in great danger."
2. Ruck felt her sleep—always sleeping, this wife of his—this drowsy miracle, slumbering in his arms as if she were in some enchantment.
3. The Third Day evenng meeting of the Analytical Society was a thundering success. For the Timmses, it began early in the afternooon, with the arrival of a powdered and liveried footman at the door of their modest house in Upper Cheyne Row, bearing a note penned in that arresting style of handwriting favored by the Duke of Jervaulx.
4. Merlin dabbed at the hedgehog, pretending to clean off the ink, while she tried to see if a clear paw print showed through Mr. Pemminey’s letters. But the animal had had enough of espionage. It rolled up tightly and would not uncurl.
5. Standing amid a bedraggled group of nearly naked Indians, Lady Tess Collier was aware she didn't look much like a lady.
6. "I hope you like them!" she said breathlessly, when she had a chance.
"Tomorrow— " He tasted the corners of her lips. "Tomorrow I'll like them. Tonight . . . Leda . . ."
7. "My lady," he said cooly, exposing nothing of the unexpected emotion that rose in him. "Your husband is well?"
"Lord Ruadrik is well, God be praised. And my son and daughter." Abruptly, she help his hand so hard that her rings cut into his fingers. "I wish the same blessings for you, Allegreto."
So, which books do these lines come from?
As mentioned yesterday, I have four copies of LESSONS IN FRENCH to give away, courtesy of the publisher Sourcebooks. Comment on today's blog and on the next three ones to be entered to win one of four books.
Posted on:
2/02/2010 12:01:00 AM
25 comments:
I've never read a Kinsale so i used the hint :). hopefully that will change soon lol.
1. My Sweet Folly
2. For My Lady’s Heart
3. Flowers From the Storm
4. Midsummer Moon
5. The Hidden Heart
6. The Shadow and the Star
7. Shadowheart
Ok, I have LIF already, so I'm just playing for fun. :)
1. My Sweet Folly
2. For My Lady's Heart
3. Flowers From The Storm
4. Midsummer Moon
5. The Hidden Heart
6. The Shadow and The Star
7. Shadowheart (Though I could totes think of a hundred other quotes I'd have used.)
1. My Sweet Folly
2. For My Lady’s Heart
3. Flowers From the Storm
4. Midsummer Moon
5. The Hidden Heart
6. The Shadow and the Star
7. Shadowheart
*bounce bounce* I win, right? (MagdalenB said I should.)
In truth, I haven't read all these, although I own them all. LK has such a fabulous voice, she wakens my inner critic. I have to pace myself.
But I still want to win.
1. Toot the Ferret
2. Gryngolet the Gyrfalcon
3. various dogs
4. nameless hedgehog
5. parrot
6. shark
7. Nimue the pyrenees pup
Of course now we have Hubert the bull, and there's been a pig, horses and a wolf.
What animal I haven't used yet should be the mascot in my next book with English setting?
Sheep would be a good one.
But can you imagine a crocodile? LOL
Also #3: nameless kittens
C'mon, people. It has to be a hedgehog. They're cute, small (can fit in the heroine's pocket -- and would be a big surprise for an overly amorous swain to try something while Tiggywinkle is in there!), look good in PR photos, and we don't have them in US.
When I married the current Brit Hub, I explained USofA as a place where "everything is bigger & better," only of course, a hedgehog is smaller and WAY better than a porcupine. (Which Shakespeare called a "porpentine, btw.)
So, yes please, could we have a hedgehog, please?
Hedgehog -->Midsummer Moon
Heroine carries in her apron pocket ;)
how about a baby fox that was rescued when the fox hunts killed it's mama? Fo inspiration look into jimmy's eyes http://trunc.it/5aqci =)
I can't think of much animals in England that you haven't covered yet. Baby seals just sound too Scottish ;-)
fox is very cool, seal probably a bit difficult logistically, as with croc ;)
Not to say it can't be done of course! Peter Pan comes to mind...
How about a snail?
I got it! a cute little bunny.
Laura, here are my ideas:
*ring-tailed lemur
*spider monkey
*garden variety house cat
*non-poisonous snake
*elephant
To those of you who've not read all LK's novels, she has also used Napoleon the penguin and Victoria the black panther (or jaguar--sorry, I don't have THH handy).
Ooh, and I second the fox idea!
We've DONE hedgehogs (in my best Monty Python accent).
I think it's time for a badger. I love the roadside warnings in the UK that just say "Badger!"
I've already read LIF so I won't participate in the giveaway.
But I will put in a suggestion for an animal. My vote goes to a stoat. Ever since my mother read The Wind and The Willows to me as a kid, I've had a soft spot for them.
Hedgehogs were the reason I got introduced to Laura's books. A good friend sent Midsummer Moon over as soon as I got a hedgehog and then the fun began. I now also collect all things hedgehogs and chickens thanks to friends ;-)
Seconding ideas for bunny, badger or fox. I love the badger near the end of TH White's "The Sword in the Stone" -- and Wart meets a hedgehog on his way to Badger, too.
I also kind of like the idea of a character who keeps a pet snake. I loathe snakes myself and find people who keep them incomprehensible. It's coldblooded! It would kill and eat you if it could! It's all dry and nasty feeling! But I know from experience that you're pretty good at making people I otherwise find inexplicable (e.g. women obsessed with propriety like Leda, or highly religious people) make more sense. So I guess this is kind of like a challenge: make me understand snake-keepers!
Hello Everyone! It's good to see all this interest in Laura Kinsale's work.
And for those of you interested in the animals in Laura's life, I have an interview with her tomorrow, which will be fun, I promise.
Laura, Peter Pan....bwahaha!
Keira, it never occurred to I might be taken as serious when I pretend-demanded a copy of LiF; that's what happens when I goof around.
Please remove my name from any and all giveaways this week! I want to participate, because I enjoy LK's books and the camaraderie, but I already have a copy winging it's way to me. I'm good.
Hope:
Not to worry; your joke's taken in the spirit it was offered. A big pity it's taking forever for your copy to get to you.
Debb:
How fun that a pet got you reading Kinsale. The hedgehog in MM is particularly memorable, so much personality and character invested in one so little.
PG: A worthy challenge for Laura indeed! I have an aquaintance who keeps pythons. She adores them. I greatly respect her for caring for them, but like you can never imagine myself doing it. But anyone can endear a snake owner, it'll be Laura.
Calila:
Thanks for taking the challenge, and I hope it spurred into reading up a little bit about her books. You have SUCH a treat ahead of you, all those Kinsales yet to be read.
Lorelie:
Thanks for playing along. And heh, on SHADOWHEART. It's such an intense book with beautiful, stark dialog, there dozens upon dozens of quotes that could be used.
Hope:
Hello, again. I hope all this blog hopping, chatting with Laura is spurring you on to read the rest of her backlist that's in your TBR mountain, er, hill? hillock? Honestly though, even on rereads, I take them slowly. I have to invest so much of myself emotionally to each story that I would burn out if I gorged myself on them all one after the other.
Laura, your next mascot...
Let's see...I'm going to follow PG's suit and suggest a challenge that only someone of your writing chops could carry off successfully.
How about a hero with a lap dog. Really! A frou-frou puff he loves and loves to carry around and show off. :)
Katie:
A croc? Heh! You're thinking of Mr. Dundee there, a recent emigre from Australia to Regency England? Or how about a Creole from Louisiana to Regency England? Ahem, I'd agree to a snail. In fact, I'd agree to house it for a pet in my very own home, too. Also an earthworm. It's just not an idea the fam can get behind.
Magdalen:
You'll have to read MM to get your hedgie fix. Porcupines, now, would be impossible to classify in any cute category imaginable. But unless your heroine chose to secrete a hedgie in her bodice or her drawers, an unwelcome surprise for her unwelcome suitor might not be so forthcoming.
K.Hall:
I really, really like the idea of an elephant. A ton of challenge for someone of Laura's gargantuan writing skills. Monkeys should be very doable and offer so much possibility, because they're intelligent and devious. They have been done by other authors, too, because they were in vogue in the Georgian and Regency periods as pets, that British people returning home from African and Asian arms of the Empire brought with them.
So, in addition to the ones I commented above, we have tons more mascot suggestions for Laura: a badger (Sonoma Lass, PG), stoat (Brie), fox (Debb, K.Hall, PG), seal (Debb), bunny (Katiebabs, PG), lemur (K.Hall), and snakes (K.Hall, PG).
Definitely some good ideas in this list!
Badger and fox are good possibilities, and Francis Ray suggested an owl on Twitter (apropos of Hootsuite too).
Right now something from the English countryside would work the best, but one never knows!
Post a Comment