Squawk Radio
Monday, March 06, 2006
Lisa talks about "Scandal In Spring"
Dear friends,
I thought it might be fun to show you the stepback art for the last Wallflower book, Scandal In Spring. I think it's beautiful! Anyone familiar with the character of Daisy Bowman will probably notice the female model's hair is a little too light, but the art department is going to darken it to the right shade of brown.
The experience of writing Scandal In Spring was similar to Devil In Winter, in that I instantly fell into the same blissfully comfortable and productive groove. I think it has to do with writing a series--you become so familiar with the characters, you know exactly how they will react in certain situations, and you know their style of speaking. I've loved the time I spent with these characters, seeing how they develop in each book, revealing a few surprises and secrets along the way. Unlike the last book, there are a few ensemble scenes in Scandal In Spring, and it was so fun to throw these unique characters together and watch the antics that ensue.
Daisy's hero, Matthew Swift, is a perfect foil for her--he is worldly, ambitious, handsome, charming when he wants to be, and able to control everything except his secret passion for Daisy. The story is launched when Daisy's wealthy American father, exasperated with her inability to find a husband, gives her a deadline to find a husband, or he will force her into marriage with his right-hand-man, Matthew. Naturally Daisy can't stand Matthew and considers him to be a soulless industrialist. But as Daisy and the other former wallflowers search desperately for a suitable match before the end of Spring, she discovers an unwilling attraction to Matthew, and she begins to wonder if the man she has always despised might turn out to be everything she ever wanted. The tone of the book reflects Daisy's own personality : lighthearted, deeply romantic, sensuous and just a little boisterous.
Originally I had intended to pair Daisy with a very different kind of hero, a minor character from Devil In Winter named Cam Rohan. Cam is an exotic half-gypsy croupier, and after he and Daisy have a brief encounter in DIW, I thought they would be a great couple. However, as I started Scandal, I realized Cam and Daisy were too much alike, and I've always found the best chemistry to come from a pairing of opposites. So Cam is temporarily on hold while I come up just the right heroine and plot for him.
FYI : Scandal In Spring is going to be released in August 2006
Here are some tidbits about Scandal In Spring :
--the first kiss between Daisy and Matthew occurs after a scandalous parlor game
--Lillian Bowman has her baby in some rather unusual circumstances
--every couple from the Wallflower series makes an appearance
--Lord Westcliff again plays a small but pivotal role in the plot
If you have any questions about Cam, Daisy, the other wallflowers, etc, I'll try to answer them without giving away spoilers!
Lisa Kleypas, 2:40 PM
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