Right now, I’m supposed to be writing a Q&A with myself for the back of the paperback edition of The Seduction of the Crimson Rose (due out in January of ‘09!). The fundamental problem with this exercise is that I already know the answer to any question I might think to ask myself. This somewhat puts a damper on the process.
So, once again, I’m asking for your help. Is there anything– anything at all– that you have ever wanted to know about The Seduction of the Crimson Rose, the Pink Series, the writing process, dashing spies, or the price of tea in China? (Well, not that last, but you get the idea). You can post your questions here or email them to me at willig@post.harvard.edu.
Thank you!!
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How did the Alsworthys manage to produce either Mary or Letty?
Is Amy really pregnant or was that just Mary’s interpretation of her comments to Henrietta?
I’ll try to think of some more…
by Jessica
on May 31st, 2008 at 1:19 pm
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This book has somewhat of a different feel to it from your others (not quite as lighthearted, more irony-loaded conversations), did you enjoy writing it as much?
by Angie
on May 31st, 2008 at 5:31 pm
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ooh, january ‘09! I can’t wait!
Let’s see….I’d flip open the book and look, but I don’t own it…darn.
I did always wonder about Vaughn’s thoughts throughout his playful flirting with Mary, and when he fell in love with her (although he’d never say that). Is that specific enough? That’s all I can remember wondering about.
by Gina
on May 31st, 2008 at 6:40 pm
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Will Augustus Whittelsby ever get a girl? You see I’m terribly found of awful poets, and i was just wondering if he may not be perfect for either Jane or maybe even Penelope?
Is Reginald Fitzhugh hiding anything with his stupidity?
Will Delaroche ever make a reappearance?
Who’s novels are greater inspiration for you, Orczy or Austen?
Do you intend to write any other books after you are done with the Pink Series?
by Katie
on May 31st, 2008 at 6:54 pm
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One of my very favorite things about reading is the ability to take the descriptions of a character and conjure up my very own images of the hero/heroine. It belongs to only me and it allows me to just lose myself in the story. When you think about the main characters of your pink books, who do you picture??
by Celly
on May 31st, 2008 at 7:05 pm
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Lauren, in the Crimson Rose Eloise was looking through Lord Vaughn’s appointment book and noted that he met with his tailor often or more so than most men. What’s up with that? I mean, yes, he’s well dressed but I thought we’d hear more about the tailor and what part he plays in Lord Vaughn’s shadowy existence.
Lady Standish commented to Lord Vaughn “What would Teresa think?!” I took that to mean she knew about Vaughn’s business and was putting him on notice. But why didn’t she know Teresa was dead? Did she know more than most about Vaughn and how would she use that information?
And what will people say when they find Lady Anne’s remains or will she take her story to the grave already provided by Vaughn?
by Amy N
on May 31st, 2008 at 9:39 pm
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Well, the only question I have is — you are going to keep writing (especially at least occasionally something in the Regency), right? LOL But ah, well, I never knew you actually wrote those — I always figured someone actually interviewed you! LOL Learn something new every day. 
Lois
PS - and to answer the question that my question to you sort of brings up, I’d definitely read your books, whatever time period you set them in.
by Lois
on June 1st, 2008 at 11:54 am
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Lauren-
I think some excellent questions for you as an author to answer would be,
Does Jane ever fall in love?
Does Miss Gwen ever produce her novel?
Will we hear more about the effect the capture of the Black Tulip has on the London Ton?
Who pics the cover art for your books and is there a tie in to Eloise’s research and the art peices that are used?
Obviously you played with the black market idea in France, but will you do the same in England?
Will any of your characters fall for someone outside of the Ton, someone lower in the society ladder?
Thanks!
Rose
by Rose
on June 1st, 2008 at 2:21 pm
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I have two burning questions, whether or not they appear in the Q/A, and whether or not they are answered:
Is Turnip Fitzhugh going to fancy Jane? Could that relationship actually happen without Jane strangling Turnip and/or the rest of the PC fandom strangling you?
Is Augustus Whittlesby ALREADY secretly cherishing an ardent admiration and burning devotion for Jane? ^^
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Well, my question was just answered!!
I was wondering when the paperback of Crimson would be coming out, and shazam, you already read my mind!
Chelsea
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Was watching “The Buccaneer” with Yul Brynner and Charleton Heston today and got to thinking about the characters of the Pink Series. Yul, even with hair, or Charleton didn’t quite fit the Vaughn vision but the clothes, the hair, the jewels, the dancing, the decorations, ooh-la-la! brought some of the Pink series images to life for me, at least.
by Amy N
on June 1st, 2008 at 7:34 pm
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Will all the previous characters come together again in any of the future books?
Have we already met any of the leading men for Pink VI and VII??
by Priyanka
on June 2nd, 2008 at 1:08 am
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Was Jane really using Vaughn as bait to lure out the Black Tulip, and not Mary?
Will Miss Gwen ever fall in love?
And in Pink III, did Lettie realize that Jane was the Pink Carnation or did she just think that Jane was a member of the league?
by Rebecca
on June 2nd, 2008 at 2:27 am
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- What were your favorite scenes of the novel to write?
- Was there any part of the book you had a difficult time writing?
- Do you have a favorite in the Pink Carnation series?
- Do you enjoy the historical story or the modern Colin and Eloise story more?
- Why does historical fiction interest you more than writing in your modern time?
Just some ideas.
by Alison
on June 2nd, 2008 at 10:29 am
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Here is a terribly indelicate question: Have you given any thought to the idea of becoming a fulltime writer?
by Georgia
on June 2nd, 2008 at 11:30 am
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Will Turnip get his own story? He seems to make an apperance in every book.
by Kiley
on June 3rd, 2008 at 5:13 pm
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Will your stories ever include a strange, “life on mars” episode wherein eloise wakes up and IS Jane or Lettie or Mary, or perhaps some other colleague of the pink carnation? LOL Not that I’d want that, but it would be funny. Maybe a very vivid dream…. (can you tell I’ve been watching too much prime time television?)
by kathleen
on June 3rd, 2008 at 7:26 pm
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Thank you all so much! These are such great questions. They’re a marked improvement over anything I was coming up with for myself. As soon as I pick the ones that are going into the back of the book, I want to do a great, big Q&A (or maybe a weekly series of smaller Q&A’s) here on the blog to answer all the others….
Lois, I also always thought that someone actually interviewed the author– until my first back of the book Q&A when I found myself interviewing myself. It’s a very schizophrenic sort of activity. And I get very bored talking to myself after a while
by Lauren
on June 5th, 2008 at 3:27 pm
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Ok, I am officially annoyed. Jan ‘09 is way too long to wait. Silly NZ and only buying paperbacks. I’m so buying off amazon.com now!
Question: Miles and Richard? DO THEY RECONCILE?! If so, when? Also, do you have a Colin to your Eloise?
by Cait
on June 6th, 2008 at 5:33 am
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Here’s another –
When does Eloise figure out Colin is a spy? Or is he? I love the little hints that imply that maybe he’s in the family business.
by Kathleen
on June 6th, 2008 at 3:00 pm
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One thing that I’ve wondered through all of the Pink books is why does no one suspect Jane of being a spy? She is a single woman above the age of 20 traveling around the hot spots of European conflict in an era where women of means are strongly encouraged to marry to ensure their security. Jane doesn’t project herself as a woman of means, and yet she’s invited to all sorts of parties, where she gets most of her information. Isn’t someone in France or Britain taking notice of Jane?
by Brooke
on June 8th, 2008 at 8:26 pm
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I don’t know if I’m too late for this, but I figured “why not?” I’ll have a go:
1) Will Reginald “Turnip” Fitzhugh ever be featured prominently in the rest of the series? I just happen to absolutely adore him!
2) My friends and I have read your series A LOT and whenever we do we always like to think about what actor/actress would work for each of your characters. Ever thought about turning the series (or at least the first book) into a movie?
by Rebecca
on June 13th, 2008 at 1:12 am
