It’s time to celebrate five years of Pink Carnation! Yes, for almost five years the Pink Carnation has been foiling those dastardly French plots. Napoleon never had it so bad.
In honor of Pink’s fifth birthday on February 7th, I’m holding a five day countdown, with a mini-contest every day. Winners of the mini-contests will receive advance PDFs of the first three chapters of the next Pink book, The Mischief of the Mistletoe, starring that lovable vegetable, Turnip Fitzhugh (with guest appearances by none other than Miss Jane Austen).
Without further ado, let the games begin!
Today’s contest is inspired by Katie’s “fifth line” game. Here are the rules:
* Grab your copy of The Secret History of the Pink Carnation.
* Flip to any page. (It has to be at random, though!)
* Find the fifth sentence.
* Type it into the “comments” section here.
Five people will be chosen at random to receive a preview of The Mischief of the Mistletoe. Winners to be announced here tomorrow….
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Amy fought down the sense of unease steadily rising like the fog around her.
by Virginia
on February 2nd, 2010 at 3:12 pm
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“How in the hell could you think he and I were the same person?”
by Krystal K.
on February 2nd, 2010 at 3:21 pm
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“Something to sip to wake me up so I could go on reading before Colin Selwick managed to convince his aunt never to let me darken their doorstep again.”
by Cassie T.
on February 2nd, 2010 at 3:29 pm
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“Huzzah for the Purple Gentian!” his men would cheer.
by Alexis
on February 2nd, 2010 at 3:31 pm
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Not only did Amy disagree heartily with the sentiment — she defied any future husband to try to claim a distribution of her objects movable or otherwise without her concurrence — but it was utterly useless to her investigation.
by Jessica
on February 2nd, 2010 at 3:34 pm
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“Thank you for rescuing me, and thank you even more for everything else.”
by Sheila
on February 2nd, 2010 at 3:42 pm
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“‘Some men have all the luck,’ hiccupped Murat, from somewhere just below the rim of the table.”
by Ivy
on February 2nd, 2010 at 3:44 pm
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“What was he doing here, now, when she was so close to taking her well deserved revenge?”
by MollyJ
on February 2nd, 2010 at 4:18 pm
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“It wouldn’t be at all bad if it weren’t for the color,” commented Geoff wistfully.
by Diana
on February 2nd, 2010 at 4:21 pm
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Richard felt a great deal of sympathy for the Tower menagerie as he flung himself into a chair, which, of course, promptly skidded back a good six inches.
by Tanya
on February 2nd, 2010 at 4:29 pm
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The young lady paid no attention.
by KMD
on February 2nd, 2010 at 4:29 pm
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Lord Richard greeted each girl with a deep bow as they fell in beside Miss Gwen.
by Carol
on February 2nd, 2010 at 4:31 pm
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Amy yawned broadly as the carriage drew up befre the Tuileries, decanting her and Edouard into the courtyard.
p. 196
by Lora
on February 2nd, 2010 at 4:37 pm
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I’d shaken my head, and thanked her politely, the words scarcely registering over the turmoil in my head.
by Mary
on February 2nd, 2010 at 4:43 pm
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“The nightingales stopped chirping.” p.264
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“Aunt Prudence had snapped out of her reverie with what was nearly an audible click.”
by Hillary
on February 2nd, 2010 at 4:47 pm
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Richard didn’t give her chance to make another sound. 
pg. 219
by Maddie
on February 2nd, 2010 at 4:52 pm
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Indeed, some said he was Sir Percy Blakeney, fooling the foolish French by returning under a different name.
by Elizabeth
on February 2nd, 2010 at 4:53 pm
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Amy conveniently ignored the fact that revolutionary France had banished titles when they beheaded their nobility.
by Amy
on February 2nd, 2010 at 4:55 pm
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Maybe that’s why the revelation caught me quite so off guard.
by Michelle
on February 2nd, 2010 at 5:00 pm
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“Of ancient curses?” page 214
by Kayse
on February 2nd, 2010 at 5:37 pm
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Jane pondered this new information, doll dangling forgotten from one hand.
by KathrinH
on February 2nd, 2010 at 5:43 pm
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Richard hastily scraped his chair back as Murat was ill all over Mme Rochefort’s prized Persian rug.
by J
on February 2nd, 2010 at 5:51 pm
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A small and all-too-familiar figure was wriggling its way out from under the desk.
by Meg
on February 2nd, 2010 at 5:58 pm
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The whole idea was just too medieval, too melodramatic, too…Delaroche.
by Abigail
on February 2nd, 2010 at 6:05 pm
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Her yellow skirts made a bright splotch of color in the rapidly darkening cabin as she crossed the room. (pg. 49)
by Michelle K
on February 2nd, 2010 at 6:11 pm
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Fingers tightening around the paper in her hands, she gazed rapturously at the sky.
by Cortney Penn
on February 2nd, 2010 at 6:27 pm
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“This is it Richard!” Miles’s eyes glowed with a sporting fervor like a hound on the trail of a fox. “THE assignment…”
by Veronica
on February 2nd, 2010 at 6:32 pm
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“Well, he does.”
by Carolyn
on February 2nd, 2010 at 6:32 pm
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He had to end it with her.
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Do we have to answer the sphinx’s riddle before we can go upstairs to bed. pg. 115
by Alex
on February 2nd, 2010 at 6:44 pm
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No era exactamente el tipo de puerta que podria dejarse entreabierta accidentalmente. (My english copy being on lone to a friend, I had to settle for spanish)
by Katie
on February 2nd, 2010 at 7:21 pm
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“I will refrain from comment on your reckless disregard for you reputation.” Miss Gwen’s voice scraped across Amy’s raw nreves like talons clawing flesh.
by Elizabeth P.
on February 2nd, 2010 at 7:24 pm
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Colin shrugged, some of the amusement fading.
by Laura
on February 2nd, 2010 at 7:24 pm
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Richard hastily scraped his chair back as Murat was ill all over Mme Rochefort’s prized Persian rug.
pg.224
by Elizabeth B
on February 2nd, 2010 at 7:24 pm
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OOPS!! I meant loan:)Sorry!
by Katie
on February 2nd, 2010 at 7:24 pm
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He should have been the one in that antechamber.
by Nikki M
on February 2nd, 2010 at 7:25 pm
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damn, damn, damn. (really! that was the random sentence :))
by Rachel
on February 2nd, 2010 at 7:33 pm
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Due to Richard’s habit as a beastly eight-year-old of spinning the globe as fast as he could make it go for the joy of seeing the countries blur into multicolored blobs, the Uppington Hall library globe was no more.
Page 166
by Katelin
on February 2nd, 2010 at 7:45 pm
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Something in the Purple Gentian’s tone, an intense anger underlying the seeming calm, made Amy’s eyes fly to his face.
Page 250
by Jules
on February 2nd, 2010 at 7:59 pm
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” ‘You ‘ave?’ Obviosuly intrigued, Hortense looked up inquiringly at Richard from under her eyelashes.” pg. 152
by Lisa Ungemach
on February 2nd, 2010 at 8:35 pm
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Amy strained for a glimpse of his companion.
by Hollidae
on February 2nd, 2010 at 8:38 pm
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Should she simply tell him she knew him to be in league with the Purple Gentian and demand to be allowed to participate? page 109
by Kristy
on February 2nd, 2010 at 9:00 pm
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p85: Underneath his sportsman’s tan, his face was turning a mottled red.
by Alyssa
on February 2nd, 2010 at 9:07 pm
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Eeek! I only have the audio book!!! Can’t see the pages. LOL! That’s okay. I’ll wait with great anticipation. I love the series. Thank you. And Happy Birthday to the Pink Carnation!
by joysann
on February 2nd, 2010 at 9:27 pm
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The Purple Gentian placed a hand under her bottom and boosted her over the windowsill, as unceremoniously as though he were heaving a sack of grain into a wagon. p. 266
by Ashley B.
on February 2nd, 2010 at 9:30 pm
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“You may change your mind when you hear what I have to tell you.”
by Kellie
on February 2nd, 2010 at 9:39 pm
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“I’m serious, Amy,” he said flatly.
by Teje
on February 2nd, 2010 at 9:42 pm
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Geoff grimaced.
by Cho
on February 2nd, 2010 at 9:48 pm
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Richard’s memory momentarily clicked back to that afternoon, to Amy, flustered, running intohim as she raced out of….Bonaparte’s study.
page 244
by Robin Thomason
on February 2nd, 2010 at 9:58 pm
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“How in the hell could you think he and I were the same person?â€
by The Duchess Regina
on February 2nd, 2010 at 10:08 pm
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Richard felt a great deal of sympathy for the Tower menagerie as he flung himself into a chair, which, of course, promptly skidded back a good six inches.
by Courtney
on February 2nd, 2010 at 10:21 pm
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“But you’ve all forgotten something.” Page 372
by Anne Burner
on February 2nd, 2010 at 10:23 pm
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Damn, damn, damn. (haha )
by Gina
on February 2nd, 2010 at 10:38 pm
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“I don’t know why you children always think you can distract me like that.”
by Hannah T
on February 2nd, 2010 at 11:02 pm
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What was he doing here, now, when she was so close to taking her well deserved revenge?
by Megan
on February 2nd, 2010 at 11:07 pm
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Lady Uppington smiled broadly in acknowledgment, revealing a mouthful of blackened teeth. 
by Heather Bond
on February 2nd, 2010 at 11:08 pm
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“Idiot, Amy told herself, forcing a fixed smile onto her lips in the face of his quizzical gaze.” (Pg. 330, paperback)
by Kendra
on February 2nd, 2010 at 11:10 pm
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It is a truth universally acknowledged that one only comes up with clever, cutting remarks long after the other party is happily slumbering away.
~lAUra
by lAUra
on February 2nd, 2010 at 11:22 pm
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“Sorry,” Richard muttered. pg. 134
by Hortencia
on February 2nd, 2010 at 11:25 pm
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“English and French alike were united in their burning curiosity to learn the identity of the Purple Gentian.”
by Lauren Ashley
on February 2nd, 2010 at 11:34 pm
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“Josephine, herself older than she liked to admit, had draped the candle sconces and mirrors in gauze, but even the gentle light betrayed cheeks layered with rouge.”
by AngelB
on February 3rd, 2010 at 12:05 am
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Amy conveniently ignored the fact that revolutionary France had banished titles when they started beheading their nobles.
by Ashley Renee
on February 3rd, 2010 at 12:05 am
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The boat careened back and forth as though they were on the high seas in a midwinter tempest, rather than on the Seine on a clear spring night.
by Perla
on February 3rd, 2010 at 12:07 am
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He wondered if she was as beset by memories of their kiss last night as he was.
by Rebecca W.
on February 3rd, 2010 at 1:21 am
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“In this patchwork way, she reported that Augustus Whitlesby had spent the past day postrate at the feet of a minor statue of Pan, at the past evening pursuing his musie in the arms of one of the girls os Mme Pinpin’s house of pleasure.”
by Katie
on February 3rd, 2010 at 1:21 am
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“How are we going to get Richard out of Paris?”
by Kimmie
on February 3rd, 2010 at 2:14 am
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“He was jealous of his own bloody self.”
by Sara
on February 3rd, 2010 at 2:28 am
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“no, only at croquet,” Miles put in sarcastically. “Or did that ball just move two wickets all by itself.”
had to include sentence 6 it was to wonderful
by Stephanie Ball
on February 3rd, 2010 at 3:20 am
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Due to Richard’s habit as a beastly eight-year-old of spinning the globe as fast as he could make it go for the joy of seeing the countries blur into multicolored blobs, the Uppington Hall library globe was no more - pg 166
by Jessica C
on February 3rd, 2010 at 5:01 am
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London gossip named everyone from Beau Brummel (on the grounds that no one could genuinely be that interested in fashion) to the Prince of Wales’s dissolute brother the duke of York.
by Ayesha
on February 3rd, 2010 at 9:11 am
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“If the black weren’t so bloody useful for blending into the night.”
by Kate P
on February 3rd, 2010 at 9:45 am
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If only it ever happened that way.
pg 224
by Amy Morford
on February 3rd, 2010 at 10:19 am
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“The strange packages in the ballroom that Amy had hoped might contain supplies for the Purple Gentian but hadn’t” p.293
by Georgia
on February 3rd, 2010 at 11:20 am
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[...] Mini-Contest #1 | Home | Reading the Historical Romance [...]
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I like #9 : “It wouldn’t be at all bad if it weren’t for the colot….”
by Ivy
on February 3rd, 2010 at 2:45 pm
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I vote for #25 - The whole idea was just too medieval, too melodramatic, too…Delaroche
by Hollidae
on February 3rd, 2010 at 9:33 pm
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oops - I forgot the why part. It makes me laugh, and though Delaroche wasn’t a spy he was a great, funny villain. You kind of feel sorry for him being thwarted all the time when he has such aspirations.
by Hollidae
on February 3rd, 2010 at 9:39 pm
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#38 Really Damn damn damn. It’s what he thought alot.
by Robin Thomason
on February 3rd, 2010 at 10:35 pm
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#57 Lady Uppington smiled broadly in acknowledgment, revealing a mouthful of blackened teeth.
Loved it! It sounds completely different out of context.
by Priyanka
on February 4th, 2010 at 4:12 am
