First of all happy St Georges Day to all my readers and for any outside of the UK who do not know the significence of this day St George is our patron saint. The 23rd April also commemorates Shakespear's birthday and was also the date of his death.
My great love of history and patronism always made we wonder why we did not as a country do more to celebrate this day. Was it luck or coincidence, if there is any such thing as coincidence, that my own special way of celebration was for that day to mark the birth of my daughter Alison and son Stuart. Although both were born on the 23rd Apri, their births were two years apart. Happy birthday to them and anyone else who shares the day with them.
Marilyn asked me recently to reveal the identities of the Loveday women on the book covers. This is a question I have been asked many times. At first I always left it that as readers get very fixed ideas of what each character would look like, it was best for them to decide. I shall give you my idea and would be interested if readers agree or disagree. Today I will deal with the latest cover of Adam Loveday, Fortunes and Scandals.
The beautiful blonde on Adam Loveday shows a woman of great determination and capable of manipulating men for her own ends. It is Meriel Sawle.
The image on Fortunes is linked with nature and the sea and shows a woman self-assured but more mysterious. There is still a lot more of character to be revealed through later books. It is Senara.
The image on Scandals has to be Gwendolyn. A woman breaking free of her family restraints and prepared to risk all for the man she loves. A woman who is idealistic and has yet to face greater challenges to come.
What are your ideas?
6 comments:
Thanks for your interesting insight into the covers. I have the original cover for Adam with a woman standing on a headland. I thought this cover was very atmospheric but you could not see her face. The picture of the latest version is very much how I pictured Meriel. The contrast with the Fortunes cover does show Senara as more innocent which is right at this time. I did wonder on Scandals if it was Gwen or Bridie. I imagine she would have a very innocent air about her. Is there a cover showing Bridie?
Thank you, Liz, for your comments. Although Bridie's story and her marriage to Peter is told in the books, she has been rather overshadowed by more dominant personalities. I love Bridie and she is a great fighter with a positive approach to life in overcoming her background and disabilities. As her story is usually a secondary subplot she was not deliberately chosen for a cover, but then any reader who had her amongst their favourites may think the cover of Scandals or perhaps Pride was how they saw her.
Kate
The cover for The Loveday Scandals
is right for the loyal Gwen who is transformed from the influence of her dominating mother by her love for Japhet.
Using all the clues on the covers -- the backgrounds, the characters' dress, the characters' hair color and eye color -- I had guessed that Meriel was pictured on ADAM LOVEDAY and Gwen was pictured on SCANDALS. But I had my doubts about who was pictured on FORTUNES. Although "process of elimination" made me think it was Senara, I thought the illustration showed too-young a woman to be Senara. I envisioned her older than pictured. The illustrator does a fantastic job of capturing the essence of Meriel -- her beauty, her cunning, and her ability to manipulate and provoke. Gwen is one of my favorite characters. I love her because she is so steadfast, devoted, courageous, and has such resolve. Perhaps Aunt Elspeth will never grace a cover but I am so amused by her! Although crotchety and brusque on the outside, there is within her a wounded soul. And then too, Senara is one of my favorites. I love Senara's connection to nature, her compassion, her premonitions, and her mystical bent. I'd love to see this aspect of her character developed even further. (A la one of my favorite books, GREEN DARKNESS by Anya Seton.)
A loyal U.S. fan and "Ambassador" for all your lovely LOVEDAY books
Sheila, I loved transforming Gwen from being manipulated by her bossy sister and domineering mother. Her love for Japhet brings out the fighter in herself her family had subdued throughout out her childhood. She finds her true personality and qualities and is no longer afraid to break with the restrictions of convention.
Marilyn. you should write detective novels with all your powers of deduction and analysising skills. You are right Senara does look rather younger than I would have liked, but then the pose is in reflective mode and shows a woman at peace with herself.
I doubt Elspeth will get her own cover but I love writing about her character. In an age when women were expected to be subservient she certainly tells it how it is.
She is on fine form in The Loveday Conspiracy when she takes on both Adam and Tristan. She also shows the ingenious side of her nature dring a family drama.
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