Lady Percival’s Portrait

Self portrait, Ann Mary Newton (1832-1866)
National Portrait Gallery, London

Since the release of All In, I’ve had several people ask me about the painting of Lady Percival that Brynne is conserving.  Lady Percival is not a real painting but rather a figment of my imagination and a character in another book I’m writing.  It is a historical erotic romance that I hope to get out some time in 2013.

The artist, Tristan Mallerton, is also fictitious and someone you will meet in yet another historical romance I am releasing in early 2013.  My fictional Mr. Mallerton has painted many portraits of the heroines in my books and when I started The Blackstone Affair, it was fun for me to link the two time periods with the art that I love to write about.  You will be hearing his name over and over again, especially in Gabrielle and Ivan’s–The Rothvale Legacy series as it gets going.

I studied Art History at San Diego State and still have the utmost respect and love for art and especially Romanticist works of painters like John William Waterhouse and Jean Fragonard.  I can also find a ton of inspiration for my books just from looking at a painting.  I even found my inspiration for Naked when I saw the photograph I ended up using on the cover of the book.

I did find a painting that is my vision of how Lady Percival might look.  It is a self-portrait by Ann Mary Newton (1832 – 1866) and is on display at the National Portrait Gallery in London, which is the setting for an important scene in All In.  I like that it was painted by a woman too.

On a side note, I am hard at work on Book 3 as we speak.  As soon as I finish the manuscript I’ll let you all know and can better give an accurate release date for Eyes Wide Open, The Blackstone Affair, Part 3.

*Hugs and blows kisses*

Comments

  1. This is exciting and interesting. I can’t wait for your two new books! Thank you for sharing the painting and history

  2. So excited!

  3. Can’t wait to read part 3! You books are great!!!

  4. Hi Raine,

    So glad to hear about Lady Percival’s Portrait! Silly me, I even “googled it”. LOL!
    You write so well, and went into so much detail in All In, I just naturally thought it was a real painting. I also like that you provided us with your idea of what the painting would look like.

    Loving your Blackstone Affair Books and anxiously awaiting the third installment!

    Hugs,
    Sophie

  5. Terry Miller says

    Can’t wait for Eyes Wide Open. Thanks for info on the painting. I love how you tie all your books together. Genius!

  6. exclusiverob says

    WOW! she beautiful. I can just see in my mind Brynne working on this painting. No wonder she loves it so much. I can’t wait for book three. Thanks for sharing.

  7. New Year Eve is going to be exciting!!! Can’t Wait!!

  8. I love that you have included your art background with your imagination in your writing.

  9. I have enjoyed reading both books in the Blackstone Series. I am waiting on pins and needles for book 3. Love that Ethan and Brynne.

  10. I have read your two historical romances and loved them. I also like the fact that the family name Greymont and the Greymont estate comes comes into play in All In as Ethan takes Brynne to visit his sister at her Bed & Breakfast in Hallborough, and if memory serves me right, is the same house that Jeremy and Georgina live in… I hope I am right! I cannot wait to read part 3 and your other historical romances!

    • Hi Gabriela! YES!!! Hallborough is the same house that Jeremy and Georgina Greymont lived in at the Somerset coast. Look for a mention of Jeremy and Georgina in book 3 of Blackstone Affair. *winks* I love to link my stories–it is so much fun for me to do that. Ethan’s brother-in-law, Freddy, is a direct descendant of Jeremy and Georgina. <3

      • Awesome! I figured when I read the names! I adored their story. Are going to continue their story? Love your books, keep the stories coming! I cannot wait to read more. Are you going to give teasers?? Thanks for Ethan, too bad he is fiction….

  11. Cool post. I was actually going to look it up to see the painting.I actually pictured it a bit different. I love when paintings are mentioned in books. I’m always so curious to know what was going on during the time it took place. There’s such a story to be told when you look into the eyes, I think. I usually don’t know any of the paintings or painters, but I do love hearing them spoken about. I love Renaissance paintings. I have a few that I saved on my computer I found from another book I read and hope to buy replicas one day.

    • Absolutely. The saying “the eyes tell the story” is very true. I love the seriousness of the woman’s eyes in the painting …you just know she has something mysterious going on. I have two replicas of paintings in my office where I work. One is Leighton’s, Flaming June, and the other is Fragonard’s, The Stolen Kiss… (the header image on this blog)

  12. WOW!!! I loved the Blackstone books and am on the edge of my seat waiting for the third book. I’m definately looking forward to the new year;-)

  13. Love the background info on the art (I know very little about art so learning tidbits through reading will allow me to sound really smart in a future conversation on the topic one day). Like everyone else I loved part 2, being in Ethan’s mind was awesome. Spoiler alert: I found the 50 shades reference and follow up commentary to be hilarious (I think I read it 3 times before moving on). You get a high five from Raleigh, NC and I raise my glass of wine in the air to your imagination). Keep at that typing!

  14. What a splendid way to spend New Year’s. And Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours Raine. I am Thankful for creative storytelling!

  15. Sooooo excited. A am an artist so I love your mention of art and I, too, pictured this painting in my head. Of course it looks different than I had imagined- but love that there is now a reference.

  16. I loved both books… absolutely can not wait for the third book!!!!!!!!

  17. Exciting news. New Year’s with Ethan…yummy!

  18. I really enjoy the book. Can’t wait for part 3. Ethan is something else. Hope the two mysteries are solved in next issue.

  19. oh gosh !! AM dying for part 3 ,, ur book just like an extacy for me

  20. Looking forward to reading Eyes Wide Open

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