I don't get to say this often,

Aug 20, 2007 | Elizabeth's Favorites, TV, Movies, & Good Reads, Writing

but Julia Quinn copied me. Oh, yeah. She copied me. I don’t think I’ll probably ever be able to say that again, so I have to admit to a certain smug satisfaction in it. Not I’m not pointing any fingers or bitter about it, but she saw my most excellent idea and stole it without blinking. If you are wondering what I’m talking about, I direct you to Exhibit A.

Are you as shocked as I was? Oh, yeah, Julia’s calling it “Bridgerton Couture,” but you, me and any jury of our peers would agree that this is nothing more than a cheap knock off of Lottie’s Closet. Call it what you want, Julia Quinn, but it was my idea first.

Now I don’t know what is worse, Julia copying me or Candice Hern letting her! Oh, Candice, I thought I was your only Closet-holic, and now I find out . . . sniff . . . sniff . . . sob . . . sob . . . that you’re letting just anyone into those hallowed prints. Do you know how many of those Bridgertons there are? Well, if no one has told you, allow me. There are just tons of them. Can’t swing a dead cat in Mayfair without hitting one of them.

Let me put it very plainly: Candice, letting Julia Quinn into your print collection to dress her Bridgertons is like feeding that cute little squirrel in your yard. Oh, yeah, toss a couple of peanuts out and he scampers happily away. But mark my words, you’ll wake up tomorrow and find your entire front yard lousy with Bridgertons. Not to mention that Colin Bridgerton will most likely eat you out of house and home. I think it is Colin who is the hungry one. Believe me, it is easy to get confused with all of them lounging about in the altogether awaiting their turn to get dressed.

And has Julia told you she’s writing second epilogues for all those books? Count on all those characters coming back for more—”Oh, Candice, can I borrow that pelisse?” Or “Candice, do you have that lovely little opera dress I could borrow?” And eventually, “Wasn’t there a pair of blue slippers around here?”

Stop now, Candice, before it’s too late! Oh, you think you’ve thrown your closets open for a fun little adventure, but believe me, there is no going back once you’ve got Bridgertons in your TBR or your closets. You’ll find yourself sitting up late at night wondering if Anthony has the right polish to his boots, or what you’ll do when Francesca throws off her widow’s weeds and decides to go into half-mourning.

But really, I think the most worrisome thing about all this, is once those locust-like Bridgertons have decimated Candice’s Collections, whatever am I going to dress Hermione or Griffin in? And Candice, I don’t think your Merry Widows are going to be all that happy when they arrive to find a new ball gown for one of their charity events and discover your closets are as empty as Mother Hubbard’s. Believe me, now that you’ve got Grace messing around Rochdale, I doubt she’ll be the same milquetoast of old when she finds her red dress gone. I mean, the title of your book is Lady Be Bad. She opens that closet and finds it full of Bridgertons, you’ll have to change it to Lady Gone Wild.

Candice, just promise me one thing: that you won’t let Daphne Bridgerton into your purse collection. She strikes me as the sort that will be knocking them off and selling them on the corner before you can even get the URL changed. Just don’t say I didn’t warn you.

18 Comments

  1. colleen cannon

    Elizabeth:

    I really enjoyed the August 20 blog – laughed all the way through it (especially since I love Julia Quinn and Candace Her)! Can’t wait for the new book, I have already included it in my list to bring to Ireland in mid-September, but I don’t think I will be able to hold off reading it while it stares at me from bookcase! Have really enjoyed all of your books and can never wait for the next one to be released as soon as I close the cover on the current one.

    Thanks for the enjoyable hours of reading (and re-reading).

    Colleen

  2. Jackie

    Enjoyed reading your new blog…it will add a lot to your already fabulous website. I’m a fan of your books…

  3. Haven Rich

    Oh, now I had to come out of hiding to post…what a great, cute topic! I adore those “closet” pages.

    Well I broke my own promise to stay away from the internet, but it was worth it!

    Great topic Elizabeth!

    -Haven scampers off to eat more birthday (cheese) cake.

  4. AndreaW

    This is just way too funny! I enjoy looking at all of the closet/couture pages. Sometimes I have trouble envisioning the dress as a whole and these help so much. Candice’s website is chock full of good stuff.

  5. KeiraSoleore

    Eliz, what an uproarious post. I loved how you brought the Bridgertons and Merry Widows and eventually Griffin and Hermione out of the, ahem, closet for a public grievance airing. Very well done!!

  6. Candice Hern

    Mea culpa. Sorry, Elizbo, but I was seduced by the idea of all those Bridgerton fans coming to visit my site! Promo slut that I am, I simply could not resist.

    However, some of those later Bridgerton ladies will run into trouble when they ask for dresses from the 1820s. I’m afraid THAT closet is indeed bare. I truly dislike the direction fashion takes in the 1820s, leading up to the horrific 1830s, and so I have no fashion plates beyond 1820. So Hyacinth and others may have to run around in their shifts!

    BUT … I have over 500 prints from 1800-1820, so there are plenty of dresses to go around, for any author who wants to borrow an outfit or two.

  7. Julia Quinn

    Hey now! Daphne would NEVER sell her purses on a street corner. She would keep ALL her purses and scowl at her husband when he complains that they are cluttering up the front hall. (Oh, wait, that’s me…)

    My name is Julia Quinn and I am not allowed in the Coach store. Well, until the next time they send me a 25% off coupon.

  8. Helen

    Loved the blog I love your humour I had a good laugh this morning you have started my day wonderfully thanks Elizabeth. I love looking at Candice’s fashion plates and reading her books and The Bridgertons are the best.
    Have Fun
    Helen

  9. Elizabeth

    So glad you all liked my warped sense of humor. And don’t believe for a moment that Julia is going to stay out of the Coach store just because she lacks a coupon. She always insists we meet at the Starbucks near the Coach store–and I don’t think it is my sparkling wit that brings her to coffee. πŸ™‚

    As for Candice’s prints, I know she has plenty–but really, I want all the good ones for myself. Thankfully, I share Candice’s horror of the later fashions. All those belled sleeves and skirts with all the ribbons and ruffles–EEEWWW!–they look like over done versions of Mary had a Little Lamb.

  10. Atherley

    Oh, how funny! Personally, I think Candice has enough plates in her collection to clothe the world, never mind the “locust-like Bridgertons!” And those belled skirts that you say look like overdone versions of Mary had a Little Lamb? I was compelled to wear them when I did PR for a living history museum, and I was convinced that that’s where Mary HID the lambs!

  11. Julia Quinn

    Waaaaaait a second! Have you ever actually seen me ENTER the Coach store? Have you? Have you?

    No you have not.

    JQ

  12. Haven Rich

    Julia, you’re in better shape than I am…my husband cries when I look at the website. Needless to say, I do not own a lot of handbags. Shoes, are another matter all together.

  13. Keira Soleore

    Elizabeth, Julia is from Seattle. The very air we breathe makes us crave coffee. With or without the Coach store, I’m sure Julia would be at the Starbucks. The Coach purse is incidental to her double tall skinny hot no foam no whip double pump raspberry mocha.

  14. Haven Rich

    And here I just tried my first frozen vanilla coffee the other day. I don’t think I’ll be completely addicted anytime soon, although it was pretty darn good lol.

  15. Julia Quinn

    Ahem, Keira, I would NEVER order such a frou frou drink.

    I am a triple grande nonfat caramel macchiato with no vanilla woman.

    JQ

  16. KeiraSoleore

    A triple macchiato?? Now, that’s a macho drink. πŸ˜‰ Nothing frou-frou there. Brummell would approve.

  17. Elizabeth

    Keira, I need to take you to Starbucks to show you what a non frou-frou drink is. Carmel macchiato, indeed! πŸ™‚

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