So I was recently discussing Valentine’s Day-related cover ideas with my ever-patient agent, Jessica Alvarez. While searching for images that captured what I wanted, I found the following picture:

And here is the resulting conversation I had with Jessica over e-mail:

Me: Okay, question. Are these people SNIFFING EACH OTHER’S LOLLIPOPS? Because if so, WHY? And EWWWWW.

Jessica: Uhhh…that’s what appears to be happening. I don’t understand it. Perhaps it’s some kind of strange mating ritual people in other countries do.

(Note: I asked my husband, who is Swedish, whether shoving lollipops in your lover’s face is a Scandinavian tradition. He denied it, though I thought I glimpsed a look of furtive shame on his face before he did so.)

COVER IDEA: REJECTED.