In this edition of Endnotes, we take a look at Rebecca F. Kenny’s Beautiful Villian (Sourcebooks Casablanca, July), a paranormal reimagining of The Great Gatsby. In its review, PW said, “Daisy and Jay’s steamy connection is believable and the worldbuilding leaves room for further exploration in subsequent volumes. Kenney’s fans will be pleased.”

Here’s how the book came together.

Rebecca Kenney, Author

“The Great Gatsby is an incredible book, but I’ve always felt that Daisy needed more agency and Gatsby deserved a happy ending. The frenzied opulence of the original novel lent itself perfectly to a modern, Southern gothic retelling with a more inclusive cast. And I couldn’t resist giving it a paranormal twist as well.”

Mary Altman, Senior Editor, Sourcebooks

“This was one of those rare serendipity moments. I’m not on social media much, but I happened to be poking around on Twitter and posted a wish list that included spicy new adult and books with fun, unusual, and high-concept twists. Rebecca reached out to pitch her book and I immediately asked her to send it to me—and it was exactly what I was looking for. Super engaging, bingeable, spicy, and high-concept in a way that stuck in my brain like a burr.”

Eva Scalzo, Agent, Speilburg Literary Agency

“Rebecca and I were a bit of a second-chance trope. I had offered to represent her on an earlier manuscript, but she went with someone else. About a year or so later, she reached out to me out of the blue and said she was once again looking for representation and wondered if I would be willing to take another look at her work. The book she was pitching was a Gatsby retelling with a happily ever after and vampires, which sounded completely bonkers and totally up my alley.”

Regina Wamba, Artist and Cover Designer

“The cover definitely displays that there are some hidden secrets within the story—along with wealth that most people do not even comprehend. With the gilded nature of the cover, it helps communicate that there is luxury involved, and the greenery helps display the lushness of the South. With the darker tones, it communicates secrets and danger hidden amongst what looks like perfection.”