Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Today's Special -- Miranda Neville





We are thrilled to welcome back the lovely and talented Miranda Neville! Miranda is the author of the wildly popular Burgundy Club series--The Wild Marquis, The Dangerous Viscount, The Amorous Education of Celia Seaton, and Confessions from an Arranged Marriage. Her newest historical for Avon, The Importance of Being Wicked (out NOW!), is the start of a new series called The Wild Quartet. It sounds terrific and I can't wait to read it! Please give Miranda a warm welcome as she brings you some eye candy and the cutest video!








I’m having a minor meltdown, what with a book releasing this week and another manuscript due to my editor in about five minutes.

“No,” I shriek to my daughter. “I cannot make dinner. I have a blog to write.

Does she offer to cook? No. Instead she offers an idea for the blog: pictures of celebrities that inspired my characters. Trouble is, I never cast my characters. And I’m lousy at remembering celebrities. So I give the dear girl descriptions and she gives me a list of names to google. She did a pretty good job. (Thank you, Becca and her friend Natasha.)

Let’s start with the heroine and hero of THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING WICKED, released yesterday.

Caro Townsend is a naughty girl. She eloped at the age of seventeen with a man who turned out to have a gambling problem and she’s now a widow without enough money. Though not a gambler herself, she’s a bit of a spendthrift. If she lived these days she’d run up her credit cards, though she really doesn’t mean to. I like this picture of Emma Gillan because it captures Caro’s quirky charm. But Caro isn’t all fun and jokes. She has a boatload of problems and underlying unhappiness that she isn’t facing.
 
 
 

 
 
Caro’s hero, Thomas, Duke of Castleton, is her opposite. He’s conventional and responsible and he needs to marry an heiress. But he takes one look at Caro and falls for her like a ton of bricks. She’s equally attracted, physically, but it takes a while for her to appreciate the wonderful, humorous, and genuinely good man beneath the stuffy exterior. When I saw Chris Hemsworth I said “Bingo.” Thomas doesn’t have a beard (facial hair was not in fashion) but there is a scene when he hasn’t shaved for a day or two…
 
 

 

Here’s a little excerpt:

He didn’t see her at first, but heard her voice. She was after all on the short side, as was Oliver Bream, her inevitable escort. But those smoky tones reached him and did something odd to his beating heart.

“I wonder how soon Lord Stuffy will be here."

Thomas tapped on the shoulder of the last body that stood between him and Mrs. Townsend.

“Good evening, ma’am,” he said with a polite bow. “Bream.” A brief nod for the artist.

She smiled, Bream nodded back.

“I don’t like to be particular,” Thomas went on, “but that really should be the Duke of Stuffy, you know. Or, if you insist on ceremony, His Stuffiness.”

Her smile stretched to a delighted grin. “No formality between friends, surely. I shall simply call you Stuffy.”

 
 
 

On to the secondary characters, who will appear in later books in The Wild Quartet series.
 
 

 
Anne Brotherton, Caro’s cousin, is the heiress Thomas initially courts. She’s quiet and a bit of a bluestocking. Is there a wild woman underneath the prim exterior? Looking at Rooney Mara I’m guessing the answer is yes.
 
 

 
 
 
Marcus, Viscount Lithgow, is a very bad boy in serious need of reform. Is Anne up to the job? We’ll find out in AN IDEAL SCOUNDREL, coming next summer. Matt Bomer is an actor whose gorgeosity is imprinted even on my feather brain, so when his name came up I had no need to look further.
 
 

 
 
 
 
Then there’s Caro’s friend Cynthia, a bit of a dark horse (though a blonde one). Teresa Palmer is perfect. And the slightly sinister Julian, Duke of Denford. I took one look at this picture of Adrien Brody and went “Hell, yes.” I’m not saying if these two are destined for each other.
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Finally, I have to mention Caro’s cat, Tish. Casting Tish was no problem. My inspiration lives in my house and his name is Ernie.
 
 

 



I have a huge and abiding crush on Richard Armitage, though I have been known to stray (see Matt Bomer, above.). The great thing about celebrity relationships is that infidelity is perfectly acceptable!


Who’s your current celebrity boyfriend? Are you a one-man girl or a polyandrous drooler? One commenter will win a signed copy of The Importance of Being Wicked. You can read an excerpt here.

Also, check out Miranda's book trailer! It's hilarious! :)

~Andrea




58 comments:

  1. Congrats on the new release, Miranda. Ernie it too cute. I love Richard, too, but my current celebrity crush is Henry Cavill. I'm really looking forward to seeing him as Superman.

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    1. Forgot to ask if Ernie has ever sneezed on someone's breeches?

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    2. Henry is a hottie, Jane, no question.

      I'm not sure Ernie has ever met anyone wearing breeches. As far as I know he is not allergic to blue jeans. His alter ego in the book, on the other hand ...

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  2. Ernie is adorable, I can introduce him to my Patches and Valentino then they can all watch us silly humans going about our drama filled business.

    Can't wait to read this, I have an especial fondness for naughty heroines who don't have a clue where their "place" is so they make up their own.

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    1. Love your cats' names. Is Valentino for Rudolph or the fashion designer? Ernie would love to join them for a nap.

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    2. He is a lover so Valentino was the only choice in names.

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  3. Ever since I saw Gerard Butler play the phantom in The Phantom of the Opera. He's been my favorite celebrity.

    I did end up liking your beast, Blake in Confessions From An Arranged Marriage.

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    1. Gerard Butler is quite easy on the eye, even if playing a beast. I am so happy you liked Blake. I quite adored himself, though he did need a bit of reforming.

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  4. Good morning, Miranda, and welcome! I can't wait to read TIoBW!

    Like Laurie, I adore Gerard Butler (who doesn't?), but my favorite is the handsome Christian Bale. Love him! Actually, I would love to just listen to Gerry and Christian talk...yum... ;-)

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    1. Forgot to add that I LOVE the video! Cutest ever!

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    2. Hi, Andrea. Thank you so much for having me dish with you. Christian is lovely. I so agree about voices. I think Alan Rickman may be my favorite.

      Ernie says purr.

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    3. Oh, I loooove Alan Rickman's voice. Yummy!

      Purr back to Ernie. ;-)

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  5. Congratulations Miranda on the new book! One of my favorite shows is Castle and I love the star of it, Nathan Fillion.

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    1. Castle is my regular Monday night date. Love Nathan and the show.

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  6. Hi Miranda! I'm looking forward to reading THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING WICKED. It's waiting for me on my e-reader.

    That has to be one of the cutest book trailers I've ever seen. Ernie is quite the character! lol!

    Hugh Jackman has been, is, and will continue to be my celebrity crush. I can. not. wait. to see him in Les Miserables!

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    1. It's lovely to be here, PJ. I'm looking forward to Les Miz, too. I sigh for Hugh.

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  7. Hey, Miranda! I have at least two of your books, if not more. I really enjoyed reading them!

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    1. Hi Molly. Nice to meet you here! I usually see you at the Ballroom Blog :)

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  8. Ooooh... such a cutie!

    I am usually a one man girl.... Right now, I am really into Damon from Vampire Diaries!

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    1. I've never seen The Vampire Diaries, May. [off to Google]. Oh yes. Very much so. Wow!

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  9. Fun column. Thanks Miranda. As for celebrities, I never get tired of looking at Hugh Jackman, George Clooney or Clive Owen.

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    1. Glad someone mentioned George Clooney. There's a man who gets yummier as he gets older.

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  10. I would have to say my cruch as always been Sean Connery.. I mean does this date me or what. But I have always had a thing for James Bond..

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    1. Sean Connery is forever! Have you seen the new Bond movie? I'm so looking forward to it because I also love Daniel Craig.

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  11. I'm glad to know that someone else writes and reads without automatically casting actors as the characters. I rarely do so. I generally prefer the images my imagination conjures. However, I do appreciate eye candy. Richard Armitage and Hugh Jackman certainly qualify, but I'm the faithful sort and my heart has belonged to George Clooney since his days as Falconer on Sisters.

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    1. I'm ashamed to say I have to take notes or I forget what my characters look like. They are real to me as people, but I don't visualize them. Same thing when I read. I've been a Clooney fan since ER days.

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  12. since I'm horrible with names & such I couldn't tell you it is I'm admiring at the moment, but it does tend to change regularly (there were several just the past few moments) ;) enjoyed the excerpt & love Ernie's video :)

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    1. Same here, gamistress. My daughter kept saying "how about so and so" and I had no clue!

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  13. I have always loved Sean Connery...that accent, those eyes, need I say more. Usually when I read the people I picture do not really look like movie stars or anyone beyond what info I am given and my brain puts together.. Thanks so much for the lovely interview and giveaway...Happy Holidays!
    kcnrhtx (at) charter(dot)net

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    1. Let's face it, Kimberley, very few people look like movie stars. Actually, I suspect movie stars don't look like movie stars when they get out of bed in the morning. It takes a lot of grooming and some clever camera work to present them to the world in all their gorgeousness.

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  14. I am a polyandrous drooler, yes. Proud of it ;-) But one of my favorites will always be Gerard Butler
    ;-)

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    1. Drool away, Chelsea. No one will hold it against you!

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  15. Hi Miranda! :) Lovely to see you here at The Dish. Congrats on the release of Importance! I can't wait to read it. And I really loved your book trailer-Ernie is a star in the making, I'm calling it now, lol.

    My current celebrity crush is definitely Matt Bomer. I love love love him in White Collar. And basically most of the men of Ocean's Eleven-George, Brad, Matt, Don Cheadle, Andy Garcia, etc. A movie full of eye candy if there ever was one. ;) Not to mention Bradley Cooper. YUM!

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    1. Glad I could provide a little Bomer :) I think they made those Ocean movies especially for us!

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  16. I loved your trailer and your stories!! I currently have a crush on Nathan Fillian of Castle and Firefly fame.

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  17. I've had a huge crush on Henry Cavill, ever since seeing him in The Tudors. I always picture him as my "hero" when I'm reading a very exciting Historical Romance. I'm also now crushing on Daniel Craig, after seeing pics of him from his new "Bond" movie "Skyfall".

    Congratulations to you on your new release of "The Importance of Being Wicked". I love your books, and would really love to read this.

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    1. I never got into The Tudors, Diane, but I've seen plenty of pretty pictures of Mr. Cavil and I understand the appeal!

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  18. I agree Alan Rickman's voice is so good and he does bad boy so well.
    Theresa N
    weceno(at)yahoo(dot)com

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    1. Rickman always steals the movie, even when he's the villain. (I'm looking at you, Robin Hood.) Another great voice is Jeremy Irons.

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  19. Thanks for a fun post and congrats on the new release!!!! Ummm... I'm a fickle kinda of celebrity girlfriend. I have a new one depending on who I've seen shirtless :) It's a tie between Ryan Reynolds and Jeremy Renner.

    efender1(at)gmail(dot)com

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    1. No judgement here, Erin. Celebrity sluts welcome :)

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  20. Hey Miranda, congrats on your latest release. Love your books.Have The Importance of Being Wicked on my TRL.
    I'm definitely a drooler. Can't help myself. lol I also loved Gregory Peck. He may be gone now but not forgotten. Picturing him as the Hero was never a problem. But Hugh Jackman is the man who is still with us and causes me to drool. lol
    Thanks for the opportunity.
    :)

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    1. Forgot to add my email.
      Carol L
      Lucky4750 (at) aol (dot) com

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    2. Thanks, Carol. Gregory Peck is definitely an oldie but goodie. Also Cary Grant. I'm a big fan of old movies.

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  21. What a delightful trailer. Love the play on words for the title at the end.
    I don't recognize any of the actors listed in your post. I go with the older set: Mark Harmon, Tom Selleck, and George Clooney. There are many men in the industry, both in the past and currently, that have aged well.

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  22. Chris Hemsworth is mine, though I have to admit to a wandering eye!

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  23. I'm a one-man kind of girl. Hugh Jackman and I have an understanding.

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  24. I love your book trailer...Ernie is so adorable! :)
    I'm a one-man kinda' gal. Well...kinda. Lol! My current celeb boyfriend is Tom Hardy. Mmmm...gorgeous! Of course, I love the classics too. Mark Harmon, Sean Connery, Harrison Ford. Oh...and I have to go see the new OO7 because I'm completely in lust with Daniel Craig. Guess I'm not a one-man gal after all. ;-)

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  25. Richard is great, I used to date him. But now the celebrity boyfriend I'm seeing is Toby Stephens ;)

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  26. I am in love with Ernie! But since he's a cat and I'm a person, I do believe my choice would be Johnny Depp. I can't even describe what that man does to me, LOL! WHEW!

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  27. What an adorable kitty Ernie is! I love my new kitten, Sophie, and every time I see a kitty picture, I get stars in my eyes. You captured the true essence of a cat in the video. Such gorgeous and independent little creatures who occasionally allow us a moment of their time. I wonder if Ernie might like to share tuna with Sophie some time. ;-)

    OK. Now to "The Importance of Being Wicked." I have this novel on my Wish List and am even more excited about reading it after seeing what Ernie has to share about it.

    Thanks for making me sit here with a goofy smile on my face. I love it! Congratulations on your new novel, Miranda.

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  28. Congratulations on the new release. I've been watching re-runs of Remington Steele. The show has held up with the passage of time and Pierce Brosnan was so good-looking.

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  29. Hi Ernie (and you too Miranda)!

    Charlie (aka Atilla the cat) here to say a quick HI! Ms. Miranda's daughter (would she be like an Aunt to you?) did a wonderful job when she picked the pcitures! I wish that my Ms. Jeanne were as young as Caro and Thomas because she never gives me enoough cat treats and I bet they'd give me lots so I'd leave them alone!

    They sound like a lot of fun and I bet they would even open the door for me so I could have played outside. I'd bet they'd even open the door for me instead of me having to do it myself! Old Charlie's not so young anymore and opening that heavy sliding glass door is getting harder everyday!

    Take care Ernie! Hope you get an award for your book!

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  30. I like everyone's taste here! But what about James/Jim Caviezel (currently in Person of Interest)--he's tall, dark and brooding with just the right touch of dry humor...

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  31. Love Chris Hemsworth - and also Channing Tatum - I wish someone would really make these stories into movies!

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  32. We saw the new 007 movie after Thanksgiving; My new crush is Daniel Craig! He is not the tallest of the Bonds, but what's there is "Cherse" -- to quote the late, great, Spencer Tracy!

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  33. PS. Back on target: I LOVED Miranda's book! Go out and get it ASAP

    Thank you for giving me the chance to read it, Miranda, I'll be posting my review very soon!

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