Monday, October 4, 2010

Today's Special -- Miranda Neville

We are super excited to welcome back Avon historical author Miranda Neville as our special guest today! I met Miranda at this year's RWA conference and she is just as lovely as her online presence. Miranda grew up in beautiful Wiltshire in southwest England and has an accent that I could listen to for hours. Miranda's first book, Never Resist Temptation (March 2009), garnered terrific reviews. Her subsequent book, The Wild Marquis (March 2010), started her new Burgundy Club series. The Dangerous Viscount (out now!) is the second in the series and features an . . . unusual hero. *vbg* Join us as Miranda dishes about epilogues!



Baby Epilogues: Love ‘em or hate ‘em?

My working title for THE DANGEROUS VISCOUNT was “Regency Revenge of the Nerd.” Sebastian Iverley is the antithesis of the dark, looming, alpha male nobleman who reduces ladies to quivering pools of jello with a single look. He dresses badly, wears glasses, and collects rare books. Diana Fanshawe takes one look at him and knows he’s not for her. Especially when her mother tells her he’s the kind of man she should marry. “Not in this millennium” is Diana’s reaction. No indeed. The rich, but socially inferior widow has set her sights on Lord Blakeney, heir to the duke next door. To impress Blake with how cool and sexy she is, she bets him she can get Sebastian to kiss her. Everyone knows Sebastian won’t have anything to do with women.

Trouble is, Sebastian took one look at Diana’s accidentally exposed leg and fell for her. A lifetime of scorn and avoidance goes out the window and he’s planning happily ever after. Until he discovered her bet with his detestable cousin Blake. Hell hath no fury like a bookworm scorned. With the help of his buddies in the Burgundy Club, Sebastian gets an extreme makeover and plots to seduce Diana.

Boy does he clean up well. In no time Sebastian is the most desirable bachelor in London and Diana can’t figure out why he’s ignoring her.


She looked up through a gap in the crowd and with a sense of inevitability she saw him, a tall man in beautifully tailored black evening clothes, a red embroidered waistcoat, and a new haircut. The steel-rimmed spectacles had been replaced with a striking pair carved from tortoiseshell. Yet without a doubt this vision of masculine elegance was Sebastian Iverley.

He threaded his way in her direction with a smile on his face.

Marianne sighed. “Look at the breadth of those shoulders. And his legs! I love a man with good legs. And I’ve never really thought of it before, but spectacles draw attention to a well-sculpted face. He has the most beautiful cheekbones. And a lovely smile. Very shapely lips.”

She was right about the lips. Diana had noticed them before. More than noticed them. A glow kindled in her chest. Was it possible this transformation had been undertaken on her behalf? That was something, she had to admit, that impressed a woman.

He was quite close now. She drew herself up, preparing a welcoming smile for the man who, the last time they met, had kissed her.

He bowed. “Lady Gee” he said.

And walked straight past Diana without noticing her.



I was going to ask you guys to discuss unusual heroes – and I won’t stop you -- but I see you had that conversation with Courtney Milan last week. So I’m changing the subject.

Books often end with an epilogue where we see our couple married and blissful, often with a baby or three. Now I happen to love epilogues. I adore getting that glimpse of our hero and heroine living their HEA. I know a lot of people hate them, but in historicals, given the paucity of birth control, it’s only natural that the couple have procreated.

I included a “baby epilogue” in THE DANGEROUS VISCOUNT because I thought it was needed to complete Sebastian’s emotional journey in a couple of ways. (You’ll have to read the book to see why and then let me know if you disagree!)

Do you like epilogues? Hate them? Any particular favorites? One commenter picked at random will win a copy of THE DANGEROUS VISCOUNT (or one of my other books if she prefers).


For more information about Miranda and her books, please visit her website at: www.mirandaneville.com.

88 comments:

  1. I like epilogues myself, I think it great to hear what happens after the story. Especially with characters that you really like and get invested in seeing their relationship work out.

    seriousreader at live dot com

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  2. I like epilogues because I usually have a lot of questions about what happens a few years after the book has ended. Sometimes though I have too many questions and would prefer another book to see how everything turns out.

    smccar1 at hotmail dot com

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  3. I usually like epilogues since they show the couple some time after the HEA. I don't mind the babies because it is pretty common for a couple to have children.

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  4. I've ordered this book from Amazon and it's coming any day, so there's no need to enter me. Having recently finished The Wild Marquis, I can't wait to get my hands on the viscount.:)

    I attended a workshop at RWA Miranda presented and I could listen to her for hours too. We Yanks are suck suckers for English accents!

    I love epilogues, the more babies the better. I'm so schmaltzy. Prologues are fine too!

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  6. I prefer to have them, I really enjoy series so I can read even more about them. If the book is good you just can't get enough of them, so keep it coming. Babies, youths, young adults, and a book of their own if I have my say"-)

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  7. Love Sebastian's transformation -- just the physical but in emotional & attitude. "The Dangerous Viscount" deserves the good reviews its received. Congrats.

    I often enjoy Epilogues. It gives a nice hint of the couple's continued happiness and how their future proceeds. It can also wrap up those little loose ends or answer the lingering question as in the case of this book. Their sort of like the lite desert or after dinner drink following a good meal. :)

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  8. @Linda I totally agree. The story has to end somewhere and sometimes it's too soon for me.

    @Stephanie That's one of the nice things about series - you can revisit old friends and see how they are doing. Second books can be problematic though they are done (can anyone say In Death?). I believe readers hate seeing their couples have difficulties in their marriage and unless you introduce that, another book lacks conflict . With the In Death series you have prime mystery/suspense plots to carry each book.

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  9. @Maggie: Oh goodie, a vote for prologues. I love them too! Yet I hear of readers who won't read them, ditto epilogues. Anyone else out there want to weigh in on prologues from the reader's point of view?

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  10. @Maureen. Yes. Babies aren't essential but they do come, especially in historicals with no birth control and the desire of our titled folk for ye olde heir. Of course our heroines never die in childbirth, as was horribly common, especially among our main characters' mothers. (On the plus side, gotta love writing historicals because it's so easy to kill people off)

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  11. @Kirsten. Thank you for giving us the other point of view on babies. I would hate to imply that babies are necessary to validate a marriage or a life (though most people of the Regency era would disagree with you I am afraid).

    I would agree with you that it's much too rare to see childless couples enjoy their HEA. Only one comes to mind off the top of head is Min and Cal from Jennifer Crusie's Bet Me. There must be others. Anyone else?

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  12. @ohyeahiwon I know what you mean. When I really connect with a group of characters I can't get enough of them. For example, I wish Suzanne Enoch would write the rest of the Dare family story. I loved that family.

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  13. Miranda, I can't wait to read THE DANGEROUS VISCOUNT! A hero getting a "makeover"??? Sounds like a winner to me.

    I love epilogues. Sort of like "where are they now" for readers. One of my favorite epilogues is in BEWITCHING by Jill Barnett. The entire book is charming in the extreme, and the epilogue just makes it more so.

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  14. @gamistress It can also wrap up those little loose ends or answer the lingering question as in the case of this book
    Exactly my thoughts with The Dangerous Viscount. So glad you agree with me. And so glad you enjoyed it.

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  15. I tend to love the epilogues, no matter how cliche-ridden they are - or how likely they are to send somebody into a diabetic coma. For me epilogues are very important to tie loose ends and to let me enjoy the hero and heroine’s happiness.

    klmc_37@yahoo.com

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  16. I do like epilogues, I never want a good story to end but since they do at least give me glimpse of the HEA first.

    I can't remember the title or author right at the moment but the story line was a widow that was apparently barren and her dead husband made her a life of hell because of it. Long story short, she and the hero did marry so she got her HEA but we never found out if she had a baby or not because there was no epilogue.

    Another author, again, I can't remember the title right now but the story line stayed with me, same as above only even more intense abuse from dead husband. There was an epilogue, she was barren but heroine and hero took in unwanted children and raised them. She had babies and every ounce of HEA she deserved, I was very happy.

    I like prologues too, love to have the story "set up" for me. Kind of stops the questions of why did he do that? Or why is she acting like that before you have to ask.

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  17. Hi Miranda!

    I love epilogues, because I like getting a glimpse of the hero and heroine really enjoying their happy ever after, and if there's a kidlet or two thrown in the mix, so much the better. In addition, sometimes, authors use the epilogues to tie up some loose ends to the story-you find out that the bad guy gets arrested and sent to prison forever, the bratty sister gets shipped off to boarding school or some far off relative, etc.

    One of my favorite epilogues ever is from Judith McNaught's Something Wonderful. Jordan is in the nursery and telling his son about how he and Alex met, and how when he saw her for the first time, he saw Something Wonderful. In the meantime, Alex is at the doorway and hears the whole thing. SIGH

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  18. Hi Miranda!
    The Dangerous Viscount sounds like such a wonderful book! I love epilogues for the reason that you gave. In some books, I often wonder what will happen to the hero and heroine and the epilogue is there waiting to let me know! :)

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  19. Gannon: Thanks to all you Dishies for inviting me. I've never read Bewitching but so many people recommend it that it's definitely on my TBB list.

    @kimmy. LOL on the diabetic coma. When it comes down to it, romance is all about the happy ending and as far as I am concerned that ending can't be too happy (even if it's sappy too).

    @Dianna. You have a point about unanswered questions. Even if the lady in question couldn't conceive, we want to know, and be reassured that they were still happy.

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  20. @Lisa I haven't read that McNaught but it sounds Wonderful

    @Trisha Thanks for stopping by. I'm beginning to wonder where these people are who hate epilogues. Not reading this blog!

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  21. Good morning, Miranda! We are so happy to have you dishing with us today. Congrats on the new release! I cannot wait to read it!!

    Personally, I love epilogues, especially in historicals. I like to see how the characters are doing "down the road" and whether they had kids or not. :)

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  22. Hi, Linda, Stephanie, and Maureen! It looks as if we're all in great company!

    Maggie, doesn't Miranda have the best accent?! :)

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  23. Very good point, Kirsten!

    Thanks for stopping by, ohyeahiwon!

    gamistress66, I'm so glad to hear you liked this story. I can't wait to read it!

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  24. Miranda, I like prologues as long as they are vital to the story. I'm not big on them if they're just sort of thrown in. I read a book within the past couple years in which the prologue was sort of unnecessary.

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  25. kimmyl said: I tend to love the epilogues, no matter how cliche-ridden they are - or how likely they are to send somebody into a diabetic coma.

    LOL!! Too funny!!

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  26. Dianna, both of those sound familiar!! I'll have to go through my books to see if I can figure them out. I'm thinking one might be a Lorraine Heath, but not sure...

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  27. Lisa, I've never read a Judith McNaught (I know, I know), but one day I hope to rectify that!

    Hey, Trisha! I totally agree with you!

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  28. Give me a nerd hero anytime. I'm so looking forward meeting your VISCOUNT, Miranda.

    And I, for one, love prologues and epilogues. I know that they're considered somehow uncouth or naive, but I've never understood that. Hey, WAR AND PEACE has one of the most brilliant baby epilogues in all of literature.

    An author has the whole body of her novel in which to be as original and inventive as she wants -- within a crucial set of conventions. At the beginning, the lovers are lacking, questing. In the end, we need to see them fulfilled, and AT HOME. It's a romance.

    I'm not sure, though, that an epilogue always has to feature a baby. My EDGE OF IMPROPRIETY's epilogue (from the pov of a teenage girl who's gained a mother figure in the heroine), describes how an ancient statue of Aphrodite, stolen from her homeland in the prologue, is finally being sent home to Greece.

    Love and home. It's a romance.

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  29. Hi Miranda! Wonderful to have you with us today.

    I'm a fan of both prologues and epilogues, if done well. The book I just reviewed had a prologue that was essential to understanding the hero, in my opinion.

    Epilogues don't have to have a baby for me to enjoy them but a baby (or children) don't detract from my enjoyment either. Mostly, I enjoy them because I'm just not ready to say good-bye to the hero and heroine.

    I was glad you wrote an epilogue for Sebastian and Diana. I thoroughly enjoyed their story. Any chance we'll see Diana's sister in the future? I found her to be a fascinating character with excellent heroine potential!

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  30. Hello again! I hadn't seen this bit about his transformation. Dang it, I need to get this book.

    I do enjoy the baby epilogues. I like to see what they name them and how the character traits are passed down and put into mini-monster form. LOL! As long as the couple remains who they were on the last page before the epilogue, I'm happy.

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  31. I'm ambivalent about prologues. Some are a vital part of the story, but others seem to be an easy way out of an authorial problem. But I love epilogues--every sappy syllable of the sappiest of them. Jill Barnett's Bewitching would be at the top of my list of best epilogues. I think Julia Quinn's second epilogues for her Bridgertons was a stroke of genius. The one for When He Was Wicked is one of those rare perfect pieces IMO. And Eloisa James's epilogue for Pleasure for Pleasure is another favorite.

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  32. I really, really like epilogues because I want to know what happens later with the couple in their lives. I don't like the epilogue of a wedding or shortly thereafter. Most authors do a great job of concluding a story, but it is still nice to have the-what-happened-years-later look at the hero and heroine.

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  33. P.S. I like to read about the weddings, but just don't want the epilogue focused on them.

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  34. I enjoy epilogues because I like to see what has happened to the characters in the future :)
    throuthehaze at gmail dot com

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  35. Hi Andrea: the rule of thumb I always hear for prologues is write them then cut them, unless they do something essential. For The Wild Marquis my editor asked me to add the prologue and I believe it really improved the book because it meant the reader was "in the know" about some elements of the mystery while the characters remained in ignorance.

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  36. Pam: you are always full of wisdom so I'm glad to hear you on the side of the 'logues. I always loved the War & Peace epilogue (perhaps the daddy of the all?). BTW I have a homage to W&P in The Dangerous Viscount.

    I loved your epilogue in THE EDGE OF IMPROPRIETY. We'll have to chat about the Elgin Marbles sometime.

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  37. PJ: I am so glad you enjoyed the book. Funny you should mention it, but I'm just starting Minerva's story now (Tarquin's is finished and coming next year)

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  38. Hi Terri. You will have to let me know what you think of my baby name in THE DANGEROUS VISCOUNT (I defy anyone to guess it)

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  39. Janga: my thoughts exactly. Prologues aren't always needed but I always love an epilogue. And reader who don't like them can just stop reading :) The Quinn extra epilogues are fun and a good trend. Anne Stuart is doing them for her latest Rohan historical series (and they are going to be free!)

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  40. Deb: I agree that an epilogue implies some passage of time. So unless the wedding is much later (quite possible in a contemporary) it usually belongs in the main story

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  41. @throuthehaze. Thanks for you comment. I agree!

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  42. PJ: I am so glad you enjoyed the book. Funny you should mention it, but I'm just starting Minerva's story now

    Yay! I'm so glad to hear that!

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  43. I'm not terribly keen on baby epilogues in general, but in historicals I can stand them a little better than in contemps where more often than not they make me want to rip out the pages.

    As a woman who never had children, I resent the implication that my life cannot possibly be fulfilling or worthwhile without anklebiters around.

    Baby epilogues in historicals where the story was all about the (really) barren heroine piss the snot out of me.

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  44. I enjoy epilogues, it's nice to hear what happens to the characters. I do read prologues and have seen some that were totally unnecessary.

    andrea.infinger@gmail.com

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  45. Hi GrowlyCub! Thanks for stopping by and expressing yourself with your usual restraint.:) I am so glad to hear the other side.

    Though not terribly fond of the miraculously fertile heroine, I'll defend it in historicals because you need a reason why the widowed heroine doesn't have any kids. It's either that, or ankle biters cluttering up your plot, or nothing but virgins.

    I think the other reason why fecundity is such a popular outcome in romances, is that one or both of the protagonists often starts out isolated and lonely. Part of the emotional journey is bringing him/her into a community. Arguably a family is the ultimate community, though there are certainly alternatives and I love to see them too.

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  46. Miranda,

    believe or not the above is the self-censored version. :)

    Yes, I wasn't talking about the heroine who was married for 4 months and decides she is barren which made me roll my eyes in a book I read last month.

    I've also pointed out when this topic has come up in the past that certain XX/XY combinations do result in no conception or continued spontaneous abortions, so even a woman who has been married for a decade might get pregnant right away with a different XY.

    I think it's the baby epilogues that make the point that there could not possibly been *any* happiness whatsoever for every single one of the really barren women if they didn't end up with a kid or 12 by the magic wang that get to me.

    Which just points us in the direction of that eternal assertion. It's all in how it's delivered!

    As to prologues, I must be terribly oblivious as I cannot recall a single one that I felt was superfluous.

    Okay, upon further consideration, I take that back. The prologue of a very old Signet Historical, major portions of which were repeated verbatim at the end of the book. That was annoying.

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  47. Hi Miranda,

    Congratulations on the release of your latest book. It's on my BTB list. Love the theme...Revenge of the Nerd. Can't wait to read it.

    I love epilogues. One in particular comes to mind by Julia Quinn in her Hyacinth Bridgerton book. That's the one where her epilogue left a giant cliff hanger...to the point where after I read it, I stood up and shouted (at no one in particular because I was alone) 'YOU CAN'T DO THAT!' I believe I was not alone in that sentiment since she came out with a 2nd epilogue that tightened up (sort of) the loose ends! So funny...I love JQ's writing.

    kkhaas at bellsouth dot net

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  48. @AndreaI - thanks for stopping by.

    @GrowlyCub - I've read about medically improbable miracle pregnancies that had me rolling my eyes, but if I love the book I don't care. All in the delivery, indeed (which is a really apt turn of phrase when we're discussing babies). I can't believe many readers feel HEA is impossible w/o progeny and I wonder if writers mean to give that impression.

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  49. Karen - I had the same reaction to the end of that Bridgerton book. I didn't know there was an extra epilogue to it. From what you say it sounds like the matter wasn't entirely solved :)

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  50. Miranda

    I am soo looking forward to this book I have loved your stories fantastic reads, and as for epilogues I love them I love getting that bit of insight into the future of the hero and heroine not sure whether I have a favourite or not there have been lots.
    Congrats on the release

    Have Fun
    Helen

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  51. I don't necessarily think that the majority of authors consciously set out to convey that message, but if every single book you read has a baby epilogue, a certain cultural expectation pattern emerges. A pattern that does not allow for any deviation from that 'norm'.

    I guess we could segue into whether or not that is a reflection of current US society or whether these books actively help to shape cultural expectations of women and fulfilling relationships.

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  52. I love epilogues its fun to know what happens after the book ends.

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  53. I'm a total sap when it comes to epilogues - I love them. Babies aren't required, but I don't mind them in the least. And I think they make a great deal of sense in historicals.

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  54. I heard about this conversation on Twitter where GrowlyCub asked me to pop over.

    I don't necessarily think that the majority of authors consciously set out to convey that message, but if every single book you read has a baby epilogue, a certain cultural expectation pattern emerges. A pattern that does not allow for any deviation from that 'norm'.

    This. Miracle pregnancies are not in the offing for all of us who are childless, so after a while it gets painful to read about them over and over. They are so common that from the overall pattern it feels like a message emerges that a couple cannot be complete or happy without children, that love cures infertility, and that childless people don't deserve their own stories where they too find happiness and love.

    While I don't think any author intends to convey that message, it does come across that way after a while and since none of these things are true, I'm not very fond of baby epilogues.

    Having said that, I can think of a few that worked really well for me, so yes, it is all in the execution.

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  55. Hi Karyn - happy to be stalked by you anytime!

    Helen - always a pleasure of see you

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  56. @Abigail: babies or not, I like to get a glimpse of the future.

    Hey Vanessa - good to see you

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  57. Hey Miranda! It is so wonderful having you with us again. As I already told you, it was such a delight meeting you at RWA this summer.

    As for epilogues, I absolutely adore them. They generally make me sigh a bigger sigh of satsifaction as I close a book because I know those characters are doing well in the future.

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  58. Pam, I love nerd heroes, too! I love the quiet sexiness. *g*

    Terri O said: As long as the couple remains who they were on the last page before the epilogue, I'm happy.

    Excellent point, Terri!

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  59. Janga said: I think Julia Quinn's second epilogues for her Bridgertons was a stroke of genius. The one for When He Was Wicked is one of those rare perfect pieces IMO.

    Janga, I couldn't agree more. I cannot wait until they are all released together in a book. :)

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  60. Very well said, Deb! And happy anniversary again!

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  61. Very well said, Deb! And happy anniversary again!

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  62. I think Janine and GrowlyCub make very valid points. I am not convinced however that the writer has an responsibility higher than the truth of her own story, however it plays out.

    That said, I do like to see variation in all aspects of the romance genre, which can get repetitious, especially for those who read a lot. I don't think any of the pro-epilogue camp demand babies, so it might behoove writers to change things up a bit and show some variation in our HEAs.

    For myself, I'd like to see a bit more accuracy in the depiction of children in historicals. Without necessarily being unloving, upper class parents in 19th century England (and indeed for most of the 20th century) left most of the heavy lifting of parenting to servants.

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  63. Hey, growlycub! I'm so with you. I'm not sure exactly why they work better in historicals for me. I guess maybe because even the epilogues are still "in the past", and in a contemporary, they would usually have to be in the recent future, which wouldn't be enough time after the end of the story....if that makes sense. LOL

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  64. Karen H said: That's the one where her epilogue left a giant cliff hanger...to the point where after I read it, I stood up and shouted (at no one in particular because I was alone) 'YOU CAN'T DO THAT!'

    No, Karen, you are not alone. In fact, I loaned the book to my sister and she said the same thing!

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  65. Hey, Karyn! You know, it was your review that first made me want to read this book!! So, thank you!

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  66. Hi, Helen! I hope you get to read it soon! :)

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  67. I like epilogues. When I’m invested in the characters in a book, I really do want to know what happens “after.” Julia Quinn does a nice job with her epilogues, especially with the Bridgerton books. Your Viscount is on my TBR list.

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  68. I like some epilogues; if the hero and heroine didn't get together until late in the book, or if I'm not very convinced about their long-term compatibility, then seeing a glimpse of their future can help cement the happy ending for me. And if the heroine is unintentionally pregnant in the book, then I appreciate seeing the couple working together well as parents.

    Beyond, that, though, I think baby epilogues are overdone in the genre. For me, childbearing and romance were two very separate experiences; I like seeing a couple happy in and of themselves, regardless of whether there are offspring. I also have a sister and several dear friends who are childless (some by choice), and I know this is a big reason why they don't appreciate historical romance.

    Of course some historical standards, especially among the nobility, suggest that children are a necessary product of marriage. But I refuse to believe that couples who didn't have children were unable to be happy, in any culture or time period. If it's more challenging for an author to make that work, then hopefully that makes the book even more special.

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  69. Hi Buffie: good to see you again.

    @LSUReader: I didn't know JQ was collecting her epilogues. That will be fun.

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  70. Miranda Neville said:

    That said, I do like to see variation in all aspects of the romance genre, which can get repetitious, especially for those who read a lot. I don't think any of the pro-epilogue camp demand babies, so it might behoove writers to change things up a bit and show some variation in our HEAs.

    I can get behind that. I wouldn't want every happy ending to exclude children, any more than I want every happy ending to include them. Variety is the spice, and all that. And I do also agree that a writer has to be responsible to the truth of the story she is writing first and foremost.

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  71. @sonomalass
    I also have a sister and several dear friends who are childless (some by choice), and I know this is a big reason why they don't appreciate historical romance.

    I'm sorry to hear that because I don't think kids are the main point of historical romance.

    Going back to historical reality, I wonder how many childless couples there were. Obviously few by choice, given how dodgy birth control was. I'm thinking of the Crofts in Jane Austen's Persuasion, a devoted and happy childless couple. Given that Mrs. Croft went to sea with her husband in his naval career, one wonders if they did manage contraception somehow, or whether they got lucky. If she'd had children presumably she wouldn't have been able to sail with him and they'd have been separated.

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  72. I love epilogues. And I especially Love baby epilogues! Its like being served a scrumptious dessert after you’ve finished a great meal.
    Epilogues & dessert! What a Perfect way to end an enjoyable experience.
    I just finished reading an excerpt of THE DANGEROUS VISCOUNT. I was Very intrigued by the premise of this book when I first heard you talking about it, Miranda. Who wouldn’t be intrigued by a book worm who gets an extreme makeover ? But now That I have actually read some of Sebastian story …. OhhMyGosh!
    “… the most desirable bachelor in London and Diana can’t figure out why he’s ignoring her”
    Ha! Talk about just desserts! I can’t wait to get my hands on a copy so I can see how Sebastian and Diana get their H E A !

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  73. Wow, Miranda and my Dishy Friends, you have a party going on here! I'd better grab me a drink from that there bar before the grog runs out!

    Miranda, I keep telling you I'm dying to read this book and it STILL hasn't turned up from the Book Depository. Grrr! And you keep teasing me with these wonderful hints about what I'm missing.

    Epilogues? Hmm, I'm in two minds about them. Having said that, My Reckless Surrender and my next book Midnight's Wild Passion both have epilogues. There were too many loose threads I couldn't tie up in a last chapter.

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  74. Anna, it's good stuff. I really enjoyed it! And I'm not usually keen on revenge plots. I thought they had lovely chemistry.

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  75. @Julie I like the idea of an epilogue as dessert. But that means we should always have an epilogue....

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  76. @Anna - what is wrong with the post? I think we should blame the Brits, don't you? I'll take one for the cause.

    As for your characters, they are much too busy having lots and lots of monkey sex to have time for babies. (Not sure that makes sense but I've moved on to wine time.)

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  77. I love epilogues! I love finding out more of the HEA! LOL! It is like extra icing on a yummy cake! I'm very curious and love to know what happens next! Oh, and what's not too love about a baby epilogue!

    eric250r@coosnet.com

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  78. Hi, Miranda! Personally, I like epilogues; they're a peek into what's after the HEA. As for babies, I don't care one way or the other. Of course, upperclass marriages require children as heirs are so very important. After all, there are lots of books with the setup of the title going to some far flung relative and leaving the immediate family of the last lord destitute.

    On the other hand, whenever I read an epilogue of a historical in which the heroine tells the hero that she's expecting, I just hope she doesn't die in childbirth.

    ironss[at]gmail.com

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  79. Hi Johanna. First dessert and now cake. The message is getting to be that epilogues will blow your diet!

    Sheree: I trust that our heroines never die in childbirth!

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  80. First, I've got to get this book!! LOL!!! I'll be off to Amazon as soon as I finish posting to get the first in the series. It sounds great!

    As for the epilogues... I like them a lot. I love to read more about some of my favorite couples. It's nice to see they've had childrem and are continuing their HEA! I also enjoy the prologues, more times than not, it kick starts me into the story!

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  81. Thanks so much for dishing with us today, Miranda! We had a blast and wish you the best with that dangerous viscount of yours. *vbg*

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  82. Thank you, Andrea, I've had a blast. It's fun to get a discussion going and hear some varying views. (Can you tell I came from a large family where everyone yelled at the dinner table because otherwise they wouldn't be heard?)

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  83. I love a good epilogue. It is like the whipped topping on the ice cream sundae. I want to know what happened to the hero and heroine after they are finally together.

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  84. I like epilogues. we so often don't want to leave these characters we have become friends with. An epilogue ties the story up nicely, especially when the book is a stand alone and we know we won't be seeing them again. The future is part of the HEA and a glimpse of it is nicwe.

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  85. I love epilogues. I actually get quite annoyed if they aren't included. Even if the couple will appear in future books, I like to see what happens later now.

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  86. Epilogues aren't necessary but they are an added treat... a freebie... lagniappe!

    I like them in a series as it draws everything together and gives closure.

    Irene Hannon (Love Inspired) had a nice epilogue at the end of her series about three sisters Morgan, Claire and AJ who each received a chance to change their lives from the bequests of their aunt Jo's will. It concluded with the weddings of all 3 sisters at the cottage of the dead aunt's in Maine. It was a very touching ending.

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  87. I like epilogues, prologues, and any other bits of the story that the author would like to share - it often seems that the story ends too quickly!

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