I am ubber excited to share with you guys this great interview I did with an amazing author and a fast favorite of mine. She WOW'd me with her book 'The Dangerous Viscount' , which featured a Virgin hero, and now, it looks like another Virgin will make themselves notable in outstanding fashion with her latest book!
Please enjoy my chat with the lovely, Miranda Neville:
About The Author:
A few years ago I decided to write an historical romance. How hard could it be? Wrong. Several manuscripts under-the-bed (or deep in the hard drive) later, HarperCollins bought NEVER RESIST TEMPTATION, published in 2009 by Avon Books.
I now live in beautiful rural Vermont with my daugher Becca, a college student and confirmed drama queen, and two cats who are never on the right side of any door."Source
About the Book:
Being kidnapped teaches Miss Celia Seaton a few things about life
LESSON ONE
Never disrobe in front of a gentleman ... unless his request comes at gunpoint.LESSON TWO
If, when lost on the moors, you encounter Tarquin Compton, the leader of London society who ruined your marriage prospects, deny any previous acquaintance.LESSON THREE
If offered an opportunity to get back at Mr. Compton, the bigger the lie, the better. A faux engagement should do nicely.LESSON FOUR
Not all knowledge is found between the covers of a book. But an improper book may further your education in ways you never guessed.And while an erotic novel may be entertaining,
the real thing is even better
The Interview
RJ: Hello Miranda! Welcome back to Not Another Romance Blog! Congrats on the release of your latest historical, The Amorous Education of Celia Seaton (Book 3-The Burgundy Club series, July 26th, 2011, Avon)! How excited are you for this book’s publication? Does this book have special meaning to you?
MN: Tarquin, the hero of The Amorous Education, has been with me a long time. He was the hero's best friend in my first book, a work that will never see the light of day. I still wanted to write Tarquin's story so I transferred him, with some tweaking, into the Burgundy Club. I'm very excited that his book is finally appearing after such a long journey.
RJ: Why don't you tell me and the readers a little bit about what they will find when they crack open The Amorous Education of Celia Seaton?
MN: Tarquin is a dandy and a society leader who can be quite rude, especially to debutantes. He needs to be brought down, so I stripped him of his clothing and his memory and left him at the mercy of one of his victims. The story is about how Celia discovers the heroic and lovable man beneath the social polish. Along the way to HEA they overcome hunger, villains, interfering relatives, lost treasures and their own views of themselves and each other.
RJ: This release is the latest book in the Burgundy Club series. During your last visit to this blog, you told us about the premise of the series, but as time goes on I think the series begins to grow and change as well. What changes or notable additions to the series can you remark on?
MN: Each installment of the series has turned out differently. The Wild Marquis has a strong mystery as background; The Dangerous Viscount is purely a relationship book, without external subplot. The Amorous Education is a combination of the two but with a different flavor - a sexy romp. Each is very much its own book but tied together by recurring characters.
RJ: Did you pick up any interesting tid-bits while researching for the book and/or did you incorporate any unique elements in your story?
MN: Celia's "Amorous Education" comes from The Genuine Amours, a naughty novel. This is a real book, dated 1796, and all the quotes are from a rare volume I discovered in the British Library in London. Celia learns a lot from Tarquin, too!
RJ: Tarquin Compton is the most fashionable dandy in all of London, but who is the man behind the smartly cut waistcoat? Tell us more about his character. And tell us about the woman who brings him to his knees. How do they work as a couple?
MN: I had to ask myself, what makes a man a dandy? The story of his childhood and the uncle who influenced him is revealed in the book. A big part of Tarquin's emotional journey is rediscovering the person he was before a youthful tragedy, and balancing his own desires with gratitude to his mentor. Celia, on the face of it, is his opposite: unfashionable and socially awkward. But she has a snarky humor blended with courage that brings out the best in him. I hope by the end readers will be in no doubt of this unlikely couple's happiness.
RJ: I love strong main characters, but having amazing secondary characters gives a book that extra “umph”. Give us the scoop on a notable secondary character in The Amorous Education of Celia Seaton. What’s their name, occupation, and a random fact about them?
MN: Diana and Sebastian, the couple from The Dangerous Viscount, play a part in the book, as does Diana's sister Minerva. There's one new character, the mysterious and charming Countess Czerny, whom I think quite intriguing. She's a potential rival for Tarquin's hand and something of an adventuress. Don't worry, Celia has another admirer too. Equal opportunities for jealousy! Fact: Countess Czerny buys her clothes in Paris.
RJ: In a small paragraph, write the blurb to your life as it is-but exaggerated to how you ideally wish it were.
MN: I grew up in England and moved to New York City to work at Sotheby's auction house. After my marriage I moved to Vermont where I still live. I have one beautiful daughter who has never left her room untidy in her entire life. I now write romance novels which flow from my pen without the slightest effort. (Guess which bits aren't true.)
RJ: What makes a good romance to you and who are your favorite authors?
MN: All I want is a pair of likable and convincing characters whose story I can enjoy as they wend their way to an emotionally satisfying HEA. I love smart people, clever dialogue and humor. On the other hand Patricia Gaffney's To Have and To Hold is one of the best romances I've ever read and there's not much humor there. With so many authors I adore, I will restrict myself to a handful of the very best: Loretta Chase, Eloisa James, Madeline Hunter, Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Mary Jo Putney … I could go on for hours!
RJ: What projects are you currently working on and what do the readers (and me!) have to look forward to next from you?
MN: I'm in the middle of revisions for Confessions from an Arranged Marriage. The heroine is Minerva Montrose and the book will appear in April 2012.
RJ: Picture this: Some major motion picture studio buys the film rights to The Amorous Education of Celia Seaton and want to make it into a movie. They bring you in as a consultant (since you wrote the book and everything-LOL). They ask you to come up with an ‘ideal’ cast list. Which actors would make that list?
MN: Richard Armitage! Without him as Tarquin, the deal is off. For Celia I envision Cate Blanchett: not conventionally pretty but stunning and with a strong personality.
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Miranda's Question:
Summer's the traditional time for lazing in a hammock with a good book. What are you planning to read? One commenter will win a copy of The Amorous Education of Celia Seaton to take to the beach.
~*~GIVEAWAY DETAILS~*~
Miranda has generously offered to giveaway a copy of 'The Amorous Education of Celia Seton' to (1) one lucky commenter! All you have to do to be eligible to win is answer Miranda's question above in the comments below! The giveaway will end on August 11th and the winner will be announced and contacted shortly thereafter.
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