March 13, 2007
(At the end of Diane's post is a chance to win a copy of her latest book!) 
Diane Gaston's Musings (Gushings) About 300…and Innocence and Impropriety
It was so nice of Colleen to mention my March Harlequin Historical, Innocence and Impropriety. I jumped at her invitation to be her guest blogger today.
(And I jumped at the chance to have her! Diane has been one of the most supportive, mentoring of my author friends and I'm so glad to have her here!)
Innocence and Impropriety takes place in the same time period as Colleen’s wonderful The Rest Falls Away, but it is a slightly different Regency England than that of Victoria and Max and Phillip. Innocence and Impropriety tells the story of Rose, a Vauxhall Gardens singer, who is coveted by three men: a marquess, Lord Tannerton, who wants her for his mistress; Flynn, his secretary whose job it is to make that happen; and Greythorne, the greatest danger of all. Of course, Flynn falls in love with Rose…
(Hmmm…she has three men to choose from? No wonder I can't wait to read this book!)
It occurs to me that maybe Victoria and Max were in Vauxhall Gardens fighting vampires while Rose sang her songs from the two storied gazebo in the Grove. Vauxhall Gardens would have been a perfect place for vampires.
The Gardens were a “pleasure garden” akin to today’s amusement park, only without the mechanical rides. They had music, restaurants, displays of art, fountains and fireworks. Once they filled part of the Gardens with water and reenacted the Battle of Trafalgar.
Vauxhall Gardens was full of tree-lined paths. At night, the trees were illuminated by thousands of tiny gaslights, making the whole place seem magical to this pre-electricity world. People of all classes mixed together in Vauxhall. It was common for people to wear masks, like a masquerade, so no one knew if they were dancing with a duke or a duke’s footman.
The tree-lined paths of Vauxhall were perfect for lovers to stroll. Tucked along the paths there were even small structures built in classical Roman style where lovers could be very private indeed. The longest and most private of the paths was called the Dark Walk, at the end of which was an illusion of a hermit (hermits were popular several years earlier, not so much in Regency times). Going to see the hermit was a perfect excuse to take one’s lover down the Dark Walk.
Perfect for vampires to lurk as well!
No vampires appear in Innocence and Impropriety, Victoria and Max made sure of that!There is a fairly sinister villain in Lord Greythorne, though.
Innocence and Impropriety, being a Harlequin Historical, is only on the bookstore shelves for this month, but should be available longer on online sites like Amazon. It is my fourth Harlequin Historical and is connected to the previous book, A Reputable Rake, which won the 2006 RITA for Best Regency. Visit my website to learn more about my books.
And YES, I did see the movie 300! Me and enough other people to give it a 70 million dollar gross. I know the reviews are mixed, but I loved the movie.
I thought it was a masterpiece in cinematography, ground-breaking. The images on screen, even when violent, were beautiful, clearly reflecting the images created by Frank Miller in the graphic novel upon which the movie is based. It is a movie about a graphic novel, with typical, over-the-top elements familiar to readers of action comic books.
To those who proclaim the film has a political agenda–it is a movie about a comic book!!!! That's all–except for universal themes, such as honor and sacrifice.
I have been accused of going to see the movie specifically to see Gerard Butler’s abs, but I have to say that Gerard's physique as Leonidas and those of his Spartan soldiers were never depicted in a gratuitous manner. The way the film was shot, you just believed this was the way they dressed.
More credit to the filmmakers, the minor characters, though having very little dialogue, were so vividly drawn that you cared what happened to them.
I’m a card-carrying Tart, a fan of Gerard Butler (read about my initiation here) and this film only added to my admiration. His performance was so good, I forgot it was Gerard Butler on the screen and I totally believed it was Leonidas, the king who led his 300 Spartan soldiers to their deaths against a million Persians at the Battle of Thermopylae.
I don’t think any other actor alive could have done a better performance. They could not have accomplished the physical demands of the role and yet play the king with such nuance. Gerard has the most expressive face and he can switch from sarcasm to fury in an instant as he does in the scene with the messenger ("This is Sparta!").
Don't get me started on the love scene, which was really more tender than I had anticipated and beautifully filmed.
To win a copy of Innocence and Impropriety, ask me any questions you like, about my books, about being a Gerard Butler fan… Ask me how I know Colleen! Tell us what you thought of 300!
Or, if you’ve read any of my books, tell us what you thought of them! Anyone who asks a meaningful question or leaves a meaningful comment will be in the running to win a copy of Innocence and Impropriety!
(PS I also write under the name Diane Perkins, like on my Phantom blog posting above.)
And…Diane is also a RITA-award winning author! For those of you who don't know what a RITA is…well, it's the equivalent of an Oscar, but in the romance fiction genre.
The second installment of the Gardella Vampire Chronicles takes Victoria to Venice and Rome.
My novel, 
March 13th, 2007 at 4:09 am
Great post!
I didn’t know you were also Diane Perkins. I read your post about the Phantom… and I was wondering…for what book of yours did you use that analysis? 
March 13th, 2007 at 5:33 am
I am supposed to be going to see 300 tonight. I have heard good things about it, so I am excited. The only set back might be that it is March Break for the public schools so the theatre is likely crazy! I hope we get to see it though. Been for ever since I saw a really good movie.
March 13th, 2007 at 5:35 am
Are your books connected. I am trying to remember what the names of all the girls in A Reputable Rake were to see if Rose was one of the girls, but I can’t remember! I did really enjoy the book though, and on the basis of enjoying that one have added all the rest of your books to my TBR list!
March 13th, 2007 at 7:19 am
Hi all, thanks for visiting me in my guest blogging roles.
An, I’m so glad you read my Phantom blog! You can tell how blown away I was by Gerard Butler as Phantom. I have not really created a dark hero like the Phantom. Sometimes I aspire to, but my heroes just have not managed to be that dark. I would love to write one, though.
I’ve done a lot of thinking, even before that blog about what makes a good romantic hero. I think honor and sacrifice are two characteristics that are essential - and both the Phantom and Leonidas have those qualities (though the Phantom’s honor was a bit skewed). My heroes always have those qualities as well.
More coming..let’s see if I can post this.
Diane
March 13th, 2007 at 7:28 am
Yay! it worked!
Kailana, I attended a weekend matinee and I was shocke d that the theatre was nearly empty! It had me worries about the success of 300. Luckily, I had nothing to worry about.
Remember, the movie is R rated, so it should not have an audience aged below 17, although I’ll bet a lot of them get a parent to take them. Maybe a crowd of guys will add some excitement to the viewing. I rather felt like cheering at times, but probably would have been the only one doing so!
When I saw Gerard Butler’s movie Beowulf and Grendel (which had a very limited release), I saw it in NYC where Gerard Butler fans had gathered–and traveled distances, like me–to see it. That was an experience I’ll never forget. These ladies were uninhibited in their enthusiasm.
I hope you like the movie, no matter who is in the theatre. Don’t let that stop you. This is a movie best seen on the big screen.
Diane
March 13th, 2007 at 7:41 am
Marg,
I’m so glad you liked A Reputable Rake. That was the book that won the RITA for best Regency last summer!
My books are connected and, yes, Rose was one of the girls in A Reputable Rake. Katy is also important in Innocence and Impropriety, as is Mme Bisou. Mary and Lucy make an appearance..so does Sir Reginald!
Now that I think about it, Sloane in A Reputable Rake was a dark hero, An. He was a “bad boy” with a bad reputation trying to create a new life for himself. The Harlequin Historical cover for that book has a great rake on it — take a peek on my website.
Marg, the books go in this order:
The Mysterious Miss M
The Wagering Widow
A Reputable Rake
Innocence and Impropriety…
and coming early in 2008, The Vanishing Viscountess, featuring Tanner from I&I.
My Perkins books are The Improper Wife and The Marriage Bargain, and they are not connected. I am connecting them with the third book, Desire in His Eyes, which has not been scheduled yet.
The Perkins books are still in print, but the Harlequin Historicals, the Gaston books are not (except for Innocence and Impropriety). You can get them used on ebay or amazon, though.
All the books stand alone. You don’t need to read one to understand the others. Although I always think it is fun to read in order.
I’ll check back later….
Diane
March 13th, 2007 at 7:45 am
Diane, so good to see you at Colleen’s place. Love your books (and I think I love Gerry, too). Can’t wait to read I&I.
March 13th, 2007 at 7:56 am
You THINK you love Gerry, Karen??? Who could not love him!!
Here is an intervew from yesterday, I think:
http://tinyurl.com/34z27m
You’ll have to copy and paste. I’m afraid to try to set a hyperlink!
Diane
March 13th, 2007 at 8:00 am
I just found your Gaston books on the site where I usually buy my books (proxis.be), they’re on my list. ‘The Mysterious Miss M’ has a beautiful cover, I think. Perhaps because I have the same white mask
…
And oooh, that Sloane on the cover… He is very yummie! Nice
March 13th, 2007 at 9:20 am
I have yet to see 300 but I’m really looking forward to it. I’ve looked throught the graphic novel and the art work really is fantastic. And as far as Gerard Butler goes… well how could you not look at his abs?
I have to say that after reading about your new book I am really looking forward to it. I really love Regency Romance. I guess that comes from reading too much Jane Austen.
Why did you choose Regency England? What do you like about it?
March 13th, 2007 at 9:47 am
An, I’m glad you could find the books and I hope you like them. The Mysterious Miss M was my very first book and it has gone on to win awards too. It was a finalist in the Golden Heart contest, the unpublished contest of the Romance Writers of America (if the RITA is akin to an Oscar; the Golden Heart would be an Emmy) and I’d already tried to sell it everywhere. A Mills & Boon editor who judged it in the Golden Heart called out of the blue and bought it! Mills & Boon is the UK branch of Harlequin; my Gaston books came out in the UK first. Innocence and Impropriety is out simultaneously in the UK and North America. (Oh, Miss M won the Golden Heart!)….and I TOLD you Sloane was yummy!
Katie, I won’t say I didn’t look at Gerry’s abs a little….the beefcake wasn’t exploited in the movie, though. It was a bit hard to miss, though!!
You asked why I chose Regency England. Oh, I could go on forever about that. The short answer is, those are the books I loved to read - Mary Jo Putney, Mary Balogh, the traditional Regency lines, my fellow Risky Regency Amanda McCabe–I had written three contemporary romances without success in selling them, so I just decided to write what I loved to read.
The Regency period, though only a few short years (roughly 1810 to 1821)had the drama of the Napoleonic Wars, it was a transitional period between the decadence of the 1700s and the repression of the Victorian age. The clothing was beautiful; the architecture was beautiful. It was pre-industrial age, but it was still a time of dawning social change. So many famous people lived during that time, Byron, Beau Brummell, Wellington, Shelley, Keats, Sir Walter Scott, artists like Turner, and Reynolds– I could go on and on!!
But I won’t for fear you’ll all start snoring….
Diane
March 13th, 2007 at 9:48 am
I’m ashamed to admit that I haven’t read one of your books yet. ::hangs head::
I would love this one to be my first!
AND, I would love to know how long you’ve been writing, and how long it took to get your first novel published?
BTW, I saw 300 and just loved it too! I did know about Gerard Butler because of our lovely Colleen- she had a mystery pict of him up at one point, right?
I will be watching for more of him now! YUM-O!
March 13th, 2007 at 10:15 am
Hi Diane, I can’t wait to see this movie, especially after reading that post.
I would love to know why you chose to write historical and not contempoary and did you have to do a lot of research of the period before you wrote.
March 13th, 2007 at 12:27 pm
Zeek,
Seriously, I like to call myself the world’s worst read romance author. The number of books I’ve not read is legion (I did read Colleen’s book though!)
Don’t hang you head because you haven’t read any of my books. That’s easily rectified!
I’ve been writing for about 12 years (gulp!)and my first book came out in 2004. It took me eight years to sell a book. I’d written six books by the time my first one sold.
Re: Gerry. I think I might have been the one who guessed Gerry on Colleen’s mystery pic! Colleen’s a fine Gerry Phan. (get it—-Phan…phantom…fan). Believe me, if you go to see 300 you will see more of Gerry. There is a quick shot of him from the back totally naked, right before the love scene with his wife in the film. GASP!!
He’s been doing a lot of interviews which you can find online, which show him as a person.
Okay! enough…I could go on and on about Gerry and 300, too!
Next I’ll answer Maria
Diane
March 13th, 2007 at 1:03 pm
Maria,
I mentioned before that I started out writing contemporary. My first book was a romantic suspense and I wrote the whole thing without knowing anything about the industry. After I’d finished it I discovered Romance Writers of America. Then I aimed for Silhouette Desire or Harlequin Temptation with my next two books. I was getting nowhere, though. I realized that if I continued to try to break in to Harlequin, I had at the most two chances to sell the book. Yet if I aimed for the historical market I had maybe 8 or 9 chances. So I decided to write what I loved to read–Regency Historicals.
The research scared me, but I plunged in. I joined The Beau Monde, RWA’s Regency chapter and found there the people who knew EVERYTHING about the Regency. I bought tons of reference books.
I was working at the time and had almost an hour commute, so another thing I did was borrow audiobooks from the library. I listened to British readers read Jane Austen, Georgette Heyer, even Bernard Cornwell’s Sharpe series (the Chivers audiotape ones )–this was to immerse myself in the language of the period. I think it worked, too. I still “hear” the tapes in my head when I write dialogue.
Once I started the research, I found I loved knowing about the Regency. The more I learned, the more I enjoyed it.
I have tons of research books and I buy more for every book I write, it seems. I’ve also taken two tours of England designed for writers and readers of the period. My friend Patty Suchy used to run Novel Explorations, and she ran the tours. I learned so much on those trips.
But you asked if I did research before I wrote that first book. I did a little - reading a history of the time period and some other books, but mostly I researched as I was writing. I still do it that way!
Diane
March 13th, 2007 at 1:25 pm
I love that Rose gets her own book. And I love reading about Vauxhall. It’s such an interesting place. Here’s a question…how many times did it catch on fire, with all those little gaslights?
March 13th, 2007 at 1:30 pm
Hi, Esri!!!!!!
You know, I haven’t read any accounts that Vauxhall Gardens caught on fire. The King’s Theatre, which also figures in Innocence and Impropriety, burned down about three times and was torn down once. So when Rose’s mother performed there it was a different theatre than when Rose went there.
Diane
March 13th, 2007 at 1:30 pm
Thanks for answrering my question Diane
March 13th, 2007 at 1:31 pm
Answering my own question. I see no mention that they ever caught on fire. Amazing.
http://www.vauxhallsociety.org.uk/VauxhallGdns.html
March 13th, 2007 at 1:33 pm
I think the footlights in theaters were a real hazard. Not much alternative, unfortunately.
March 13th, 2007 at 1:36 pm
I’d LOVE to take one of those English book-setting tours. That history stuff really does it for me.
March 13th, 2007 at 1:42 pm
I was lucky to do the two tours Patty created. She’s not doing them anymore. There is a Smuggler’s Tour being arranged for this year-Sept maybe-It will focus on Cornwall, but has also planned lots of other stops. If anyone is interested, I can get you more information. I know that several writers are going on the tour and that it was designed by one of the authors who went on Patty’s tours with me.
Diane
March 13th, 2007 at 1:51 pm
Ooh…that would have been so great when I was writing “Touch Not the Hog”! Unfortunately, Our travel budget this year is completely spent and then some, but I’ll remember to ask you about future stuff.
March 13th, 2007 at 2:13 pm
oH YEAH Gerry’s butt shot was reeeeal fine!
March 13th, 2007 at 2:59 pm
Hi Diane,
I was wondering have you seen Gerard in Dracula 2000 or Lara Croft Cradle of Life?
I love historicals and I definately will have to check to see if my library has any of your books!
March 13th, 2007 at 3:13 pm
Ha ha, Terri! Of course I have seen Dracula 2000 and Lara Croft! Also Dear Frankie, Mrs. Brown, The Jury, Timeline, Attila, One Last Kiss, Beowulf and Grendel. I haven’t watched Game of Their Lives yet, but I have the DVD. I feel like I’m forgetting some…..Oh, Reign of Fire (which except for Gerry was worth forgetting).
After I encountered Phantom on cable a year ago, I went on a DVD buying frenzy!
I love Dear Frankie and The Jury and I like Timeline too. Gerry is great in all of them, but some of the movies aren’t very good.
Diane
Diane
March 13th, 2007 at 3:43 pm
I admit, I have not viewed the movie yet. I look forward to adding it to my netflix que when it becomes available. My 21 month old son makes movie viewing difficult at the moment. However, years ago I did buy the original comic book series 300 by Frank Miller and thought it wonderful. It’s odd I have not heard any comparison, which is usually the first thing critics comment on. The adaptation of Sin City filmed the same way as 300 I found to be very interesting. I thoroughly enjoyed the vignette approach to the many different storylines in that series. I also have some memory of that being quite the sensation in the critics arena.
I also admit I have never heard of Gerard Butler before. My first viewing of Phantom was when the production visited Chicago years ago. I’ll have to add it to netflix too. I do agree that the Phantom represents a very complicated individual torn a number of different ways and a total romantic. Hard not to fall for him really, and with the added touch of violence to give him a touch of the bad boy on top of the debonair.
I probably wrote to much. : )
March 13th, 2007 at 4:10 pm
Killlashandra,
You can never write too much!
I remember days of never going to the movies when the kids were little. When they were about 13 and 14, though, I saw lots of movies!
I’ve never watched Sin City all the way through but I thought 300 used more realisic images, at least for the landscape. From what I’ve seen, the images on the screen are almost duplicates of Frank Miller’s art. I don’t know why the critics raved about Sin City and are divided on 300. But then I never understand why people don’t agree with me (just joking!)
The movie Phantom is just a bit different than the stage version. He’s got “a past” for one thing. Because you get the close-ups, you see his longing and lonliness and pain, and he is very very sensual. I can’t tell you how much I loved the movie! I do believe Colleen understands, though!
Another to add to your Netflix list is Dear Frankie. It is a wonderful sweet movie.
Diane
March 13th, 2007 at 4:23 pm
I’m afraid Diane that I haven’t read any of your books yet.. I think writing under another name is extremely interesting. So if you weren’t a writer, what else you’d be doing? And why?
March 13th, 2007 at 4:34 pm
Hi Diane,
I’m getting curious.. so what genre do you want to try writing but you haven’t?
and in your opinion what’d say the best thing about writing or being a writer?
March 13th, 2007 at 5:44 pm
Mona,
I always say this question is backwards for me. I spent a whole career as a mental health social worker/therapist, asking myself what I would rather be doing! I always used to joke that I’d rather be sitting in a turret writing romance novels. Then on a whim, I decided to try it. And it quickly became my passion in life!
But if I had to pick something else…how about a torch singer in a piano bar, singing songs from the 1930s and 1940s….just because I think it would be neat and I’d love to be able to sing…
As to what genre I’d like to try writing, I’m thoroughly happy writing Regency Historical Romance. I don’t really want to write anything else right now. I just want to think up better and better stories. Within this genre, though, I’d love to write romances set in the Napoleonic Wars, sort of a romantic Sharpe series. I’m also toying around with adding some paranormal elements to the Regency–inspired by Colleen, no doubt! I was thinking of psychic abilities, like ESP. Do you think you would be interested in these sort of books?
Diane
Diane
March 13th, 2007 at 6:39 pm
Yes, Diane. I’d be interested. Speaking of psychic abilities generally I believe that not seeing things doesn’t necessarily mean they don’t exist. I think it’d require hard work to draw the lines of such a character…It supposed to be different from all the others, and if this gifted character we’re talking about is the main one… It’s like you’ll have to be inside the mind of someone who supposed to be one step ahead of you. And that’d be just great. I think you should give it a try.
March 13th, 2007 at 6:56 pm
That’s encouraging, Mona. I agree. I have to come up with something unique, some unique angle. I’m letting it stew inside me…..
thanks!
Diane
March 13th, 2007 at 10:04 pm
I’m done for the day! Thank you, Colleen, for having me as your guest. Thanks also to all of you who participated. I enjoyed talking with you about my books and about 300!
Colleen will choose the winner and announce it tomorrow.
All the best to all of you,
Diane
March 22nd, 2007 at 6:32 am
Glad you liked 300! Why the reviews are mixed is beyond me. This is one of those films were I can honestly say if a person didn’t like it, they just didn’t get it. Political agenda? This is based on a comic, as you say, which is based on Frank Miller’s lifelong obsession with the actual historical event the comic was based on. Its history people! Gerard Butler was perfectly cast….everyone in the film was! Can’t wait to see it again and own in on DVD.
March 22nd, 2007 at 8:07 am
Carl, I know just what you mean. I don’t see why anyone would not love this movie. And I can’t wait for the DVD! Let’s hope it gets the recognition it deserves from the Academy Awards and Golden Globes!
Diane
March 22nd, 2007 at 4:49 pm
Agreed, Diane!
March 22nd, 2007 at 5:07 pm
Any of you who are still reading this might like to see my other blogs on the movie 300
300 and the Regency
What 300 Can Teach Us About Storytelling
Cheers!
Diane