MEET DINA SINCLAIR (MIXING IT UP)

More like sisters than cousins, Dina has been Cecily's bestie since the two of them were born just eight days apart. They couldn't be more different in both looks and personality, but they share the bond of being Sinclairs and all the expectations and responsibilities that come with the name. Of the two girls, Dina is the more free-spirited and uninhibited. She follows the beat of her own drum, only worries about pleasing herself, and is very quirky in everything from her wardrobe choices to her men. She would ascribe all of this to being an easygoing Libra. Oh, that's right, I forgot to mention that she makes her living as an astrologer, a career path no one in her family, except Cecily, supported. And she doesn't make enough money doing people's natal charts to actually pay her bills; she has to rely on the allowance from her trust fund to do that.

Author's Note: Dina is an easy character to love and a fun one to write for, because I was never quite sure what was going to come out of her mouth! She was the perfect complement to Cecily, because she's such a non-conformist while Cecily is more conservative. Dina is always encouraging Cecily to let loose and take risks, which the latter needs because she's too cautious by nature.

There are some surprises in this book in regards to Dina's love life and I don't want to spoil any of them, but I will say that Dina's casual attitude about men and sex never ceased to amuse me. The woman has no hang-ups whatsoever in that department! If she'd been around in the '60s, I'm sure she would have been a member of the free love movement! 

Quotes: "Rich people are weird."

"Aries are formidable, but not unconquerable. He's a Fire sign; you're a Water. Water can douse flames."

"I have to cut you off before you stress eat yourself into a wardrobe of clothes with elastic waistbands."

Casting: I was racking my brain trying to think of twentysomething actresses who have heart-shaped faces and long, curly brown hair like Dina and came up with bupkis. So, I asked my pal, Melissa Amster, for suggestions, and she came up with a couple of really good ones! In the end, I decided to go with Rachel DiPillo. (Melissa and I know her from Jane the Virgin, but she's also a regular on Chicago Med.) Rachel's a little funky and bohemian-looking, which is exactly how I pictured Dina. And even though she and Laura Vandervoort, who I cast to play Cecily, aren't twinsies; they both have delicate facial features and an aristocratic look about them that would work for the characters and make it believable that they are cousins.

I look forward to hearing what you think of Dina once you've read Mixing It Up, which will be out in only six days! Oh, and I just consulted your horoscope for tomorrow and it says, "You will return to a favorite place (Books by Banister!), where you will receive enlightening information (The final Mixing It Up character profile!)." Who is this character? Hint: another thorn in Cecily's side.

MEET DANTE MARCHETTI (MIXING IT UP)

A self-taught chef who had a meteoric rise in the restaurant world, Dante Marchetti is the talk of the town amongst foodies in Manhattan—critics love his dishes, women love his sexy accent and muscular physique, and Dante loves himself . . . a lot. In his mind, no other chef is his equal, and he has no patience for anyone in his kitchen who does not meet his exacting standards, which is why he yells . . . a lot. And, also, why Cecily hates him. Having been subjected to Dante's temper and tyrannical behavior back in the early days of her career, the last thing she wants is to work with him again. He's not as bothered by the prospect, because he assumes (wrongly) that he can steamroll right over Cecily as he did in the past.

Author's Notes: Years ago, when I first came up with the idea for Mixing It Up and scribbled down some notes about the characters, the male chef who was going to be the heroine's antagonist was Russian! I even had a name for the character—Alek Guznichev, but when I started writing the book, I quickly realized I couldn't do much with Russian food. There are only so many creative variations on Stroganoff and borscht! I debated other cuisines and finally decided that Italian was the best way to go because there's always been a rivalry between Italy and France, and the rustic fare from the former is a more organic contrast to the elegant French food Cecily favors.

I have to say that Dante cracked me up more than any character I've ever written. He's just so conceited and impressed with himself, and his ego is constantly fed by the reactions he receives from every woman he comes into contact with. He's so used to being fawned over and praised that he can't even take Cecily's dislike of him seriously and thinks she secretly has the hots for him, because why wouldn't she? She's seen him, right? ;)

Quotes: "Life ees too short to restrict yourself. Food, wine, love—theese are the theengs that make-a life worth liveeng."

"Passion, eet ees positive; eet drives you and those around you to be better."

"You should treat-a the risotto like you would a woman. Give eet all your love and attention; make eet feel like there ees nothing more important to you. For eighteen to twenty minutes anyway."

Casting: This is a total no-brainer for me. Justin Baldoni of Jane the Virgin fame was the actor I pictured the whole time I was writing Dante. He's half-Italian; he's got charisma to spare and he can play seductive, smarmy, and arrogant, all while still being very appealing. (I am not going to lie. Flashbacks to Bad Boy Rafael on Jane are my favorite!) So, yeah, if Mixing It Up is ever turned into a movie or TV show, Justin will be the first actor I'll tell the casting director to call. No audition necessary! ;)

This intro was just a little appetizer to whet your appetite for the character of Dante. To see him in all his main course glory, be sure to grab a copy of Mixing It Up when it's released a week from today on Wednesday, October 19th. And swing by the blog again tomorrow when I'll be giving you the lowdown on Cecily's quirky cousin and best friend, Dina.

MEET DEVLIN HAYES (MIXING IT UP)

Devlin Hayes is the quintessential overachiever. Smart, ambitious, and hard-working, he's made a name for himself in the television industry by starting several niche cable networks and populating them with shows that are wildly popular with the most desired demographic of advertisers—Millennials. When he succeeds his father as CEO of Modern Media Corp., Devlin wants to hit the ground running and prove to his board of directors, as well as his peers in the entertainment world, that he's worthy of the position. His first order of business is to reinvent Cecily's network, CuisineTV, which has stagnated in the ratings, but the radical changes he sets in motion do not sit well with Cecily who's a fan of the status quo. The line between professional and personal becomes blurred as Cecily and her new boss start spending a lot of time together, working to make her revamped show a success.

Author's Notes: I thoroughly enjoyed writing Devlin as seen through Cecily's eyes. On paper, he's perfect—handsome (Those electric blue eyes!), charming, well-educated, and he comes from a similar background as Cecily, so they have a lot in common there. Problem is she doesn't trust him, even jokingly referring to him as a "snake oil salesman" at one point. There's no denying the man is smooth and he has a habit of talking Cecily into doing things she doesn't want to do, which she irritates her. 

Devlin, also, provides a great counterpoint to Dante. They're equally dynamic and charismatic, but the way in which they approach problems is vastly different. Devlin reasons and cajoles until he gets what he wants while Dante browbeats people into submission. Cecily is stuck between a rock and a hard place with these two.

Quotes: "It's what we do in TV all the time—dazzle, distract, defuse."

"Chemistry between two people on-screen, as well as in real life, needs to happen organically."

"I'm not like most media moguls. I'm a man of the people who travels commercial just like everyone else."

Casting: I had just started writing Mixing It Up last summer when I happened to watch an episode of Zoo. (Yes, you may snicker, because I readily admit the show is ridiculous, but it's nonetheless entertaining.) I had only been watching the show for a few minutes when I realized that James Wolk, an actor I've liked for years (loved him in The Crazy Ones, Political Animals, Mad Men, and Happy Endings), was the perfect embodiment of Devlin. He has the preppy good looks, the charm, the make-your-knees-wobbly smile, plus he's just sexy. (I invite you to check out any kissing scene he's ever done . . . HOT!)

Now you know Devlin a little better. Tomorrow I'll give you a dossier on the bane of Cecily's existence, Chef Dante Marchetti. If you asked Dante, he'd say that he's the most interesting, exciting, and entertaining character in the book, so prepare to be wowed by him! ;)

 

MEET CECILY SINCLAIR (MIXING IT UP)

Leading up to the release of Mixing It Up, I wanted to introduce you to some of the important players in the book. First up is heroine Cecily Sinclair—Cordon Bleu graduate, TV chef, trust fund baby. Although she was born into the world of the elite where she was expected to do one of two things with her life (go the Ivanka Trump route and follow her father into the very lucrative family business or emulate Paris Hilton and make a career out of being a globe-trotting heiress), she elected to follow her dream of becoming a world-class chef. Cecily is very passionate about food and cooking and woe betide anyone who interferes with her doing what she loves in precisely the way she wants to. (Take note, Dante and Devlin!)

Author's Note: For me, one of the most fun things about writing for Cecily was that money was no object to her. She's had it all her life, she's used to having the finest things, and she doesn't think twice about whipping out her black AmEx when she needs to. At the same time, she's not frivolous with her money, nor is she flashy. She wears designer clothes, but she has no bling, no chauffeured car, and she cleans her own relatively modest apartment. That doesn't mean she's not a bit of a snob, though. Fast food? Perish the thought!

Another facet of Cecily I enjoyed was her constant inner struggle between being the calm, cool, and composed lady she was raised to be and letting out her fiery side. (As her cousin Dina points out on numerous occasions, Cecily is a true Scorpio—passionate, stubborn, determined, possessive, vengeful.) It's a battle she often loses, sometimes to her detriment.

Quotes: "Of all the chefs in all the world, I have to get stuck with that moody, showboating jerk again!"

"I don't want to cast aspersions on any of my former boyfriends, but if I had to choose between sex and a tagine that tastes like this . . . It's my little stewed friend all the way."

"Red is for trollops. My grandmother drilled that into my head at a very young age. I've never even worn red lipstick, or owned a red purse, because of her edict against it." 

Casting: This wasn't easy! There aren't many actresses who are tall, slender blondes with an aristocratic air about them. The one who comes closest to my vision of Cecily is Canadian actress Laura Vandervoort (Bitten, Smallville). She's got the right coloring and bone structure and she manages to exude both elegance and warmth.

So, now you've got the scoop on Miss Cecily. She's in for a bumpy ride in Mixing It Up. Will she live up to the family credo, "Sinclairs don't fails; they prevail"? You'll have to read the book, which comes out on October 19th to find out!

Drop back by tomorrow and I'll give you the 411 on one of the exasperating men Cecily tangles with in Mixing It Up.