CHARACTER INTERVIEW - WHITNEY DINEEN (THE REINVENTION OF MIMI FINNEGAN)

<Blogger’s Note: I had the pleasure of reading an ARC of The Reinvention of Mimi Finnegan and fell in love with the writing and the characters. You can read my rave 5-star review here. I always cast characters in my head while reading books and shared my choices for Mimi, Elliot, and Richard with Whitney. She approved them all, so I thought it would be fun to post some photos of my actress/actor picks to give you some visuals to go along with Whitney’s Mimi interview. Enjoy, and be sure to grab a copy of the book for yourself. You will love it!>

WHITNEY’S Q&A WITH MIMI

Today, I’m interviewing Miriam May Finnegan, a.k.a. Mimi. Mimi is the star of her very own romantic comedy which is currently #15 in Hot New Releases on Amazon.

 

Q: Would you consider yourself the typical heroine of a romantic comedy?

A: God, no! I mean, I have a bunion. I’m a size 12 and let’s face it; I pale in comparison to my sisters.

Post-makeover Mimi has red hair and a va-va-voom figure, so I imagined her looking like the curvy and gorgeous Christina Hendricks.

Q: Let’s chat about your sisters for a moment. Who are they and why do you think they are so amazing?

A: My oldest sister, Renée, used to be a supermodel (You may remember her from her work with Cover Girl.) and is now a famous clothing designer. Next is Ginger, nearly as gorgeous as Renée, and a Rhodes Scholar to boot. She’s the curator of The Pipsy Museum of Modern Art and married to my boss, Jonathan. Then there’s Muffy. All of you tennis buffs will remember her from her Wimbledon appearances. She’s currently the women’s tennis pro at The Hillsdale Country Club.

Q: What about you, what are you known for in your family?

A: Well, I used to be the sister with the pretty feet. Not any more though. Now I have a bunion. I guess I’m known for being the only single sister in our quartet. I’m also the only one who wears double digits. Truthfully, I’m nothing compared to my sisters.

Q: What do you aspire to in life, Mimi? What are your goals and dreams?

A: I’d like to fit into my family better. I’m starting to think my mom cheated on my dad with a circus clown and I’m the result. I want to feel like I’m just as exceptional as they are. I would also love to get married and have a family. I’m thirty-four and my last boyfriend left me to marry his distant cousin. The last guy that hit on me had a bratwurst in his pants. So essentially my batting average sucks.

Q: Is there anyone you’re interested in right now?

A: Between you, me and the fencepost, yes. His name is Elliot Fielding. Yes, THE Elliot Fielding, British legal thriller author extraordinaire! My sisters are trying to set me up with him but it’s not going very well.

Englishman Elliot is tall, blond, and rather posh with his style and manners, so I envisioned him as the dishy Rupert Penry-Jones.

 

Elliot isn't the only contender for Mimi's heart. Big Apple businessman Richard Bingham also does his best to win her over. I adored this character so much that I wasn't sure which guy to root for! The dark-haired and dreamy Richard Armitage would be perfect in this role!

Q: If you could be the star of any television show, past or present, which would you pick?

A. Sex and the City, without a doubt. I love the friendships between the women. If I had friends like those, it would make my life a lot easier to swallow.

MIMI EXCERPT

Elliot pushes his chair out and stands. His eyes slide up and down the length of my body and he smirks as he raises his left eyebrow in a supercilious question mark. I have no idea what that’s all about so I simply extend my hand and smile, “It’s very nice to meet you Elliot.”

Instead of extending me the same courtesy, he tilts his head to the side, nods it once and declares, “Indeed.” Like, “Indeed, you should be happy to meet me.”

Well that settles it. I don’t care if he was well over six-two or his slightly receding strawberry blonde hair is the most gorgeous color ever or I find him immensely attractive. He’s ruined it for himself. I am not going to marry Elliot Fielding.

I rush to lower my extended hand back to my side, where it obviously belongs, when at the last moment he chooses to take it. I try to pull away as if to indicate he has had his chance and the offer is now withdrawn. I’m so peeved by his arrogance that I yank my fingers from his, setting into motion a domino effect I’m sure Renée will later claim ruined Camille’s party.

       

Elliot bends at the waist and gently touches his lips to my reluctant appendage in what I’m sure he assumes is a display of superior English manners, yet my whole body responds in an angry shudder. How dare he think he can “indeed” me and then put his mouth on my person. I yank my hand back, upsetting my very delicate balance, at the same time Elliot takes the hint and releases me. He does not attempt to aid me in any way as I fall backwards, straight into the pool.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

While attending the University of Illinois in Chicago, Whitney Dineen was discovered by a local modeling agent and began an unexpected career as a plus-size Ford model. She modeled in New York City before moving to Los Angeles with her husband. 

When she wasn’t modeling, she was in the kitchen, baking delights to share with friends. Soon, her friends began asking her to send baskets of her wonderful candies and cookies to business associates, agents and production studios. Word spread like wildfire, and the rest, as they say, is history. Whitney’s sensational creations are still in great demand by her loyal celebrity clientele.

During “The Hollywood Years,” Whitney was bitten by the writing bug and started creating characters that are inspired by strong women with a great sense of humor.

In addition to her love of chick-lit, Whitney has also written a series of adventure books for middle readers The first of which, Wilhelmina and the Willamette Wig Factory, is nearing completion.

Whitney and her husband, Jimmy, have recently relocated to the beautiful Pacific Northwest to raise their children, chickens and organic vegetables.

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