Release Celebration YOU GIVE LOVE A BAD NAME!!

The Mirabelle Harbor series is well underway, and I can’t express how excited I am about the release of the latest story — YOU GIVE LOVE A BAD NAME!!! (It’s available on Amazon Kindle worldwide and, also, in paperback!) And today we’re going to have a PARTY!!!

What’s most exciting about getting to celebrate the release here on Jane Austen Variations is that, while all of the books in this contemporary series have nods to our beloved Jane, this new novel, which can be read as standalone story, involves a heroine who’s an avid reader of JAFF 😀 . Vicky Bernier, high-school French teacher, is a lifelong romantic who speaks “the language of love” and immerses herself in romance novels. Blake Michaelsen is a local DJ for 102.5 “Love” FM, but he’s anything but a fan of romance. In fact, one of his deepest secrets is that he doesn’t believe in true love. A match made in heaven, right?! LOL.

There’s even a story within the story… I’ve included the start of a JAFF novel that I’m very tempted to complete someday! Here’s a tiny taste of it from the book.

***
Blake saw my e-reader on the end table. “May I take a look?”

“Sure. No romance bashing this time, though.”

He clicked it on and it opened to a story I’d recently downloaded. It was the first in a multi-part romantic serial called Alternate Austen, and Part One was entitled “Pride, Prejudice, and Parallel Universes.”

He squinted at the electronic text and then started reading aloud:

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good intergalactic transportation device, must be in want of an interstellar mission.

He grinned. “Seriously?”

“It’s fiction, Blake. Fun, romantic Austen-inspired fiction.”

He continued reading aloud in his skilled and devilishly sexy radio voice:

Captain James Fitzwilliam, commanding officer of the Starship Pemberley, turned to his second in command, Leonard Charles, and barked out his twenty-sixth order in half as many minutes.

“Activate the cloaking device and set us on course eighty degrees due west toward Alpha Centauri,” Fitzwilliam said. “We’ve gotten a report from Federation Headquarters of a disturbance near the Brighton-Hunsford System.”

Charles checked the graphics on his screen and frowned. “There’s a documented black hole in the region, Captain. We’re going to need to steer clear of the center and set our coordinates off to the northeastern side to avoid being drawn into its dark mass…”

***
I have a different excerpt up on my blog HERE and yet another on my website HERE, if you’d like to get a peek at a few other scenes from the book. (Note: There is R-rated language and a couple of adult scenes in this novel.)

I also have some big series news! The 4th book, STRANGER ON THE SHORE will be out this spring. This is the story many of you may remember as “Gifts by the Shore” — it’s my nod to Sense & Sensibility, featuring modern-day sisters Marianna and Ellen. I’m so excited that I’ll get to finally share the finished book with you!!

3D - YouGiveLoveABadNameAnd now for the GIVEAWAYS!! In celebration of the You Give Love a Bad Name release, I’m giving away one signed paperback of the new novel to one commenter below! (All giveaways are open internationally.) I’m also giving away an ebook copy of the first book in the series — Take a Chance on Me — and an ebook copy of the second book in the series — The One That I Want — to additional commenters! AND, because this has been a month of celebrating the lovely Jane Bennet from Pride & Prejudice, I’ll also give away to one commenter an ebook copy of my modern Jane & Bingley story, Pride, Prejudice and the Perfect Bet! (All ebook winners will have their choice of mobi, epub, or pdf format.)

For anyone who might not be familiar with that novel, it’s a contemporary romance set in Chicago and a standalone companion book to my Elizabeth & Darcy story, Pride, Prejudice and the Perfect Match. Here’s a short excerpt from Jane and Bingley’s ‘Perfect Bet’ :

Finally, the procession out of the church began, and Jane, as maid of honor, had to walk back down the aisle with Bingley. Oh, joy.

“Delightful ceremony,” he pronounced loudly, insuring that everyone nearby would hear, as he formally offered her his arm. But he looked at her as if he’d much rather promenade with a python.

“I agree,” she said, smiling tightly and playing the part.

Perfect Bet -cover- Brant 840x1260He cast an absolutely ecstatic grin at the friends and family in attendance as the two of them took their first steps toward the church’s vestibule. “Only the receiving line and the final pictures,” he hissed, his lips near her ear as if sharing a secret. “And then I can start getting drunk. I plan to be pretty damn buzzed before our special dance.”

She leaned closer to him and hissed right back, “So funny! I was thinking exactly the same thing.”

“Yeah? I remember the last time you got your hands on some champagne, Jane. Who are you gonna be making out with tonight?”

She gripped his arm perhaps a little more forcefully than necessary. “Not you.”

He winced but didn’t stop walking or faux grinning at the congregation. “Oh, I wasn’t offering, sweetheart. I’ve already been burned once. I don’t do second chances.”

She gulped. To her ear, he sounded hurt, which both surprised her and pissed her off. He was acting like some innocent in the whole thing. Like he hadn’t been trying to take advantage of her–one way or another. That he hadn’t made a bet that involved her. Ha. She’d tear him apart limb by limb, this very second, in fact, if it wouldn’t ruin her dress before the reception.

Beth and Will had stopped just up ahead of them and were getting ready to greet their guests in the receiving line. Before Jane pulled away from Bingley to dutifully take her place next to the bride, she gave the quote-unquote “best man” her parting shot. “I don’t do second chances either,” she informed him. “And, for the record, you might as well pay up Dustin and buy your own beer because there’s no way you’ll win your gamble with him. At least not with my help.”

Jane had the satisfaction of seeing him freeze in his spot, a look of shock and confusion on his handsome face, as she turned her back to him.

Now that she’d told him off at last, he’d have to stay away from her, except when their attendant duties made interaction absolutely necessary. Seriously, how much more trouble could the guy cause in less than twenty-four hours, right?

Right.

***
chic fire

If you live in the U.S. or anywhere in the world where the NBC TV program “Chicago Fire” is shown, I was lucky enough to be an extra on the set of episode #412, which airs tomorrow night, Tuesday, January 26th, at 10pm Eastern/9pm Central!!! (If you follow me on Facebook or read this JAV post last month, you’ve probably already heard a lot about this, LOL. I also posted a little about the experience on my blog HERE.) I won’t know for sure until tomorrow night if the two scenes I was in made it to the screen, but it was incredibly exciting just getting to be a little part of one TV episode! If you could be on a television show — past or present — which one would it be?

UPDATE!!!
I was visible for about 2 seconds in the episode last night, LOL!! They cut one of the hallway scenes, but I’m in this second one, walking down the hall, away from the camera. See where the yellow arrow is pointing? 😀
S4 E12 - hallway

64 comments

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    • Florence Solowianiuk on January 25, 2016 at 12:35 am
    • Reply

    Oooooooooooo… parallel universes. I do hope that “Alternate Austen” is the novel you’re considering writing. JAFF and Sci-Fi — it sounds like a match made in heaven.

    1. LOL, Florence!!
      I had a *lot* of fun getting to write the snippet of the “Alternate Austen” story that’s within the novel! I’ve made promises to readers to finish the next 2 books in the Mirabelle Harbor series over the winter/spring, but if I ever have a chance to play around with that JAFF/SciFi storyline, it would be a blast to draft a bit more! So glad you liked the idea 🙂 .

        • Ann Garland on January 30, 2016 at 5:16 pm
        • Reply

        Maybe you can run into the Robinsons & Co. ( From Lost in Space).

          • Ann Garland on January 30, 2016 at 5:17 pm
          • Reply

          You could call them the Robertsons

          1. LOL, Ann! Good idea… 😀

    • Megan on January 25, 2016 at 12:49 am
    • Reply

    Hi Marilyn!!! It is soo awesome you got to be a part of Chicago Fire!! I have found your postings about it fascinating to read! I LOVE the fact that your new book is the same as a Bon Jovi song(who is amazing!!) I can not wait to dive into another one of your fantastic books!!!

    1. Ohhh, Megan, thank you!!
      You and I share a mutual adoration for Bon Jovi — one of the best rockers EVER!! I’m thrilled you like the title of the new book and I can’t tell you how much I appreciate your kind words about my novels! I really hope you’ll enjoy this story — and that my extremely brief Chicago Fire appearance will be just long enough to register as a blip on the screen!! 😀 xo

    • Deborah on January 25, 2016 at 6:58 am
    • Reply

    I enjoyed the book, Marilyn and saw a modern day Lizzy and Darcy relationship between Vicky and Blake with all the misunderstandings, It is a definite must read.

    1. I’m so thrilled you enjoyed it, Deborah!!
      Thank you for taking the time to read this new novel & review it, too!!
      🙂

  1. Congratulations, Marilyn. How exciting! The excerpt sounds great — as usual.

    1. Monica,
      Many thanks for your kind words and for celebrating with me today!!
      I truly appreciate your tweets & FB shares 😉 . xo

    • Maria UB on January 25, 2016 at 10:03 am
    • Reply

    These all look great! I love the titles! I’ll definitely have to check out

      • Maria UB on January 25, 2016 at 10:04 am
      • Reply

      I’ll definitely have to check out “You Give Love a Bad Name”, sounds like what I love to read.

      1. Maria,
        YAY!!! I really hope you’ll enjoy it!
        You Give Love a Bad Name is a story I had a LOT of fun writing!!
        *hug*

    1. 🙂 🙂 Thanks, Maria!!

    • Eva E on January 25, 2016 at 10:23 am
    • Reply

    The new book sounds wonderful, and I always like a “story within a story”. I must confess that Elizabeth and Darcy are my favorite JAFF books to read – either Regency or contemporary. I cannot wait to see Chicago Fire and then reading about the outfits. Thank you for the fabulous giveaways.

    1. Eva,
      Thank you so much!! I truly hope you’ll like the book (and the story within the story, too!) 😀
      As for “Chicago Fire” tomorrow night — I can’t wait either!! After nearly 2 months of waiting, I’m curious to see what the final episode will look like…what the directors/producers kept in and what they cut out. I’ll be posting more about it this week on my FB page for sure!!
      xox

    • Betty Campbell Madden on January 25, 2016 at 11:29 am
    • Reply

    Enticing excerpt. I’ve certainly enjoyed your previous P&P variations.

    I’ve taped CF, as usual. Please let us know whether or not your scenes made it into the show. If so, I’ll hope they haven’t been “trumped” by one of the far-too-many political ads we Iowans have been subjected to for the past year. Soon we’ll have full-length shows and can answer our phones again. 🙂

    1. Betty,
      What a lovely thing to say — thank you so much! I’m delighted you enjoyed both this new excerpt and my other P&P stories 😉 .
      And, yes!! I will definitely let you know about those “Chicago Fire” scenes! On the NBC website (http://www.nbc.com/chicago-fire ), the episode I worked on (S4 E12) will be online by this Wednesday, and I’ll be able to watch for those courthouse hallway scenes. If I’m on there, I can tell everyone the exact time, LOL. It will surely go by quickly. 😀 I’m so glad you’re a fan of the show, too! And, ugh — I know what you mean about the endless political ads & phone calls…

    • Sheila L. M. on January 25, 2016 at 11:55 am
    • Reply

    I read and posted a review of this story…but I have to relate that I had to look up on the Internet the actor and the book mentioned…only to find that they didn’t exist. Thought I was missing something in my old age…LOL. Loved this book – 5 stars from me. Keep talking to myself in trying to remember to watch Chicago Fire tomorrow as it is a show I have never seen.

    1. LOL, Sheila!! I didn’t know that you looked them up on the Internet — oh, I love that!! I’ve done that myself with stories a few times when I couldn’t tell for sure. I’d included a note at the start of You Give Love a Bad Name about how all of the musicians were real people with the exception of “Barry Connelly.” I figured I’d better clarify that since Blake spent so much of the book bashing his songs 😀 . (And I’m to blame for Blake’s irritation because I wrote those dreadfully sappy lyrics to “You’re the One.” LOL)
      Anyway, your review was an absolute joy to read — thank you again for that!! I’m so thrilled you loved the book 🙂 . xo

    • tgruy on January 25, 2016 at 2:56 pm
    • Reply

    I love your creative ideas for books, I wish I had lots more time (and money!) to be able to read all the books in my wish list (where this book is now). Best of lucks with this story!

    1. tgruy, thank you!
      I so appreciate your good wishes and am delighted to hear that you like my story ideas 😀 .
      Hope you’re having a wonderful start to the week!!

    • Vee on January 25, 2016 at 3:18 pm
    • Reply

    Woohoo congratulations on your release day. Love the title and looking forward to reading this fabulous story Marilyn! Exciting news about the release of the next in the series real soon too! And yes please start wrting the alternate story because we can’t get enough of your entertaining novels 🙂 xox

    1. Ohhhh, Vee! Thank you again & again for always being so supportive and encouraging!!
      I have my fingers crossed that you’ll like Blake & Vicky’s story, and it would be a hoot to get to write that “Alternate Austen” tale someday…LOL. 😀
      xox

    • Stephanie L on January 25, 2016 at 4:08 pm
    • Reply

    Well you know how much I enjoy this book! I just love the interaction of the Michelson family and look forward to the next two books. This one was so fun for me particularly because I just adore my 80’s/90’s music. I was reading off the songs from the dance scene and my hubby was just singing at the top of his lungs. LOL So much fun. Wishing you every bit of success possible with this launch!!

    1. Stephanie,
      Your kind words about this novel mean so much to me. I’m just thrilled you enjoyed it! And LOL about your husband singing all of those ’80s and ’90s songs! I will always love that music…
      Thank you for the good wishes, too — I appreciate them more than I can express. 😀
      xox

    • Carol on January 25, 2016 at 4:56 pm
    • Reply

    I enjoyed your first series of a modern variations of Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. Cannot wait to read the new series. They are sure to be delightful.

    1. Carol, thank you!!
      I’m so pleased you liked the Perfect Match/Bet series!!
      And I’m really hoping you’ll enjoy this one, too! *HUG!* 🙂

    • Lori on January 25, 2016 at 5:26 pm
    • Reply

    Congrats on the newest books! Can’t wait to read them all.

    And can’t wait to see if you made Chicago Fire! Love that show!

    1. Lori,
      I appreciate your congrats so much! Thank you. I’m hoping you’ll like the Mirabelle Harbor stories!
      And I’m thrilled you’re a “Chicago Fire” fan, as well!! Holding my breath for tomorrow night… 😀
      xo

    • Amy Higgison on January 25, 2016 at 6:09 pm
    • Reply

    Can’t wait to read this Marilyn!! ❤️

    1. *smooch!*
      Thanks so much, Amy!!
      Fingers crossed that you’ll like it! 🙂
      xox

  2. Yay, happy release day! I haven’t watched Chicago Fire in forever but I’m hoping I can spot you in the scenes!

    My first mental response to your “if you could be on 1 tv show what would it be?” was to say Outlander. I’d love to be on an episode of Law and Order, though, playing some bad-ass attorney or creepy brilliant psychopath. Lol

    1. Monica,
      Hey, I can totally see you on L&O as the bad-ass attorney who’s *secretly* the creepy brilliant psychopath! This genius casting move would lead to the big twist in the last 8 minutes of the episode and result in #MonicaMadness trending on Twitter as everyone online talked about the show!! Someone needs to call executive producer Dick Wolf and tell him to get you on the set at once. 😀
      Alternately, the 2 of us can fly to Scotland and hide between the many folds of Jamie’s plaid until they let us be Outlander extras…LOL.
      Thanks for the good wishes, my friend!! xo

        • Sheila L. M. on January 26, 2016 at 10:26 am
        • Reply

        Hey, if you’re going to Scotland I want to go also!

        1. W00T!!
          Of course, Sheila!! We should charter a group flight! What a blast that would be, eh?!
          😀

    • Pam on January 26, 2016 at 11:06 am
    • Reply

    Happy Release Day! I spotted this on Facebook & purchased your new book to try. I’m always looking for new “fav” authors!!

    1. Oh, Pam, thank you so much!!
      So glad you took the time to stop by! And I really, really hope you’ll like Blake & Vicky’s story — thanks for taking a chance on it! 🙂

    • Carole in Canada on January 26, 2016 at 1:17 pm
    • Reply

    Congratulations on both counts…book and FD! I haven’t watched that show but will try to do so tonight to see if I can spot you! I haven’t started your series but it is on my wishlist! Since I decided to join the Goodreads Challenge this year, I plan to read your series. I am very excited to hear that book #4 will be the ‘Gifts by the Shore/Stranger on the Shore’ as I really loved the posts you had done on it. Thank you for the giveaways, but don’t put in for Jane and Bingley’s story ‘The Perfect Bet’ as I already own it and loved it!

    1. Carole,
      Thank you so, so much for your kind comments! I’m thrilled you loved Perfect Bet (yay!!) and that you’re going to read the Mirabelle Harbor series as part of the GR challenge! I hope you’ll enjoy all of the stories ;). And thanks for sharing in my excitement about Gifts/Stranger!!!! Your thoughts & encouragement on those early excerpts meant a lot to me! xox
      p.s. On “Chicago Fire” tonight, look for the woman in the courtroom hallway who has the most unruly hair! 😀

  3. Enjoyed reading this excerpt. I have the first two books of this series. These two sound good together once they get together.

    I have the other series as well. I encourage those who have not read them to get them. They are good.

    1. Patty,
      Many thanks for your lovely comments — I so appreciate them! — and I was delighted to read your comment on my Brant Flakes post, too!! 🙂 I’m so glad you enjoyed the Perfect Match/Bet series and thank you for taking a chance on these Mirabelle Harbor stories as well!!
      xox

    • Jennifer Redlarczyk on January 26, 2016 at 9:20 pm
    • Reply

    Marilyn, I love your books, they are so fun! I really hope the new series does well. Jen

    1. Jen, thank you so, so much!!
      Your sweet words always mean so much to me! 🙂
      xox

    • Sheila L. M. on January 26, 2016 at 11:43 pm
    • Reply

    Watched Chicago Fire but can’t say that I saw you…unless you now have blond hair, as there was woman with blond hair outside the court room towards the end. Did I miss your appearance on Chicago Fire? : (

    1. Sheila,
      Thank you for watching it!! And no worries about not seeing me right away. If I hadn’t known *exactly* where I was walking and what to look for, *I* wouldn’t have been able to spot myself, LOL! So, you actually didn’t miss my appearance, it was just REALLY quick 😀 . And, yes, it was outside the courtroom toward the end of the show. The woman with the blond hair that you saw is Mariana — someone I enjoyed chatting with during our day of shooting (she’s very nice!) — and I my job was to walk by her and toward the Exit in that hallway scene. So, I’m only visible from the back and just for a few seconds! Tomorrow, once NBC posts the full episode online, I can tell you the exact time I show up… The longer scene, where I was sitting on the bench, going over “notes” with the lawyer, got cut completely. But who knows? Maybe they’ll use that clip in another episode!! xo

        • Sheila L. M. on January 27, 2016 at 10:03 am
        • Reply

        OK, let me know. I also have HULU so can catch shows again and again…as well as Netflix. I have been binge watching MI-5 which has a lot of actors from various JA movies in it. Love the show but like Game of Thrones they keep killing off the “leads”.

        1. Sheila,
          I *loved* MI-5!! You’re so right about all the wonderful actors in it from the JA films. What a tremendous cast!
          And the Chicago Fire episode from last night — season 4, episode 12 “Not Everyone Makes It” — is probably on Hulu already, and it’s up on the NBC website, too:
          http://www.nbc.com/chicago-fire
          I come in 3 minutes and 47 seconds from the end of the episode! It is really brief — like 2 seconds! I’ll add a screenshot I took of it to my post above, so you & anyone else who’s interested can see where to spot me on the show! 😀

            • Sheila L. M. on January 27, 2016 at 3:43 pm
            • Reply

            Thanks. I will check it out but maybe not today as I just opened a new (to me) book.

            1. Enjoy the book, Sheila!!
              Getting started on a new story is always such a wonderful feeling 🙂 .

    • Linda A. on January 27, 2016 at 4:40 pm
    • Reply

    Congratulations on the current and future releases! Thank you for sharing.

    1. Linda,
      Thanks so much for the congrats!!
      I’m glad you took the time to stop by & celebrate with me 😉 .

    • Ginna on January 30, 2016 at 10:55 am
    • Reply

    Marilyn, you seem to be on a roll! Congrats on the new book!

    If I were to win a book in the giveaway, I am definitely interested in “Pride Prejudice and the Perfect Bet” because I’ve read “Pride Prejudice and the Perfect Match” and now need to see how it continues.

    Here’s to your continuing inspiration!

    P.S. the JAFF story in “You Give Love a Bad Name”, that was my first thought – “Is someone going to write that story?!”

    1. Ginna,
      Thank you so much for stopping by and for all of your good wishes!!
      So glad you want to see where the story goes in the second Perfect Match/Bet book — yay!
      As for the JAFF story in Blake & Vicky’s book…I’ll have to see about that! If there’s a lot of interest in it from Austen readers and if I can manage to slip in the extra time to write it between Mirabelle Harbor deadlines, it would be SUCH a blast for me to write & share with you all 😀 . xox

    • Ann Garland on January 30, 2016 at 5:13 pm
    • Reply

    Thank you for the chance to win a book. Love Pride & Prejudice and the variations.

    1. Pride & Prejudice is the best, isn’t it?!
      Glad you took the time to stop by today, Ann!
      Thank you 🙂 .

    • Wendy on January 30, 2016 at 9:19 pm
    • Reply

    I loved the excerpt of “Pride, Prejudice, and the Perfect Bet.” I’ll definitely put it on my wish list.

    What fun to be an extra on a television show. As for me, I would have liked to be an extra on some quirky sci-fi show–maybe “Firefly.”

    1. Wendy,
      Thrilled you loved the Perfect Bet excerpt!! Thank you so much 😉 .
      And my husband and I were fans of Firefly (we have the DVDs!!) — Nathan Fillion was just wonderful in that role! I agree that it would’ve been amazing to be an extra on a show like that…

      • Ann Garland on February 1, 2016 at 8:43 pm
      • Reply

      I had a friend who had a walk-on role in THE FRESH PRINCE OF BEL-AIR.

      1. How cool, Ann!!
        That must have been a fun experience for your friend! 🙂

  4. I can’t wait to get started on my first Marilyn Brant book! Which to read first??? I need a recommendation.
    Fun excerpt of the Pride, Prejudice and the Perfect Bet.

    1. Oh, Jules, thank you!!! I’m so delighted you enjoyed the Pride, Prejudice and the Perfect Bet excerpt! If you like that one, you may want to start with Pride, Prejudice and the Perfect Match, which introduces my modern Darcy.Elizabeth (Beth Ann). Bingley & Jane. Those 2 stories can be read separately but I think they’re more fun when read together 😀 . And thanks for wanting to give my novels a try!

  5. Winners!!!!!!!
    First & foremost, many thanks to ALL of you for taking the time to stop by and celebrate my new release! I loved reading all of your comments!!
    Random drawings are now completed, and the winners are:
    For the signed paperback copy of You Give Love a Bad Name — Megan
    For the ebook (mobi, epub, or pdf) of Take a Chance on Me — Eva E
    For the ebook (mobi, epub, or pdf) of The One That I Want — Betty Campbell Madden
    and For the ebook (mobi, epub, or pdf) of Pride, Prejudice and the Perfect Bet — Florence
    Congrats, ladies!!!
    Eva, Betty and Florence – please let me know via email (marilynbrant At gmail DOT com) what your preferred ebook format is and the best email address to send it to!
    And Megan – please let me know your mailing address, so I can get the paperback out to you!
    Again, HUGE thanks to you all. I hope you’ll enjoy the stories 😀 .
    xoxo

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