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Meddling, troublemaking characters we can’t help but love
It’s a fine line between helping and meddling. I’m not sure I know where that line is. Both helpers and meddlers might 
possess noble intentions, but at some point meddling turns into a mess.
I know of a particularly lady who regularly crosses the line between helping and meddling. If she is aware of the line, she is not particularly bothered by it. Fortunately for us all, this lady is fictional.
Lady Charlotte Brandon, heroine of Three Schemes and a Scandal, is smart and scheming young miss with a generous heart. She just can’t help but get in trouble while trying to sort out the romantic and familiar entanglements of those she loves. Not that they asked her to…
When trying to set up her friend Lucy with the rakish James Beauchamp, who years ago broke her heart, Charlotte becomes locked in a folly with him and their attempts to escape before they’re discovered result in disaster… As she later points out, who knew garden parties were fraught with danger?!
When that incident results in a riff with James and his father, Charlotte goes to extreme lengths to bring about a meeting so that she might mend familiar relations. But somehow that only results in Charlotte and James in another extremely compromising position…which of course they take good advantage of 
That is just the beginning of the meddling, scheming, trouble making and falling in love in Three Schemes and a Scandal.
Let it be known that Charlotte’s meddling is not a character trait she inherited from me (though she may have gotten her bossiness from me!). While I freely offer my opinion and advice, I don’t often get involved. The one time I did, it did not end well. Lesson learned!
Well, lesson learned for me anyway. Charlotte’s meddling does end up in happily-ever-after!
How do you deal with meddling characters?
One lucky, random commenter will score a signed copy of The Tattooed Duke!
Anyone is free to comment, but only US addresses are eligible to win. Thanks!
Three Schemes and a Scandal is available now from Amazon and Barnes and Noble! Visit http://www.mayarodale.com for more details, sneak peeks from the story!
Maya Rodale began reading romance novels in college at her mother’s insistence. She is now the author of numerous “dazzlingly sexy and witty” historical romance novels. A champion of the romance genre and it’s readers, she is also the author of the non-fiction book Dangerous Books For Girls: The Bad Reputation Of Romance Novels, Explained and a co-founder of Lady Jane’s Salon, a national reading series devoted to romantic fiction. Maya lives in New York City with her darling dog and a rogue of her own. Connect with her on twitter or facebook!
Sep 28th
2012
7:59 am
Laurie G Said:
Meddling OK if not with malicious intent.
Match making, friendly advice, humor, snappy dialogue are all acceptable to me.
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Sep 28th
2012
8:32 am
Karen H in NC Said:
Some people, straight out, don’t want help…they may need it but don’t want it. And when the helper continues to help, then it crosses over to meddling. And it’s all ok as long as it is with good intentions and not hurtful or harmful.
Your new book sounds like a whole lot of fun…gotta put it on my list of BTB!
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Sep 28th
2012
10:59 am
Maya Rodale Said:
Thanks! I totally agree with you and Laurie G–as long as the intentions are good it’s probably forgivable!
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Sep 28th
2012
8:49 am
CateS Said:
Sometimes meddling makes me want to reach in and smack them upside the head… because it’s usually not wanted…
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Sep 28th
2012
9:13 am
Danielle Gorman Said:
I think it depends on what they are meddling in and who it is. Normally I just try to ignore the person if I don’t like them or if I don’t know them.
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Sep 28th
2012
9:28 am
Margo Maguire Said:
Hey maya – welcome to the Jaunty Quills! So happy to have you here.
Meddlers? I don’t think I’ve had any in my life, at least – none that I can think of. And I try never to meddle – give some advice when asked, but that’s it.
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Sep 28th
2012
11:00 am
Maya Rodale Said:
Hi Margo! It’s great to be visiting with y’all! I don’t think I’ve had too many meddlers in my life (phew!). Well, other than Charlotte!
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Sep 28th
2012
10:03 am
Lorelei Said:
Oh, this book sounds like fun! Oh, not many meddlers in my life, but I always think they have good intentions, listen and decide myself. Glad to meet you here! JQ have the best guests over!
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Sep 28th
2012
10:09 am
Shana Said:
Maya, I’m so glad you’re here! I love meddling characters. I think they’re really fun. I can’t wait to read THREE SCHEMES AND A SCANDAL. What a fabulous title!
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Sep 28th
2012
11:02 am
Maya Rodale Said:
Thanks Shana! Meddling characters are totally fun…both to read and to write! Much more fun that meddling neighbors and other real life characters!
Glad you like the title! The Husband and I were brainstorming over breakfast
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Sep 28th
2012
11:21 am
Meddling, troublemaking characters we can’t help but love @ The Jaunty Quills | Maya Rodale Said:
[...] Meddling, troublemaking characters we can’t help but love @ The Jaunty Quills Of course when I mention meddling and troublemaking characters, I’m talking about Lady Charlotte from Three Schemes and a Scandal. Swing by the Jaunty Quills blog to weigh in on how you deal with meddlesome characters…all for a chance to win a copy of The Tattooed Duke! TweetNo CommentsSeptember 28, 2012NewsPermalinkBonus Material! Lady Charlotte…Bonus Material! La… Cancel Reply [...]
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Sep 28th
2012
11:36 am
Anna Bentley Tremaine Said:
Thankfully, I have no meddlers in my life. Probably because that would drive me up a tree and I wouldn’t stand for it! However, meddling characters are the best when the stir up trouble. I agree with what was already said about no malicious intent, however. The book looks like great fun, congratulations on a new release! xo
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Sep 28th
2012
12:00 pm
Connie Fischer Said:
Meddlers are such a pain in the butt. Sometimes you can ignore them or pretend like you’re deaf. Some meddlers require more than that. We have a meddling neighbor that we call spider woman because she looks like a scrawny spider! If when we walk around the neighborhood for our exercise and pass her house and see her outside, we whip out our cell phones and pretend to be talking on the phone. This usually gets rid of her. However, when you are caught and the meddler has the nerve to ask you questions right in your face, you have to look them in the eye with a shocked look on your face and say, “WHY in the world would you ask me something like that?” Then, shake your head and turn away. This gets rid of the novice meddlers but the hard core ones usually just require a smack upside the head! *snicker*
I’ve been hearing great things about this novel and I understand that there’s a lot of humor in it as well. I love that! Cannot wait to read it and thank you for sharing! Congratulations and best wishes.
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Sep 28th
2012
3:20 pm
Maya Rodale Said:
Connie! What brilliant methods–so clever! Also, so funny! You had me laughing!
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Oct 2nd
2012
2:14 pm
Connie Fischer Said:
Glad you like my methods! One way to get off the phone with someone is to motion to a family member to ring the doorbell. Then, you can say it’s so-and-so and you’ve just got to run! Oh, I’m so evil!
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Sep 28th
2012
12:26 pm
catslady Said:
I use to argue with meddlers but have learned that it only makes things worse. So now I try really hard to just let them have their say, and then ignore them (if possible). I have made a point of trying to never meddle. I may give advice (if asked mostly but not always lol). But I try to say something only once and then let it go.
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Sep 28th
2012
1:31 pm
RobynDeHart Said:
Maya, thanks so much for joining us today! I love meddling characters, they’re so fun. Meddling real people, not so much.
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Sep 28th
2012
1:34 pm
Cathy P Said:
Hi Maya! Welcome to Jaunty Quills. You are a new author for me. Your new book Three Schemes and A Scandal sounds delicious. There is a very fine line between being helpful and being meddlesome. My in-laws and great-aunt were meddlers, and they were very difficult to discourage. They just didn’t know when to give up. They were like a dog with a bone. I don’t mind helpfulness or matchmaking if they have good intent.
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Sep 28th
2012
2:48 pm
Jane Said:
Meddling characters are fun in books and movies because they create drama, but we don’t want to deal with them in real life.
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Sep 28th
2012
3:22 pm
Maya Rodale Said:
I think Jane said it best! I’ll think I’ll stick to meddling and matchmaking in my books!
Speaking of scheming, matchmaking, meddling and how to handle it…check out this choose your adventure game based on Three Schemes and a Scandal!
http://chooseyourownromanceadventure.com/
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Sep 28th
2012
3:36 pm
infinitieh Said:
Meddling is par for the course in a large extended family. I am sure I have meddled in the lives of my younger cousins; after all, if I changed their diapers when they were babies then I can tell them what to do (but they don’t have to listen). But that sort of meddling is based on love.
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Oct 2nd
2012
10:52 am
Maya Rodale Said:
Yes! Absolutely!
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Sep 28th
2012
5:32 pm
Maureen Said:
Meddling characters are not too bothersome when they have good intentions. It’s when people meddle so that things will go their way that it becomes a problem.
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Sep 28th
2012
9:25 pm
bn100 Said:
I’m ok with it as long as it doesn’t hurt anyone.
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Oct 7th
2012
9:29 am
Karen H in NC Said:
Just wondering when a winner will be drawn for Maya’s giveaway. Or was it done and I missed it?
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Oct 7th
2012
9:40 am
Margo Maguire Said:
Yes, Karen – a winner was drawn, although Maya and I were a week late doing it. Which is why I didn’t post it on the following Sunday. I’m so sorry I didn’t get it up there!
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