Mignon Ballard's "Miss Dimple Rallies to the Cause"

Mignon F. Ballard grew up in a small town in Georgia, and now lives in Fort Mill, South Carolina.

Here she shares some ideas about casting the leads in adaptations of two of her series, including her latest release, Miss Dimple Rallies to the Cause:

I always knew who I’d like to play the part of the guardian angel in my Augusta Goodnight mystery series, and that would have been the late actress, Eve Arden. I even pictured Augusta as looking a bit like Eve, and her character also shared Augusta’s sometimes-tart tongue and practical way of looking at life.

I had to think a bit to decide on an actress who might be natural in the part of Miss Dimple and I believe any of these four would do my character justice, although I realize it might be a bit late for three of them: Dorothy McGuire came to mind because I loved the way she played the gentle yet courageous mother in A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. And naturally, I would be honored to have Olivia de Havilland in the role. I can see her now swinging that purple umbrella as she steps sprightly over the sidewalks of Elderberry – and she’s already mastered the Southern accent for GWTW. Greer Garson was perfect in the part of Mrs. Miniver during the same time period of WWII and shared the noble gentility I find in Miss Dimple. And lastly, but not least, the fabulous English actress, Judi Dench. (If she’s not too busy, of course, and doesn’t mind temporarily ditching the British accent!)

Learn more about the author and her work at Mignon Ballard's website.

--Marshal Zeringue