Q & A with Manda Collins discussion

Hooray! Thanks so much for stopping by!

Please comment on this thread to be eligible for door prizes! I will be drawing one winner every 30 minutes, but you only need to enter here once to be eligible for all the drawings.

To enter, just introduce yourself –and name your Favorite Villainess (redeemed or unredeemed) from fiction or pop culture:)
For example, I'm Manda Collins and my favorite Villainess is Regina from Once Upon a Time.
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Now, on to PRIZES!

Because Amelia's novella came out because of my love for some very particular redeemed heroines in romance, I'm giving away a copy of their books!

Drawings at:

6CT/4PT to 7CT/5PT: Digital copies of:
The Perks of Being a Beauty (natch!)
To Wed a Stranger by Edith Layton
My Favorite Countess by Vanessa Kelly
Never Love a Scoundrel by Darcy Burke

(If you already have the book you win, I'll gladly substitute one of the others (or we'll work something out.)

7CT/5PT to 8CT/6PT :
All four books, again! Plus, one extra person will win a print ARC of Why Dukes Say I Do (Book 1 in the upcoming Wicked Widows trilogy!)

Late Bird prize, drawn tomorrow morning:
$25 gift certificate to online bookseller of your choice
(For readers on other continents/in different time zones who might not otherwise be able to participate)

Let's get this party started!
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Cocktails!

Orgeat!

Madeira!

Port!

Lemonade! (But not the watery Almack's sort!)
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Ratafia

Claret
And finally, if you'd prefer something a little bit less alcoholic…

Tea!

Congratulations on the release of Perks Amanda! I am Christa, from Lafayette, Indiana, and am an avid reader. I thoroughly enjoyed Perks, and I have to go think about villainesses. Amelia is certainly my current favorite!

Congratulations on the release, Manda!

I'm Carol Cork from Wales, UK and I love historical romances and I'm a blogger as well. My favourite Villainess is Faith from Buffy the Vampire Slayer.



I'll take a glass or two of port.

(Manda, just to let you know the links to your visuals don't appear to be working.)

Christa wrote: "Congratulations on the release of Perks Amanda! I thoroughly enjoyed it, and I have to go think about villainesses. Amelia is certainly my current favorite!"

Thank you, Christa! I'm so happy you enjoyed it! :)

Hi Carol, I know my links aren't working:( I'm not sure why. I'm working on them.

And great choice of Faith! Here, have a glass of port while I check out my code...

Villainess? OMG i can't think, well Sabine, Sorceress of Illusions: the evil beauty in Kresley cole's Kiss of the demon kind. She's bad, but also the main heroine, she redeems herself!!

Ooh, Amanda, she definitely counts!

So, let's chat. Do you all have real people (like actors) in mind when you're reading? I have to admit, I sometimes start out with an actor in mind when I start writing but by the end of the book, they've morphed into their own look in my mind.

When I read, I do not generally think about real people, but just form my own idea of what I think the characters look like based on the description.

Me too, Christa! I have a hard time when I imagine actors because I tend to them of them as some other role they've played in so they don't seem unique to the story I'm reading.

Manda, I don't have anyone in mind when I'm actually reading a book but sometimes, in my reviews, I include visuals of how I imagine the hero and heroine might look.

In my review of How to Entice an Earl this is how I imagined Christian:



and Maddie

Villainess would either be Amelia or -- if redeemed heroine counts --- Scarlett Ohara. If not, how about Veronica from the Archies? Lol

I like to make up their looks in my mind.

Perks was grrreeeaaattt, btw! (Have to say it like Tony the Tiger. Lol)

Carol, I saw those! And I had no objections;) Who is that you're using for the heroine? I don't recognize her. She's beautiful!

Diana wrote: "Villainess would either be Amelia or -- if redeemed heroine counts --- Scarlett Ohara. If not, how about Veronica from the Archies? Lol"

Ooh, Scarlett is an excellent choice! She's definitely someone who needed redeeming. Fiddle dee dee!

Thanks about Perks:)

Okay 1st Hour is complete, so it looks like all four of you are winners!

Christa, Carol, Amanda and Diana! Would you guys like to choose from among the four books?

Thanks Manda! Since I've already had the opportunity to read Perks, I will choose To Wed a Stranger by Edith Layton.

An excellent choice, Christa. If you've never read Layton before, you're in for a treat. The heroine of that one was pretty much a jerk to every other heroine in the series and pulled no punches trying to steal their men. In her own book she finally marries someone in an arranged marriage and almost immediately gets deathly ill.

It's a great book for a lot of reasons, but I thought the portrayal of romance in the aftermath of illness was really well done. And she certainly earns her redemption! If you'll just message me the address you use for Kindle or Nook or whichever ebookstore you like I'll send it to you ASAP.

Manda, I enjoy Edith Layton's books, but have not read this series. I'll be making a trip to the library so that I can read them in order. To Wed a Stranger sounds great. I enjoy books where the hero and heroine are married to each other during much of the story, and it sounds like this one will fit that.

My email address is christapitcock@comcast.net, and I use an iPad and a Nook. thank you so much!

Manda wrote: "Carol, I saw those! And I had no objections;) Who is that you're using for the heroine? I don't recognize her. She's beautiful!"

It's Diane Kruger.

Christa wrote: "Manda, I enjoy Edith Layton's books, but have not read this series. I'll be making a trip to the library so that I can read them in order. To Wed a Stranger sounds great. I enjoy books where the ..."

You're welcome! I hope you like it. It definitely is one of those marriage stories:) I'll get it out to you!

"It's Diane Kruger."

Interesting! I've heard of her, but I don't know if I've seen her in anything before. Thanks:)

Manda, as I already have Perks and Never Love a Scoundrel, I'd like My Favorite Countess as the pairing of a doctor and a countess sounds intriguing.

I am sending you a PM with my email address etc.

Carol *Young at Heart Oldie* wrote: "Manda, as I already have Perks and Never Love a Scoundrel, I'd like My Favourite Countess as the pairing of a doctor and a countess sounds intriguing.

I am sending you a PM with my email address etc."

Great, Carol! I think you'll like it:) Bathsheba is definitely not your usual meek and mild heroine!

Oh am I too late for the Kelly book? My screen froze.

Diana wrote: "Oh am I too late for the Kelly book? My screen froze."

Nope, you can have your pick of the four listed:) So do you prefer Kindle or Nook or even print?

I already read Perks, so whichever one is left would be great. Have you two read Perks?0

Manda wrote: ""It's Diane Kruger."

Interesting! I've heard of her, but I don't know if I've seen her in anything before. Thanks:)"

She starred with Nicholas Cage in the National Treasure movies.

My friends Sarah and Sharon said they'd be here. Pardon me while I call to remind them.

Manda wrote: "Carol *Young at Heart Oldie* wrote: "Manda, as I already have Perks and Never Love a Scoundrel, I'd like My Favourite Countess as the pairing of a doctor and a countess sounds intriguing.

I am sen..."

Sounds great!

"She starred with Nicholas Cage in the National Treasure movies."

Ah, coincidence! Nicholas Cage is currently in my town filming a movie! :)

Diana wrote: "My friends Sarah and Sharon said they'd be here. Pardon me while I call to remind them."

LOL!

Diana wrote: "My friends Sarah and Sharon said they'd be here. Pardon me while I call to remind them."

Diana which program do you use for digital reading? Or would you prefer me to send you a print copy?

I don't have a digital reader. Guess I'm a dinosaur. Lol.

I'm saving up for an iPad one of these days.

No worries, Diana! I can send a print copy!

Hi Manda, just stopping by to say Hi. :) Looks like some great refreshments! Congrats again on the new release.

Donna wrote: "Hi Manda, just stopping by to say Hi. :) Looks like some great refreshments! Congrats again on the new release."

Thank you so much, Donna! You're a doll!

Manda, what is the schedule for tonight?

Well, I was only planning on going for a couple of hours so it's about time to wrap up.

Okay, so Amanda, if you'll just PM me your preferred format for your choice of the four redeemed villain-ess books, I'll get that sent out to you.

Thank you so much everybody for attending! I hope you enjoyed Perks! Be on the lookout next month for some different sort of festivities for the release of WHY DUKES SAY I DO!

Please feel free to comment for the rest of the week and I'll be back by to reply!

Goodnight, all!

Manda, I already received the Edith Layton book. Thank you so much!

I am already excited about the festivities for Why Dukes Say I Do, and I am so anxious to read it!

Great seeing you tonight, Manda! Good luck w the book!

Christa wrote: "Manda, I already received the Edith Layton book. Thank you so much!

I am already excited about the festivities for Why Dukes Say I Do, and I am so anxious to read it!"

Wonderful! I'll keep you posted!

Diana wrote: "Great seeing you tonight, Manda! Good luck w the book!"

Thank you, Diana! You rock!