Manda Collins's Blog, page 4

Great News!

After a fabulous release week for How to Entice an Earl, when I finally got to share Maddie and Christian’s story with readers, something amazing happened. The incomparable Eloisa James chose to include it in her monthly column for Barnes & Noble online! And if that wasn’t enough, the list of other authors whose books she spotlighted includes Anne Gracie, Sarah MacLean, Juliana Gray and Teresa Medeiros! Some of my favorite authors!

If you haven’t seen it yet, check it out here!



Rules of the Road

My house has been rampant with the flu and colds this week, so here’s hoping that you, wherever you are, have escaped the creeping crud. I’m going to have some cough syrup and dream of good news…

The Next Big Thing!

My dear friend Vanessa Kelly, author of His Mistletoe Bride, tagged me to take part in this blogging hop-along, and I thought it sounded like fun. I’ll answer some questions about my current work in progress (WIP), and then tag some other authors to do the same thing on their blogs next week.

Here goes…

What is your working title of your book? Why Dukes Say I Do

Where did the idea come from for the book? From a totally random brainstorming session with some author friends where we were coming up with gimmicky Regency historical titles. The one that started my imagination on this new trilogy was I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SEASON.

What genre does your book fall under? Regency historical romance/romantic suspense.

Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition? For my hero, Trevor, I’ve chosen dishy British actor Toby Stephens, shown here in the BBC adaptation of Anne Bronte’sThe Tenant of Wildfell Hall.

[image error]The Always Entertaining Tiffany Clare, author of Wicked Nights with a Proper Lady.

Readers, be sure to check out these talented ladies next week and find out what they’re working on!

Good News and Travel!

I found out this week that How to Dance with a Duke been nominated for an RT Book Reviews Reviwers’ Choice Award for Debut Historical Romance! I’m up against my fellow St. Martin’s Press author, Valerie Bowman, as well as Nina Rowan, Juliana Gray, Tammy Falkner, and Victoria Roberts. I’m thrilled to be in such great company and it’s a honor to be nominated by the premiere source for romance reviews.

In other exciting news, my sexy novella Legally Yours has been nominated by Authors After Dark for a Bookie Award for Contemporary Short Story of the Year! How cool is that? I am especially surprised and pleased about this one because I published it myself and had zero expectations for it. Don’t you love surprises like that? What’s especially cool about this one is that YOU can vote for it! If you want to, that is…

I’ve been on the road these past few months going to conferences. In early October I went to Atlanta for the Georgia Romance Writers’ outstanding MOONLIGHT & MAGNOLIA’s conference, where, among other things, I got to spend a little time with the lovely and talented Julia Quinn! She is one of the nicest, most gracious people you’ll ever meet. And hilarious to boot. And she give a kick-ass keynote speech!

Finally, this past weekend, I drove up to Birmingham for the Southern Magic Reader’s Luncheon, put on by the Birmingham chapter of RWA. Those ladies really know how to put on a party! I shared a table with the lovely and talented Kathy Bone, whose first book was released this past week. It’s called Duke by Day, Rogue by Night. While in Birmingham I got to sign copies of my books while sitting in between Kieran Kramer and Katharine Ashe! We were like a Regency triple play! If you ever get a chance to go to this event, do it! It’s a blast!

That’s all for now! I’m about to put up a few ARCs of How to Entice an Earl for a giveaway at Goodreads so be on the lookout for that.

Until next time!

We Have Liftoff!

Hello all you happy people! Today’s the day when How to Romance a Rake goes on sale in a fine bookselling establishment near you! This is the second book of The Ugly Ducklings Trilogy, and features a smoking hot love story between the ever-so-elegant Alec, Lord Deveril, and Miss Juliet Shelby, the shyest of the wallflower cousins. Over the course of the story you will read about 1) An attempted kidnapping 2) A trip to Gretna Green 3) A painting that is also a clue and 4) A totally awesome HEA. Among other things!

To celebrate this auspicious occasion I’m holding a special release party on Twitter and you’re invited! Preregister here for a chance to win a $100 gift card to Books on Board. Preregister here for a chance to win your choice of a Kindle or a Nook! And during the party itself I’ll be giving away door prizes and revealing all sorts of tidbits about the making of How to Romance a Rake.

Thanks, as always, for your support! Hope this last day of July is rocking for you and yours!

A Sexy Side Project

Hey yall! Hope May is treating you to sunny days and blue skies!

I just wanted to let you know about a novella I’ve just self-published. It’s called Legally Yours and it’s a super sexy contemporary romance novella. What this means is lots of sexytimes with the requisite happily-ever-after.  I think it’s  a pretty sweet little story, for all that it’s got some heat to it.

It’s only $0.99 at Amazon, B&N and Smashwords (soon to come at Sony, Apple, etc.).

I’m going to be guest blogging with Vanessa Kelly on this Friday (May 11) and I’ll be giving away three copies!

If you do get a chance to read it, I’d love it if you’d post an honest review at your favorite site.

On a side note, don’t forget to enter the Goodreads Giveaway for an ARC of How to Romance a Rake.  It closes on June 1.

Later my peeps!

Manda

 

 

Drive-By Cover Reveal!

Just a quick note here to let you know that I’ve received the first glimpse at the cover for How to Entice an Earl!!

I hope you love it as much as I do! I’m working on the revisions for this one right now, and let me tell you I think Maddie and Christian are pretty adorable together. And who knew Christian was such a gym rat?

Here’s hoping that your Wednesday is going swimmingly!

Cheers,

Manda

 

Winners!

I have consulted Random.org and I kid you not, it chose numbers 5 and 6! So, Christina and May! Christina, you're the winner of Tessa Dare's A WEEK TO BE WICKED, and May you're the winner of Lena Diaz's SIMON SAYS DIE! Just email me your preference for digital or print and if print, your snail mail addy.

Simon Says Celebrate & Win!

Just a quick shout-out to my friends Tessa Dare and Lena Diaz who both have books coming out today from Avon!

Tessa's book, A WEEK TO BE WICKED, is a fabulously fun and sexy historical about a rake and a bluestocking (love!) and Lena's book, SIMON SAYS DIE, is an edge of your seat, sexy romantic suspense reunited lovers story! Both of which are tropes I adore!

To celebrate, I'm giving away a copy of Tessa's book and a copy of Lena's book to to two lucky commenters who share with us their favorite romance tropes. Do you love arranged marriages? Or maybe you're a fan of secret babies? Tell me below for a chance to win!

Spring News: Bookscan, Audio, ARCs

Greetings, my gentle readers! Here's hoping that this first day of Spring is as sunny as beautiful where you are as it is here!

It's been about a month and a half since How to Dance with a Duke wended its way from the virtual and literal shelves and into readers hands, and what a whirlwind! From the lovely notes I've received in my email box, it seems that you have enjoyed reading about Lucas and Cecily's path to true love. And I could not have been more pleased. There's a certain amount of angst surrounding the release of a book, most of which boils down to the question: What if they HATE it? Fortunately, it seems that if some of you have hated it, you haven't let me know. And for that, I am grateful;)

Thank you so much for buying, for sending me pictures of the book out in the wild, and most of all for reading! I am humbled by the outpouring of praise and support you've sent my way, and I hope that you'll continue to enjoy my books as they are published.

Now, on to news!

First off, thanks to your enthusiastic support, How to Dance with a Duke spent FIVE WEEKS on the Nielsen Bookscan Top 100 Romance Books list! You guys ROCK! Thank you so much for buying and encouraging your friends to buy! Big smooches to you all!

Next, my editor emailed me last week to let me know that the audio rights to both How to Dance with a Duke and How to Romance a Rake have been sold to Tantor Media! This means that in a month or so, you'll be able to listen to HTDWAD on your ipod, CD, or whichever other audio format you choose! It's pretty exciting for me–especially since the actress reading it is ENGLISH! So, instead of sounding like my own Southern Drawl, it will sound like it does in my head–perfectly, charmingly, English! Yay!

And finally, editor Holly sent me (and all of Twitter) a picture of the ARC of How to Romance a Rake in her hot little hands! I can hardly believe it's time for ARCs yet, since it feels like the first book just released, but it's true! So, be on the lookout for giveaways, my peeps!

That's all for now. Stay tuned for more exciting news and general meandering notices from my fevered brain.

Happy Spring!

Manda

Thanks, News and Coverflats, Oh My!

Hi gang!

First off, let me tell you how delighted I am that so many of you have read and enjoyed How to Dance with a Duke! I cannot tell you how wonderful it is to open up my inbox to find a note from someone who fell in love with Lucas and Cecily! Seriously, if this feeling could be bottled it would outsell Prozac 10 to 1! So, thank you!

Next, and this makes me giddy, I have an announcement! I've been in talks with my publisher, and they've agreed to buy my next three book trilogy! Here's the announcement from Publisher's Marketplace:



Author of HOW TO DANCE WITH A DUKE Manda Collins's new historical romance trilogy, pitched as a Regency I Know What You Did Last Summer, in which three widows conspire to hide the truth about the death of a duke and find love in the process, to Holly Blanck at St. Martin's, by Holly Root at Waxman Literary Agency (World).

These books are going to be such fun to write! I can't wait to get started!

And finally I came home yesterday to find a whole packet of coverflats for How to Romance a Rake waiting for me!! I forgot to take a pic (bad Manda!) but let me assure you that they're beautiful! And I'll be giving some away very soon!

I think that's all for now! Thanks again for the support! And Happy Reading!