Manda Collins's Blog, page 5

Release Dates May Be Closer than they Appear!

It's getting awfully close to that day when the world at large will be able to purchase their very own copy of How to Dance with a Duke wherever fine books are sold! And the reviews are trickling in!

Romantic Times calls it a "fast-paced, adventurous love story that will enthrall readers" and gives it 4 stars! I won't bore you with the rest, but so far no one seems to loathe it. That day will come, I have little doubt. But that's what they make wine for!

This week I celebrated my…well, let's just say I'm in my late thirties and leave it at that, shall we? And as happens to me around this time every year, I am thinking back on this past year and looking forward to the coming year.

Have you ever really looked forward to something, like an event or a special occasion, and dreamed of what it would be like? Ever realize how it NEVER goes the way you thought it would go? Well, getting published is very much like that. It is at once more exciting than I imagined, and much, much different than I expected it to be. But, such is life.

One very cool thing, though, is that I'm about to kick off my whirlwind blog tour! It's pretty exciting to be the one going from blog to blog, instead of the one booking the blog guest like I used to do for the now departed Romance Vagabonds. I'll start things off tomorrow with my good friend and fabulous writer, Vanessa Kelly! Stop by and chat with me if you can! There just might be one last ARC left in my Mary Poppins bag!

So, what's new with you guys? Been reading anything wonderful? Inquring minds want to know!

A Cover Fit for a Rake! Plus, Cindy Gerard!

Hello. lovelies! Thanks to a pain med hangover this was shaping up to be a not so awesome day. But something arrived in my email inbox this morning that perked me right up! I know How to Dance with a Duke isn't even out yet, but it's cover-reveal time for it's successor, How to Romance a Rake! Ta-daa!

So, what do you think? I am, as our friends on the other side of the pond say, chuffed! It's such a rich, deep blue and I love the way that the heroine is looking out at the audience, like she's up to something. And who can blame her with that hunk holding her in his arms!

How to Romance a Rake will be released on July 31, 2012, and is already available for preorder at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and IndieBound.

And, while we're at it, How to Dance with a Duke is also available for pre-order at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and IndieBound.

In more news of awesomeness, the wonderful Cindy Gerard is blogging today at Kiss and Thrill! If you haven't read Cindy before you're in for a real treat. She writes delicious military and former military heroes who are not afraid of danger, or love! I hope you'll stop by and and check out her interview with up and coming romantic suspense author Carey Baldwin.

I'm getting ready to send out my first ever newsletter! If you haven't already signed up here, you should do so ASAP! Because I'm giving away an ARC of How to Dance with a Duke to one lucky newsletter subscriber! And I'll be including a never before released snippet from the book!

And finally, if you'd like one more shot at winning an ARC, check out this giveaway at Goodreads. Just sign up and you'll be eligible to win! But you're all winners in my book already, you know that right?

Smooches! And thanks for sharing this wild publication ride with me!

Brenda Novak! Ahoy! & Congrats to Tessa Dare

Just a quick note to let you know that the fabulous Brenda Novak, whose IN CLOSE I profiled at Criminal Element here, is guesting today at Kiss and Thrill! Come by and say hello for a chance to win her Perfect trilogy.

Also, I wanted to give a shout out to my friend Tessa Dare, who hit the USA Today Bestseller's List last week with her holiday novella, Once Upon a Winter's Eve! Congratulations, Tessa! Speaking of which this fabulous novella is currently available for only $0.79 for Kindle and Nook!

 

Guest Blogging and Having a Guest Blog

Today's busy for me, kids. First off, the ladies of Kiss and Thrill (of which I am one) are hosting the fabulous Allison Brennan as our very first guest blogger! Stop by to see what Allison has to say about true crime, writing back to back trilogies, and who she'd like to play Lucy and Sean in the film version! http://www.kissandthrill.com/2011/11/29/allison-brennan-personally-speaking/

Next, I'm celebrating the launch of Cynthia Eden's latest ANGEL OF DARKNESS by guest blogging with her at 1PM Central time! Come see which television show I am reluctantly hooked on, and share your own guilty pleasures of the television kind:) You'll have a chance to win a signed coverflat from moi, a copy of ANGEL OF DARKNESS and a little something from Cynthia Eden herself! http://www.cynthiaeden.com/blog/

Hope you have a super Tuesday!

Secrets….

So, I've been keeping secrets from you guys. One is a beginning and one is an end. We'll begin at the beginning: I've joined a new group blog endeavor with some fabulous romantic suspense authors. It's called Kiss and Thrill and our kickoff post is now live. There are nine of us in all, including Lena Diaz, Amy Baldwin, Rachel Grant, Sharon Wray, Diana Belchase, Sarah Andre, Krista Hall and Gwen Hernandez.

In the next few months we're going to feature some fabulous romantic suspense authors, including, our inaugural guest, the extraordinary Allison Brennan! So, all of you who love a little thrill with your romance come join us as we talk about our favorite romantic suspense novels. And join us for our intro post, where we each share which three romantic suspense novels we'd bring along if we were trapped on a desert island.

Now, on to the ending. I am happy to report that I finished the third book in the Ugly Ducklings trilogy today! I can't wait to share Maddie's story with you. I had such fun writing it and I hope you'll have fun reading it. But we've got to get the other two books out there and in your hot little hands first;) Now I'm off to celebrate the new blog and the newly finished book in true writerly style: with lots of chocolate!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I've been down in the writing cave for the past few weeks finishing up the third book in the Ugly Ducklings trilogy, but today I'm taking a break from all that to celebrate the holiday with it's purpose written into the name. I'm talking about Thanksgiving.

For our family, Thanksgiving has always been a particularly special time because we've been through some troubled times together. Which always brings out our gratitude for those things that go splendidly, wonderfully right. This year's celebration will be small. Just my grandmother, aunt, uncle, cousins, my sister and me. But we'll be thankful just to be together.

This year, I have so much to be thankful for. Anticipating the publication of my book, at long last, is one thing. Having the chance to do the thing I love–even if it's not full time–is another. But finally, and perhaps most importantly, is the opportunity it's given me to meet so many extraordinary people who care as much as I do about books, and romance novels in particular.

Whether you're from the US or not, take a moment today to tell someone you love how much they mean to you, and how thankful you are to have them around. And if you've got another minute, give thanks for something good in your life.

I know I'm thankful for you!

I'm On the Road! (Virtually, that is…)

Just a quick note to let you guys know that I'll be guest blogging tomorrow (October 15) at the fabulous Vanessa Kelly's blog.

Now you might not have heard this yet, but Vanessa won a Maggie from the Georgia Romance Writer's a couple of weeks ago for her wonderful regency romance Sex and the Single Earl. She's also one of the funniest, most grounded people I know! So, a visit to her blog promises to be a lot of fun. Also, I'm going to be giving away an ARC of How to Dance with a Duke. Yep, you heard me. So come by and comment for a chance to win.

Two other ways to win an ARC? 1) Enter my contest on facebook for a chance to win. 2) Sign up for my newsletter for a chance to win. See, there are a TON of ways for you to get your hot little hands on an early copy!

In other news, I gave my first ever panel talk about what it's like to be a real live romance author. It was to a group of students and faculty at my alma mater, where I am also a librarian, and I spoke with a fellow alum who works as a web developer for a big deal educational publisher in New York. Everyone was lovely and they asked great questions. And it was fun to be among my colleagues in my other, more exciting capacity. I felt like Superman showing up to a staff meeting at the Daily Planet.  Very cool.

 

 

Up Close and Personal

It's getting closer and closer to the time when How to Dance with a Duke will begin to trickle out into the blogo/reviewo-sphere. Am I afraid? Uh, yeah! But I'm also very, very excited to finally share my book with readers.

They always talk about how incredibly slow the print publishing industry moves, and it's true. But it's also true that this week marks the one year anniversary of the day I got "the call." And over the course of this year I've finished another book, and worked to edit and put the finishing polishes on what will be my very first published novel.

As a celebration/partay-with-my-peeps-disguised-as-a-networking-trip I'm heading this weekend to Atlanta for the Georgia Romance Writers' always exciting Moonlight and Magnolia's Conference. It is fitting that this is the conference where I celebrate my one year anniversary, because the keynote speaker, Eloisa James, is the one who (probably unbeknownst to her) got me writing again via her now defunct reader bulletin board.

Also fitting, is that my lovely, talented, fabulous editor, Holly Blanck, of St. Martin's Press, will also be there. And a little bird tells me that she'll be bringing some of these lovely treats:

That, my lovelies, is a brand spanking new ADVANCED READER'S COPY!!! One step closer to the finished product!

Crazytown, I know.  It's amazing how long and how short a year can be.

If you're at the Moonlight and Magnolia's Conference, stop by and say hello!

 

 

Give a Little, Win a Lot

It's been busy here at Collins Manor–well, right now I'm at Collins Memorial Library doing Collins Memorial Work, but you get the idea.

Last week I got a wonderful surprise in the mail from Editor Holly. It was a packet of the loveliest coverflats, you've ever seen! If you don't know what a coverflat is, here's a picture. They're basically a true sized version of a mass market book cover, but without all the folding and pages inside.  Look for them to feature soon in giveaways and the like!

In other fabulous news, the snafu that was keeping my book from being available for pre-order at Amazon has been resolved! Now as you can see here, you can click that hot little button and reserve your own copy!

How AWESOME IS THAT???? I hate to admit it, but that made me feel like a "real" author–whatever that might be. Sniff.

Also, I've been blogging quit a bit at Criminal Element and Heroes and Heartbreakers. Last week's write-up about the ins and outs of Criminal Minds–one of my favorite shows on the teevee–was super fun to do. And it's fun to see what other folks think about the show. This week's fare is on Heroes and Heartbreakers, where I ask the burning question: What Ever Happened to the Standalone Romance Novel?

And finally, in news around the blogosphere, my friend Limecello is going to bat again for a good cause. This time, it's child hunger. She's already raised a ton of money through her comment drive. Won't you add to the good cause by adding your comment to the 400+ already there? When it hits 500 a group of authors from St. Martin's Press (of which I am a member) will give an awesome prize package! Come on. What do you have to lose?

Ta ta for now!

I've Taken Up a Life of Crime

Well, sort of. . . today is my first day blogging over at Macmillan's Criminal Element blog. I'm chatting about what, in my humble opinion, makes for the perfect blend of romance and suspense. Come join the discussion!

Also, How to Dance with A Duke is up for pre-order at any number of online retailers. Check them out on my bookshelf page.

But, alas, not at Amazon yet. There was this weird mix-up between my book and one by Ron Faust called Split Image. It made for some really odd for sale pages, including one of those "If you liked…" things saying that if you liked Dan Brown, you'd love Manda Collins. Not that there's anything wrong with Dan Brown. I just don't think we write the same kind of books at all. Though if some of his ginormous sales numbers were to accidentally get mixed up with mine, I'd be okay with that;)

Hope you're having a lovely, Monday! Off to go play on the dark side…