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MY BOOK ADDICTION AND MORE PROUDLY PRESENTS…..

HISTORICAL ROMANCE AUTHOR…..

MANDA COLLINS!

Good morning, Manda and welcome to My Book Addiction and More!

MBA&M: Please give our readers some insight into Manda Collins?

Well, I’m a Gen X-er who loves reality television, like Project Runway and America’s Next Top Model. By day I work as an academic librarian at a small liberal arts college in the American South. I used to be a pretty big knitter, but not so much since I started writing. I have two cats and a dog.
MBA&M: What inspired you to write this genre?

 
I have been a fan of Jane Austen and Regency Romance since my pre-teens so it was a natural fit for me. And fortunately my voice works well for this period.
MBA&M: What do you feel the allure of historical romance is to readers today?

 
For me personally as a reader, I appreciate reading about a time period when there were rules for correct behavior and for everything from wardrobe choice to which fork to use first. Of course we still have rules, but they aren’t so much in use (and frankly I’d find them to be a dead bore). But I like imagining how I would behave in a similar situation. And of course I love reading about the clothes and the excesses of the upper classes.
MBA&M: Which character in “How To Romance a Rake” do you most identify with and why?
For me personally, I identify the most with Juliet. Just like her, I suffered a life changing debilitation in my teens and I really worked hard on making her as authentic a representation of a disabled woman as I could. Of course, she is NOT me. She’s a fictional character. But that aspect of her is as close to autobiographical as my writing has come so far.

MBA&M: Most people speak of the main characters, I would like to talk about some secondary characters in “How To Romance a Rake”. Please tell our readers a little about some of your secondary characters? Will any of them have their own stories? How they came to you? etc.

 
The most memorable secondary characters in HOW TO ROMANCE A RAKE are Monteith and Maddie, who will be the hero and heroine of my next book, HOW TO ENTICE AN EARL. Montieth started out in HOW TO DANCE WITH A DUKE as a sort of throw away friend character for Lucas, but somehow over the course of the trilogy he turned into his own man. He’s by far the most amusing of my heroes. Maddie, of course, is the third member of the Ugly Ducklings and she is the pushy one. She is not afraid to speak her own mind, and she’s the boldest of the three. I think she and Monteith are going to be a combustible combination!
MBA&M: Can you tell us a scene out of “How To Romance a Rake”,that stands out to you?
One of my favorite scenes is the one where Juliet and Alec meet in the garden behind her parents’ house. They share their first kiss. And it’s a pretty emotional scene.
MBA&M: What is your life’s passion beside writing,of course?
I am very passionate about the role that libraries play in society. I think that everyone–no matter how rich or poor–deserves to have access to books. And not just informational books. All kinds of books. One of the things that worries me most about the rise of ebooks–and don’t get me wrong, I love them–is the fact that not everyone has or will have access to an ereader. And so a number of people are losing access to reading material. It’s a problem, and I wish I knew an easy solution for it.
 
MBA&M: What is one of your most interesting quirks,do you think?

 
I am a pretty decent mimic. I’d demonstrate, but alas…
 
MBA&M: Please tell our readers where to find you and where they can found “How To Romance a Rake?

 
 Manda, do you have anything you would like to add today?
Thank you so much for having me today! And thanks to all my lovely readers who have made HOW TO DANCE WITH A DUKE such a success! I hope you all enjoy HOW TO ROMANCE A RAKE as much as I did writing it!

Thank you so much for taking time out of your schedule to spend time with us and our readers today!

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HOW TO ROMANCE A RAKE

MANDA COLLINS

Ugly Ducklings, Book 2
St. Martin’s Press
July 31, 2012

ISBN-13: 9780312549251
ISBN-10: 0312549253

*from the author’s website*

You can lead a wallflower to the ball, but you can’t make her bloom—unless one daring young bachelor turns up the heat…

DANCING WITH DANGER

What’s a nice girl like Miss Juliet Shelby doing in a place like Lord Deveril’s ballroom? With her shy demeanor, she’s a total stranger to the dance floor and a source of mockery for the ton. So imagine her surprise when Deveril gallantly comes to her defense—and offers to teach her to dance! Juliet can hardly believe the most handsome bachelor in London would notice her, until he takes her in his arms and sets her heart ablaze…

PLAYING WITH FIRE

Lord Alec Deveril has never felt such a spark of attraction for an unmarried lady before. Unlike the “fashionable” women he’s accustomed to, Juliet possesses a generous spirit, a fiery intelligence—and an explosive secret. Deep in the London underworld, a dear friend has vanished, and Juliet fears the worst. Deveril insists on helping, escorting her through the darkest alleys in town. But he too is hiding a shocking secret—and the only way he can defeat the devil in his past is to seduce the angel in his arms …

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***GIVEAWAY ALERT***

*Sponsored by the author*

We are offering 1 lucky commenter a print copy of “How To Romance a Rake” by Manda Collins. Giveaway open to US/Canada residents only! No P.O. Boxes, please.Giveaway to run from today August 8 until August 15,2012.*Must leave a valid email address in your comment*

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!

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 Please check out our “Thoughts” on “How To Romance a Rake” by Manda Collins.

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