Guest Author: Manda Collins & Giveaway!!

Manda Collins

I’m so happy to have historical romance author Manda Collins visiting the blog today.  Manda writes witty, Regency-set romance with a lot of heart and a dash of mystery, and she has a new book in her Wicked Widows Trilogy out today–hooray!  Here’s an exclusive excerpt from Why Earls Fall in Love.

“It’s extraordinarily ugly, isn’t it?” Mrs. Georgina Mowbray asked her friend, and fellow army widow, Mrs. Lettice Stowe, as they stood before the latest painting to have taken Bath by storm in the fashionable Messrs. Oliver and McHenry Art Gallery in Clarges Street.

“I do see that the artist has talent, but look at the expression on poor Cleopatra’s face! She looks more like she’s suffering from dyspepsia than the poisonous bite of an asp.”

Lettice, who was rather less interested in museums than Georgina, studied the painting, wrinkling her upturned nose in concentration. “I don’t know,” she said frowning, “I rather like it. It’s so dramatic, the way she’s draping herself across the chaise, her bosom exposed as the asp sinks it’s fangs into her. And who’s to say that the bite of an asp doesn’t feel like an attack of dyspepsia. You remember old Mrs. Lafferty whose husband was in the 23rd, who swore she was only suffering a bit of the ague when in fact she was having an apoplexy.”

Georgina had to concede the point to her friend, though she was fairly certain Mrs. Lafferty had been suffering from both the ague and apoplexy. But she didn’t wish to quibble. Lettice was, after all, her only friend in Bath aside from her employer, Lady Russell, to whom Georgie served as lady’s companion.

It had only been a few months since she came to the spa town and she missed her friends in London dreadfully. But unlike Isabella and Perdita, who were both the widows’ of noblemen, Georgie was the widow of a military officer who had been just as terrible at managing his finances as he had been at being a husband. And as a result, she needed to work to earn her keep.

Today, her employer was taking tea with her niece while Georgie enjoyed her afternoon off. She would never have expected that the life of a paid companion would be so fulfilling, but it was. Georgie appreciated order and her life following the army had taught her to appreciate the well-managed life. Especially when her relationship with her husband had been anything but reliable.

“Perhaps,” Georgie allowed her friend. “Though I do still think it’s a remarkably ugly painting.”
Shuddering, she asked, “Does it say who the artist is?”

“I’m afraid that would be me,” said a male voice from behind them.

Georgina stifled a very unladylike curse before turning to greet the newcomer. Just as she’d known he would be, the Earl of Coniston stood behind them, one supercilious brow raised in amusement.

He had been betrothed to her friend Perdita for a few short weeks earlier in the year, and during that time, Georgie had been forced to endure his company despite her dislike of him. He’d been good enough to Perdita—had even agreed to her dissolution of the betrothal without a fuss when she realized she wasn’t ready to marry again so soon after her husband’s death—but from what Georgie could tell, he was the very sort of dissolute, devil-may-care nobleman that she’d come to dislike during her time following the army. Especially given that the officers had often been handed their positions by dint of money and birth while the enlisted men under them were forced to do the real work.

And, perhaps sensing her dislike, Coniston, or Con as he was called by his friends, had found great delight in teasing her whenever they were in company together.

Why Earls Fall in Love

It was just Georgie’s luck that he was her employer’s favorite nephew, and would therefore be underfoot for her near future at the very least.

“Lord Coniston,” she said, masking her dismay with a smile, “what a surprise to find you here.”

“Not so surprising, surely, Mrs. Mowbray,” her nemesis said with a grin. “After all, you must have penned the invitations from my aunt for her house party this week.”

“I meant,” she said maintaining her poise, “this gallery, of course, not the city of Bath.” It was just like him to deliberately misunderstand her.

Unchastened, he raised his brows. “Do you mean you think me such a culture-less fribble that I could not possibly have business in such a place? For shame, Mrs. Mowbray. Surely, I have made a better impression upon you than that.”
“As a matter of fact,” Georgie began, before she was interrupted by Lettice. To her shame, Georgie had forgotten her friend was even there, such was the power of Coniston to overwhelm her good sense.

“Do introduce me to your friend, Georgina,” Lettice said, her eyes alight with interest as she took in Coniston’s good looks and Georgie’s discomfort in his presence.

Reluctantly, Georgie said, “Lord Coniston, this is my friend, Mrs. Lettice Stowe. We followed the drum together.” Turning to Lettice, whose grin alerted Georgie to her amusement at the situation, she said, “Lettice, this is Lord Coniston, the nephew of my employer, Lady Russell.”

She would have liked to find fault in Coniston’s reception of her friend, but Georgie was forced to admit that his bow and expression of pleasure at making the acquaintance were all that was proper.

“What is it you dislike about this painting, my lord?” Lettice asked, returning them to their surroundings. “I should be interested to hear your opinion of it.”

A dark curl brushed his brow, giving the earl a boyish air. “Where to begin, Mrs. Stowe?” he said gravely. “There are so many things wrong with it that I don’t quite know which to condemn first. I will say, however, that it obviously one of the artist’s earlier works and doubtless he would prefer it never to be seen in public again.”

“I have told the owners of the gallery to remove it many a time,” he continued. “But they ignore my pleas to spare the good people of Bath from the horror of it.”

Suddenly, a memory of her employer saying something about her nephew winkled its way into Georgie’s consciousness. Closing her eyes, she bit her lip in frustration. Of course.

“It is yours, isn’t it?” she asked the earl in a flat tone. He’d overheard her criticizing his work. He’d never let her hear the end of it. “You are the artist of this piece.”

To his credit, Coniston did not attempt to capitalize on her embarrassment. “It is indeed, I am sorry to say,” he admitted. “I gave it to a friend as a joke years ago, and the beastly fellow sold it to this gallery. Every time I come to Bath I attempt to buy it back from the owners but they refuse, claiming it’s one of their most popular display pieces.”
Georgie couldn’t help but sympathize with him. “How unfortunate,” she said, looking once more at the hideous face of Cleopatra. “You have become a much better artist since this piece,” she added, thinking how mortified she would be if one of her sewing samplers, which were truly awful, were to be hung up next to someone else’s neat and tiny stitching. “The landscape in your aunt’s sitting room is particularly fine.”

Coniston gave her a puzzled look, as if he weren’t quite sure what to think of her when she was being generous with him. Georgie felt a tug of shame. Had she really been so difficult with him, she wondered.

“It’s not so bad as all that,” Lettice said, again reminding Georgie of her presence. “I was just telling Georgie that…”
But before she could finish, they were interrupted by another gentleman.

“There you are, old boy,” the newcomer said, slightly out of breath.

“The others are waiting. Let’s get out of this mausoleum.”

It was clear from the man’s glance at Georgie and Lettice, and his quick dismissal, that he did not consider them worth his notice. Coniston, to his credit, looked embarrassed at his friend’s bad manners.

“Ladies,” he said, bowing to them, “I hope you find some more pleasing works of art to occupy the rest of your time here. I recommend the very fine Tintoretto in the corner.”

And with a grin, he followed his friend from the anteroom of the museum where Georgina and Lettice stood looking after him.
As soon as he was out of earshot, Lettice unfurled her fan and briskly plied it before her face. “Lord, Georgie, have you ever seen such a handsome man in your life? Why did you not tell me you were friends with him?”

“He’s hardly a friend, Lettice,” she responded with a laugh. “He is my employer’s nephew. We met briefly in London at the home of a mutual friend, but to be honest we are not on the best of terms.”

“What do you mean?” Lettice demanded. “You seemed easy enough just now.”

Georgie was silent for a moment as she tried to put into words her complicated feelings about Lord Coniston. It wasn’t that she disliked him, precisely. He was friendly enough and had been kind to Perdita. But she found it difficult to admire a man who seemed to concern himself with anything beyond the latest on-dit or the outcome of some much-talked-about prize-fight. For better or for worse, she could not admire a man who was so lacking in seriousness.

“You were in the war, Lettice,” Georgie tried to explain. “You saw how some of the aristocratic officers behaved.”

At her friend’s nod, she continued, “Lord Coniston reminds me of them. As if he has nothing more to concern himself with than the betting book or which opera dancer he’s going to bed.”

“And what,” Lettice asked, with a frown, “is wrong with that? Goodness, Georgina, you behave as if the war is still going on. So what if Lord Coniston enjoys himself. Wouldn’t you love to have enough funds to live as you pleased? It’s not as if he’s leading men into battle and compromising their safety.”

It was nothing more than she’d told herself any number of times, and Georgie knew that Lettice was right on some level.
“True enough,” she said with a shrug. “I’m not sure why I am so hard on him. Perhaps I am a bit jealous of his freedom to do as he wishes.”

“If you ask me,” Lettice said with a sly look, “you need to loosen your stays a bit, so to speak. Let yourself have a bit of fun. You’re no longer following the drum, keeping everything neat and tidy for that brute of a husband to come back from the fighting. And it’s time you remembered it.”

It was an old argument, and one that Georgie did not wish to rehash again. One of the ways in which she’d learned to cope with the unpredictabilty of her husband’s temper was to keep everything else in her life as predictable as possible. She lived her life by the ticking of the small heart-shaped watch pinned to the breast of her gown. And she one freedom she did appreciate was the one that allowed her to do so without reproach.

Why Dukes Say I Do

Looking down at her watch, she gasped. “Goodness, it’s gone three! I promised Lady Russell I’d be back in time for tea.”

“I thought it was your day off?” Lettice pouted, looking like a thwarted five-year-old.

Since Georgie didn’t wish to explain again that she’d agreed to giving up a bit of her off-day under no duress and that she, in fact, had offered to it, she remained silent.

“I shall have to get back to Henrietta Street,” she said, offering her friend a quick hug. “I’ll see you at the pump room, tomorrow, all right?”

To Georgie’s great relief, her friend didn’t raise a fuss. But before they parted ways on the street outside the museum, the other woman said, “Just remember that your employer is not your friend, Georgina. She is your employer. It’s just not possible for folks of their station and ours to be friends. Not true friends like we are.”

It was an old argument, and rather than go into it for the umpteenth time, Georgie merely nodded and gave her friend a quick hug before hurrying down the street toward Lady Russell’s townhouse.

She knew there was some sense in what Lettice said. But she’d learned from her friendship with Isabella and Perdita that not all members of the ton were supercilious and cutting. And if truth be told, Georgie trusted the sisters more than Lettice in some instances, because though Lettice was a good enough person, she had a tendency to look for the cloud in every silver lining. And if Georgie needed anything it was to be around people with a sunny outlook on life, given her own tendency toward seriousness.

No sooner had the thought crossed her mind, however, than she remembered the letter in her reticule. Perhaps she had reason for her worries, she reminded herself.

The first had arrived a month or so ago. And knowing the hell Isabella had gone through after she’d received similar missives, Georgie was prepared for something terrible to befall her now that the second and third warning letters had arrived.

I know what you did last season.

The note had been unsigned. And she was quite sure if she compared her own letters with Isabella’s that the handwriting would be identical.

Someone, she knew, was out to avenge the late Duke of Ormond’s death.

No matter how much of a bastard he’d been. No matter that his death had been a matter of preventing him from murdering Perdita before their very eyes.Whoever it was behind the threatening letters, Georgie knew that they weren’t interested in fairness or logic or justice. They wanted only revenge.

On that thought, her hand slipped down to feel the reassuring shape of the small pistol resting next to the notes in her reticule.

Let this person continue to threaten, she thought grimly. When they began their campaign to frighten her, Georgie decided, she’d be ready for them.

For my readers today, Manda is giving away a copy of one of her wonderful books.  To be eligible to win, simply tell us if you like mystery stories.  If so, what are some of your favorites?  One person who comments will win!  And be sure to visit Manda’s website for her latest news and buy links for Why Earls Fall in Love.


Guest Author: Manda Collins & Giveaway!!

Manda

I’m featuring one of my favorite people in the world today.  She’s Manda Collins, and she writes wonderful and witty Regency-set historical romance with a dash of mystery.  Manda’s first series, The Ugly Ducklings, received a great deal of acclaim for its engaging heroines, thoroughly decent heroes, and smart, fun stories.

Happily, Manda has a brand new series, The Wicked Widows.  The first book is called Why Dukes Say I Do, and it’s already received 4-1/2 stars and a Top Pick from RT Book Reviews:

“Witty and smart, Collins’ prose flows smoothly as she merges a charming, compassionate love story with gothic suspense….Add strong pacing and depth of emotion, and there’s no doubt this is a winner.”

Why Dukes Say I Do (5)

Here’s the blurb for Why Dukes Say I Do:

Even in London society—where everyone knows what you did last season—you never know who’s next in line to walk down the aisle…

TRUE LOVE IS OFTEN FOUND

With her whirlwind social life in London, Lady Isabella Wharton has little interest in the customs of the country. But when her godmother asks her to pay a visit to her bachelor grandson in Yorkshire, Isabella can’t refuse. It behooves her to please the old dowager, since she harbors one of Isabella’s most scandalous secrets. So off she goes to see the newly-titled—and notoriously rustic—Duke of Ormond…

WHERE YOU LEAST EXPECT IT

Trevor Carey doesn’t care about what goes on
behind ballroom doors. He is content with the simple life—and isn’t ashamed to admit it to a society flirt like Lady Isabella. But the country air brings out a different side of Isabella—one full of longing and passion. Can her sophistication be hiding a desire for love? When a blackmailer from the city arrives to threaten Isabella, Trevor will shield her from harm—even travel to London. Can the duke tackle the ton on Isabella’s behalf …and manage to keep her all to himself?

Sounds great, doesn’t it?  If you like smart, witty storytelling with a lot of heart–and you haven’t tried one of Manda’s books–then I suggest you get cracking!

And for those of you who loved Manda’s last series, The Ugly Ducklings, you can pick up her recently released novella, The Perks of Being a Beauty, which winds up the series.

Perks of Beign a Beauty

For my readers today, Manda is giving away one copy of Why Dukes Say I Do.  Just tell us who and what are some of your favorite historical authors and books.  One person who comments will win a copy of Manda’s new book!


Guest Author: Manda Collins & Giveaway!!

 

I’m always excited when my good friend Manda Collins visits my blog.  Manda writes witty Regency-set historical romance with a dash of mystery.  Her next book, Why Dukes Say I Do, just received a prestigious Top Pick from RT Book Reviews.  Dukes will released on July 30th. 

But Manda has a new novella out tomorrow, and it’s another of her witty, emotionally appealing stories.  She’s here to talk with us about it!

How does your novella fit into The Ugly Ducklings Trilogy

The Perks of Being a Beautyis the story of Miss Amelia Snowe, who is the nemesis of Cecily, Juliet and Maddie in the Ugly Ducklings trilogy. In Book 3 of the trilogy, How to Entice an Earl, we see Amelia coming to the realization that she’s been behaving rather badly during her reign as the toast of the ton. Well, in The Perks we see Amelia in seriously straitened circumstances. Her mother has died, leaving Amelia not only penniless, but also owing a great deal to her mother’s creditors. Forced to make her own living, Amelia has become the companion to a wealthy cit’s daughter. It’s a far cry from being able to wind the gentlemen of the ton around her little finger! 

Your heroine is looking for redemption.  Why do you think that particular theme resonates so well with readers?

You know, I’m not all that sure it does. I know that readers have a ton of love for redeemed rakes and villains, but I think it takes a bit more for them to forgive a villainous heroines. I’m not sure if it’s because most romance readers are women, and we tend to be harder on our own sex, or what. Still, I do think there is much to touch readers hearts in this kind of story. We’ve all done things that we aren’t particularly proud of, and by watching a character like Amelia make amends to the people she’s harmed, we see the possibility for our own redemption–whether it’s harsh words to a loved one or something more serious. 

Hopefully, after seeing how truly repentant Amelia is, readers will begin to root for her.

The book trailer for The Perks of Being a Beauty is awesome.  How did you come up for the idea for it?

I’ve been a fan of the Dos Equis commercials about “The Most Interesting Man in the World” since they first came out. And I’ve been thinking about fun promo ideas for my upcoming series, but I knew that the only character who could pull off “The Most Interesting” theme was Amelia, who is somewhat larger than life in the Ducklings books. Coming up with her character traits was the most fun I’ve had in a long long time!  Readers, you can watch this adorable trailer here.

What’s up next in Manda’s writing world?

 

On July 30, the first book in my new Wicked Widows trilogy, Why Dukes Say I Do, will be released. I’m really excited about this new series and seeing how readers respond to it. I’ve just gotten my review from RT Book Reviews and was floored to see it was not only a Top Pick, but my hero Trevor (a real dish, if I may say so myself!) was named a Knight In Shining Silver (or K.I.S.S.) hero! “Witty and smart, Collins’ prose flows smoothly as she merges a charming, compassionate love story with gothic suspense….Add strong pacing and depth of emotion and there’s no doubt this is a winner.”

And I can’t wait to read it!  For my readers today, Manda is graciously giving away three copies of The Perks of Being a Beauty.  As someone who’s also written a book about a bad girl reformed, I’d like to talk about that.  Can you think of any heroines from books, a TV show, or movies who redeemed herself?  Three people who comment will win a copy of Manda’s novella!

 


Guest Author: Manda Collins & Giveaway!!

Hooray!  One of my favorite people is visiting with us today.  She’s Manda Collins, who writes delightfully charming historical romance with a dash of mystery.  The third book in her Ugly Ducklings Trilogy is now in stores, and Manda is here to tell us all about it.

How To Entice an Earl is the third book in your fabulous Ugly Ducklings trilogy. What’s this trilogy about, and where did you get the idea for it?

The trilogy follows three not-so-popular cousins who are the daughters of the famous Featherstone sisters who took the ton by storm a generation ago. I got the idea one evening while watching Entertainment Tonight and thinking about how difficult life must be for those children of celebrated beauties who, for whatever reason, don’t replicate their famous mothers’ successes. I transposed the notion to the Regency period, added some mystery capers, and the Ugly Ducklings were born!

What can you tell us about Madeline and Christian, the heroine and hero of How To Entice an Earl?

Maddie is the most outspoken and irreverent of the Ducklings. While Cecily had her scholarly pursuits and Juliet had her music, however, Maddie has had a hard time carving out a niche for herself. She wants to do this by writing a novel. Like many young ladies of the period she is a great novel reader and hopes to use her novel as a means of casting a light on the dangers of many gentlemanly pursuits like gaming and drinking to excess. Pursuits that the men in her own family have…uh…pursued. 😉 You get the idea.

As a military hero, one would think that Christian (newly made an Earl) would be the most serious of his friends. But quite the opposite. Like many young men who have survived harsh circumstances, Christian finds an escape from his past through humor. And thanks to his connections with the War Office, he has been asked to do a bit of investigating from time to time. When his latest assignment brings him literally head to head with Maddie, a heretofore unrecognized attraction blooms between them. And Christian being Christian, he handles the situation with his usual humor and bull-headedness.

In your day job, you’re an academic librarian. Has that made life easier for you as a historical romance author?

Yes and no. Yes, because I know where to go if I need to find some little known historical detail. But, I work at a small liberal arts college and we don’t really have the budget for the kind of super-fancy databases and expensive books that I would truly need to track down every last detail. So I’m rather in the position of knowing it’s out there, but not being able to access it short of a Lear Jet and an unlimited budget. Also, no matter how grateful I am to have it, it’s a day job. Which puts a damper on the writing output. Still I think I’m in a better position than most, and for that I’m grateful.

What’s next for Manda Collins in the book world?

Well, I don’t have a release date for it yet, but I am currently working on a novella that will tie up the Ugly Ducklings Trilogy and offer an introduction into the world of my next trilogy.It is called The Perks of Being a Beauty and tells the story of the girl you love to hate. I won’t say more than that, but rest assured that we learn why she is the way she is and she’ll atone for her past misdeeds.

My next trilogy, the first of which will be called Why Dukes Say I Do will follow the exploits of three widows who are being blackmailed for a murder–a murder that they did not commit. Look for Book 1 in July of 2013.

Vanessa, here.  I just love the idea for Manda’s new series, don’t you?  And I’m really looking forward to reading her upcoming novella!  For my readers today, Manda is giving away one of her books in the Ugly Ducklings Trilogy – reader’s choice.  Since Manda always has a mystery element in her books, let’s talk about that.  Do you like a little mystery in your romances?  What are some of your favorite romantic suspense or mysteries?  One person who comments will win a book from the Ugly Ducklings Trilogy.


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