Dirty Deed by Tom Franklin, the best-selling author of the N.E.R.D. Trilogy and Secret Identity. She is the winner of the 2010 ACFW’s Romantic Times Reviewers Choice Award for best romantic suspense for her novel, The Alibi, and for The Waking Hour. Gina is a two-time Carol Award winner for Contemporary Single Titles Romance and for Best in Paranormal. She has also won two RITA awards from the Romance Writers of America and is a finalist for a RITA in another category, The Golden Heart. Monday, September 7, 2015 A couple of weeks ago, author Melisa Marquand shared an excerpt from her new book, My Imaginary Prince and I fell in love with her character Luke and his story immediately. Now that we’ve had some time to read it, we were inspired to ask Melisa more about her series debut, its characters, and the inspirations behind it. My Imaginary Prince and I is about a woman who discovers an online love letter from a man, but soon finds out that she’s far from the only one. Melisa has generously given us some answers! Interviewer: Gina McManawayDate: September 1, 2015 Melisa: Luke is an innocent, unassuming, and slightly naïve young man. He was my original creation but as I developed this story line, he morphed into the hero of the series. Interviewer: What inspired you to begin your story?Melisa: I had many ideas for books at the time. One was an adventure-seeking heroine who traveled the world, another was an adventure-seeking guy. Then came what I called an “insipid-sweet” romance story. When I began writing, I had no idea where it was headed until a scene developed between a very young hero and heroine. I realized, this might just work. And it did! Interviewer: Did you set out to write a series?Melisa: Yes, I did. But, my idea wasn’t as unique as I thought it was. I thought I was being clever with the title: My Imaginary Prince and I, but I soon realized it wasn’t unique at all. Thank goodness! For it was a great starting point. I didn’t want to write sequels that followed the original story line or ideas in a similar direction. Interviewer: Why did you choose to release this story as a novella?Melisa: There is so much ground to cover in this story; I felt like an entire book would have to be re-written in order to make it work. So I opted to break it up into two parts. Interviewer: What is it about your idea that made you decide to write it?Melisa: I can’t answer that question. Even though I have the idea, it’s been so long since I wrote this story, I can’t remember what was going through my mind when I wrote it. Interviewer: Do you have more of this series planned?Melisa: I’m not at liberty to share yet, but yes, I do. In fact, I’m in the middle of writing it. Interviewer: What’s something about your hero you’d like our readers to know?Melisa: He’s very different from many of the other characters in my other books. He doesn’t have any flaws, and yes, he loves his heroine, I will make no attempt to hide that. He’s just a well-rounded character, very different from many of the other heroes in my other books. Interviewer: Do you have more up your sleeve for your writing?Melisa: I have at least a few projects I’m planning, and my next book is already in the works, this time written from a hero’s point of view, he’s a guy, not a guy, really a man of honor, one who would do anything to protect the woman he loves, but also one with a sense of humor that would keep readers laughing. Interviewer: Please share the book's blurb: My Imaginary Prince and I has all the twists and turns any reader can imagine. It’s my first book in the Dreamers series. No matter what this book is about, it will have you crying for joy one moment and cursing the fact that it’s over the next moment. This book is about a sweet young lady, who has always had trouble believing in the existence of the imaginary beings that we create to help us through our darkest times. Interviewer: Do you have any special message you’d like to leave with our readers?Melisa: Yes. A word of advice. Don’t judge a book by its cover. Interviewer: We love those covers. But, tell us, how do you choose your covers?Melisa: Cover art is one of my favorite things. I love all the pictures I’m able to find to use as cover art. The one that you just shared is just a small sample of the lovely cover art I was able to find. I have about 300 so far. But, I can’t take all the credit for the art. The artist is very talented and so are the amazing people he works with. They are all wonderful. Interviewer: What is something about your writing career you’d like our readers to know?Melisa: My focus is on the writing, not the marketing or promotion part of my career. What I do for my career does not interfere with my daily duties as a stay-at-home mom, but I would like to be known as an author. But, then, that may not be possible. Interviewer: I think we need to tell readers that because they might be wondering.Interviewer: Melisa, thank you so much for taking time to answer our questions. I hope they were able to give readers some insight into you and your story. You did a wonderful job of promoting your book.Melisa: I have a really good imagination, and it has paid off for me more than once. Yes, I am my own best proof that there is nothing wrong with having your mind go in any direction it wants to go. Thank you so much for having me and allowing me to promote my book. Please let others know about the book and the series, and I’d like readers to know that I’ll be writing more and more of these books. About Melisa Marquand: Before taking up the pen to write, Melisa was an actress who has played hundreds of television, film, and stage roles. She's the oldest of six children, grew up in the North Shore of Massachusetts where she still resides with her husband of twenty years and their two children. About the Cover: Interview with The Romance Dish: Interviewer: Gina McManawayDate: September 1, 2015 Gina: How did you develop the idea for your character?Melisa: I am a huge fan of the Twilight saga. So when I started to write, it was not hard to come up with the characters. As for the heroine’s name, when I was little, my dad gave me a small stuffed animal, it was the face of a baby girl, she had a pigtail and she had a smile on her face. The name of my character was inspired by that adorable little stuffed animal. So, I called her Lana Lana. Interviewer: Tell us about the two men, as you wrote the story.Melisa: I was attracted to the main character’s personality more than anything else. Once I developed Luke, I found him was a good guy who was willing to make sacrifices for the heroine. So when I was writing his scenes, I was actually on the verge of tears at some points because I could feel his anguish. Interviewer: How do you think each of the men will contribute to the future of your book?Melisa: As for my two gentlemen, Mr. Luke wants to show her that he’s worth her time and if that means he has to do something extreme to demonstrate his love for her, so be it. As for the second man, Mr. Prince, in the future, we may find out that he had a hand in her kidnapping as a protector. Interviewer: We're quite sure this story will be a favorite of many romance readers. Is there anything else you'd like to add to the interview?Melisa: I would like to thank our reviewer, Gina McManaway. Without her, this story would not have been possible. Interviewer: As our final question, do you have any questions for our readers?Melisa: I would like to thank everyone for the wonderful time I had with all of you during our interview. I do hope you will all stop by and visit with me again. Sunday, September 6, 2015 If you are a lover of great stories, a love and romance books, then I want to share a little information with you about one of the amazing new books that is now out in the world. If you have not met them yet, please meet the authors today... As many of you know, you have been introduced to some wonderful new authors through the Romance D