Bonding over romantic stuff with Erin Duffy, plus a book giveaway

**Giveaway is now closed**

Today we have the debut author of "Bond Girl," Erin Duffy, here to chat about romance. A 2000 graduate of Georgetown University, Erin has spent over ten years in fixed income sales on Wall Street. Her experiences inspired this novel, which allowed her to put her B.A. in English to good use. (The writers of "Avenue Q" won't be too happy with her though! See here for more details.)

Thanks to HarperCollins, we have FIVE copies of "Bond Girl" for some lucky readers in the US and Canada.

You can find Erin on Facebook.

Favorite date in a novel:

There’s an impromptu date between Alex and Andy in “The Devil Wears Prada” that I love because it’s nothing fancy. After Andy’s first brutal week at work her boyfriend shows up at her apartment with an impromptu fast food picnic complete with burgers, candles, and cheap wine and they eat it on garbage bags on the floor. It was sweet and thoughtful and proved that not everything needs to be some big grand gesture. Sometimes, the simplest things are the best. I’d take that over some big stuffy dinner in a restaurant, gladly.

Favorite romantic movie:

The Holiday. I could watch this movie for twenty-four straight hours and never tire of it. I love how it’s a story about romance through heartbreak, and how both couples were unconventional and had geographical obstacles to overcome. Plus, Cameron Diaz’s wardrobe in that movie was insane.

Favorite couple from a TV series:

I’m sorry, I seriously think Ross and Rachel from Friends were just great. I think a lot of times couples start as friends so it was very realistic. Plus, it wasn’t easy most of the time, and they fought like cats and dogs, but still you had to root for them. I like that the road for them being together was not only filled with bumps, but with giant potholes.

Favorite romantic song:
Lady Antebellum’s "Need You Now," which is a bit depressing probably, but I love the sentiment. Actually, now that I think about it, I’m noticing a pattern here. I seem to like romantic things that have some embedded tragic element to them. I should probably examine that.

Most memorable date:
Well that depends if you want memorable for a good reason or a bad one? This is going to make me sound pathetic, but last Valentines Day, I played pool for a few hours and then had dinner and went home to play cards. Yes, it’s not exactly romantic, but it was a ton of fun and the date lasted the entire day. I think that is one that I will remember for good reasons.

Guy you would date from a chick lit novel:

I know it might seem strange, but I kind of love Mark Darcy from Bridget Jones’ Diary. He’s a little square, but he’s smart, successful, cute, and oddly thoughtful. He’s solid, and that I think is the type of guy you want to date. Nice guys don’t always have to finish last! You can keep Daniel Cleaver!

Best movie kiss:
Does it get any better than Scarlet O’Hara and Rhett Butler in Gone with the Wind? (There’s that tragic theme again). The classics never die.

Favorite Valentine's Day candy:
It’s hard to go wrong with chocolate. Has anyone ever been disappointed by a box of Godiva? It’s fool proof.

Special thanks to Erin for indulging our sweet tooth and to HarperCollins for sharing "Bond Girl" with our readers.

How to win "Bond Girl":
Please comment below with your e-mail address. (Please note: Entries without an e-mail address will NOT be counted. You can use AT and DOT to avoid spam. Or provide a link to your facebook page or blog if you can receive messages there.)

Bonus entries (can be listed all in one post):
1. Please tell us: What is your favorite romantic movie?
2. Follow this blog and post a comment saying you are a follower (if you already follow, that's fine too).
3. Post this contest on Facebook or Twitter or in your blog, and leave a comment saying where you've posted it.
4. Join Chick Lit Central on Facebook. Edit settings if you don't want to receive a lot of messages at your e-mail account. Please read our posting guidelines as well. (If you're already a member, let us know that too.)
5. Add a friend to our Facebook group. (Tell us who you added.) Be sure to remind them to edit their settings.

US/Canada only. Giveaway ends February 28th at midnight EST.