Megan Hart

Today, please welcome Chris Winters!

I met Chris last year at the Romantic Times Convention, where he introduced himself to me with a full-on, full-frontal, full-body hug. Ok, so anyone who knows me understands that I’m more of a one-armed, sideways, semi-contact hugging person (or a no hug at all person) but hey. When at RT, and a Mr. Romance contestant wants to hug you, what do you do but go with it.

Chris is participating this year in the Mr. Romance Competition again, but it wasn’t until I saw his face all over the Dollar Tree that I thought about asking him to become one of my minions. After all, we’d already shared a hug. It seemed perfectly natural to take the next step by inducting him into the wonders of becoming part of my army. (What? Kiss has an army. I have minions. Want to join? email me, we’ll work it out. No hugs required.)

So, without further ado, I bring you…Chris Winters.

M: First, thank you for agreeing to become one of Megan’s Minions. I realize you didn’t know what you were agreeing to when you said you’d do an interview for my blog, but I only just thought of this last night. Besides, being my minion is easy (just do my bidding!) and though the pay is shite, the benefits are FAAABULOUS.

Chris: HA! I don’t mind. There are times where doing things for free are fine. I mean, it’s more value to see you smile.

(author’s note: He’s a natural at this.)

M: Let’s get started.

Chris: Sure!

M: Please tell us a little bit about yourself, Chris Winters. Man, model, computer geek. (Oh, and minion.)

Chris: Thank you! Well, my name is Chris Winters for all you that joined us or those who do not know me. I am an up and coming actor and model. Ive already appeared in two Discovery Channel programs, did nationwide campaign print work, an international commercial for Suburu, and various work in film like Evan Almighty and various independent film. So, I’ve done some stuff. I will be relocating to do some film shortly. Probably within a year.

I’m an easy going guy who loves to laugh, can be a dork at times, loves to work out and run. I am your typical decent looking guy who is funny and who has a heart! I will also try my best to be the NEW face of romance novels! HA HA!

Computers. Hmmm, well, I worked as a developer for some companies. A few to mention are: G.E. Financial Assurance, Symantec Corporation, and Dominion Enterprises. I mainly program in C++, which is a pretty cool language and PHP. PHP is a webbased language that is like C/C++. I am also certified in a few areas, in the computer world.

M: And okay, I have to say it. You’re so gosh-darned pretty, how do you stand it? If I were you I’d just stand in front of the mirror naked all day and touch myself. How do you manage to get anything done?

Chris: There are things called ’schedules’ and auditions I go to! *laughs* Seriously, I consider myself decent looking and I don’t let it get to my head. Once you do that, then you become something you are not. Not only that, there are TONS of beautiful people out there, guys and girls. One minute you could be the ‘in’ thing, and next you are not. So, I consider myself gifted from God, who made a deal with me to keep myself healthy. However, on a lighter note, it DOES take time for me to get ready. It’s pretty entertaining too!

(author’s note:…Heh. I bet!)

M: My karaoke anthem is Hanky Panky by Madonna. I’ll sing a lot of songs, but Hanky Panky is the one I will *always* sing. What’s your karoake anthem and why?

Chris: Probably will be Depeche Mode’s “Dressed in Black” because I sing that in the shower a lot. No apparent reason why, but I do. Not to mention I cannot sing, and I try, but that would be the song to do it because it’s ‘dark’ and a bit off key anyway. *laughs*

(author’s note: Be still my heart! Depeche Mode in the shower!)

M: You’re competing again in the Romantic Times’ Convention’s Mr. Romance Contest. Do you have a strategy, this year, for winning the coveted Reader’s Choice popularity award? How much woo do you plan to pitch? What do you feel your strengths are in the competition this year, and how have you been preparing for it?

Chris: This year I plan to be more flirtatious and again; myself! Last year I won a lot of hearts because I was just myself and showed women that you can be a man if you are funny, sexy, and charming -all- at the same time! I shocked many because when I appeared in the contest, a lot of people did not know I was in it! A lot of people said “Oh MY! I never knew that spikey haired guy was in the contest! He sat -right- here next to me during dinner and never mentioned it!”

I think the reason why is because that year, last year, I was there to have fun and test the waters. I never knew how big it was until I went to this. SO, this year I want to be a bit more serious. I’m not sure if I will win or not, but this year I will defintely shine again! I think my strengths are my charm and personality. Looks can always be replaced, overlooked, or even not remembered, but a personality can! This year I will try my best to be around a lot more people so people can remember me more!

(author’s note: Chris *is* funny and nice in addition to being cute, so anyone lucky enough to be attending RT this year, make sure you get the chance to meet him!)

M: Curse you and your balloon seductions! I dropped fifty smackers at the Dollar Tree, lured in as I was by the sight of your face on that poster. What’s your favorite thing to buy from the Dollar Tree, and why?

Chris: Actually, after doing that gig, I enjoy the store! Whenever I get big and famous, I plan to endorse that store! *laughs* Seriously, I enjoy the sugar wafers they sell. You cannot find pure sinful pleasure anywhere else. They have really nice snacks there too. Also their tuna is cheap and they sell it with lemon juice! Yum+eee!

(author’s note: Yum + eee = adorkable)

M: Valentine’s Day is coming. What is your opinion on this lovers’ holiday?

Chris: Seriously? Valentine’s Day? ONE day for a woman?! Valentine’s Day should be every day for a woman. With all the stuff a lady has to do: Wake up next to us men, work, clean, have a child, and then the txing emotions, I think a woman’s day should be everyday. Loving someone should not stop on V day.

(author’s note: Good answer! *claps)

M: Let’s dish about Keanu for a minute. Your Myspace says he’s a person you’d like to meet. Anyone who’s ever spent more than an hour or two with me knows I LOVE KEANU! He is the only other man I would ever marry. So, Keanu. I love him. You’re into him. What is it about Keanu you like so much?

Chris: I like Keanu because he too struggled to get into the industry. Not only that he stays out of the limelight and drama Hollywood tends to carry. He also lives modest, until his sister’s cancer, and him wanting to take care of his family. I studied on Keanu for a while because I consider him a great actor. Many people think he is not, but how many people can pull off learning 200 martial arts moves within a year (Matrix)? How many people can do stunts as he did in the Matrix movie, and perform his lines? He did a great job in other movies like ‘As Good As It Gets’ and even older movies like ‘Permanent Record’, where he plays an intense character? Keanu and I share some qualities as well. We’re both Left handed. He’s also had a difficult times in is life.

(author’s note: I LOVE KEANU!)

M: And finally, just because I have to ask, since you’re Mr. Dollar Tree and all — what would you do for a dollar? (I’ll be bringing one to RT this year, so you’d better make it good.)

Chris: We’ll just keep this one secret until that time, shall we? *laughs*

(author’s note: BWAHAHA! *plots*)

M: Thanks for taking the time to become one of my Minions!

Chris: Anytime!

So, there you have it. A slightly in-depth look at Chris Winters! Find him at his official website, chriswinters.com or his Myspace where you can check out some verrrrry pretty pictures of him as well as catch a peek at some of his film work.

And, just because it IS verrrrrry pretty, and he said I could do it, here are some pictures of him:

From the Dollar Tree poster (I took it with my cell phone)

And from his website. Now, I’ll admit it. I looked at most of his pictures. There are pics of Chris in underwear. And low-slung jeans, covered in dirt and sweat. And in formal wear. And underwear, did I mention that? But when it came right down to it, I thought this picture was really one of the nicest. (Don’t get me wrong. I have absolutely nothing against picture of beautiful men in their underwear, or in objectifying said men. I just liked this one better. But go to his website and check out his pictures, he’s there in all his glory.)

EDITED! Since Photobucket was acting up, Chris linked me to HIS favorite picture of himself. It’s lovely, innit?

photo credit: snagged from Chris’s website, photographer listed as fotografikos.

And, what the hell, just because I know you all out there really want to see one:

Special thanks to Chris for agreeing with good humor to be my minion!

M

PS — Now taking applications for minions. Email me at readinbed AT gmail DOT com. You don’t have to be a beautiful boy to become my minion. You merely have to agree to be interviewed and do my bidding, and if you have something interesting to give away, that always works, too.

Since I forgot to ask Chris if he had anything to give away, I’m going to give away a signed AND CARESSED copy of Tempted to one lucky winner. Just comment here and I’ll draw one name from all the comments (this article will be cross-posted to a couple places) and send you the book. If you already have Tempted I can send you something else from my prize cabinet…or possibly a copy of Dirty /or/ Broken or an older title *if* I have any left…