Guest Author: Julie James - Something About You

Winner: Thank you everyone for your wonderful comments, and thanks Julie for the great post. I've run the random numbers and the winner of Julie's giveaway is:

Mujerluminosa

Congratulations! Please email your mailing address to nalinisinghwrites AT gmail DOT com so I can pass it on to Julie.

I'm delighted to have Julie James on the blog today! You all know how much I love her work - fun, sexy and smart, and with fantastic characters, they're wonderful reads.

Julie's not only talking about the inspiration behind her latest release, Something About You today, she's giving away a copy of the book, so don't forget to enter.

Please welcome Julie to the blog everyone!

Julie James
on
Something About You

First, I wanted to say thanks to Nalini for inviting me to guest blog! Nalini, you know I’m a big fan of your books, so I’m delighted to be here.

As both an author and a reader, I’m always fascinated by the things that inspire an author to write a particular book, those behind-the-scenes elements that fuel the original story idea. So I thought I’d share a few of the things that helped bring my recently-released book, Something About You, to life.

Noisy hotel neighbors. Alfred Hitchcock. Jason Bourne.

Quite an eclectic mix, I know. I’ll explain.

First, the noisy hotel neighbors. The idea for Something About You came to me in the middle of the night during the RWA San Francisco conference. Around 1am, the people in the hotel room next to me decided to have a party. (Not so much fun for me.) As I lay in bed, cursing the Fates (and my neighbors), an idea for a book struck me: a woman, by herself in a hotel, who is woken up in the middle of the night by strange noises coming from the room next door. Only in the book, instead of a party, those noises turn out to be the sounds of a murder.

This is where the Alfred Hitchcock influence comes in. One of my favorite Hitchcock themes is that of an innocent man in the wrong place at the wrong time who becomes swept up in some kind of murder/suspense intrigue. It’s a theme that works well because everyone can identify with it. We watch the movie thinking, “Hey—that could be me. What if I walked into that bar at just the wrong moment and accidentally saw X that got me in a whole load of trouble?”

Instead of a bar, in Something About You I used the aforementioned hotel room. And instead of an innocent man in the wrong place at the wrong time, it’s a woman. My heroine, Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron Lynde, is treating herself to some much-needed pampering at the luxurious Peninsula hotel when she’s awoken by noises from the room next to hers. At first the noises sound like some kind of crazy sex marathon, but then things change. . . and what Cameron ends up overhearing is a murder that involves a U.S. Senator and a call girl. Watching through her peephole, she sees a man leave the hotel room next to hers and thus becomes the sole witness to the high-profile crime. And just like in Hitchcock’s films, that’s where the trouble begins. Trouble, that is, in the form of FBI Special Agent Jack Pallas.

Okay, so this the Jason Bourne part. See, Jack, the hero of the book, is this tall, dark, and smoldering tough-guy FBI agent who can pretty much kill people with his thumb—normally the type of hero you would find in an action film or dark, edgy romantic suspense or thriller.

But not this time.

Jack is in charge of investigating the murder that Cameron overheard and—wouldn’t you know it—the two of them don’t get along. They worked together three years earlier on a case that ended badly with Jack mouthing off to the press about Cameron and consequently getting transferred to Nebraska. And if it’s not bad enough that the two of them have to work together as Jack tries to solve the crime, things get even worse when it turns out that the murderer may be after Cameron next. . .

When writing Something About You, I wanted it to be a lighter, funnier contemporary romance, like my first two novels. Sure, there’s a suspense element, but that’s just a subplot—a device that brings these two strong-willed characters who allegedly can’t stand each other together. At first I thought to myself, “You can’t put an edgy, action-hero in a light-hearted story!” But then I wondered, hmm... or can you? I realized there’s a lot of potential for humor in that scenario.

I like to think of Something About You as my “What if somebody dropped Jason Bourne into a romantic comedy?” book. Which means that my hero, FBI Special Agent Jack Pallas, is running around all dark and scowling and trying to save the day, while everyone else is cracking jokes. What’s fun about Jack is that we get to see him slowly warm up throughout the course of the book as he begins to fall for and trust the heroine.

With that, I think I’ll turn it over to you guys, and to the giveaway. Maybe you have suggestions of other books or movies that balance suspense and humor. Or you could talk about your favorite tough-guy hero. Or maybe you have a question about me or my books. One person who leaves a comment below by 8 a.m. Friday 26th March 2010 (New Zealand time) will win a copy of Something About You.

Happy reading everyone!

Link to Julie's Website

Follow me...

...over to Oddshots today :-)

Emails

I'm a little behind in the emails, but I'm hoping to fix that today. So if you've emailed me, you should have a response by the end of my day! :-)

Good News & Friday Book Club

First, some awesome news - the German translation of Hostage to Pleasure has hit the bestseller lists!! Thank you to all my German readers :-)

Now, the bookclub. To start with, I must rave about Meljean Brook's steampunk novella in the upcoming Burning Up anthology (out in August). It's all kinds of awesome and then some. I now plan to stalk her until she gives up the full length steampunk novel (The Iron Duke) that she has releasing in October. *rubs hands*

I also read John Wyndham's classic Day of the Triffids this past week. I couldn't believe I'd never read it before. If you like science fiction, this one is a must.

Okay, your turn! What've you been reading and loving this week?

DABWAHA Voting

DABWAHA voting is now open, so go forth and vote!

Berkley/Jove Spring Preview & Giveaway

Over at Dear Author.

International Covers: Craving Beauty - German

One of the my Silhouette Desire books, Craving Beauty, was released in German a few months back - check out the gorgeous cover!

Guest Author: Chris Marie Green - Vampire Babylon

Winner: Thanks for the great comments everyone, and thank you to Chris for visiting. I've run the random number generator and the winner of the giveaway is: Kylie! Congratulations. Please email me your mailing address at nalinisinghwrites AT gmail DOT com.

I'm delighted to welcome the gorgeous and talented Chris Marie Green to the blog! Chris is talking vampires and pop culture, and she's giving away a couple of copies of her books.

Please welcome Chris to the blog everyone!

_____________

Thanks so much for letting me visit, Nalini!

Point of fact: I am a pop culture junkie—a pretty huge geek. You can tell by reading my books, my blog, or even chatting with me for about five seconds. And a lot of other romance/urban fantasy writers are like me. (Have you ever gone to an RWA National conference and had an hours-long conversation in a bar about BATTLESTAR GALACTICA with total strangers? Sign of a junkie geek!). Heck, we live in a world that’s saturated by TV, movies, songs, and fifteen-minute celebrities, so it’s hard not to be drawn into the entire black hole of media.

Naturally, my geekiness has opened me to the influence of other works—especially when it comes to my Vampire Babylon books. So I decided that right here, right now, I’d throw some of my biggest influences out there. I’d love to hear from you guys about your greatest pop influences, as well—and how you think certain TV shows, books, and movies have affected your favorite authors.

And here we go, in no certain order….

Influence #1

STAR WARS

Let me just say that all my friends know that there will be a STAR WARS reference somewhere in my books, whether it’s a character name or a quip about a lightsaber. More importantly, the original trilogy in particular inspires me in how I structure my stories. I based the trilogy structure of Vampire Babylon on STAR WARS (both the Hollywood trilogy and the London trilogy): there are overriding mythology, character, and mystery arcs that span three books while each novel focuses on a central mystery or problem. And I think you can tell that book 2 (MIDNIGHT REIGN) and book 5 (THE PATH OF RAZORS) are totally THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK of the trilogies. : )

Influence #2

Janet Evanovich and Larry McMurtry

What?

Very strange combination, but I’m a big fan of both authors’ voices because they’re so strong and lively. Evanovich brings the humor, and I guess you could even say that one of my characters, Kiko, would be perfectly at home if he wandered into a Stephanie Plum novel. McMurtry is a master at using sparse dialogue to say quite a bit about his characters, and he can really turn a phrase. I look to him for inspiration in letting dialogue flow and define.

Influence #3

LOST

When this TV gem first aired, I was just getting started with Vampire Babylon, and I loved the “bread crumb” method of storytelling that the writers were using. Yes, it’s maddening to some fans, but the story puzzles (and eventual answers) excited me. LOST showed me that there is an audience out there for the “bread crumb” method, and it showed me that even a “gimmicky” show can hold a lot of power in its characters. LOST has provided some of the most emotional moments on TV for me, and I aspire to reach those heights in storytelling.

Influence #4

80s Slasher Movies

Yup. I’m one of those people who love a good, safe adrenaline rush that a slasher movie provides, and I think we will never again have a fabulous run of the sub-genre like we did in the 80s. FRIDAY THE 13th (Parts I and II), HALLOWEEN, the first NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET, TERROR TRAIN, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME, PROM NIGHT…hey, I’m even going to include a 70s forerunner, BLACK CHRISTMAS, since that influenced everything that came afterward… All these films gave me nightmares to some degree, and they knew how to wield the suspense. Sure, there’s blood and gore, but that’s not the main reason I watch these. They were expert at keeping the Boogie Man in the shadows and making the audience fear opening the closet door. I try to keep this in mind during action scenes, because what works for a Boogie Man can also work for a vampire….

I’ll be giving away signed copies of A DROP OF RED, Vampire Babylon, Book Four, and THE PATH OF RAZORS, Vampire Babylon, Book Five, to someone who comments on this blog by 6pm Wednesday 17th March 2010, New Zealand time. Check back tomorrow night for the winner! Also, you can find me on the Net in several places: www.vampirebabylon.com, my blog, Facebook, or Twitter.

Thanks for being here, and Happy Hunting!

Chris Marie Green
DEEP IN THE WOODS, Vampire Babylon, Book Six

Books, books, books!!

You want to go over to Oddshots. Trust me :-)

Snapshot Monday: Stonehenge & Cambridge

A quick announcement before the photos - the annual DABWAHA tournament is now up and running, so go forth and enter your brackets! The aim is to vote for which book you think will win - some very tough choices!

Onto the photos.

This first shot is of Stonehenge. Amazing, amazing place.


Next up are some photos from Cambridge, near the University area.


The shot above is one of my favorites. Everything just looks so tranquil.

Below are a couple of photos of the canals.

I really liked Cambridge - it's a beautiful city. However, the best part was being able to meet Ana from The Book Smugglers in person (and talk books!).

Hope you all enjoyed the photos!

Friday Book Club

I read India Grey's Mistress: Hired for the Billionaire's Pleasure this week and adored it.

This is a hauntingly romantic book about a concert pianist and a RAF fighter pilot who has to give up everything that defines him when he's told he's losing his sight. Definitely a keeper. For more background on the story, and an excerpt, check out this page on India's website.

What've you been reading and loving this week?

Writing: Guild Hunter #3

Writing away.

And oh look, what's this? A little sneak peak to make you all crazy. *g* Remember, this is from a work literally in progress, so totally not final.

________

She followed Raphael down as he landed in the yard, the light from the stained glass turning his wings into a kaleidoscope of wild blue, crystalline green and ruby red. You could’ve landed on one of the balconies, she said, too focused on ensuring a good landing to speak the words aloud.

Raphael didn’t disagree, waiting until she was on the ground beside him to say, “I could have.” Reaching out as she folded away her wings, he gripped her gently at the curve where her neck flowed into her shoulder, his fingers pressing into the sensitive inner seam of her right wing. “But then your lips would not have been so very close to mine.”

Her toes curled as he tugged her forward, pleasure blooming in her stomach. “Not here,” she murmured, voice husky. “I don’t want to shock Jeeves.”

Copyright (c) 2010 by Nalini Singh

Backcover blurb: Bonds of Justice

Here's the blurb for Bonds of Justice!

Return to the powerful, turbulent Psy/Changeling world created by the “amazingly talented”* Nalini Singh, as a human detective finds himself working the most unlikely of cases—in the dark heart of a Councilor’s domain…

Max Shannon is a good cop, one of the best in New York Enforcement. Born with a natural shield that protects him against Psy mental invasions, he knows he has little chance of advancement within the Psy-dominated power structure. The last case he expects to be assigned is that of a murderer targeting a Psy Councilor’s closest advisors. And the last woman he expects to compel him in the most sensual of ways is a Psy on the verge of a catastrophic mental fracture…

Sophia Russo is a Justice-Psy, cursed with the ability to retrieve memories from men and women so twisted even veteran cops keep their distance. Appointed as Max’s liaison with the Psy, she finds herself fascinated by this human, her frozen heart threatening to thaw with forbidden emotion. But, her mind filled with other people’s nightmares, other people’s evil, she’s standing on the border between sanity and a silken darkness that urges her to take justice into her own hands, to become judge, jury…and executioner…

Link to Excerpt

p.s. The website has been updated and I've "hidden" something on there so have a look-see ;-)

Guest Author Jaci Burton on Cowboys and Chaps

Winner: Thanks for all the great comments everyone. I've run the random number generator and the winner of the book is: Spav! Congratulations!

I'm delighted to have Jaci guesting on the blog today. I had a chance to read Bound, Branded & Brazen early and it was oh-so-good! Sexy and wicked and hot, Jaci knows how to write cowboys!

Jaci's also giving away a copy of the book, so leave a comment by 6pm March 10th, 2010 (New Zealand time) to enter.

Please welcome Jaci to the blog everyone!!

It’s Not The Chaps That Make A Cowboy Sexy
Jaci Burton

I’ve always wanted to write a ranch story. But I’m definitely not a historical romance writer. I bow down to those authors who can write authentic western historical romance. Elizabeth Lowell wrote the best western historical romance series ever. Read the “Only” series if you haven’t yet. Yummmm. Me, I’m stuck firmly in contemporary land. But those sexy cowboys with wrangler jeans and chaps and boots and Stetson hats? Rowrrr. No reason to go back in time to grab one of those. Have you seen the rodeo lately?

My story, Bound, Branded & Brazen, doesn’t take place at the rodeo, but my cowboys, Mason, Gage and Walker are just as sexy. And okay, it might be the way they seat a horse, or that scruff of a beard across their jaw, or the way the cowboy hat tilts low across their forehead shadowing their eyes that makes you want to swoon just a little. And it could be the way their Wranglers fit their oh so perfectly work honed bodies that make your mouth go dry.

But it’s more than looks that make cowboys sexy, at least my cowboys. It’s their honor, their integrity, the way they seem to know exactly what their woman needs—even if sometimes she doesn’t know it herself. It’s their touch, their kiss, the warmth of their bodies, the way their man looks at them in a way no man ever has before. It’s the protectiveness he shows his woman so she knows he won’t let anything bad happen to her. It’s knowing that no matter what happens their man will stand by them that give our ranch women the strength they need to handle anything that comes their way. It’s knowing he can stand strong in a whipping storm or a raging prairie fire, handle frightened horses and stampeding cattle without flinching, it’s that death defiance of the elements that makes our hearts beat a little faster because our cowboys have what it takes to get the job done. And at the end of a grueling day he’ll climb into bed with the heroine and still have the stamina to get the other job done—romancing his woman until her toes curl.

I hope you enjoy Bound Branded & Brazen. I’m offering up a copy to one commenter here. Huge thanks to Nalini, who’s all kinds of awesome, for letting me drop in today!

Thanks for guesting with us today, Jaci!

Japanese Covers

Sharing my beautiful new Japanese covers!

Angels' Blood

Visions of Heat

Friday Book Club

I read Julie James' Something About You this week and loved it! It's smart and sexy, and with an awesome cast of characters. Julie James is rapidly becoming one of my go-to authors for fabulous contemporary romance.

Right now, I'm reading JD Robb's Fantasy In Death and trying to figure out the howdunnit!

Okay, your turn. What're you reading and loving this week?

Shalador's Lady

You all know how much I love Anne Bishop's Black Jewels world. Shalador's Lady was no exception. I had the chance to read it early and pretty much inhaled it. It's now out, so go forth and check out the yummy book goodness.

(If you haven't read the series previously, I would strongly suggest beginning with the very first book, Daughter of the Blood. Trust me, you'll enjoy the world so much more.)

Also, Dear Author is currently running an Ace/Roc Giveaway, which includes copies of Shalador's Lady as well as books by several other awesome authors, so don't forget to enter!

Writing

Copy edits on "Bonds of Justice" are done, so I'm back at work on the third Guild Hunter book. Those of you who missed Ellie's hunter friends will be happy to know we're back in NY with this book :)

Interview: Lori Foster

I'm so delighted to feature an interview with the lovely Lori Foster today! You all know how much I loved Back in Black - I couldn't wait to ask Lori all sorts of questions about her research for the series.

Please welcome Lori to the blog everyone! She'll be dropping by to answer any further questions, so comment away!

1. Who is Lori Foster? Tell us all your deep, dark secrets. (We won't tell anyone...)

I’m a country girl who likes one-pot meals like green beans and ham, sauerkraut and ribs, beef stew, etc.. I have three wonderful sons and an adorable grandson and a 30+ year marriage with a terrific hubby. I love animals, children, and the outdoors. I despise abuse and bullies of any kind. I love to draw and paint, just not as much as I love writing. :-) The best travel is in the RV with my pets along. Take me anywhere near water and I’m happy!

2. I just read "Back in Black" and loved it! How did you come up with the idea of the SBC Fighters series?

My family and I are HUGE fans of the UFC. We’ve been watching since the beginning of the sport, back when it was no-holds barred, no weight classes, and very few rules. I like it better now that it’s been regulated and I think it provides for a higher level competitor. Anyway... loving MMA as I do, I have my favorite fighters. I’d see them in interviews and love how they talked of their wives, their children, their parents or pets... They’ve very real, hard working, dedicated and intelligent guys.

Perfect hero material!

3. Can you share some of the research you did into the world of mixed martial arts?

I attend a lot of live fights... no wait, I did that before I decided to write them into books.

For fights I can’t attend, I watch on PPV – but I did that before writing about them too. LOL

I did get to do some really great interviews with fighters, and the one-on-one feedback was amazing. I think I already had a pretty good grasp of how it all works, but getting to hear it first hand, and learning of individual routines, really helped me to round out some of my stories.

4. Drew Black...what can I say...he's definitely a manly man of a hero. Rough, tough and absolutely delicious. Where did you get your inspiration for his character? And did he behave when you put him on the page?

Weeeeellll... anyone who watches MMA knows the very outspoken, foul-mouthed prez of the UFC, Dana White. See the fun? I just made him single and named him Drew Black. LOL. Honestly, I know NOTHING of Dana White beyond his public persona. But it doesn’t take a genius to see that he IS a genius, at least where business is concerned. He took a faltering business ready to collapse and has turned it into a sport fast-growing in popularity. He does like the “F” word a bit too much and seems to think it is a “catch-all” adjective and adverb in every sentence. LOL. But he also amused me.

So I wrote him in. ;-)

5. Is "Back in Black" the final installment of this series?

I never say never, but for now, yes, it’s the last. Five books is a long series for me. I bore easily and my mind is always jumping ahead to other things, other scenarios and characters and conflicts.

6. What are you working on now?

I recently made a move from Berkley to HQN. In 2011, I’ll have a spring novella, and then 3 back-to-back single titles romances with the. The new series is about Uber-Alpha guys. The first one, “If You Dare,” features a mercenary type hero who goes into Tijuana to rescue his friend’s sister who was taken there to be sold. He gets the sister – plus one. The other lady he rescues has a unique set of circumstances, and now that he’s gotten her safe, he doesn’t quite know what to do with her.

I had a ton of fun writing that book, so I hope readers will enjoy it!

7. Anything else you'd like to share?

Dianne Castell and I do a yearly event that brings together readers and writers, with some editors and agents thrown in. It’s called “The Reader and Author Get Together,” and this will be our 6th event. Information is on my website at: http://www.lorifoster.com/community/readergettogether.php

Everyone is welcome! For only $50 (the cost of the meals provided) you get an entire weekend of fun. I hope everyone will check it out.

And Nalini, we need to get you there one these years! :-)

N: One of these years!! Thanks so much for the interview, Lori.

Snapshot Monday: Chinese Lantern Festival

More pretty, pretty photos over at The Oddshots!

Music Video

One of my Facebook friends shared this music video with me, and I thought it was completely awesome. Even if you don't understand the language, watch for the visuals!

Friday Book Club

It's book club time! What're you reading and loving this week?

Whisper of Sin Excerpt

I'm working on copy edits for Bonds of Justice at the moment, and really enjoying reading the manuscript again after having turned it in a few months ago. :-)

The copy edits for Whisper of Sin (novella featuring Ria in the Burning Up anthology) will most likely arrive soon, too. Which reminds me that I haven't shared an excerpt from the novella yet. So, here it is! I hope you enjoy!

Unedited advance excerpt from Whisper of Sin

(Ria and her hero have been sparring in a basement gym in this scene.)

“How did I do?” she asked.

He glanced at his forearm. “I didn’t teach you the biting.” It was a snarl.

Or maybe he hadn’t been playing the whole time. “I decided to add it on my own,” she said, though in truth, it had been an instinctive response to his arrogant provocation. Her eyes went to the marks she’d made. Deep and red and perfectly formed. Guilt invaded. “I didn’t mean to bite you that hard. But…I’m not sorry.”

“Oh?” He walked over, slow, so slow. This time, she backed up. It was one thing to play with a predator who was keeping his claws sheathed, quite another to know you were prey. He kept coming. She knew the door out of the basement was only about a foot away. Making a quick move, she went to dart left.

Too late.

He was there before her and somehow, she found herself pasted up against the closed door, very aware that she was all alone with a big, dangerous leopard in human skin. Except instead of fear, it was a vivid excitement that beat in her blood as he placed his hands palms-down on either side of her head and bent until their breaths mingled. “Boo.”

She jumped, then wanted to slap herself for it. “Stop acting the big bad cat.”

A blink and when he raised his lashes, the eyes that looked back at her were in no way human. “Mmm, I smell a pretty little human in my territory.” A soft whisper against her lips, bright green-gold eyes daring her to respond.

Her breasts brushed his chest as he pressed closer, her breath coming in jagged pants. “You’re behaving very badly.” It was a husky reproach.

“You bit me.” He angled his head a little to the left and though she couldn’t see those amazing eyes except for a glint through his lashes, she knew he was looking at her lips. “Say sorry.”

She didn’t know what made her do it. Parting her lips, she said, “No.”

Copyright (c) 2010 by Nalini Singh

Guest Author: India Grey

Winners: Thanks for the great discussion everyone. I've run the random numbers and the winners are listed below. Congratulations!! Please email me your address at nalinisinghwrites AT gmail DOT com so I can pass it on to India.

Chelsea B (Mistress: Hired for the Billionaire’s Pleasure )
Manders (Spanish Aristocrat, Forced Bride)
Marilyn Shoemaker (Powerful Italian, Penniless Housekeeper)

_____________

I posted a couple of weeks ago about how much I enjoyed India Grey's novel Powerful Italian, Penniless Housekeeper. And as you all know by now, when I love a book, I find ways to stalk contact the author ;-)

India was gracious enough to agree to guest on the blog today, and she's come bearing gifts. Please welcome India to the blog everyone!

Fairy Tales
by India Grey

Each year as Valentine’s Day looms I usually find myself doing interviews with journalists who are after some kind of ‘expert comment’ on the whole soft-focus hearts-and-flowers-and-chocolates thing. I’m absolutely not complaining: writing is a seriously lonely business and usually my day is broken up only by conversation (mostly one-sided) with the cat, so the opportunity to talk to a real person is always hugely welcome. The trouble is I often feel a bit of a fake. These poor journalists, harassed by editors and struggling with deadlines and word count are mostly under the impression that I write stories about swooning heroines being swept off their tiny feet by identikit strong-jawed heroes and carried into the pink sunset. Along a beach. With violins playing in the background. And I hate having to disabuse them.

I think of the books I write as being modern day fairy tales for grown ups, and as anyone who has ever read a genuine, un-Disneyfied fairy tale knows, pink and fluffy just doesn’t come into it. In fact, it’s pretty bizarre that the term ‘fairy tale’ has become some kind of shorthand for airbrushed, rose-tinted perfection (celebrities have ‘fairy tale’ weddings and live in ‘fairy tale’ houses) because perfection was the last thing I expected as a little girl when I opened my book of fairy tales.

Cruelty, loss, pain, suffering; those were the things that hooked me in and kept me turning the pages. It wasn’t so much Cinderella’s beautiful dress when she went to the ball or Rapunzel’s envy-inducing hair (although I did desperately want to grow mine that long) that brought me back to those stories time and time again, but the shivery horror at the thought of being orphaned and banished to the cellar as a slave in your own home, or sent to the forest to have your heart cut out as a punishment for being too beautiful. It was the tormented roar of the Beast and the yellow glint of the wolf’s eyes… and the strange mixture of feelings they stirred up that made me a seven-bedtimes-a-week fairy-tale junkie.

As an otherwise well-adjusted child I’m not sure exactly what it was about those things that gripped my imagination so fiercely that I can still feel its hold all these years later. Perhaps it was the way the stories played powerfully on the most basic fears all children have, of being abandoned and unloved. Perhaps it had something to do with the illustrations of the kind of dramatic, gothic settings which I now love using in my books – a huge, dark mansion with its miles of shadowy corridors, a crumbling stone tower in the middle of a lake, a house in a forest of silent, towering pine trees. Perhaps it was the whisper of sex – an echo of the explicit x-rated elements that were part of the stories hundreds of years earlier and which still curl, smoke-like, between the simply-written lines, so that I instinctively understood why the prince climbed Rapunzel’s hair to get into the tower and what drew Beauty to the compelling, disturbing beast. (And wanted to know more!)

Or maybe it was the seductive promise of the Happy Ever After that turned me into a fairy tale addict and fledgling romantic novelist. Society has changed beyond recognition since the days when stories were recited around the fire on endless winter evenings – when darkness and illiteracy meant people couldn’t read to entertain themselves, and a lack of central heating and Desperate Housewives ensured they were a captive audience – but people are essentially the same. We might live in an age of science and street lighting but deep down there’s a part of all of us that’s still afraid of the wolf and the dark woods. And still so wants to believe in happy endings.

In the books I write the Happy Ever After has nothing to do with magic wands and miracle cures – in fact, you could almost say it’s the antithesis of the fairy tale because it has to feel utterly, absolutely real. It’s about being accepted and loved as you are, flawed and vulnerable. And feeling whole and invincible through being loved.

What’s your best-loved fairy tale, or the element from one that made the biggest impression on you as a child?

I’ve raided my bookshelf and pulled out three of my books with fairy-tale influences to give away* to three random commenters (because three is the magic number!) Mistress: Hired for the Billionaire’s Pleasure (Beauty and the Beast), Spanish Aristocrat, Forced Bride, (Rapunzel), and Powerful Italian, Penniless Housekeeper (Cinderella).

Thanks for having me Nalini!

India's Website: http://www.indiagrey.com/
India's Blog: http://indiagrey.blogspot.com/

*Giveaway closes Wednesday 24 Feb, 2010 @6pm New Zealand time. Please make sure to check back to see if you've won!

Snapshot Monday: New Zealand

Some pictures from my home today - of a stunning black sand beach I visited yesterday.


Shell on the sand - you can actually see how the sand sparkles in this shot and the one following.


A piece of driftwood that reminded me of bones you might find in the desert.


The horizon is just endless - you can look for what feels like miles and not see any signs of civilization.


Looking out at the water from the sand dunes.


Looking back toward the mountains.


This last shot was taken as the tide was going out.

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend. What did you get up to?

Friday Book Club

First, some wonderful news - Archangel's Kiss is in the top 15 of the NYT for the second week running. It's also hit the Publisher's Weekly Bestseller list. Woohoo! A big thank you to all of you! :-)

Now, bookclub time!

I read Lori Foster's Back In Black this week, and LOVED it! The hero is rough, tough, and all-around delicious. I didn't realize this was part of the SBC Fighter series (set in the world of mixed martial arts), but had absolutely no problems reading it as a stand-alone. I'm now looking forward to glomming the entire series. *rubs hands in glee*

Your turn! What've you been reading and loving this week?

Catchup

I'm deep into the first draft of the next Guild Hunter book and things are starting to come together. After I post this blog, I'm off to write a super-duper-awesome fight scene.

What're you all up to?

Guest Author: Joss Ware

I'm delighted to have Joss Ware on the blog today. I came across Joss's books last year, when I was asked if I would read Embrace the Night Eternal for a possible cover quote. I picked it up not knowing anything about it, and ended up devouring it.

I've now read both Beyond the Night and the as yet unreleased, Abandon the Night and thought they were fantastic. This series has very quickly become one of my new favorites - I can't wait for the next entry!

Please welcome Joss to the blog everyone!

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Joss Ware on the Envy Chronicles

About three years ago, I was talking to someone about trends in paranormal romance novels. Vampires were hot, of course, and demons and shapeshifters were starting to get really popular as well—and we all know that angels soon followed ;-)—but this person said, “I think there’s going to be a trend toward post-apocalyptic romances.”

Huh, I thought. Wow. Then I immediately discarded the thought. I was writing the Gardella Vampire Chronicles at that time, and post-apocalyptic settings were about as far from historical vampire slayers as you can get.

Besides. I couldn’t even begin to imagine something like that. How could anyone write a post-apocalyptic romance? How can anyone believe in true love or a happy ever after when the world is being destroyed around them? People are dying, in pain, kids, dogs, cats being destroyed, buildings in shambles…no thank you!

But then, one day, I was chatting with one of my friends, and she said, “I think you should write a post-apocalyptic romance.”

And I started to think about it. The more I thought, the more fascinated I became with the idea…or, more accurately, the challenge, of writing a romance set in such a dark time. I loved the idea of having a world that had all of our knowledge in technology and science, our pop culture and fashion…but without the infrastructure and civilization that we are used to today.

It would be like writing a historical novel (no cell phones, no computers or cars), but with the ability to know everything we do now. Fascinating.

But, yet, the problem of dealing with the devastation of the earth and civilization and all these people dying still bothered me. So I decided to start my series fifty years after the horrible events that ruined the world and destroyed the human race.

Once I figured out what happened to destroy the earth, then the rest of it fell into place rather quickly. Was it a group of bad guys whose plans, for once, weren’t foiled? Was it nature? Was it aliens? An asteroid? Global warming? Nuclear war?

Then, I started thinking about how to make a strong connection between our world (in 2010) and the new world (of 2060). I ultimately decided to build the series around a group of guys who somehow “miss” the catastrophe and suddenly find themselves in this strange new world.

They’re called The Awakening Heroes: Elliott, Quent, Simon, Fence, and Wyatt. Each one of them awakens with a changed life, to find that everything they once knew is kaput. Nada.

Not only that, but some of them have even acquired paranormal abilities. And of course, they meet sexy, smart, brave women as they try to build a new life in this strange, horrible world.

The series is called the Envy Chronicles, and the first one, Beyond the Night, was released in January. The second book, Embrace the Night Eternal was just released last week, and Abandon the Night will be out in March!

I’d like to thank Nalini for having me here. What a thrill to be invited to her blog, and especially for her support for this new series! I’m flattered and very grateful when anyone enjoys my books and lets me know, but when it comes from a colleague, that makes it all the more thrilling!

Link to Joss's Website

Snapshot Monday: Beautiful Bath!

First of all - thank you to everyone who attended my talk at the Blockhouse Bay Library yesterday. I had a wonderful time chatting with you all! A special shout-out to Kerry, who comments on the blog - lovely to meet you in person :)

Onto today's photos!

I only spent a short time in Bath while I was in the U.K. but I thought it was a gorgeous city, one I definitely want to return to and explore more fully.


Above and below are pictures of a "circus" - the circular buildings that are so much a part of Bath. When I saw this, all I could think of were the final scenes in the recent movie adaptation of Jane Austen's Persuasion (with Rupert Penry-Jones and Sally Hawkins). My in-love-with-Austen-heart gave a big sigh.

As an aside, though my love for Pride and Prejudice remains steadfast, I think the quieter Persuasion might be my favorite Austen novel.


Below is a picture looking out toward the city from the top level of the Roman Baths. See all the centurions lined up on the edges?


Looking down into the Great Bath. Spot the monk!


I believe the shot below is of the Sacred Spring, which is really, really, really hot.


A picture of one of the many beautiful buildings in Bath.

And this little guy just tickled me! I thought it was brilliant that the city was showcasing modern artwork against the ancient background.


Hope you enjoyed the cyber-tour of Bath!

p.s. I was shocked, SHOCKED, to realize I had no "Jane Austen" tag on the blog. That has now been rectified!

Cover Love: Bonds of Justice!!

World, meet Max!! I love it, love it!

Friday Book Club

So, what's everyone reading and loving this week?!

All sorts of Goodness!

It's a two-post day today! The book club post will be up later this evening :)

I'm delighted to share that Archangel's Kiss is on the USA Today Bestseller list as well as in the top ten of the NYT! I want to say a huge thank you to all of you for your support of this new series!

And more good news - Germany's Love Letter Magazine just published their 2010 Awards, and "Eisige Umarmung" (Caressed By Ice) won the Best Paranormal / Fantasy category!! (Thanks to Eva for forwarding me the info!).

Further news from Germany - "Engelskuss" (Angels' Blood) has just released! Check out the gorgeous cover above. And talking of gorgeous covers, the UK edition of Angels' Blood is also out!

AAR released the results of its Annual Poll this week, and Mercy & Riley took out the Best Paranormal category (with an Honorable Mention in the Best Love Scenes *grin*). Elena was voted the Best Kickass Heroine. Thank you to everyone who voted!

A quick heads-up for those of you in Auckland. I will be giving a talk at the Blockhouse Bay Library on Sunday 14th Feb (yep, Valentine's Day!) @ 1pm. I'm happy to sign books if anyone wants to bring them along.

I also have a new interview up at Women on Writing. Follow the link to read.

And, over at Oddshots, both Jill & Patrice are giving away books, so make sure you stop by and enter. Plus, The Knight Agency is holding a Lovers Rock Week, with all sorts of great posts!

Wow, I think I've used by my quota of exclamation marks for the entire week in this one post (o0)

Archangel's Kiss...

...just hit the NYT!! Woohoo!!