Fly-By

FYI: The Berkley Babes now have a monthly newsletter (with goodies!).

As of today, I'm putting my head down to work on the 4th book in the Psy/Changeling series, so my blogging may leave something to be desired. Keep me company - tell me what you're planning to get up to this weekend.

Happy News

Slave to Sensation has been nominated as one of the best Contemporary Paranormal Romances for 2006 by Romantic Times BookClub Magazine! And it's been nominated in several different categories of the All About Romance poll! Yippee!

Okay, that's my happy news. Time to share yours!

Visions of Heat ARC: Week 5

It's week 5 for the Visions of Heat ARC contest and if you haven't already thrown your name into the hat, this is your chance. You only need to enter once so all prior entries are still in.

The full details are here, but basically, if you win, I'm asking that you do a review somewhere in the week of Feb 36-March 3. Simple!

I'll draw this week's winner on Sunday morning.

Age Differences

Is hooking up with someone 20 years your junior like tapping into your own personal fountain of youth? Or, are you better off with someone who actually gets your references and doesn't think Watergate is the latest brand of bottled H2O?

From an interesting article about age differences in relationships. The article's about the real deal, but applying it to fiction, do you find it easy to swallow a May-Dec relationship? Is there a cutoff after which the difference becomes too much?

The CEO's Contract Bride / First Drafting

In December, I blogged about Yvonne Lindsay's first book, The Boss's Christmas Seduction. Then I prompty emailed Yvonne and ordered her to asked nicely if she'd send me the next book in the series - The CEO's Contract Bride (which is out now). *g* She did and I'm glad to say that the second book in the New Zealand Knight's trilogy is as awesome as the first.

The emotions between Declan and Gwen are very intense, and the fact that they have a history together further raises the tension. I was sucked in from page one (when Gwen's fiance runs off with both hers and Declan's money!). Intrigued? Check out the blurb here.
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I've been reading a lot lately (as you can tell from all the book-related posts) but I think that's about to slow down as I set myself to completing the first draft of book 4 in the Psy/Changeling series (after doing the final edits on Caressed By Ice and Beat of Temptation (novella)). My first drafts tend to be very rough but I love doing them. It's such a rush to get the whole book out there. Then I get to play with it for months! :)

That's what I'm up to. You?

ARC Winner #6

This week's winner of the Visions of Heat ARC (picked randomly) is:

Pamk

Congratulations! If you haven't won yet, don't worry, I'm still giving them away till the end of January. And for the last week, I'll see if I can drum up more than one ARC so you have more chances to win.

Happy Weekend

Today is a fly-by-post as I head out into the gale-tossed windstorm that is my city right now. Have a safe and happy weekend!! (And go check out my friend Tessa Radley's first ever cover - for the tantalizingly named "Black Widow Bride").

Warprize - Elizabeth Vaughan

Warprize by Elizabeth Vaughan caused a huge buzz when it came out, but somehow, I missed it. I read it only a few weeks ago on the recommendation of friend and fellow author, Shelley Munro, and I loved it!

Here's the blurb:

She must choose between her people and her freedom...

Xylara is the Daughter of the Warrior King, Xyron. With her father dead and her incompetent half-brother on the throne, the kingdom is in danger of falling to the warring Firelanders.

Before she was old enough for a marriage-of-alliance, Xylara was trained as a healer. She can't usurp her brother or negotiate a peace--but she can heal the brave ones injured in battle.

But not only her countrymen are wounded, and Xylara's conscience won't let Firelander warriors die when she can do something to save them. She learns their language and their customs and tries to make them as comfortable as possible, despite their prisoner-of-war status.

She never expects that these deeds, done in good faith, would lead to the handsome and mysterious Firelander Warlord demanding her in exchange for a cease-fire. Xylara knows must trade the life she has always known for the well-being of her people, and so she becomes..

I know exactly why people were so excited about this book. It's a fresh new world, with great characters. Keir is a wonderful warlord of a hero. And Lara is a heroine you want to cheer on as she finds her way through the warrior camp of an enemy.

Their developing relationship is beautifully drawn and sucked me in from the start. Lovely book. Anybody else read it? Opinions?

Visions of Heat ARC - Week 4

Couple of things - first, I sent out the January newsletter last night with an excerpt from Visions of Heat so if you subscribe but didn't get it, you can drop by the newsletter site to read.

Second, if anyone knows Robin Snodgrass (ARC Winner #4), can you let her know she won? Otherwise, I'll have to redraw.
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Entries are now open for the Visions of Heat ARC contest. Full details here. Basically, if you win, I'm asking that you do a review somewhere in the week of Feb 26-March 3. Easy!

Just leave a comment to be entered. If you've entered previously and didn't win, you're still entered. :)

Book Recs

I have the usual suspects in my looking-forward-to-reading-in-2007 pile, but I want some more recommendations. What are you looking forward to? Heard about anything new and exciting through the grapevine? Share!

On Tour: Jaci Burton's Demon Island

The fabulous Jaci Burton's Demon Island is the first Out of the Blogosphere tour book for 2007. Check it out!

SURVIVING DEMON ISLAND by Jaci Burton

Bantam/Dell December 26, 2006

She's all curves and combat boots.

He's six feet of lean, dangerous male.

Join them in a game of survival.

That's as real - and hot - as it gets.

What's America's top female action star doing on a tropical island shrouded in secrecy? To Gina Bliss, competing in a survival-type reality show is a nice change from fending off on-screen villains. Until she meets real-life action hero Derek Marks. A survival specialist in a tight black T and sexy stubble, he's arousing every bad-boy fantasy she's ever had...and testing her survival skills to the max.

Martial arts, jungle warfare - Derek's done it all. But his latest mission is more dangerous than a stick of dynamite. Try telling that to the sexy, adrenaline-pumped actress who's got his libido racing off the charts. As the heat rises between them and real-life violence erupts, suddenly Derek and Gina are on the run...and when they uncover a secret so explosive it could blow the lid of their so-called reality show, these two unlikely heroes are about to discover what surviving's really about....

Excerpt

ABOUT JACI BURTON

Jaci Burton was born and raised in Missouri but now lives on an acre-and-a-half in Oklahoma with her husband Charlie. Jaci loves to write about passionate relationships with sometimes stormy outcomes but always a happily ever after. She’s a sucker for romance and a happy ending!

REVIEWS

Burton has an uncanny aptitude for intertwining the human and the paranormal so seamlessly that sudden demon attacks and labyrinthine underworlds are perfectly believable. Realistic dialogue, spicy bedroom scenes and a spitfire heroine make this one to pick up and savor. – Publishers Weekly

Big applause goes to Burton for succeeding in setting up a rousing & timely premise that is a real roller coaster ride. Not only does this book set the stage for further exciting adventures, it also delivers a great group of characters that have plenty of room for growth. Burton doesn’t skimp on the sizzling sex or romance either; this book has it all! Brava! 4 ½ Stars – Romantic Times BookClub

Fantastic reading is in store for paranormal fans with Jaci Burton’s new series about fighting demons. It’s a great good vs. evil story that will leave you breathless at times with the chills and thrills, and ready to take a cold shower at others as two of the neatest hero’s and heroine’s pull out all the stops as they get beneath the sheets, and behind their weapons. – Reader to Reader Reviews

Website: http://www.jaciburton.com

Seven Things I Did This Weekend

1. Continued my mini PC Cast glom by reading Goddess of the Rose. Wonderful, wonderful book! It's an unusual new take on Beauty and the Beast and that's one of my favorite fairy tales. I'm now officially a PC Cast fan.

2. Typed in 3000 words on book 4 of the Psy/Changeling series. (I write most of the first draft longhand). But I was feeling exceptionally lazy this weekend so not much got inputted. I'm still nutting out ideas so don't ask me what it's about yet!

3. Finished an email interview, sent in info for another, answered the three million emails I had to let build up last week because of other life factors.

4. Spent wayyyy too much time catching up on the blogs I read.

5. Slept in.

6. Ate chocolate biscuits, a chocolate bar and french-vanilla ice-cream.

7. Watched an episode of Child of Our Time.

As you can see I had a very *ahem* energetic weekend. So, what did you get up to?

ARC Winner #5

I picked this winner randomly (assigned all the entrants a number, then ran a random number generator). The person whose number came up was:

Amy S.

Congratulations! Email me your address at nalinisinghwrites @ gmail.com and we'll get that in the mail to you.

Romantic Movies

Have you guys seen the movie Just Like Heaven? Most of the time I find that romantic comedies don't work for me on one level or the other, but not only is this movie funny, it's so sweet and so romantic that I just wanna go awwwww and smile...and then watch it again. It's that good.

I think Reese Witherspoon is an awesome actress (mental tangent: have you seen Election? Trust me, it's hilarious) and though I haven't seen much of Mark Ruffalo's stuff, he was great in this. They had onscreen chemistry and most important, they had the emotion. Loved it!

Seen it? What did you think? Any other movie recommendations?

Between The Covers

I'm over here, too! Come visit. :)

Links, Links, Links!

My interview with Fallen Angel Reviews is now up.

The Jan udates for my website have been done.

Editor Lucia Macro talks about what she does When At Work.

Author MJ Rose talks about how the "audio book revolution is ripe to take off".

Gena Showalter is giving away a copy of The Nymph King.

Bookslut has up it's Best Covers of 2006. From my quick glance, I see no genre books in there, so let's hold our own poll - what covers did you love this year?

And finally, you gotta hand it to those Aussies. Apparently a library in Oz has introduced:

...speed-dating nights for lovers of classic texts.

The state library of Victoria in Melbourne introduced dating with a literary twist after the idea was raised at a staff party.

Those who attend must bring a book they either love or loathe as a conversation starter, ensuring there are no uneasy silences during the series of five-minute dates.

I love it! At least you'll know your date can read ;)

Visions of Heat ARC - Week 3

If you haven't thrown your name into the hat to win an advanced review copy of Visions of Heat, here's your chance! We're into the third week of the giveaway.

You can find the full details here, but in basic terms, if you win an ARC, I'm asking you to do a review in the week of Feb 26-March 3. Easy!

I'll pick a random winner Sunday morning my time. Leave a comment anytime before then to be entered into the draw.

Goddess of Spring - P C Cast

This is my second P C Cast book. I picked it up after really enjoying Goddess By Mistake and I'm so glad I did. I read the whole book in one sitting and am dying to get my hands on the others in the Goddess Summoning series. There's a sense of magic in P C Cast's books that's at once beautiful and believable.

Here's the blurb for Goddess of Spring:

Lina's trendy bakery in Tulsa is proving to be less than lucrative, and she must come up with a plan. When she stumbles upon an Italian Goddess cookbook, Lina can't help but think she's found the answer to her problem even if it means invoking a goddess to save her business.

Soon enough, Lina finds herself face-to-face with Demeter, who has a plan of her own. She proposes that Lina exchange souls with Persephone, the Goddess of Spring, who will breathe new life into the bakery. In return, Lina must set order to the Underworld.

Before all this, Lina's problems mostly involved sourdough and second dates. Now that she embodies the enchanting Persephone, Lina has weightier things on her mind, like the formidable task of bringing Spring to a world of spirits. But when the handsome,brooding Hades kindles a spark in her heart, Lina wonders if this Lord of the Underworld might be the man of her dreams.

What I love about the heroine in this book is that she's so sensible. That doesn't sound very exciting, but Lina is a fabulous character. She's thrown out of her element, but she makes the best of it. She's sympathetic, funny and shows the sense of wonder any one of us would probably feel if we were thrust into the world of the Gods.

Hades as a hero is plain yummy. Can you get any more tall, dark and handsome?

I loved everything about this book. Recommended thrice over!

Dear Author

Today, you must go visit Dear Author, if you haven't already.

Not only do they have an awesome video review of Meljean Brook's Demon Angel (me want!) but they have an interview with the fabulous Cindy Hwang (my editor at Berkley (whom I absolutely adore)!).

It's 2007!

Happy New Year everyone!! Hope you have a fantastic 2007! :)