Reviews & Photos

First up, over the past week, several wonderful new reviews for Visions of Heat have gone up around the Net. Here are links to those that I'm aware of. If you know of any others, please drop me a note.

Loonigrrl (ARC Winner)
Milady Insanity
Rosario's Reading Journal
NiceMommy-EvilEditor
Loving Every Moment (Scroll down to Feb 26th entries)
The Romance Readers Connection

I know several of the other ARC winners have done reviews in various locations. My thanks! (And if you've done a linkable review and I haven't linked to it, please send me the url!).

Secondly, I'm updating the list of Visions of Heat meme participants and will be pulling up the list to below this post. If you've done the meme and aren't on the list, let me know.

Third, photos! I went to Brisbane, Australia and it was my first time in that city. I admit I would've never thought of going to Brisbane were it not for a concert that was happening in that location. (What concert? Guess. *g*) But now that I've been there, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to anyone thinking of travelling to Australia. It is the most beautiful river city and there is so much to do - most of it easily accessible through a public transport network of river ferries, trains and buses. Alright, onto the photos! (Click on them to see a bigger shot).

First photo: Brisbane city as taken from the ferry stop on the South Bank. I can't tell you how much I love the idea of a ferry ride to work!

Second photo: One of the cruise boats that go up and down the river. These look fabulous lit up at night. We didn't cruise but took a long ferry ride instead - the river is beautiful, no matter how you look at it.

Onto the wildlife!

Third photo: This not-so-little lizard fella was waiting for us on the steps down toward the river jetty. Just sitting there, watching the river go by. There's nothing for comparison in the photo but he was huge! Over a foot long - it would've taken both hands to pick him up. Not that we tried.

Fourth Photo: Was taken at the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary. These kangaroos are fairly tame but it's still exciting to get up close. And you do have to be careful - kangaroos are very strong.

Fifth photo was taken on Tangalooma Island, where we went to see the wild dolphins. The dolphin photos are on my friend's camera so I'll put them up when she shoots them to me. But check out the kookaburra. They just wander around freely on the island. We saw this one as we were going down to the beach.

Sixth photos: The koalas! I'm not usually one for animals in captivity but these sleepy guys need a helping hand with their habitat disappearing, and Lone Pine seems a pretty nice place.

And I'll leave you with this photo of the wild lorikeets at Lone Pine. Their colors are so brilliant that once they fly away, you can't imagine how they could be hiding up in the trees, but they are.

I have a ton more pictures but I figure that's enough for now! Hope you enjoyed the mini photo-tour of Brisbane!

Visions of Heat Meme Participants

Thanks for everyone who's joined in the memeing (yes, I made up that word *g*), whether to enter the contest or just for fun. I thought I'd put up a list so we can all visit the participants and check out their different answers. Oh, and as long as you've left your comment on the contest post, don't worry if your link isn't here - it just means I haven't had a chance to add the link yet. I'll be updating this post through to the end of the contest.

Update: As you can see, I've figured out how to make a table - thanks to Jennybrat and Jane. But now I can't work out how to delete the huge white space below! Anyhoo, scroll down to see the nifty table with the list of participants!

Amy S	Neyjour	jennybrat	Jen (aka Sassy Devil)
Natsuchan	Caffey	Danette	Julie K
Angelle Trieste	Clare	...dance?	Wendy K
Kris	MG Braden	Caryl	Angie T
Susan	Casee	Shannon	Nightowl Romance
Julia	Rosario	Maria	Hey Tonight
Pamk	Jenn	Mad	Dance Chica
CindyS	Chantal	C2
Kelly's Kittys	Emma Sinclair	Shiloh Walker
Anne	Deb R	Samantha
Caralee	Scooper	Sotheara
Shelly	Amanda	Yvonne Eve Wallus
Kaitlin	Malevolent May	Amy
Lisa	LesleyW	Aurora Black
Jennifer Y	Robin	Becka
Shellyw	Natasha Moore	Ember Case

The Visions of Heat Meme

CONTEST NOW CLOSED!

Some of you may remember a wee little *grin* viral blogging experiment Dear Author ran with Slave to Sensation last year (tangent: Jane rocks!) I wanted to do something similar - but different - to get the word out about Visions of Heat, so I figured that this time around, instead of preset content, I would give you the chance to make up some new content.

Not only will you be entered to win a $50 Amazon voucher, plus an ARC of Caressed By Ice soon as it becomes available, you'll have an easy topic to blog about (hey, this is no laughing matter if you're like me and often sit there wondering what you're going to post).

Here's what you have to do to enter:

1. Take part in this meme by answering the five questions below on your blog/myspace etc. I want this to be fun so go wild people! Interpret the questions as you like.

2. Link back to an excerpt of Visions of Heat & this blog page. (I've put the links addresses in square brackets below so you can insert them easily).

3. Drop a comment on this post so I know you're entered and people can go check out your answers. (Any problems commenting, email me your blog link at nalinisinghwrites @ gmail.com)

4. Do all this before Thursday, March 10, midnight, PST.

Here's what the post would look like, though seriously, as long as all of the info is there, I don't mind how you format it. If you decide to put up the cover, that would be awesome, but I'm not making it a requirement. And you can, of course, add whatever else you like.
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The VISIONS OF HEAT meme

1. Which psychic power would you most like to possess?

2. If you could see the future, what would you like to see?

3. Imagine you woke up one day and could shapeshift - what would you shift into?

4. What kind of a paranormal creature would you invite over for dinner if there were no limits on who you could ask?

5. Which future innovation do you wish would hurry up and get here already? i.e. flying cars, a transporter, computers with artificial intelligence, an auto chef?

This meme was begun by Nalini Singh to get the word out about her next book, Visions of Heat [http://www.nalinisingh.com/visions] (releasing March 6). Want to play, too, and enter to win a $50 Amazon voucher plus an ARC? Click here [http://nalinisingh.blogspot.com/2007/02/visions-of-heat-meme.html] for details.
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I'm back!

Just a quick note to say I'm back from my trip to Australia. I had a fantastic time and as promised there will be photos tomorrow. I'll also be updating the blog with a few other things. Also, if you emailed me while I was away and haven't yet got a response, it'll be coming soon. My Inbox is overflowing but I believe I've now attained some sense of order (I hope).Talk to you all tomorrow!

The Land of Oz

Visions of Heat sightings! Well, one. I have it on good authority that it's already available in a certain part of North Carolina!!

In other news, I'm taking off across the ditch (a.k.a. the Tasman Sea) for a short trip to Australia. I'll be checking emails while I'm over there, but I might not be posting anything unless I can get my friend's dial-up to cooperate. But I promise you a full post - with pictures even - when I return. As there are dolphins and koalas in the itinerary, hopefully the pictures will turn out great.

If I don't drop in during my time away, the next official blog post will be Monday my time (Sunday U.S.). Until then, how about visiting the meme participants? And if you've dropped by looking for the original Visions of Heat meme post, follow the link. Also, check out the OOTB blog tour (below this post) on Susan Grant's My Favorite Earthling.

Play nice while I'm away everyone! See you when I get back.

OOTB Tour: My Favorite Earthling - Susan Grant

It's OOTB tour time! Check out what the lovely Susan Grant has coming up. I totally love that cover!
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MY FAVORITE EARTHLING by Susan Grant

HQN; March 1, 2007

Even a Goddess can have a bad day...
Keira, warrior-queen of the galaxy, is as famous for her beauty as she is for avoiding marriage. But when an upstart little planet called Earth threatens her world with its fleet of spaceships, the fate of her people lies in her hands. She must bind herself to a barbarian from the rogue world...or face the destruction of her own!

She's what he never knew he always wanted...
Confirmed bachelor Jared Jasper knew the trick Earth pulled on the alien invaders wasn't a permanent solution. What they needed was a peace treaty. It just never occurred to him that he would wind up on the bargaining table. Playing the pushover groom to a mouthy alien babe who knows how to use a plasma sword is not exactly his idea of fun. But with six-billion people depending on him, he doesn't have much choice--sleep with the enemy...or bring on interstellar war.

Strange bedmates? You bet. But this alliance may turn into a romance the likes of which this galaxy's never seen!

Excerpt

ABOUT SUSAN GRANT

Former USAF jet pilot and current commercial airline pilot, RITA award-winner and New York Times bestseller Susan Grant loves writing about what she knows: exotic places, action, adventure, and the often unpredictable interaction between men and women.

REVIEWS

“Susan Grant writes heroes to die for!” --Susan Kearney, USA Today bestselling author

“I loved this book! I can't rave about this novel enough. From an arranged marriage, to royal espionage, to saving Earth, MY FAVORITE EARTHLING is not a book to be missed!” – Sylvia Day, bestselling author of Pleasures of the Night

“Susan Grant's sexiest story yet!” -- Gena Showalter, bestselling author of The Nymph King

“A sizzling cosmic romp!” -- Angela Knight, USA Today bestselling author

“Dang but Jared was a hot hero! Susan Grant is an author I sincerely wish I hadn't waited so long to discover! -- Shannon McKelden, author of Venus Envy

“Charming, witty, and sexy as all get out!” --Linnea Sinclair, RITA award-winning author of Games of Command

4.5 stars! “This interstellar romp starts off fast and soon is hip deep in sexy humor and deadly assassination attempts. Grant has really hit her stride with this marvelous blend of humor and danger.” --Jill Smith, Romantic Times Magazine

“Susan Grant proves once again why she is Master of the Futuristic Genre. Jared and Keira's heat burn up the pages!” – award-winning author Colby Hodge

WEBSITE http://www.susangrant.com

Succubus Blues - Richelle Mead

When Richelle Mead offered me an advanced copy of Succubus Blues, I said yes because I was curious. This book had already gotten some great buzz by that time, but I was having trouble with the whole concept. Why? Because the book was about a succubus! How could a succubus make a good heroine? Aren't they supposed to be evil creatures who seduce men and then steal their souls?

Well now, that question is what makes this book so interesting. Georgina is most definitely a morally ambiguous heroine. She does things a good heroine would never do, but she also does things an evil one would never do. She is, as she puts it herself, doing a "half-assed" job of being a succubus.

That's what makes her so likeable - though as I was zipping through the early pages, I still wasn't sure I quite liked Georgina...then suddenly, I realized I did. I was on her side. Flawed, vulnerable, drawn to that which she can't have, Georgina is a woman in a difficult position and she's making the best of it. The glimpses that Richelle gives of her past and why she became a succubus also help deepen our understanding of - and liking for - the character.

As to the world - this is a world where the denizens of heaven and hell coexist with humans, and it works. It just seems very natural. And I think a lot of that is because of Georgina. Sure she's a succubus, but she's also so dratted...normal - she makes a fool of herself more than once, has a cat she talks to, and friends who gossip about her life (they just don't happen to be human).

This book definitely isn't a romance, though there are romantic threads in it. It's about Georgina. She is the book's center and in the same way that she isn't morally black or white, neither are the divisions in the book. Succubus Blues muddies up all sorts of boundaries - good and evil, dark and light. However, I think by the end of it, you'll be as invested in Georgina as I was. I already want to know what happens next.

Overall: Totally recommended if you're looking for an intriguing urban fantasy with memorable characters and an original take on the paranormal.

Memers and Interview

Couple of quick notes - The lovely Sara Hantz, whose debut book The Second Virginity of Suzy Green (awesome title!) will be coming out this year, has just posted up an interview she did with me, where I talk about The Call among other things.

And I've updated the list of the Visions of Heat meme participants so swing by and visit them. I have and it's fun reading. (p.s. Does anyone have the html knowledge as to how to make the list into two columns? Email me! Thanks in advance. :))

Have a great rest of the weekend everyone!

Diary of a Worm - Doreen Cronin/Harry Bliss

Have I got a book recommendation for you today! This one's for the kid inside you. Diary of a Worm rocks. It'll take you maybe five minutes to read (it's a picture book!) but you'll be chuckling over it for days and the pictures are really cool.

It begins something like this: My Mom tells me three things are true...

#3 Never disturb Dad while he's eating the newspaper.

Classic! So I read this, then I had to read the sequel - Diary of A Spider, about Worm's friend, Spider. And guess who Spider's best friend is? A fly! (They're not allowed to play at Spider's house anymore ever since Fly got caught in a web *g*).

Picture books - they're for grown-ups too! Have a nice weekend everyone :)

Excitement!

Guess what I got in the mail from my wonderful editor (I adore her!) - an advanced copy of Visions of Heat!

It's so shiny and new. The colors are so bright in the actual printed cover and did you ever notice that the dots above the letter "i"'s in the title are little flames? It's beautiful, stunning and it's on my shelf now, right next to Slave to Sensation. I feel compelled to go stroke it now. Must resist...oh, what the heck!

Okay, calming down (not really), I cannot believe it's Wednesday already. Where is this week going? What have you all been up to so far? Any plans for the coming days? I've got editing to do on my current work in progress, some super-secret blog stuff to prepare for tomorrow *g* and a bar of chocolate to eat (it's calling to me...)

OOTB Tour: Blood Secrets - Vivi Anna

First up - something cool will be happening on this blog on Thursday so make sure you visit then (and that's all I'm saying *g*).

I'm also at Between The Covers today, so swing by if you're blog-hopping.

Below I've got another Out of the Blogosphere tour book for you. I haven't read Blood Secrets but it's one of the new Nocturne line for those of you interested in writing for it. As a reader, I have to say the blurb looks mucho interesting. Details below. (Any questions, I'm sure Vivi won't mind dropping by to answer them.)
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BLOOD SECRETS by Vivi Anna
Silhouette Nocturne

A young human woman is found ritualistically murdered in a downtown Necropolis hotel. It is up to Caine Valorian, a 200-year-old vampire, and his Otherworld Crime Unit to solve the unusual crime, and quickly before the human press can jump onto the story and cause a panic. To add to their already tough case, a new member, Eve Grant, transfers to their lab at the request of the mayor. Not only is she green and eager to impress the boss, but she's human. The first human ever to work in an Otherworld unit. The mayor thought it would be great press especially now with the strange human murder.

Caine has his work cut out for him, especially with his unruly team who don't appreciate any help from a human. Not only is this the toughest case of his career, but he's unusually attracted to the new girl, which can only cause trouble for them all. However, as they sink deeper and deeper into the workings of the case, Caine and Eve become closer and closer. So close that neither of them can see past each other and at the real happenings behind the scenes. The more they poke and prod at the case, the more they realize that something is going on, that this murder is only one step toward a greater purpose. Someone in the Otherworld community is calling on dark forces, in a plot to wipe out the entire human population.

Excerpt

ABOUT VIVI ANNA

A bad girl at heart, Vivi Anna likes to burn up the pages with her original unique brand of fantasy fiction. Whether it's in ancient Egypt, or in an apocalyptic future, Vivi always writes fast paced action-adventure with strong independent women that can kick some butt, and dark delicious heroes to kill for.

Once shot at while repossessing a car, Vivi decided that maybe her life needed a change. The first time she picked up a pen and put words to paper, she knew she had found her heart. Within two paragraphs, she realized she could write about getting into all sorts of trouble without suffering the consequences.

When Vivi isn't writing, you can find her causing a ruckus at downtown bistros, flea markets, or playgrounds.

REVIEWS

If you like CSI, you'll love this smart, sexy and suspenseful trip through Necropolis where the villains are vamps, werewolves and witches--and so are the good guys. Strong, sexy Caine Valorian is a vampire to die for. He's also the head of the crime unit that cracks the supernatural cases no human is brave enough to tackle. Except beautiful but businesslike Eve Grant. Sparks fly - in and out of bed - when Caine and Eve pool their talents to fight unspeakable evil. – USA Today best selling author, Rebecca York

A new series begins on a strong note with compelling characters that draw you into their world, showing it to you in a way that explains without bogging down the narrative. This is a solid mystery that is enhanced by the romantic and paranormal elements. I look forward to seeing more from this author – Eternal Night Review

Website http://www.valorianchronicles.com
http://www.vivianna.net

Atlantis Rising - Alyssa Day

I have been wanting to read Atlantis Rising ever since I heard this series was coming out. I swapped ARCs with Alyssa Day and then had to exercise my self-control because I had too much work! But now I've read it and here are my thoughts:

First, the blurb

Eleven thousand years ago, before the seas swallowed the Atlantaens, Poseidon assigned a few chosen warriors to act as sentinels for humans in the new world. There was only one rule-desiring them was forbidden. But rules were made to be broken…

When she calls…
Riley Dawson is more than a dedicated Virginia Beach social worker. She's blessed with a mind link that only Atlantaens have been able to access for thousands of years. Being an "empath" may explain her wistful connection to the roiling waves of the ocean, the sanctuary it provides, and the sexual urges that seem to emanate from fathoms below…

He will come.
Conlan, the High Prince of Atlantis, has surfaced on a mission to retrieve Poseidon's stolen Trident. Yet something else has possessed Conlan: the intimate emotions-and desires-of a human. Irresistibly drawn to the uncanny beauty, Conlan soon shares more than his mind. But in the midst of a battle to reclaim Poseidon's power, how long can a forbidden love last between two different souls from two different worlds?

Regular blog readers will know I recently read Gena Showalter's The Nymph King, which was also set in Atlantis. It might be tempting to compare them except that the worlds are so different - truly a case of two very different and talented writers putting their own unique spins on this fantastical world.

Okay, back to Atlantis Rising. First off, I really loved the heroine in this book - Riley is smart, sensitive and generally likable. Conlan, the hero is no slouch either - totally alpha and with lots of that tormented stuff we love! Alyssa Day has a wonderful voice and that really comes across in her characters.

The mythology is pretty cool - there are shapeshifters and vampires and Poseidon himself is very much a part of the proceedings. Talk about testosterone! *g* The action takes place both in Atlantis and on dry land. I liked how the author showed the warriors as having adapted to change ie. they talk and act like ordinary guys (one warrior loves Hummers and guns), but they still have that exotic Atlantean quality.

I think this is going to be a great series and there's certainly lots of directions for future books to go in terms of the yummy potential hero material. If you like Christine Feehan (I love her!), I think you'll like this book. (Quick note: there is bit of violence in Atlantis Rising but it's necessary to the story and the world, and if you're okay with a little blood, it shouldn't be an issue.)

Overall, a big thumbs up from me!

Books Are Good For You ;)

Free stories & Ramblings

Here's a link I saw yesterday - a lot of Romance Divas have banded together to provide free short stories for your entertainment. Follow the link to read.

I'm working today to polish up stuff, so no tv watching for me - and after yesterday's blog, I have so many new shows I'm curious about! I do have a couple of ARCs to read, so I'm hoping to get to them sometime soonish. You know, not-watching-tv was much easier in Japan...when I didn't understand what was on tv!

Here endeth the random ramblings for today. Happy Friday!

TV

We haven't talked about tv for a while, have we? The new season has just started in NZ - we're one season behind the U.S. I'm already hooked on Heroes, CSI NY (go Gary Sinise!) and House (of course). Jericho looks good but only one episode has aired so far. I have Supernatural taped but haven't seen any of it. Should I watch it?

So, what's on the box over at your place?

Happy Valentine's Day!

Hope you all have a wonderful day filled with happiness.

I wanted a romantic topic for this post and as we've recently talked about favorite heroes from books as well as favorite movie songs, today I thought we'd talk about leading men.

Which leading man sets your heart thumping? Me? Ever since I saw him on Remington Steele, I've always had a crush on Pierce Brosnan. Those blue eyes, that smile...

Okay, your turn!

p.s. Here's a link to an interesting article in the Observer about The 50 Men Who Really Understand Women.

OOTB Tour: Moon Awakening - Lucy Monroe

An OOTB blog tour today featuring Scottish lairds and werewolves! Check out the details below.
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MOON AWAKENING by Lucy Monroe

Berkley Sensation February 2007

An enthralling new romantic tale that pushes the boundaries between love and hate, passion and pain-and man and beast...

When Emily Hamilton's family is ordered to send a woman to the Scottish highlands for marriage to the laird of the Sinclair, Emily volunteers in order to save her younger sister from such a fate. But at her new home, the only friend she finds is the laird's sister-especially after Emily's stubborn streak causes the laird to cancel the marriage. And though her plans have gone awry, she refuses to return home...

Lachlan Balmoral is laird of his clan-and leader of his pack. One of the most feared werewolves prowling the Highlands, he is on the march against the hated Sinclair, who have abducted a Balmoral woman. He kidnaps the sister of the Sinclair laird, planning to marry her off in revenge-but the woman he takes along with her proves to be the greater prize...

For Emily feeds a desire he has never known existed. And though Lachlan would not think of touching his enemy's betrothed, he must know how a mere woman could tame his heart so easily...

Excerpt

ABOUT LUCY MONROE

Award winning author Lucy Monroe sold her first book in September of 2002. Since then she has sold more than 30 books to three publishers and hit national bestsellers lists in the US and England. Her highly charged, sensual stories touch on the realities of life while giving the reader a fantasy story not easily forgotten. Whether it's a passionate Harlequin Presents, a sexy single title for Kensington or a steamy historical or paranormal for Berkley, Lucy's books transport her readers to a special place where the heart rules and love conquers all.

REVIEWS

This is sure to be a popular series, and I am wiggling in anticipation of Ms. Monroe's next offering. This is a book not to be missed! -- Natasha for Romance Junkies

MOON AWAKENING is an electrifying supernatural historical romance starring a courageous highly moral female and the werewolf who falls in love with her. The story line is fast-paced from the opening eavesdropping to the final confrontation with evil. Lucy Monroe brings to life a unique medieval Scotland filled with the paranormal, the romantic, and the intrigue as she provides a clever tale of yore… -- Harriet Klausner

Website http://www.lucymonroecotm.com

http://www.lucymonroe.com

The Nymph King - Gena Showalter

I was lucky enough to get an ARC of The Nymph King by Gena Showalter. After reading it, I have to say that I can definitely see why it hit both the USA Today Bestseller list and the extended NYT list.

First of all - that cover is not false advertising. Valerian, the hero, is hot! Sizzling hot. Makes-you-glad-to-be-a-woman hot. Um, okay, moving on from Valerian's hotness...(though I'd rather not *grin*).

The Nymph King is set in Gena's version of Atlantis, which is filled with not only nymphs, but also dragons, vampires and demons among others. The setting itself is almost a character because it's so different and intriguing. It definitely sucked me in.

The heroine, Shaye, is a human who's abducted away to Atlantis by the nymphs - because they need women and since women absolutely adore them and the pleasure they can give, the nymphs see no problem with the whole abduction thing. They haven't counted on Shaye, who only only doesn't fall under their spell, but is determined to return to the surface.

Valerian, King of the Nymphs, isn't having any of that - because Shaye is his mate. And when a nymph mates, it's for life. Now he has to convince her of that. The back and forth between a determined-to-seduce, Valerian, and an equally determined-to-resist, Shaye, is very passionate and the tension just keeps rising. Then there are the sweet moments that made me smile. (I don't know how Gena does it but she manages to get in her trademark humor without losing the intensity of the story). By the time I reached the end, I believed that these two would make it. Happy sigh. :)

Overall, The Nymph King is exotic, highly sensual and plain old fun. Check it out if you like hot nymphs (and here all this time I thought of nymphs as female. Not any more. Nope. Now I think of them as male sensuality personified...which leads me back to Valerian *g*). Go forth and read!!

Answers to Questions

With Psy/Changeling or Human/Changeling couples, are the offspring always changeling? Or are there exceptions?

Since exceptions to the rule have a way of springing up without warning, I won't say "all" but in the vast, vast majority of cases, a child with a changeling parent will have the ability to shift. This doesn't mean they are fully changeling - their blood is mixed, which leads to all sorts of interesting things.

What would a Psy/Human couple have little humans or little psy?

Since the Psy, Changelings and Humans are capable of mating and producing children, it's genetically impossible for a child to be either/or. He or she will be both, though some genes may be dominant, others recessive.

Will the wildcat that worked for Lucas in StS (I can't remember her name right now) have her own story?

At this stage, I have no intention of writing a story about Zara. But that could change very easily. Heck, when I first thought of Judd, I thought he'd be a minor secondary character. Hah! He put me straight on that!

Is the series open ended or do you have a certain number of books planned?

I don't have the number of books planned but I do have the story arc planned. I know where this series is going, what final "end" I'm heading toward.

How long will we have to wait for Hawke's and Dorian's books?

It's looking like book 5 will be Dorian's book. He's talking to me, telling me he's ready. I think he's already introduced me to his heroine, though damn if I know how those two will get together.

As for Hawke, you'll have to wait a bit longer for this wolf to get his story. There is a very logical reason why, so I'm not just being a tease. I ache to write his story - I have actually written parts of it because I couldn't wait! But to tide you over - you get to learn something very important about Hawke's past in Caressed By Ice.

Where all have you lived/visited? Which did you like the best? Why? If someone were to visit your favorite place, what should he/she not miss?

I've lived in Fiji, New Zealand and Japan for long enough periods of time that all three places are home - I feel as if I could go back to any of the three and slide right back into life there. I've visited the USA (crossing from San Francisco to New York), China (including Inner Mongolia), Malaysia, Australia, South Korea and Tahiti (um, I think that's all...). Incidentally, if you haven't checked it out, the Travel Diary part of my website has a lot of pics from some of the trips.

My favorite - wow, that's tough. I love different things about all those places. And they're all so different that I find it impossible to compare. My tip for a visitor to any of those countries would be to find a local to show them around. You never see a country as well as you do when you're with one of the people. For example when I lived in Japan, it was in a small town, and I was invited into people's homes and lives, taken to their celebrations and festivals, things I might have missed otherwise.

There you go! Thanks for the great questions, Sweet, Casee and Jennifer K. If anyone has any more, hit me with them.

Questions

I'm opening up the floor for questions - writing related/reading related/plain old nosy (though I do reserve the right to be a smart-aleck about these *g*). Post them on this thread. Depending on the question, I'll either answer it in the thread tonight or do them in separate blog posts over the next week.

Night Rising - Chris Marie Green

You know how I was disappointed about not having an ARC of this book? Well, I put the hard word *grin* on Chris and she sent me one. And OMG was it good!

Check out the earlier OOTB post for the full blurb but the very basic plot summary is that Dawn Madison, a stuntwoman, comes back to LA after her Dad (Frank) goes missing. But what she finds is that his disappearance is anything but routine, and that the world she thought she knew is hiding all sorts of deadly secrets...some with fangs.

This book was dark, gritty and subtly erotic in places. The movie-city setting was fantastically done - I was swept up totally into the world. But what really made this book for me was Dawn and her relationships with the secondary characters, most especially her fellow searchers. Dawn is a beautifully drawn character, flaws and all. Her relationships are very real and complex in the best way.

Night Rising is a book with a unique take on the vampire myth and I would recommend this to anyone looking for a sharp, fresh story told in a compelling voice. Though this isn't a romance - more urban fantasy - it had enough of a romantic thread to satisfy me. The ending blew me away. I cannot wait for the next one in the series! I will absolutely be stalking Chris until she hands it to me.

If you'd like to stalk Chris, too, here's where you can find her: http://www.vampirebabylon.com/

OOTB Tour: Island Heat - Susan Kearney

I've got another OOTB book for you today. Check out the details below. I'm liking that cover!
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ISLAND HEAT by Susan Kearney

Tor Romance February 6, 2007

He dominated with an otherworldly seductive power . . .

What was happening to her? Former screen siren Shara Weston lived on an exotic and private South Pacific island as a recluse . . . until disturbingly masculine and utterly captivating Cade Archer fell out of the sky and into her life. Now, Cade gives her no choice but to follow him down a sensual path that fulfills her every desire.

Cade's on a mission to open a portal between Shara's island volcano and his world. But not everyone wants him to succeed. A powerful enemy has followed Cade to prevent him from sending the resources through the portal that will free his people.

While Cade's mission is as compelling as his dominating sensuality, Shara must find a way to fight him . . . to stop his mission because the fate of every man, woman and child on Earth is at stake.

Excerpt

ABOUT SUSAN KEARNEY

Susan Kearney used to set herself on fire four times a day, now a USA TODAY BESTSELLING author, she does something really hot—she writes paranormal romance for Tor, sensuous romance for Harlequin Blaze and romantic suspense for Harlequin Signature. She can apply the old rule of "write what you know" and never run out of ideas for characters and plots. An All-American and professional diver, expert in martial arts, sailor, real estate broker and owner of a barter business as well as women's fitness and three hair salons, she has enough material for a lifetime.

Visit’s Susan’s website for an exclusive book trailer!!!

Valentine's Day (link fixed)

Want to find out how they celebrate Valentine's Day in Japan? Swing by Between the Covers - where I'm hanging out today.

Also, check out Gena Showalter's video for The Nymph King and make sure you turn up the sound! I'm still grinning over it.

Website Updates/Excerpt

The website updates have been done for February. We're still ironing out a few little problems but the second excerpt for Visions of Heat is now up.

And check out this awesome review for Visions from Fallen Angel Reviews (5 Angels, Recommended Read):

"Nalini Singh has done the enviable; she has written a sequel that lives up to its predecessor. I have a distinct feeling there are many more stories to be told in this universe and will be snatching up every single one I can."

Read the whole review.

Yay! And now I must go and convince myself to get into gear - don't you just love Mondays? *grin*

Hooks

I was signing and putting the Bound By Marriage winners books into envelopes, when I got to thinking how much I like the marriage of convenience storyline. I've written it in Bound By Marriage and Awaken to Pleasure - two different books but with the same 'hook'. Hmm, I wonder why it intrigues me so much?

The brain is too swiss-cheese this morning to go into deep analysis so let's just talk about what hooks/storylines we like to read. Here are a few of mine:

Marriage of Convenience
Friends to Lovers
Reunions

You?

What's New

Today was going to be about links but I just found out that Slave to Sensation has been nominated in the Best Paranormal Romance section of the P.E.A.R.L. Awards. Yippee!! A huge thank you to everyone who put StS forward!

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Now the links...

Dear Author has opened up nominations for its book club (Meljean Brook's Demon Angel was the Jan pick). I'm still pondering what selection to nominate. Lots of intriguing books coming out over the next few months.

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The Astrologyzone February horoscopes are up. Great site - check it out if you haven't already.

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Have you watched Romance Novel TV yet? Have a look-see. They have interviews with Nora Roberts among others. (Link via Dear Author via Sybil)

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Karen has the most wonderful excerpt from a JD Robb book on her blog. Go forth and read and sigh at the beauty of it.

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And over on Buzz, Balls & Hype, they're talking about advertising and how it can be applied to books and publishing.

Which leads me to the question - what's the best advertising/promo effort you've seen for a book lately?

Bound By Marriage Winners

Thanks to everyone who entered the contest. And the winners (picked randomly) are:

Marg
Shannon
Cherie J
Casee
Maria, Lover of All Things Romance

Congrats! Please email me your addresses at nalinisinghwrites @ gmail.com

Bound By Marriage

As you know, I have a book coming out next month. Bound By Marriage is a short contemporary set in New Zealand. It's a different book from my paranormals but it rocks (but then I would say that, wouldn't I?).

Here's your chance to decide for yourself. I'm going to give away several copies - all you have to do to be in to win is leave a comment on this post within the next twenty-four hours. I'll pick the winners tomorrow and put up their names later on in the day.

I know some of you have already got the book or ordered it (you are awesome!). If you win, I'll happily send you a copy of one of my other Sil Desires.

A note of interest for those of you aiming to write for Sil Desire: this is the first one of my Desire books to come out under the new guidelines.

OOTB Tour: Night Rising - Chris Marie Green

Today I've got another Out of the Blogosphere tour book for you. Ever since I heard about this book, I've been dying to get my hands on it. I should have totally hit Chris up for an ARC. But I didn't, and now I must wait. Check out the details below. The book teaser vid is really cool but for some reason blogger won't let me post it so follow the link.

NIGHT RISING
Chris Marie Green

Ace, February 6, 2007

0-441-01467-4

Welcome to Hollywood—after dark…

Stuntwoman Dawn Madison is a girl with attitude—and a lot of issues, mostly about living up to the legacy of her mother, a world famous movie star whose untimely death left Dawn to be raised by her dad Frank, nobody’s notion of single-father-of-the-year. Now that she’s grown up, she and Frank aren’t on the best of terms, to say the least.

Still, he is her dad, and when he vanishes while investigating the bizarre sighting—caught on film—of a supposedly long-dead child star, she comes home to Tinseltown to join the search for him. Working with his colleagues—a psychic short in stature but big in dreams, a beautiful Latina techno-geek, and the P. I. firm’s never-seen boss—she discovers an erotic and bloody underground society made up of creatures she thought existed only on screen.

They are devious. They are deadly. And some of them are dangerously attractive…


Book teaser link

Excerpt

ABOUT CHRIS MARIE GREEN


Chris Marie Green also writes as Crystal Green for Silhouette Bombshell and Special Edition, plus Harlequin Blaze. Her first vampire book, THE HUNTRESS, allowed her to indulge in her love of horror movies and novels. NIGHT RISING is book one of the Vampire Babylon trilogy.
REVIEWS


Night Rising – Vampire Babylon is the first book in a new trilogy set in the exciting world of paranormal Hollywood…. Described as a noir-mystery-fantasy series, it is dark, erotic and compelling reading – Amanda at Lovevampires.Com

Green's storytelling prowess is hitting on all cylinders in Night Rising: a brilliantly developed plotline; compelling, realistically drawn characters; and enough ghoulish antagonists, horrific murders and erotic encounters to satisfy fans of all genres. Regardless of categorization, Green's latest is pure, unadulterated storytelling gold. Highly recommended. -Paul Goat Allen, Barnes and Noble

Chris Marie Green does a wonderful job of bringing this gritty, dark novel to life…. If this is the first installment of the VAMPIRE BABYLON series, I can’t wait to see where [the author] takes the rest of the books. – The Best Reviews


Website http://www.vampirebabylon.com

http://www.crystal-green.com

http://www.myspace.com/vampirebabylon

Working, working...

I'm happily working away on Psy/Changeling Book 4 - Clay's story. Yep, dark, brooding Clay. Did I tell you the heroine is human? Also fiddling with a proposal, trying to get business cards designed and do the website updates. That reminds me - is there anything you'd like to see updated on the site?

Okay, that's me. What's new in your neck of the woods?

ARC Winners #8 to #11

It's time to announce the final winners of the Visions of Heat ARC giveaway. Thank you to everyone who entered - you guys are awesome and if I could, I'd hand out ARCs to each and every one. But since I can't, I've done the next best thing and picked four winners today (including new winners for any unclaimed ARCs). They are:

#8: rtami
#9: loonigrrl
#10: Jennifer L.
#11: LesleyW

Email me your addresses at nalinisinghwrites @ gmail.com and we'll get them in the mail to you. Hope you all enjoy the book!

What's your fix today?

If you could walk into a bookstore today and magically find exactly what you want to read, what would it be? A romantic suspense, a sweet romance, a paranormal, a regency...? What are you craving on this Friday morning (Thursday night if you're on the other side of the world)!

Me, hmm, if I wasn't already madly in love with this book I'm writing, I think I'd be up for a western - with a prim heroine and a larger than life cowboy hero. There would be sparks, frontier stuff and lots and lots of passion!

Series Books

The other day when we were discussing following authors into different genres, Jennifer K. made an interesting comment about the appeal of series', and how they're compelling because you get to know more about the characters book by book. I have the same feeling about series books - it's why I love the JD Robb novels so much.

But at the same time, I've heard a lot of people worrying about the lack of completely stand-alone books. I must admit, there does seem a shortage of them - in the paranormal arena particularly. As an author, I think part of that is because most paranormals require intricate world-building, which means you can't explore everything in one go. Therefore the series. Personally speaking, I am loving writing a series because I get to develop both my world and my characters, as the series continues.

However, I also love stand-alone books because of the feelings of closure, of a definite HEA. (Though I do occasionally feel compelled to imagine more of a future for them than is shown in the book.)

So, how about you? Do you want more stand-alone books, or do you love interconnected books? What's the appeal (of either/both)?

Visions of Heat ARC - Final Week

Okay everyone, this is it - the final week of the Visions of Heat ARC giveaway. If you haven't thrown your name into the hat, now's your chance. Leave a comment on this post to be in.

Read the full details of the giveway here, but basically, if you win, I'm asking that you please do a review somewhere in the week of Feb 26-March 3.

FYI: I'll be giving away more than one ARC this week :) Winners posted on Sunday!

On Tour: Protector Of the Flight - Robin D Owens

Want to see a yummy pic of Sawyer from LOST? Click here.
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Today I've got an Out of the Blogosphere tour book for you. Check out the details below. The cover is amazing!


PROTECTOR OF THE FLIGHT by Robin D. Owens

Luna February 1, 2007

PUBLISHER’S WEEKLY:

Fans of Anne McCaffrey and Mercedes Lackey will appreciate the novel's honorable protagonists and their lively animal companions.


The Story:

If horses could fly...

Then Calli Torcher might ride again. But a devastating accident left her in such pain, she thought the chimes and chanting in her ears were a hallucination...until she found herself transported to another world, and met the Lladranans who had Summoned her.

Lladrana was a parallel, magical earth filled with exotic creatures, noble humans and magic– all threatened by an encroaching evil.

And when the might volarans stopped obeying the Chevaliers, the flying horses' unexpected rebellion had thrown Lladrana into an uproar. In desperation, the sorcerers had sought help from afar - and gotten Calli. If she could fulfill this mission perhaps she would also finally find all she had longed for – a mate, a home, a family. But against this great darkness she had no battle experience, no strategy plans. She had only a bond with horses...

Excerpt

ABOUT ROBIN D. OWENS

Robin D. Owens has been writing longer than she cares to recall. Her fantasy/futuristic romances finally found a home at Berkley with the issuance of HeartMate in December 2001. She credits the telepathic cat with attitude in selling that book. Since then, Heart Thief was a launch book for Berkley Sensation in June 2003, Heart Duel was published in 2004, Heart Choice in 2005, and Heart Quest in 2006. Her Luna Books series includes shape-shifting fairies and average American women Summoned into another world to fight monstrous evil.

REVIEWS


ROMANTIC TIMES:

Owens has an easy and engaging writing style which, when combined with her intriguing characters and interesting setting, makes for a fast and compelling read.

HUNTRESS REVIEWS:

This is among the most joyful series of novels in any genre...when the ending page arrives, YOU feel the Snap, pulling you reluctantly back to the real world. Ms. Owens has mastered characterization, interweaving the lives of previous main characters with those of the new expertly, so you meet new friends and catch up on the old. – Amanda Killgore, Huntress Reviews

Website: http://www.robindowens.com

Julie Garwood Interview

Have you seen this new interview by Julie Garwood at AAR? It looks like she's going to be writing another historical. Yippee!! While I did follow her into romantic suspense, I adore her as a historical writer. I think all of her historicals are on my keeper shelf.

Like Julie Garwood, a lot of authors change sub-genres during their writing career. Some change direction completely, while others write in several. I'm a case in point, writing both short categories (hypnotic suggestion: you want to preorder Bound By Marriage *g*) and single title paranormals.

As readers, how far would you follow an author? Would you give their first 'different' book a shot and see how you felt? Or would it depend on the genre? Would you follow them into an arena where you wouldn't usually read?

ARC Winner #7

This week's winner, courtesy of your friendly random number generator, is:

Nina

Congrats! Please email me at nalinisinghwrites @ gmail.com with your address.

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! :)