Demon Angel - Meljean Brook

I am very sleepy right now. It's all Meljean Brook's fault. Her Demon Angel kept me up way past my bedtime.

For two thousand years, Lilith wrought vengeance upon the evil and the damned, gathering souls for her father's armies Below and proving her fealty to her Underworld liege. Bound by a bargain with the devil and forbidden to feel pleasure, she draws upon her dark powers and serpentine grace to lead men into temptation. That is, until she faces her greatest temptation—Heaven's own Sir Hugh Castleford...

Once a knight and now a Guardian, Hugh spent centuries battling demons—and the cursed, blood-drinking nosferatu. His purpose has always been to thwart the demon Lilith, even as he battles his treacherous hunger for her. But when a deadly alliance unleashes a threat to both humans and Guardians in modern-day San Francisco, angel and demon must fight together against unholy evil—and against a desire that has been too long denied...

Who will be the first to succumb?

I was hooked by Hugh's and Lilith's characters in the anthology where they first made their appearance. That novella was about another couple but from the first glimpse of these two, I just wanted to know their story.

I am absolutely delighted to report that Demon Angel lived up to my extremely high expectations. Hugh is not only sexy, he's got the whole quiet-yet-capable thing going on. Sigh. Then there's Lilith - she could've been unlikeable but she's not. She's a witty, funny and a perfect foil for Hugh.

The relationship between the two of them was beautifully developed, all 800 years of it! I really liked the buildup through time, as they met each other again and again. And when they do finally come together, it's absolutely right. I don't think either of these characters would fit with anyone else.

The author's voice just works for me - smooth, lyrical, easy to read. And I can't not mention the world-building, it's so vividly done. My favorite secondary character? Sir Pup, the hellhound. Hand's down. I vote he should get his own book.

I also love the cover for Demon Angel - it looks almost like a painting, don't you think? Next up is Demon Moon and I tell you, I'm chomping at the bit for that vain vampire Colin's story!

Indulgence

See that can on the left? It's hot chocolate mix. But guess what you see when you open the lid? Curls of real chocolate. That's right, the can is full of luscious curls of dark chocolate that melt to make the most velvety, mouthwatering delicious...mmmmmm

I could say the devil made me buy it but it was all me. I went. I searched. I bought. Then I drank. And licked my lips.

So, that's me (and strangely, I feel no guilt...must be magic chocolate *g*). Now you - what's the most indulgent thing you've done lately?

Interview: Anna Campbell - Claiming The Courtesan

I was wondering what to post today when I remembered that Anna Campbell is having her book release soon. And since debut authors are always fun to torment get to know, I shot her some questions and she sent me some answers. Check out the interview below. (Anna's also giving away some cover flats of the beautiful cover on the left.)

Interview with Anna Campbell

Anna: Nalini, thanks for asking me to be a guest on your blog. I was here for a visit back around Christmas and had a wonderful time. Congratulations on all your success! I read SLAVE TO SENSATION while I was recovering from the flu in January and it was a brilliant book. About the only thing in the universe that could have made me forget my horrible physical woes. Can't wait to read VISIONS OF HEAT but as I'm trying to write my third book, I may just have to.

1. So, who is Anna Campbell? Give us the lowdown.

Anna Campbell is an international woman of mystery who breakfasts with presidents, lunches with lords and dines with kings. What she does afterwards and who she does it with is nobody's business but hers (nudge, nudge, wink, wink, however).

Right, having got that off my chest, I'm an Aussie girl who's always wanted to see a book of hers in print. As I'm yet to discover a tall, dark, tormented duke on my doorstep, I'm single and happy to be that way. I live near the sea on the east coast of Australia, even if my heart is waltzing around a ballroom in Regency Mayfair. I'm partial to many things including Peter O'Toole in LAWRENCE OF ARABIA, email, a nice red wine and good books, especially luscious romances.

2. Your debut book releases March 27 - give us a glimpse into the state of your mind right now.

I'm bouncing around like a loon at the moment, Nalini. How did you feel? Is this emotional rollercoaster normal? At one moment, the world's my oyster, at the next, I have a real fit of the collywobbles. It's also surreal. I keep remembering how I announced to the world when I was in primary school that I was going to grow up to be a writer. Hey, it looks like it actually happened. People have been marvellous too, contacting me and wishing me luck or saying how excited they are about the book hitting the stands any day now.

3. Backcover copy of Claiming the Courtesan?

This is a stunning debut, a love story that sweeps you away and keeps you captivated until the last page is turned…

He would marry her, and possess her in every way possible.

The Duke of Kylemore knows her as Soraya, London's most celebrated courtesan. Men fight duels to spend an hour in her company. And only he comes close to taming her. Flying in the face of society, he decides to make her his bride; then, she vanishes, seemingly into thin air.

Dire circumstances have forced Verity Ashton to barter her innocence and change her name for the sake of her family. But Kylemore destroys her plans for a respectable life when he discovers her safe haven. He kidnaps her, sweeping her away to Scotland, where he vows to bend her to his will.

There he seduces her anew. She spends night after night in his bed…and though Verity still plans her escape, she knows she can never flee the unexpected, unwelcome love for the proud, powerful lover who claims her both body and soul.

4. I haven't read Claiming the Courtesan. Sell me on it.

This is one of those big luscious romances that I hope will sweep you away to another world for a few hours. It's darkly sensual and dramatic and I really tried to make it an emotional journey from darkness to light for my characters and for my readers. It tells the story of London's most notorious courtesan, Soraya, and her tormented, passionate lover, the Duke of Kylemore, who swears to make her his bride. It's a compelling story of love and courage and ultimate redemption that I hope will stay in the reader's mind long after they read the last page.

5. I've heard your hero is an ultra alpha. Do you want to tell us about him?

The Duke of Kylemore is a man who's true to his time, which means he's arrogant, he thinks the world, including women, exists for his convenience and he exhibits a lordly manner (well, he is a lord, when all's said and done). But beneath his proud elegance lurks a complex, unhappy soul. He's tormented and alone, hiding devastating secrets and pain. From the moment he sees Soraya, he wants her because something in him recognizes she's his only chance at salvation. Of course, because he's unacquainted with anything resembling love, he acts out his desire in ways that end up backfiring on him.

The book charts his redemption and the growth in his self-awareness until he's a fit partner to the woman who is his other half. Yes, he's an alpha, perhaps even an ultra alpha. I'm not apologizing for that. He makes some bad decisions but he will suffer extremes of emotional pain as a consequence. And after all his suffering, he emerges from the fire a better man. When I read, I like to share a compelling inner odyssey with the characters. I hope with this story that's what I've achieved, so that even if Kylemore's actions aren't always laudable, you can understand why he's doing what he's doing. And man, is he passionate! Always an attractive quality in a hero!

6. Right, sooooo I've heard some interesting things about your next book, Untouched. Any chance of a glimpse as to what it's about?

Umm, if I told you I'd have to kill you. It comes out in December from Avon. I'm totally in love with the hero who, while strong and passionate and brave, is in many ways the absolute opposite to Kylemore. It starts with my heroine being kidnapped to become the Marquess of Sheene's sex toy so you can probably see that it has a similarly dark, sensual atmosphere to CLAIMING THE COURTESAN.

7. Ooooh....are you sure I can't bribe you with my secret stash of boy toys?

Boy toys or toy boys, Nalini? Ha. There's a couple of devilish twists to the plot I really don't want to give away at this stage. But it's a mixture of Beauty and the Beast and the Sleeping Beauty. The story has a dark fairytale quality that I hope takes the reader into a really different world when it comes to romance novels. It's a world of danger and intense sensuality where nothing is as it seems. And I absolutely love the title. UNTOUCHED works on so many different levels. I was delighted when Avon agreed with me that it really suited the book. I'm putting an excerpt and the back cover blurb on my website www.annacampbell.info in May so I hope I've intrigued you all to come and check it out.

So I'm wondering - how do you feel when you read an ultra alpha? Does the time/world in which a book is set have an influence on how you feel about these forceful, sexy heroes? Who is your favourite alpha hero? Best three answers get a signed coverflat for CLAIMING THE COURTESAN!

Between the Covers

Calling all stationery addicts over to Between the Covers!

Links, links, links!

Some lovely links today.

Sara Hantz, author of the upcoming The Second Virginity of Suzy Green, has just launched her new website.

Dear Author has a great interview with editor Angela James - Samhain Publishing. (Samhain was recently recognized as an RWA approved publisher).

Yasmine Galehorn is the Berkley Babe at Between The Covers today and she's talking about her heroes and why she loves them. She's also got links to a competition giving away ARCs (advanced copies) of her next book.

Gena Showalter is at The Midnight Hour, talking about heroic qualities. Not only is the blog fun, she's giving away a book.

Amy Knupp of Writeminded now has a Myspace page so friend her!

And finally, I live in a very geologically active country. Check out these pictures of the lahar from Mt Ruapehu. The mass of mud, ash and rocks broke the banks of the crater lake and swept down the river. The early-warning system worked and there were no injuries, just the most amazing spectacle of Mother Nature in action.

JD Robb - Innocent In Death

I seriously LOVED this book! Yes, I'm an Eve and Roarke junkie but this book was just...wow. The emotion, the suspense, the whole shebang. I'm already going crazy waiting for the next one!

I suppose I should write something coherent, but really, this is a total love-fest. I devoured it in one giant rush. I loved seeing Eve and Roarke's relationship get rocky (heart palpitation time!), then not only survive, but get stronger. These two are just so real. The mystery was pretty cool, too, with an unforgettable ending, but for me, this book was all about Eve and Roarke.

Sigh. I think I'm in a JD Robb induced book coma of happiness.

Golden Rose & That Which Has No Name (Yet)

I've been a bit scattered this week because of a number of things, but mostly because of That Which Has No Name (see below). Which is why I forgot to announce that Slave to Sensation has been nominated for a Love Romances Golden Rose award. It's in a somewhat unexpected category but it's a reader award, so the nomination makes me very happy. :)

Now, onto That Which Has No Name a.k.a. my cough. I swear, I've had it so long, it feels like it's taken up permanent residence in my body. Therefore, I think it should have a name - as all uninvited houseguests have. So today, I ask you to Name My Cough (insert gameshow music). To help you get a feel for this character, I'm giving you his/her main characteristics:

Jerk(y)
Abrasive
Persistent
Insomniac
Capable of sneak attacks

And...the clock starts now!

More Good News, Chat & Clay's Book

In the good news department, Visions of Heat, as well as hitting high on the Bookscan list (yipee!!), hit #14 on the Waldenbooks overall mass market list (double yippee!!). Thank you to all of you for the support! :)
__________

Also I'm doing a chat this afternoon NZ time/Thursday night US time (confused yet?). Here are the details. Hope some of you swing by:

Thurday March 15 - 9pm Eastern
The Knight Agency Chatroom

For New Zealand, that's Friday March 16 - 2pm.

If you live in another timezone, you can do the time conversion by using the Meeting Planner at the Worldclock. I love that site. May it never go off the air.
__________

This week I did some delicate surgery on Clay's book - title: Mine to Possess (does it work for you?). Okay, the surgery wasn't so delicate. I kind of cut out twenty pages. The pain, the agony! But I think the book will be better for it.

So, what have you been up to?

Caressed By Ice Cover!

There might be some small changes to this cover, and the colors are definitely brighter than are showing up here but otherwise, check it out! I'm loving the blue, the ice, everything!

Visions & OOTB Tour: New Moon - Rebecca York

I have an OOTB tour book for your delectation today, but first, some very nice news:

Visions of Heat is #7 on the Barnes & Noble Mass Market Romance list and #30 on the overall B&N Mass Market list! Yippeee! :)

(insert happy dancing smilie!)

Also, I did a small writing-focused interview with a fellow author over at Jennifer on Writing, which has just gone up.

And now, the tour! Check it out. Something to note - Rebecca had a book video made up for this book that utilizes real actors. Links below!
_____________________________

NEW MOON by Rebecca York

Berkley Sensation March 6, 2007

It's in one man's true nature to remain by the side of the woman he loves, rather than live without her in his own universe...

Landscape architect Logan Marshall is out for a jog-in his werewolf form-when a trap catches his paw. As it saps his strength, he is saved by another werewolf, who-to Logan's amazement-is female.

Female werewolves aren't supposed to exist. But Rinna is a shapeshifter from another dimension who's traveled through a portal to this world. And the trap that ensnared Logan was set by her former captor, and meant for her...

But as soon as Rinna and Logan touch, an electrifying bond forms between them. Unable to resist his desire for Rinna, in all her many forms, Logan will have to earn her trust, and travel through both dimensions to save her-and earth-from the wrath of her enemy...

Excerpt

ABOUT REBECCA YORK

Ever since she can remember, Rebecca York has loved making up stories full of adventure, romance and suspense. As a child she corralled her friends into adventure games or acted out romantic suspense stories with a cast of dolls. But she never assumed she could be an author, because she couldn't spell. Her life changed, however, with the invention of the word processor and spelling checker--and the help of her husband, Norman Glick, who spots spelling errors from fifty paces away. She has authored or co-authored over 60 romantic suspense novels, many with paranormal elements.

You can see an interview with Rebecca York at: www.romancenovel.tv

REVIEWS

Logan Marshall is out for a run in his werewolf form when he is caught in a vicious trap that saps not only his strength but also his intellect and consciousness. He is saved by a female werewolf who cajoles him into changing form and frees him from the mysterious trap, which had actually been laid to trap her. Female werewolves don't exist in Logan's world (a world that could be our own), but Rinna is from a parallel universe. That world descended into feudalism and came to be ruled by the cruel Falcone, who has been using Rinna's paranormal talents for his own gain. Using the portals between worlds, Falcone has plans to invade and conquer Logan's world. Rinna, a slave in her realm, finds Logan's world horribly confusing and dangerous but Logan himself incredibly enticing. York's combination of werewolves, romance, suspense, science fiction, and fantasy is a winning one. -- Booklist

NEW MOON is a refreshing story told with a new light and a few twists I couldn’t see coming. Ms. York brought some wonderfully strong characters into this book with Logan and Rinna. Their love is a pure and caring love that brings tears to the reader’s eyes. She reprised some of our beloved characters from previous books and they helped to complete this story. NEW MOON is a definite “must read” in this clever series! – Romance Junkies

BOOK TRAILERS

30-SECOND VERSION

2-MINUTE VERSION

Website http://www.rebeccayork.com

Visions of Heat Meme Contest Winner

Thank you to everyone who did the Visions of Heat meme. I hope you had fun! And now, here's the news you've all been waiting for - the winner of the $50 Amazon voucher plus an ARC of Caressed By Ice soon as it becomes available. (I picked the winner totally randomly - by assigning all the entrants a number, then running a random number generator). The person whose number came up was:

Scooper

Huge congratulations!!

Twilight - Stephenie Meyer

Twilight - Stephenie Meyer

About three things I was absolutely positive:

First, Edward was a vampire.

Second, there was a part of him… that thirsted for my blood.

And third, I was unconditionally and irrevocably in love with him.

You know that part in Jerry Macquire where Renee Zellweger says, "You had me at Hello?" Well, this book had be at that backcover blurb. It's like the shortest thing ever but I was hooked. (I first read that blurb on Bam's site, so swing over that way for a great, comprehensive review). For my part, the backcover blurb effect held true - I loved, loved, loved this book!

The story focuses around Bella and Edward (the vampire). They're teenagers (well, at least on the surface) so this is nominally a young adult book, but seriously people, ignore the YA tag. This is one of those books that transcends all sorts of genre boundaries - it is just a fantastic story.

Details: While Edward is mysterious and all-around fascinating, the heart of the book is Bella. She's a teenager with a teenager's hangups, but she's also oddly grown up in the way she handles the whole vampire issue and more. She makes up her mind and she sticks with it, which is one of the reasons I really loved her character. There's very little angsting with Bella.

And yeah, Edward is hot (hey, I get to say that - he's only pretending to be a teenager!). Overall, I fell for Stephenie Meyer's voice. It's very clear, very calm and absolutely riveting. Read this book! You won't be sorry. I'll definitely be picking up the sequel - New Moon.

VOH Meme Reminder

A reminder: If you haven't taken part in the Visions of Heat Meme contest, be quick. It ends March 10th!

Hope you all have a great Thursday/Friday. I'm dreaming of white sand beaches and blue skies - I can't believe I was on this beach only days ago!

The VIP Folder

In honor of Visions of Heat's release, let's take a peak Behind the Scenes.

The VIP Folder, a.k.a. the Series Bible, refers to the folder I have full of stuff about the Psy/Changeling series. I need this because my world has certain rules that have to be followed, as well as a large cast of characters I need to get right. I didn't realize this when I wrote Slave to Sensation, but when I began Visions of Heat, it became obvious. I kept having to flick through StS to check things.

At the simplest level, the bible involves keeping physical descriptions of the characters. I need to know who has what color hair and eyes, their height and any defining characteristics - for example, Lucas's facial markings. (Not that I would ever forget those!)

This stops me making goofs or helps me pick them up when I do. For example in Slave to Sensation, Rina's hair color changed from blonde to brunette, a mistake I picked up during one of the final edits.

However that's not all I have. I have tree diagrams that show the links between characters, both in terms of blood or in terms of Pack/the PsyNet. And, because timing is important in my world, I also have a timeline with people's birthdates and other major events. Events change characters and I need to remember each event, each shift, each point of growth.

All this sounds very organized and technical, and to some extent, it is. I need the information easily accessible and simple. But I don't write the book constantly referring to it. I tend to write my drafts fairly loosely in terms of internal consistency, checking only major factors that might affect the plot. It's during the later edits that I go through and make sure the tiny details are right.

The bible is by no means complete, it's a work in progress - for example, when I write Hawke's story, I'm going to have to go through every book before his and note the passages where he's mentioned, because he's such a strong presence throughout the series - but it's very, very useful. I would recommend doing the extra work to any author writing a series. It will save you time a thousand times over. You might still make mistakes (we're only human after all) but a comprehensive bible helps lower the chances of that happening.

Any questions?

Visions of Heat release & Blog-Hopping

First - as of a few hours ago Visions of Heat is officially out! YIPPEE!! :)

Second - I'm blogging over at RRAH about psychic powers - come over and join me. And I'm also over at Between The Covers, talking about happy thoughts, so swing by that way too. (How can I be in two places at once? Welllll, I have the power to replicate copies of myself, like the bank-robber guy in X-Men 3. Tangent - someone please tell me it wasn't really the Last Stand? More X-Men please!).

Reviews, Interview & Moon Called by Patricia Briggs

Lots of things to talk about today - the official release of Visions of Heat is almost here! I'm counting down the hours now. As well as doing that, I'm also hanging out in a couple of other places today, including Writeminded and Dear Author. The latter is part of an interview series focusing on international authors.

And to start the day off on a high note, two more great reviews for Visions of Heat:

"...brace yourselves because the second installment of the Psy-Changeling series will set all your senses ablaze and leave your fingers singed with each turn of the page. VISIONS OF HEAT is that intense!..."

Romance Junkies, 5 Ribbons

This one's from LesleyW, one of the ARC winners. I think this is my favorite bit of the review. She says of Vaughn and Faith, that:

"..they fit, in a way I don't think either of them would be able to with anybody else...."

Check out her review if you'd like to see another reader's take on the book.

Now, onto what I was going to post today before I got all this good news I had to share.

MOON CALLED - Patricia Briggs

This is the book I took with me on the plane trip to Australia. I don't usually concentrate very well on planes, but Moon Called drew me in and wouldn't let go, it was that good. I'm coming late to the series as this was published last year, but that's all to the better - because soon as I was done with Moon Called, I ran out and grabbed Blood Bound, the second book. I'm halfway through it and OMG it's so good!

Okay, onto the book. This is the backcover blurb:

Mercy Thompson's sexy next-door neighbor is a werewolf.

She's tinkering with a VW bus at her mechanic shop that happens to belong to a vampire.

But then, Mercy Thompson is not exactly normal herself...and her connection to the world of things that go bump in the night is about to get her into a whole lot of trouble.

Usually it's the blurb that grabs me, but this time around it was the cover. I love the covers for both books in the series! But though the cover caught my eye, it was the story that kept me hooked. Mercy is a one-of-a-kind heroine. She's a mechanic to start with, and she's got her feet firmly planted in the ground, despite the fact that she knows that there really are a lot of things that go bump in the night.

One of those things is her neighbour, Adam, who happens to be the alpha of the local werewolf pack. Can you say yum?! Then there's Samuel, another dominant wolf and someone she loved as a teenager. Yum x 2. But it's not just the romantic angle that had been hooked, it was the whole world. All the secondary characters have roles to play and they're interesting in their own right, from Zee, Mercy's old boss, to Ben, the creepy werewolf.

This is an urban fantasy, but with a definite romantic thread - I love the interplay between Mercy and Adam/Samuel. Their interactions sometimes reminded me of Eve and Roarke in the JD Robb books. Eve and Mercy are very different, but they're both strong women going up against equally strong men. The resulting fireworks are oh-so-cool.

Seriously, I cannot gush enough about this book. It is beyond fabulous! So much so that I kept annoying my travelling companions on my trip to Australia by sneaking off to read a few pages each time they had their backs turned. And the second I was done, I started in on Blood Bound. I think I've just found an author to add to my favorites list! Recommended a gazillion times over!

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.
________________________
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.
_____________________________

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!
_______________

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.)
__________________________________________

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.
___________

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!
________________

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!

______________________________________

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.

~~~

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

~~~

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)

~~~

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.

~~~

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