Guest Blogger: Jennifer Lewis!

Today's guest is the very Desirable Jennifer Lewis! Not only is she talking about one of my favorite subjects (alpha men!), she's giving away a signed copy of Seduced For The Inheritance. Just leave a comment on this post to enter the draw (winner will be announced in the comments).

Naldo de Leon is the most arrogant hero I’ve ever written. Since his book Seduced for the Inheritance is out this month, I’ve been thinking a lot about alpha males, and when Nalini asked me to guest blog, I thought it would be a fun subject to tackle.

(Anyone who’s read Nalini’s books knows she’s an expert in alpha males :::Jen fans self::: )

Love ‘em or hate ‘em, alpha males have been around since the beginning of time and in romance novels they’ve dominated the genre since it began. In real life, a gentle, considerate Beta man who always wants to do what you like might seem appealing, but in romance?? Not so much. Though sometimes you may want to slap them, there’s something about an alpha male that calls to us at a primal level.

What is the appeal of the alpha male?

I think it can be summed up in one word: Confidence.

The alpha male knows he’s right. He doesn’t have any doubts. If he sets out to do something, he’s sure he’ll achieve it.

Of course this can be incredibly annoying, as my heroine Anna discovers when she inherits a small cottage and one acre of land in the middle of Naldo’s vast citrus estate. Naldo is determined to buy it back and keep his estate whole—as it has been since his conquistador ancestors first set foot there—regardless of what Anna wants.

Then again, there’s an appealing side to this confidence. Do you want to hang around with a guy who says, “Uh, honey, I think I can snag a rabbit or two, but why don’t you collect some berries anyway…’kay?” Or the one who says, “I’ll be back soon with the buffalo! Keep the fire hot!!”

I know which one I’d want to depend on in a crisis :)

This self-confidence can make it hard for alpha males to see alternative points of view (or reason, depending on how you look at it…). But when they do start to listen to the heroine, or to show their soft side, I find that very moving. An alpha male might never come out and say “I was wrong”, but I had fun with Naldo showing his gradual awaking to Anna’s point of view in how he confesses things he’d rather keep secret, and in how he defends her—and his relationship with her—to others.

Ultimately Naldo finds he’s met his match in Anna. I’ll be discussing her—and other strong, proud, unsinkable women—in a guest blog I’m doing tomorrow on ‘alpha females’ over at the Fresh Fiction Blog

Do you like alpha males or do you prefer a more accommodating and easy-going male in your romance novels? What alpha traits do you like or dislike? Who is your favorite alpha male? Which one would you most like to spank???

Thanks Nalini for letting me stop by!

Jen
http://www.jenlewis.com

Guest Blogger: Jennifer St. Giles!

Today's guest is the lovely and talented Jennifer St. Giles, and she's talking about the Dark Side of Sexy. Oooooh... Let's welcome Jennifer to the blog everyone!!

When looking at the covers to my paranormals Touch A Dark Wolf and Lure of the Wolf, my friend Kathryn Caskie of Sexy Regency Fame, said that’s a whole lot of Dark Side of Sexy! And boy did those words resonate with me. I spent the last week on a thread at RomanceNovel.tv discussing that topic and I’m currently putting together a workshop for the Dark Side of Sexy. It’s just too funny what will strike creativity in a writer. I remember hearing years ago from a now southern mystery writer about the time she was deliberating about what sort of writer she would be. Being the wife of a pastor, everyone in her life assumed she would write in accordance to her religious upbringing, that she’d use her talents to inspire and uplift others. She had just one problem with that.

Every where she went, whether to tour a southern mansion, go to the lake, or just even cruising through a section of town, she saw in her mind’s eye, bodies. People murdered. Mysteries were her thing. So, as Kathryn said. The Dark Side of Sexy. I realized that was my thing. As Barbara Vey on Beyond Her Book Blog at www.publishersweekly.com put it. St. Giles knows her Alpha Furry Males.

My heroes more and more are going through the St. Giles 4-H litmus test. They are Hard, Hot, Heroic, and a Hell of a lot. Now I’m in no way claiming that I’ve mastered these Dark Side of Sexy Men in my mind, because nothing I envision ever comes to complete fruition onto the page, but every book does come a little bit closer. The month of Halloween is a good month for us to examine the Dark Side of Sexy. Those men who have got what it takes to face evil and win. They are Alpha, They walk the edge. But they learn how to love.

So tell me what your thoughts about the Dark Side of Sexy are and go to Romancenovel.tv and check out the Second Week of Kathryn Caskie’s Halloween treats and see what else I had to say about the Dark Side of Sexy. And don’t forget to check out all my Dark Side of Sexy and then email me at Jennifer@jenniferstgiles.com and tell me your ideas! Three cheers to Nalini for inviting me to come and share with you today and for writing kickass Dark Side of Sexy heroes too.

Happy Halloween

Jennifer St. Giles
USA Today Bestselling Author.
www.jenniferstgiles.com
www.betweenyoursheets.com

Guest Blogger: Gena Showalter!

To kick off the week of guest bloggers, we've got the fabulous and funny Gena Showalter, who is totally gorgeous and does not have hay hair. Read on to find out what I'm talking about. (Gena's also giving away a signed copy of Enslave Me Sweetly - just leave a comment to enter the draw.)

It’s a wee bit intimidating, coming here. Nalini is a brilliant, insightful, amazingly talented woman. Meanwhile, I am known for my Hay Hair, Bitch Slapping, and Gnomes. So as not to humiliate myself all the more, I'll move on to a different topic quickly. Originally, I planned to discuss my upcoming release Savor Me Slowly. Rather than do so – because I want to talk about other people’s books -- I’ll just post a short mention of what it’s about:

Mishka Le’Ace was created to be an undercover operative . . . literally. Her beautiful body has been mechanically augmented to give her superhuman strength -- strength she’s going to need. Her latest mission sends her to rescue Alien Investigation and Removal agent Jaxon Tremain from torture and death. With him, she discovers a passion unlike any other. A passion she was forbidden to know. . .

From the moment they meet in a darkened cell, Jaxon craves her touch. But the machine half of Le’Ace forces her to do things she doesn’t always want to do. Even betray him . . . and ultimately destroy him. Now Jaxon must battle the man controlling Le’Ace and even Le’Ace herself to at last claim the woman he’s come to love.

Now then. My list of Upcoming Must Have Books:

Wicked Deeds On a Winters Night by Kresley Cole. This book comes out Oct. 30^th and it is absolutely amazing! I want to live the world Kresley has created, I want to date the men, and I want to be BFF’s with the women (otherwise they would bitch slap me).

Tall, Dark and Filthy Rich by Jill Monroe. A Nov. 1^st release. I absolutely adore Jill’s sense of humor. She’s one of those authors that can have me laughing out loud and sighing dreamily when I finish the book. And baby, she writes steaming hot love scenes.

Bloodfever by Karen Moning. This is book 2 in the Fever series, due out any day now, and I am drooling for it! I must know what’s going on with Mac.I want to learn all of Jericho Barrons secrets. Anyone else lusting for this mystery man?

I just read Lover Unbound by JR Ward and found it breathtaking and phenomenal. What I’m reading now is an ARC of Demon Night by Meljean Brook and I am loving every word!

What have you recently read? What are you reading now?

What's up next week?

Here's the lowdown for next week - I am in the process of lining up an awesome week of guest bloggers for you. There will be fun, perhaps some mayhem and there might even be a giveaway or three. *grin* Who are the guests? Fabulous, fabulous people...but you'll have to come back next week to see them!

Now that I've finished teasing you, I must admit that alas, there are no links this week. I've been busy working away on a number of things. I've also been thinking about names. To really sing for me, characters have to have the right names and one particular person is driving me up the wall right now - here's all I hear as I bring out names for her selection: no, no, no and no!

Join me in my insanity - what are your favorite character names, names that just seem to "fit" the person they are?

Weekly Catchup

I'm cooking up something fun, fun, fun for you guys next week, but I'll let you know the details once they're confirmed. Check back tomorrow and I should have things sorted...oooh, what can it be?

This week, I've been playing over at the Romance Novel TV forum. I couldn't tell you I was there because I was the Mystery Author. Seriously, you guys have to go over and play this game. Each week they have a new mystery guest and the aim of the game is to unmask the author by asking them questions. Of course, the author can be as mysterious as they like *grin*

And I can't believe I forgot to link to the AAR trivia contest and mini-interview with me. I think there are still a couple of hours left to enter the draw to win a whole pile of books, so hurry!

Okay, tell me your news, plans, raves and rants about the week and upcoming weekend.

Amuse me!

How about telling some jokes today? Know any good ones? I'm the kind of person who forgets the punchline. *grin* What about you guys?

Hand Art

I was thinking about what to post today when this fwd popped into my inbox. Apparently it takes the artist 4 hours to do a hand. The double handed eagle took 10. If anyone knows the origin of these pictures, enlighten us! (Clicking on the images should get you a bigger pic.)

The artist is Guido Daniele. Thanks to Dayna for the info!

Reader Interview: Jenny Schwartzberg

Tuesday is reader interview day. If you'd like to participate (you know you want to), the details are here. Today's interviewee is Jenny, whose breakfast report is making me hungry! Yum, croissants...

1. Tell us a bit about yourself.

My name is Jenny Schwartzberg and I'm a rare book librarian in Chicago, Illinois, USA. I love books, history and languages so I have the perfect job at the Newberry Library, which has books and manuscripts from the Middle Ages to the present in lots of languages: http://www.newberry.org I'm also a part-time graduate student in library school and having a blast. I'd forgotten how much I love learning....

2. Are you a hoarder or do you give your books away?

Oh a hoarder, definitely. I have books packed away and stowed in every corner. I've been collecting books since I was very young and if I ever get a place of my own with enough room to unpack them all, I probably would have 20,000 plus books on my shelves. I very reluctantly give my books away since I always think, oh, but I want to reread this! I do have to clear some space so I have to go be ruthless, groan....

3. What author might tempt you into turning stalker?

You maybe *g*. I'd love to ask you all kinds of questions about the Psy/Changeling world.... I would happily have stalked some authors who are dead, such as L. Frank Baum, L.M. Boston, and Andre Norton.

4. How susceptible are you to chocolate?

I love Teuscher's chocolate, but most chocolate isn't that great. I tend to prefer white chocolate...

5. Favorite book? Why?

You did have to ask that? There's no way I can narrow it down to one book! Romances: Slave to Sensation; Marjorie M. Liu's Tiger Eye and Shadow Touch; most of Mary Jo Putney's books, current favorites by her are The Spiral Path and The Marriage Spell; Sherrilyn Kenyon's Fantasy Lover, Linnea Sinclair's Finders Keepers and Accidental Goddess; Georgette Heyer's The Tollgate, etc. etc. etc. And if you wanted me to start on children's books, fantasy and science fiction, mysteries...........

6. If you knew you were going to be stuck on a desert island, what three things would you take with you?

An e-book reader with an everlasting battery so I could pack zillions of books along with me *g*, an outfit in a super-duper space fabric that would last forever and be washable, dryable, and warm or cool as needed, and some kind of toilet setup that is hygienic, green and non-smelly!! I'd put in much more but you did say three....

7. What did you eat for breakfast?

A latte with skim milk (lots of foam), 4 packets of saccharin, and a croissant. There's a bakery next to the library and I love to stop there for breakfast.

8. How many books in your current to-be-read pile?

Gah. I buy too many books.... I also have books on interlibrary loan. I have about 15 books on ILL that I need to read and return, on history of children's literature, and 40+ children's books, romances and science fiction that I will definitely get around to reading. And way too many books I think I might read someday (hundreds....).

9. Describe your idea of a perfect hero.

Hmmm. I haven't met my hero yet *g*. Ideally though he would be compassionate, intelligent, capable, not lazy, a conversationalist, a family man, and yes, able to defend his family if necessary. Personal heroes are different from romance novel heroes though! I do think your Lucas is a great hero.

p.s. Think I should add any other questions?

So what would people think was a perfect heroine??

Currently I think Sascha fits the bill.... Or Abby from Mary Jo Putney's The Marriage Spell. If you haven't read that book, go read it right now.

Extra reader submitted question(s)! Answer at will :)

* Which character in a book do you relate most with?

The heroine of course *g*. But I have to be able to empathize with most if not all of the characters to read a book. If the characters are unlikeable, I stop reading....

Angels Fall & Northern Lights - Nora Roberts

Okay peeps, you have a few more hours to ask PC any questions and enter the giveaway. I'll update this post once we've drawn the book prize. The random numbers have spoken. The winner of one copy each of Marked and Betrayed is Shari C. Email me at nalinisinghwrites @ gmail.com (without the spaces) with your addie. :)

And onto today's post!

I'm a crazy, crazy fan of Nora Roberts writing as JD Robb, but for some reason, I haven't read a lot of NR's single titles. Well, I tell you, that is going to change! Last year I loved Blue Smoke, and just recently I read Angels Fall, and really enjoyed the characters, the mystery and the small town setting.

Afterward, I read some reviews (yeah, I do it backward) and a lot of people linked Angels Fall with Northern Lights, not in the sense that they're connected stories, but because they're both set in small, isolated towns. Since I loved that about Angels Fall, I immediately grabbed Northern Lights. I'm so glad I did.

They're two very different stories, with utterly different characters - however the sense of community in them both is so strong. But what really, really got me, is the way the locations are described. Angels Fall is set in Wyoming, and Northern Lights in Alaska. After reading these books, I had just such a vivid sense of time and place for both those locations that I could almost touch them. I'm not talking about chunks of description - it's all woven in so seamlessly into the story that the locations become characters, too.

I'm now a total NR fan, no matter which pen name. Time to start going through the backlist (rubs hands in glee). If you want to check out book descriptions, have a look at the Publishers Weekly reviews on the Amazon pages for Angels Fall & Northern Lights.

What's your reaction to the same author writing different styles of books? Any favorite authors who you only read under one pen name and not the other?

Interview with PC & Kristin Cast

Today I've got something special for you - an interview with the writing team of PC & Kristin Cast, authors of the awesome House of Night series. You guys know I loved Marked (book 1), and I'm so excited to tell you that Betrayed (out now) was just as good!

PC is going to be dropping by the blog to answer any questions or comments you guys have, so hit her with them. She's also giving away a signed copy each of Marked & Betrayed. The post will be up all weekend - we'll draw the winners from the comments noon on Monday, New Zealand time, so feel free to bug PC till then!

1. How/when did the two of you decide to write together?

PC: Well, I was working on chapter 1 of MARKED and I kept screaming down the hall asking Kristin questions like, "KRISTIN! What do teenagers call being drunk?" and "KRISTIN! Is it revved or gunned an engine?" (This was her first semester in college before she moved on campus.) Somewhere in the middle of my shrieking I realized it would be way easier on both of us if she and I just co-authored. Kristin agreed - I ran the idea past my agent, and she thought it was great. And off we went.

2. I'm always curious about the technical aspects of collaboration. How do you write the books - do you do a chapter each? A scene each?

PC: When we first started writing together I would write and chapter, send it to her, then she'd rewrite and send it back to me. We're on our 4th book now and our system is much smoother. We discuss plots, conflicts, characters, etc., and then I write a draft of the book and send it to Kristin. She rewrites and sends it back to me. Sometime I call her in earlier and have her read sections and we discuss. Also, I often leave blanks in Zoey's internal dialogue and Kristin fills them in for me.

3. For PC: Is it easier or harder to collaborate with someone as close to you as your daughter?

PC: I've only had limited experience collaborating with another author (Gena Showalter and I have done some writing together - which was a very enjoyable experience), but I'd say it's much easier than I think an outsider would imagine. Kristin and I have always been very close and we're used to being honest with each other. Plus, I can beat her, which is a definite plus.

4. For Kristin: What's it like collaborating with your mother? Does she try to be the boss?

Kristin: Working with my mom is really easy, because she tends to be laid back and really wants and values my opinion. Also, I get to tell her when she sounds old and when she’s wrong (which is completely awesome!).

5. How many books in the House of Night series? Is it open-ended or closed?

Right now we're contracted for six books, but I'd call the series open-ended. I don't know how we're going to get done what we want to do in only six books.

6. I loved Marked and after reading Betrayed, all I can say is that you two are amazing! Did you know you were going to be writing a series when you began Marked?

PC: Thanks Nalini! Coming from an author I respect so much that's a wonderful compliment. When I began MARKED I was only planning two books, but St. Martin's wanted three in the original contract, which is a good thing, because no way did we get the story told in two books! Before we'd finished with the third they were already wanting three more - again, a good thing because the plot had just exploded.

7. In Betrayed, something earth-shattering happens. I want to ask you about it but I don't want to spoil it for your fans, so...do you want to make any general-will make sense after you read the book-comments about Betrayed?

PC: I'd say to trust us. We're going to make you cry, but just believe that there are some characters we love too much to actually kill off, even if it means creating a whole new species of beings.

8. What's book 3 titled and what's it about?

PC: Book three is titled CHOSEN, and it beings a month after the events of BETRAYED. It gets darker as the issues Zoey has to deal with become more serious. And keep in mind - teenagers tend to make mistakes, and Zoey is definitely a teenager.

Kristin: I think CHOSEN is amazing! It is my absolute favorite – well, so far.

9. You have amazing covers for this series. Did you have any input into that aspect of things?

We gave them a lot of input about Zoey's tattoos, which they translated into the amazing design on the cover.

10. Anything else you want to add?

PC: In October St. Martin's is launching the House of Night website,
www.houseofnightseries.com. It's going to be an interactive site, so we would love to get your feedback!

Kristin: I just want to make a general thank you to everyone for their support and emails!

(Don't forget to comment and enter the giveaway of one copy each of Marked and Betrayed!)

Weekly Catchup

First up, I'm over at Tote Bags 'n' Blogs talking about novellas, today. Come join me!

So what's everyone planning for their weekend? I'm going to be going through galleys and doing some edits. And yes, I consider that fun *g*

Cover! Mine to Possess

Check it out! I'm seriously in love with this cover :)

An Enchanted Season

An Enchanted Season is now officially out! :-)

I'm supposed to be working on another novella today, but I'm having to fight the compulsion to grab some hot chocolate, a blanket and a keeper book. Cause you know that nice weather I told you about? History. Hail just clattered against my window. The trees are being whipped by wind outside. It's a day made for reading I tell you!

Must. Not. Look. At. Keeper. Shelf.

Instead, let's talk keepers today. What books do you have that have made it through purges, changes in taste and style, even house moves? Share some of your all time keepers (while I go back to the frontier...yes, I'm writing a historical novella!).

Reader Interview: Clare

Tuesday is reader interview day. If you'd like to participate (you know you want to), the details are here. Today's interviewee is Clare, who has two verrrry interesting pets. Must know more about Homicidal Budgie! :)

1. Tell us a bit about yourself.

~ I’m me. Um…ok guess I should say more than that, never know what to say though.

I’m 30, female, I live in Wales, UK with a homicidal Budgie, Evil Cat and adorable Hubby. I have a truly un-exciting job in supermarket admin/EPOS and among other things enjoy slipping into fiction as often as poss. Hence the straining bookshelves. Favourite authors would be Dean Koontz (older stuff) Nora Roberts (older stuff) Sue Brockmann (trouble-shooter). Music varies with mood.

2. Are you a hoarder or do you give your books away?

~ Major hoarder. In my home you'll find a book in every room. Until my iminent lottery win allows me to buy every book I hear of and covet I rely on constant re-reads to keep me sane and favourites are treasured. I have irregular de-clutter splurges but hubby usually finds me surrounded my piles of books happily reading a forgotten tome.

3. What author might tempt you into turning stalker?

~ Possibly Sue Brockmann I’m a recent convert so have been busy catching up.
(opens tent flap and waves towards house 'Hi Sue')

4. How susceptible are you to chocolate?

~ Chocolate! Where? You said Chocolate…..

5. Favorite book? Why?

~ Just ONE book? That’s really hard. Settle for a top 4 in no order?

Dan Simmons - Swan Song, Dean Koontz - Strangers, Nora Roberts - Montana Sky, Jane Austen - Pride & Prejudice

6. If you knew you were going to be stuck on a desert island, what three things would you take with you?

~ My hubby, A Parasol, A good book.

Assuming of course that there’d be a convenient trapdoor aka Lost with a supply of coffee and chocolate hob-nobs. That sounds like bliss.

7. What did you eat for breakfast?

~ um, must I say?

Cheese on toast with tomatoes and an egg. Not usually so greedy but went out last night and was in work early (not something I'd advise) but hey I missed dinner and I'm having a really healthy tea....honest!

8. How many books in your current to-be-read pile?

~ Only three new but add a coupla re-reads I've dug out of a box and it makes a wobbly knee high stack.

9. Describe your idea of a perfect hero.

~ Humour, depth, delicious.

Imaginary Men & Invisible Lives - Anjali Banerjee

I loved Imaginary Men! It's fun but emotional - a great combination.

In a nutshell, while at her sister's wedding in India, American-raised Lina is introduced to the "bachelor from hell" as a future husband. In panic, she blurts out "I'm engaged!"

It's supposed to be a small lie, but it keeps getting bigger and bigger and now people are planning the wedding and her family wants to meet this amazing fiance. Enter an Indian Prince Charming who wants a proper wife (which Lina is not) and things get really interesting.

I don't tend to read a lot of chick-lit, but I I'm glad I picked this up. There's a romantic heart to it that I really fell head over heels for. Since I enjoyed the book so much, I went looking for what else Anjali Banerjee had written and found Invisible Lives.

I really loved this book, too. Where Imaginary Men has a sense of mischief, Invisible Lives has a thread of magic woven into it. Lakshmi, the heroine, has the ability to know the secret longings of others. As she works in her mother's sari shop, she tries to make those dreams come true. Meanwhile, she's set her own dreams aside. Then in walks the completely unsuitable American Nick Dunbar and suddenly her own dreams rise to the surface.

It's just a beautiful, romantic book. Totally recommended.

You can read more about both books at the author's website. (And no, Anjali Banerjee did not pay me to write any of the above. *grin* I did however email her after reading these books and she's a lovely person who I plan to lasso for an interview when her next book comes out).

Saturday Links

First up, check out this fabulous review of Caressed By Ice over at Dionne Galace! :-)

Also Ali Flores has a short and sweet interview up with me at her blog, where I've been a guest all week.

Now, onto the other links.

The Ilona Andrews website has been updated and redone. There's an excerpt from Magic Burns. Can't wait to read that one.

The third part of Dear Author's ongoing lego video review of Claudia Dain's The Courtesan's Daughter is up. I have two words for you - love scene. In lego!

Also on Dear Author - Madeline Hunter's inspiring first sale story.

Iris Johansen is guesting at Michelle Buonfiglio's Lifetime TV blog, talking about psychic abilities and experiences.

Shiloh Walker has a new cover and excerpt up at Vamps & Scamps, and Jaci Burton has up the cover for Riding Wild.

I think that's it for today's links. Have a great weekend everyone!

Weekly Catchup

Another week's raced by. It's getting really nice and sunny in New Zealand now and the blossom trees are starting to bloom - it's so pretty. Tempting, too. I can just see myself out in the sun, lazing away.

So, how are you all?

Winners & Anthologies

Thanks to the nifty random number generator at Random.org, the winners of the copies of An Enchanted Season are:

1. Kerry
2. Pam
3. Clare

Congrats. Email me your addresses at nalinisinghwrites @ gmail.com (without the spaces).

To answer a question that came up in the comments, the official release date of this anthology is: October 2nd. Write that down in your diaries! My contribution is Beat of Temptation, Nate and Tammy's story, so I guess it's kind of a small prequel. If you haven't read my Psy/Changeling books (shame on you *grin*), you can dip into it via this story, as I wrote it so it could stand alone. And if you do read the series , I hope you'll enjoy this glimpse into DarkRiver's past. :) Excerpt available here.

Do you guys like anothologies as a rule? Me, I enjoy them. I admit I have a special fondness for Christmas anthologies, which is why I'm so excited to be in one.

An Enchanted Season & Guesting at Ali Flores'

Guess what arrived on my doorstep the other day? Author copies of An Enchanted Season!! They look fabulous. I can't wait to hear what you all think of Nate and Tamsyn's story.

I've decided to give away a couple of copies on the blog. Just throw your name in the hat in the comments - oooh, I know, since it's a Christmas themed anthology, why don't you tell me what your favorite Christmas song is. I'll pick the winners tomorrow.

Also, I'm the guest author on Ali Flores' blog all this week. She's running a scavenger hunt and you can win some cool prizes as well as have fun. Hope you'll check it out!

Reader Interview: Casee

Tuesday is reader interview day. If you'd like to participate (you know you want to), the details are here.

Today's interview is Casee, who I was lucky enough to meet in Dallas - here's a photo of us together at the Literacy Signing. Isn't she gorgeous! :-)

1. Tell us a bit about yourself.

My name is Casee. I'm a 26 year old mother of two. I have a boy who is 6 and a girl who is 5. I've been married for 7 years. I currently live in Boise, Idaho but was raised in Northern California. I went from working in accounting to supporting accounting software in I/T. A big career change. I've always loved to read. My first romance was Message from Nam by Danielle Steel.

2. Are you a hoarder or do you give your books away?

I'm a major hoarder, much to my husband's dismay. I really try to keep my books picked up, but they tend to end up everywhere in my house.

3. What author might tempt you into turning stalker?

You? LOL. Kidding, kidding. Actually there are several authors that I stalk. *ahem* I mean might be *tempted* to stalk. They would include Suz Brockmann, Linda Howard, Sherri Kenyon, Cindy Gerard. I could really go on and on.

4. How susceptible are you to chocolate?

More than I like.

5. Favorite book? Why?

Paradise by Judith McNaught. Why? It's a reunion love story. My favorite kind. What Matt and Meredith had to go through to end up together and the end just does it for me everytime.

6. If you knew you were going to be stuck on a desert island, what three things would you take with you?

Only three things or three things in bulk? Books, wine, sunscreen. I'm very pale skinned, what can I say?

7. What did you eat for breakfast?

A Kashi cereal bar.

8. How many books in your current to-be-read pile?

100? 500? Too many to count. In my immediate TBR pile is Gideon by Jacqueline Frank, Whispering Rock by Robyn Carr and Promises Keep by Sarah McCarty.

9. Describe your idea of a perfect hero.

My husband.

Silver Master - Jayne Castle

I'm a huge Jayne Anne Krentz fan, but you guys probably already knew that. I particularly love her futuristics, written under the Jayne Castle pseudonym, so as soon as I got my hands on Silver Master, I had to read it from cover to cover.

This book is part of Jayne Castle's Ghost Hunter series (set on the world of Harmony). Here's the blurb as on Amazon:

Cadence City matchmaker and para-resonator Celinda Ingram meets her match in security specialist Davis Oakes. On the hunt for the powerful relic that Celinda supposedly bought as a toy for her pet dust bunny, Davis must use all of his unique psychic abilities to try and wrest the ruby red object from the suspicious duo, keep his desire for Celinda in check-and keep them all safe from those who will do anything to possess the relic.

I loved it! I love Jayne Castle's characters, love the way they fall for each other other page by page, love her voice. It just sucks me in each time, and this was no different.

If you want to find out more, check out the fun video on Jayne Castle's website - narrated by Celinda's dust bunny!

Hope you all had a good weekend. Did you do any reading?

Weekly Catchup

What's up with everyone? I'm on draft 4 of Dorian's book (I do a lot of drafts), and it's starting to get intense. :-)

p.s. The game from yesterday is still going, so go play!

Game: Book Clues

I'm feeling in the mood for a game, so let's do the Weekly Catchup tomorrow and play today. :-)

Rules are simple.

1. I start off by giving you clues to a book.
2. The person who guesses the title/author first, gets a chance to give the next set of clues and so on.
3. Clues can be whatever you like.

For this to work, if you give a set of clues, make sure to check back to see if someone's got the answer so you can let them know it's their turn to post clues. Okay, here's my set!

Book #1

It involves an egg, a war, the navy & a dragon.

Fashion Show

I recently went to my first real live fashion show. It's NZ Fashion Week at the moment, and the boatsheds down at the Viaduct Harbour have been turned into showrooms, complete with catwalks and seating.

Being the writer I am, I was people-watching and all my preconceptions of who attends fashion shows went out the window. Of course there were the fashionistas, and the people who were clearly buyers, or media. But there was a huge range of other folk (of which I was one), who came along for the show. And it truly was a show - there was so much to look at, from the makeup on the models, to the clothing (of course), to the way the catwalk was lit up, and the reactions of the people watching.

Not only did I have a fun time, I felt like my eyes had been opened to a whole new world. One of these days, I'm going to use a fashion show in a book, so look out! Personally, I enjoy books that give me a hint of a new or different world, so long as the information doesn't overload the story. Do you guys have any favorites in terms of books that explored an area that you weren't familiar with?

Admirals, Reluctant Adults & More

Linnea Sinclair has got Admiral Branden Kel-Paten in the hot seat, answering questions. So if you liked Games of Command and want to find out more about the Admiral, here's your chance.

(Hmm, that's a fun idea. Are there any of my characters you guys would like to shoot questions at? Maybe I can talk a changeling or a Psy over here.)

The Night Owl Romance Awards are now open for voting, and I'm very pleased to share that CBI has been nominated.

Boundless authors Annie Dean, Bonnie Dee & Dionne Galace are guesting over at Jaci Burton's blog and they're talking heroines.

If you're a fan of Tess Gerritsen, you might want to check out this article. (I lust after her study.)

Have you guys heard of the League of Reluctant Adults? They describe themselves as: "five Urban Fantasy Writers, who don't take themselves very seriously."

And I meant to post this earlier, but both Yvonne Lindsay and Bronwyn Jameson have put up examples of the collages they've done for their books. It's a fun way to brainstorm, something Jenny Cruisie talked about when she was down here. She does some very creative ones for her books - follow the link to see.

Okay, back to work for me. Dorian's whispering my name... *grin*

Reader Interview: Shar

Tuesday is Reader Interview and today I present Shar, who likes those ice-cold heroes (hmm, do we know anyone like that? *grin*). If you'd like to participate in these interviews (you know you want to) the details are here.

1. Tell us a bit about yourself.

My name is Shar.I am a major book addict (and not afraid to admit it). I read most anything (including the back of cereal boxes…I kid you not). I adore paranormal, fantasy, historical, science fiction and urban fantasy though I will pretty much read anything including non-fiction. I read extremely fast (not by choice dang it) so I go through books pretty quickly which means I have to feed my…habit often. Bookstores & authors love me as they see easy money when they see me coming in. My bank account hates me. *sigh*

2. Are you a hoarder or do you give your books away?

I guess hoarder since I have been burned a lot on loaning them, except I do LOAN books out to family and trusted family members. If I don’t like a book or suddenly decide I need more room I either trade or give away my books. Sometimes I sell them to make more money to buy more books. It is an evil cycle I tell you. Otherwise, they are all MINE!!! MINE!!!! i dreamed of owning the library of congress when I was 8 just because I thought it had every book in the planet in it. Yeah, I was strange.

3. What author might tempt you into turning stalker?

Stalk? I have no need to stalk. Pester? Yes. I love to harrass their publishers on finishing up a book or give it to me now so the world can live, but overall, I don't like stalking. Nothing personal, but authors I need for their fictional worlds so stalking wouldn't do me much good now would it? Probably distract them from their work which would be bad for me.

Only one I would come even close to doing so which involves me embarrassing myself by meeting him brieflyat a signing and yelling, "YOU ROCK!!! GIMMIE MORE!! NEED MORE!!! Why are you wasting time signing books when you could write more books? Aghh!" then turning around and going home to check amazon.com every few minutes for the next new release is Terry Pratchett.

4. How susceptible are you to chocolate?

Not in a good way as I am allergic to it so bribery doesn't work on me with it. Pity me.

5. Favorite book? Why? Of all time?

GOOD OMENS by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman. It has everything in it, horror, fantasy, romance, DEATH, armegeddon, DEATH, THE end of the world, DEATH ON A MOTORCYCLE and humor. You can't go wrong with the end of the world, humor and DEATH on a motorcycle!

6. If you knew you were going to be stuck on a desert island, what three things would you take with you?

Hell…I need the vacation….A cell phone that worked in that range, a helicopter filled with gas or a very BIG boat… my family wouldn’t want to go there as no internet access would drive them nuts and homicidal so it would be in everyone’s best interest to just say my books and a knife if I can't have the others.

I had to ask my husband what he would take and he said satellite internet access, a solar panel kit and a laptop so he could cry for help while he browses the internet till he is rescued…sigh..see? I told you

7. What did you eat for breakfast?

Doughnut…Krispy Kreme is a weakness when you can’t have chocolate and it is fresh out of the bakery…oh my!

8. How many books in your current to-be-read pile?

I just went to the store so it is down to 3 where it was five. I don't have big TO-BE-READ piles. I have big lists of books-to-BUY/OWN.

9. Describe your idea of a perfect hero.

A guy who is willing to battle the bad guys, tough, but has an evil sense of humor who is deep down a good person and would NEVER admit to it or brag about it. It just comes naturally as something that he sees as needing to be done so he does it without worry about whether it will make him popular or not. He can be scared, but wouldn’t show it to keep from scaring others and be willing to risk his life to save the innocents and willing to do whatever it takes to stop the bad guy. He also has to be able to love someone. Not me specifically. Just maybe a kid, a cat or another adult. Something. Those tough as nails ice cold guys that find love are a weakness of mine.

p.s. Think I should add any other questions?

Why not? Everyone does it to you so it seems only fair.

Extra reader submitted question(s)! Answer at will :)

* Which character in a book do you relate most with?

The bookworms/computer/comic female geeks or the snarky/smart alec female who gets in trouble while having no clue how it happened. Also the violent ones. I am all about beating the bad guys in whatever fashion is necessary. It’s a flaw of mine. I also strangely relate to villains or those trying to take over the world or destroy it in one go. Though that is usually on my bad days only and are rare like after watching the news or something.

Dreams Made Flesh - Anne Bishop

I loved, loved, LOVED Anne Bishop's Black Jewels Trilogy, so when I found this collection of novellas, I was over the moon!

If you haven't read the Black Jewels trilogy, you really, really, really have to. It's dark and sensual, romantic and addictive.

Also, if you haven't read the trilogy, this blog post contains *spoilers*, so be warned.

There are four novellas in this book.

1. Weaver of Dreams is a short story that explores the origin of the Jewels of power.

2. The Prince of Ebon Rih is about Lucivar and Marian.

3. Zuulaman gives you a dark look into Saetan's past.

4. Kaeleer's Heart tells the story of what happens after Queen of the Darkness, the last book in the trilogy.

I loved this collection to pieces. It just felt like a flawless addition to the trilogy. I always wanted to know what happened to Janelle and Daemon after Queen of the Darkness, and Kaeleer's Heart answers that in the best of ways. And since the wild, dangerous Lucivar was one of my favorite characters in the books, getting to see his story made me jump up and down like a little girl. The other two stories are shorter, but just as intriguing, as they give enticing glimpses into different facets of the world of the series.

Given how much I love these books, I was incredibly excited to hear that Ms. Bishop is writing a new book set in the world of the Black Jewels. Tangled Webs is releasing March next year. Guess who'll be first in line to grab a copy? :-)

As you can see from my very mature and reasoned post above *cough*, I was delighted to find such a wonderful edition to a much-loved series. Are there any series or books that you'd like to see another chapter of?

Saturday Links

A couple of the Fur, Fey and Fangs authors are giving away ARCs if you want to put your name in the hat.

Gena Showalter has the newest cover in her Darkest series. Go forth and drool.

And if you haven't been watching the hilarious lego-animation video reviews at Dear Author, you need to!

That's all the links for today (I'm working hard on Dorian's book!). Have a fabulous weekend. everyone.

Weekly Catchup & Mine to Possess Copy

It's Friday again - time to catch up. But first, I want to let you know that I'm over at Love Is An Exploding Cigar today, talking about walking on the dark side. Come join me! (NB: You have to register to comment but it's very easy).

Now onto the news - this has been a very exciting week for me, with CBI hitting #6 on both the Barnes & Noble and the Borders/Waldens Romance lists! Yippee!! And huge thanks to my readers!!

But wait, there's more. Here's the finalized backcover copy for Mine to Possess.

Nalini Singh pulls away another dark layer of sheer desire, revealing passions unknown, in her latest novel about the world of the Psy. A ghost returns from a leopard changeling’s past, making him question everything—even his base animal instincts…

Clay Bennett is a powerful DarkRiver sentinel, but he grew up in the slums with his human mother, never knowing his changeling father. As a young boy without the bonds of Pack, he tried to stifle his animal nature. He failed…and committed the most extreme act of violence, killing a man and losing his best friend, Talin, in the bloody aftermath. Everything good in him died the day he was told that she, too, was dead.

Talin McKade barely survived a childhood drenched in bloodshed and terror. Now a new nightmare is stalking her life—the street children she works to protect are disappearing and turning up dead. Determined to keep them safe, she unlocks the darkest secret in her heart and returns to ask the help of the strongest man she knows...

Clay lost Talin once. He will not let her go again, his hunger to possess her, a clawing need born of the leopard within. As they race to save the innocent, Clay and Talin must face the violent truths of their past…or lose everything that ever mattered.

Hope you like!

Okay, your turn. Share what's been happening in your corner of the world!

CBI's on TV & RWNZ Conference Photos

I'm so excited! Check out what Gina Bernal, editor for Rhapsody Book Club had to say about Caressed By Ice on Romance Novel TV!

Follow this link!

Also, as promised, here are a couple more photos from the RWNZ Conference!

First up, two more angels! Sharbee on the left, and Maree on the right. Maree was my roomie and a fabulous one at that!


And this is one of me with our fabulous speakers, Jenny Crusie and Anne Stuart. If you ever have a chance to hear either Jenny or Anne speak, grab it. They're just fantastic!

Caressed By Ice Quiz Contest Winner

I want to say a huge thank you to everyone who took part in this contest. In the final count, there were over a hundred entries, which is just amazing!

And the name you've all been waiting for....the winner (picked randomly) of the $50 Amazon voucher is: Li.

Congratulations to Li, and hope you all enjoyed doing the quiz. :-)

Quiz Contest & Reader Interview: Kate

The CBI quiz contest is now closed. The entries came in via a number of ways (including this blog and my Myspace blog), so give me a little time to double check I have everyone's names in the hat so to speak. I'm hoping to announce the winner tomorrow.
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And now onto today's Reader Interviewee - Kate, who takes her chocolate seriously (my kind of woman)! If you'd like to participate (you know you want to) the details are here.

1. Tell us a bit about yourself.

I am from New Jersey, right near NYC. I am just entering my 30th decade (oh my!) I work in the television/video production industry. I am a die hard book reader, reviewer and love to write overall. I am also a true redhead at almost 6'0... well actually 5'10.

2. Are you a hoarder or do you give your books away?

I hoard like crazy but I am one to give books away to my local library or if there is a book I love to rave about, I will let my loyal friends borrow it.

3. What author might tempt you into turning stalker?

Stephen King

4. How susceptible are you to chocolate?

I smell it and I go crazy. If you put a plate of brownies in front of me I will eat all of them and probably the plate also!

5. Favorite book? Why?

Wuthering Heights. My name is Catherine just like the heroine! I think this book is the ultimate in romance, even though the hero is a bit of an obsessive freak, but man oh man the love he had for Cathy was all consuming and heartwretching even after death.

6. If you knew you were going to be stuck on a desert island, what three things would you take with you?

A crate full of gum, hair clip and soap

7. What did you eat for breakfast?

Oatmeal with strawberries

8. How many books in your current to-be-read pile?

20, no joke!

9. Describe your idea of a perfect hero?

Kind, sweet, intelligent, good in bed. LOL

Greywalker - Kat Richardson

Have any of you read Greywalker by Kat Richardson? I picked it up because I found the concept intriguing. Here's the blurb I pulled off the author's website.

Recovering from a near-fatal accident, Seattle Private Investigator Harper Blaine develops the ability to move through the Grey: the realm of ghosts, vampires, witches, and magic that exists between our world and the next. Harper wants her life to return to normal, but when her clients turn out to be paranormal, the reluctant Greywalker is drawn into the affairs of ambitious vampires and angry ghosts. As her cases converge, Harper uncovers a plot that threatens Seattle's Grey world and must choose between honor and survival.

It was the idea of dying (the accident is technically fatal) and coming back as something a little different, that reeled me in. I'm glad it did, because I really enjoyed the mix of paranormal & good old fashioned detective work. There's lots more stuff to explore in this world so I went looking for what the author did with them in the sequel.

Happily, I liked Poltergeist even more than Greywalker. It felt as if Harper was a lot more comfortable with what she can do and the plot really zipped along. I'm definitely looking forward to the next book.

So, what's everyone else reading? Any recs? Hit me with them. (So I can add them to my ever-growing to-be-read pile!)

Link & Photos

First up, a video link for you. Have you ever moaned about not having enough time to write? Well, watch this and I bet you'll change your mind - Natalie Anderson, M&B writer and Mum of 4 kids under 5, including a set of twins, was interviewed on NZ TV.

Fortunately, the video is available online so go have a looksee. Follow this link, then click on the "Romance Writer" link (can be found under the picture of the host). Isn't she lovely? I met Natalie at the RWNZ conference and she's a very cool person to talk to.

And doing this link reminded me that I still hadn't posted up any pictures from the RWNZ conference, so here they are!

Pic 1: Joanne Graves (who's just stepped down as RWNZ President), Superromance author Terry McLaughlin, and TV star Natalie herself!


Pic 2: Amanda Ashby (author of You Had Me At Halo), and the lovely Christina Phillips. Amanda had halos for all of us for the cocktail party. We were all angels ;)


Pic 3: Here's trouble! Suspense author Fiona Brand (check out her new site), Presents author Trish Morey, and fellow Desirable, Bronwyn Jameson.



Pic 4: Another fellow Desirable, Tessa Radley and Harlequin Historicals author Sophia James.

Okay, I'm off to do some work. More photos next week! Have a great weekend everyone!

Weekly Catchup (Updated)

Lots of things happening today:

I'm doing a mini world-building workshop over at Sandra Barkevich's blog. Feel free to come on over and throw questions at me.

Thanks to Shelley, I now know that Caressed By Ice is available as an ebook! I know many of you prefer that format, so yay!

A reminder that the Caressed By Ice Quiz contest closes Sunday, so if you haven't entered yet, you only have a few days left.

Also, at some stage today, my post for Sara Hantz's online launch party is going to go up. I'll try to update this blog once it does. Post is now up!

Okay, your turn! Catch me up on what's happening over in your corner of the world.

Dionne Galace & Jane Porter

Want to talk about Passion and Pride & Prejudice? Then follow me over to Dionne Galace! We're having an interesting discussion about sexual tension and bedroom doors.

Also, remember, I'm still on Jane Porter's message board, too. Yep, I'm taking you guys on a bit of a virtual road-trip this week. Where will we go tomorrow?

Writing Playground

I'm also over at the Writing Playground today. Come join in the discussion about loving to read.

Champagne time!

Caressed By Ice is now officially out!! Time to celebrate!

And as promised, the spoiler thread for CBI is now open. If you don't want to read spoilers about the book, resist the temptation! If you've already read the book and want to speculate, discuss, sigh over Judd (wait, that might just be me *g*), head thataway.

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The link won't disappear anytime soon - it'll be in it's spot (in the right-hand-side column, just above the cover of CBI) for a long while yet, so if you read it later, you can still jump in and join the discussion.

Reader Interview: Helen

CBI's almost out! (It's not yet Sep 4th over on the other side of the world). I'm going to do a happy-dance post tonight my time and we can pop open the champagne. Don't forget your party clothes!
____________

Now, onto today's reader interviewee - Helen!! If you'd like to participate in the reader interviews (you know you want to), the details are here.

1.Tell us a bit about yourself.

My name is Helen Lent. I am 33 years old and live in Michigan. I am the mother of five wonderful children. They range in age from 12 to 4 years. I have been married for almost 13 years to a very wonderful man . With out him I would not know how to go on.

2. Are you a hoarder or do you give your books away?

I love books. The more I have the more I want..lol. You can never have to many books. So I guess I would be called a hoarder.

3. What author might turn me into a stalker?

That is a very good question. Not to offend you , but I would have to say Hamilton or Kenyon. The reason is , I would love to see the men they hang around with. I just want to know where they get their descriptions for the hotties they describe in their books.

4. How susceptible are you to chocolate?

Give me a hottie and chocolate and I would be good to go. So chocolate is very important to me.

5. Favorite book? Why?

My favorite book is The Outsiders. why? I just related to the charactures in that book. It is one book I could read over and over again.

6. If you knew you were going to be stuck on a desert island, what three things would you take with you?

Again, another good question and a tuff one too. A knife, fire kit, and a survival guide. I watch survivor, I'm no fool.

7. What did you eat for breakfast?

For breakfast this morning I had coffee. I always have coffee. I'm not a morning person. So food just does not sound good to me in the morning.

8. How many books in your current to-be-read pile?

I currently have six books in my to-read pile. And about 150 on my list to get. I'll be reading for some time to come.

9. Describe your idea of a perfect hero.

My idea of a perfect hero is just your every day kind of guy. Doesn't have to be the best looking or the smartest or have special powers. And he does not fall for the supermodel type of woman. He goes for the nice girl with the curves and a little extra baggage. That would be my perfect hero.

I guess the character I most relate with is Wren fron Unleash the Night by Kenyon. He stands on the out side watching and never has much to say , but when he does it is important. And he doesn't let any one sway his judgement about what he believes is wright.
So now I have answered your questions, which by the way were very good ones.

Thank you for asking these questions of your readers. It was a very nice to get interviewed by an outstanding author. Oh and one more thing....I can't wait for your next book. I like how you have given the paranormal a new way at looking at the world. Thank you.

Someone to Love - Jude Deveraux

I love Jude Deveraux's books. One of my all time keepers is Remembrance (gee, do I mention that enough?). I just love her voice and I've had no trouble following her from historicals to contemporaries to paranormals.

Someone to Love is a contemporary love story, but it involves ghosts from the past. The cover's kind of cool and ties into that duality. I couldn't find a graphic of it, but while the front has the lady, the back has a man in modern dress.

Here's the blurb:

After three years, Jace Montgomery is still grieving over his fiancée Stacy's mysterious suicide. He hasn't been interested in another woman since her passing, and her family still blames him for her death. While flipping through one of her old paperbacks, Jace discovers a photo of a house stuck between the pages, bearing the cryptic message, "Ours again. Together forever. See you there." The note was dated the day before her death. Obsessed by the possibility of understanding Stacy's suicide, Jace seeks out the property - Priory House, a big brick fortress in Margate, England - and buys it.

It doesn't take long to learn that the house is haunted by a headstrong and feisty ghost, Ann Stuart, whom he must tangle with if he's ever to solve the mystery. Ann died under circumstances similar to those of his late fiancée, and he has a hunch that there is a connection between the two. Through his own investigations and with the help of a beautiful foreign correspondent who is worn out by what she's seen in the world, Jace is forced to reconcile his fiancée's life and her death.

There's mystery, romance and even ghosts - what more could you ask for? I found Someone to Love a lovely, extremely readable book. Yes, I'm a fan. :)

I don't think Ms Deveraux has a website but here's a link to her page on Fantastic Fiction.

Saturday Links (Updated)

Fellow Kiwi Sara Hantz is holding a launch party for the release of her debut book, The Second Virginity of Suzy Green and all her guest bloggers are giving away something. The party will go on for all of next week, so drop by and help Sara celebrate.

Talking of celebrations, Alison Kent is celebrating her birthday by giving away books. Entry rules on her blog. You can also mosey on over to Dear Author and read Alison's first sale story.

The first ever Urban Fantasy Awards are open for nominations. (Link via Fangs, Fur & Fey).

Meljean Brook has been giving her Visa card a workout (and you may benefit from it).

Julie is closing the doors of the Romance Reader At Heart blog, but don't be sad, she's going to be bringing you author interviews, excerpts and other cool stuff at her new website Simply Romance Reviews. Check out her Myspace page for details.

And last but not least, I'm going to be the guest author on the lovely Jane Porter's message board Sep 1 to 7, so come by and visit me.

Hope you all have a great weekend, and I do believe it's a holiday over on the other side of the world - so have a fantastic holiday!

p.s. My newsletter just went out! :)