Guest Author: S.J. Day - Eve of Darkness

I've got a great guest blog for you today from urban fantasy author S.J. Day! The first book in her dark, sexy and action-packed Marked series, Eve of Darkness, has just released, with the next two books in the series releasing back to back in the next couple of months.

Here's the start of the blurb: Cursed by God, hunted by demons, desired by Cain and Abel... All in a day's work.

Oooh... You can check out an excerpt here: http://www.sjday.net and see the book trailer here: http://www.sjday.net/trailer/

S.J has agreed to stop by to answer any questions/comments you have, so please welcome her to the blog!
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First, I must do a *squee* over being invited to blog with Nalini!! (Thank you!)

I just returned from the RT Booklovers Convention a couple days ago. While I was there, I participated on a panel called "Historical and Paranormal: Mixing the Mystical with the Past." One of the questions that were asked was, “How do you keep immortal characters from becoming cynical and jaded?”

Since the two heroes of my Marked series are Cain and Abel--arguably two of the oldest people ever--this was a fun question to answer. The two brothers have seen and done just about everything. Aren’t they sick of living at this point? And how would such an attitude affect their characterization?

The overall answer provided from the panel of speakers was that for the most part, their immortal characters are indeed sick of the same old/same old, but that the story usually begins with a life-altering event that shakes everyone out of their complacency and triggers a new series of problems to be addressed. They are no longer bored because they’re faced with a dilemma that is new and therefore requires traveling unfamiliar avenues of thought and action.

My answer was a bit different. It’s true that when we first meet up with Cain and Abel, they’ve just experienced a life-altering event--the introduction of my heroine, Eve. However, the two brothers aren’t yet completely world-weary when the story begins. They’re not just going through the motions, even after living endlessly. Why not? Because they’re ambitious. Cain and Abel both have goals yet to be met and those goals are fluid. It’s hard to think you’ve done it all when you’re still striving to get somewhere and you’re continually challenged by obstacles and missteps.

I, personally, went through the same thing while writing the first three Marked books. New genre, new name, new publisher, new goals and expectations. Despite having written a dozen+ books before, there wasn’t much familiar about the process, which made it exciting and fun. The new and unknown keeps things interesting. Hopefully, you’ll find the same to be true about the Marked series!

Hugs,
S. J.

Kay Stockham - His Son's Teacher

Kay Stockham has made me a fan. I flat-out adored this book.

First up, here's the blurb:

Nick Tulane ordinarily won't admit weakness in himself or in those he loves. But when he learns his son is about to fail in school, the single father is desperate to find a tutor. And Jennifer Rose is perfect.

In fact, Jenn might be too perfect. Nick's starting to fall for the attractive teacher, and he can't let that happen. Because opening up to Jenn means sharing the secret that has always made him feel like an outsider in his own family. Still, with his son showing signs of following in his footsteps, Nick can't keep the truth hidden. But once she knows, will Jenn accept him weakness and all?

There's such emotional depth in this book. Nick and Jenn both have things that make them feel less than good about themselves (in Jenn's case, it's her weight), and because of that, they don't believe they could ever be good enough for each other.

But this book isn't about misunderstandings or things a simple conversation would solve. It's about the kind of emotional scars that can hurt bone deep. For example, Nick's secret is tied deeply to who he is and how he sees herself. The same with Jenn. His Son's Teacher tells the story of these two finding themselves as well as finding each other.

Kay Stockham managed to tear out my heart and make me smile at the same time. Yes, there's a lot of emotion in this story, but there's laughter, too.

Also, Nick is hot. *grin* Seriously, I have a crush on this hero. You will, too, after you read this, trust me. He's just wonderful.

For an excerpt, check out Kay's website.

Have you discovered any new authors recently? What made you fall in love with their work?

New Poll

...on sidebar --->

Thanks for the suggestions everyone!

Branded By Fire ARC Winner

Thank you to everyone who entered the contest - it was amazing to see so many entries! I wish I had more to give away. Even if you didn't win the ARC, I hope you'll all go out and grab a copy when Branded By Fire releases this July.

Without further ado, the winner, per the random number generator is:

AN

Congratulations!

Updates & Weekly Catchup

Okay, I know I said come back the day after the Branded By Fire ARC giveaway ends, but there are a lot of entries. I've got a bunch in my inbox as well, and I want to make sure everyone goes in the draw, so I'm going to collate all the entries over the weekend, and post the winner on Monday.

Also, I've been thinking of doing a Friday book club. Instead of us all reading the same book and talking about it, I thought we'd all recommend something we'd read recently and enjoyed, maybe with a few words about a favorite scene or character. What do you think?

Onto the catchup. I'm on the final stretch of Angel book #2. What are you all up to?

Rugby Players & Links

Yes, rugby players. Swapping jerseys. Go forth and watch.

No need to thank me *grin*

Also, we've announced the winners of Yvonne Lindsay's giveaway (see the top of her guest blog).

And there's still time to enter the Branded By Fire ARC draw, so scroll down and drop your name in the hat if you haven't already.

Edited to add: Debut author and fellow Kiwi, Maree Anderson is giving away a pdf ARC of Even Demons Get the Blues (an erotic paranormal romance from Red Sage), over here.

NZ/Aus Author Series: Yvonne Lindsay

Winners: Thanks for giving such a warm welcome to Yvonne. She's chosen the winners of her giveaway and they are - Una, Azteclady & Tracy. Congratulations! Email me at nalinisinghwrites AT gmail DOT com with your mailing address and I'll pass it on to Yvonne.

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Today, we kick off a new monthly series of guest blogs with writers from my part of the world.

First up is fellow Kiwi author and my good friend (and not just because she put me in the dedication to her latest book *squee*), Yvonne Lindsay!

Everyone, please welcome Yvonne!

Pssst - she's come bearing gifts!!

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Thanks, Nalini, for inviting me to join you on your blog!

Well, this month is a month I never dreamed would come along. It’s the month that sees the release of my tenth title with Silhouette Desire. Frankly, I’m totally amazed.

Seeing PRETEND MISTRESS, BONA FIDE BOSS on the shelves is super exciting and I’m in the mood to celebrate :-) so I’m giving away one copy of each of the three Rogue Diamonds books (CONVENIENT MARRIAGE, INCONVENIENT HUSBAND—SECRET BABY, PUBLIC AFFAIR—PRETEND MISTRESS, BONA FIDE BOSS) to three randomly chosen commenters.

When I brainstormed the Rogue Diamonds mini-series, I had no trouble dreaming up the close knit powerful alpha trio of friends. I think it was a comment from an interview given by Keanu Reeves, where he mentioned demon riding, that started the ball rolling and gathering plot outline in my head. These guys are definitely risk takers.

As usual, for me, finding the women who deserved them was a whole lot harder (I don’t tend to share my toys and my heroes are pretty much the same.) When it came to Adam’s story I had a string of ideas running through my head. I wanted more than your average mistress, more than your average boss/secretary story—all of which meant that Lainey needed to have a big backstory, one that was powerful enough to drive this book and, coincidentally, this hero to the end of his tether.

I’ve always been drawn to the story of Pygmalion, of the statue, Galatea, brought to life and love and I started to play with how this could work in a modern setting—with a twist. Of course, there always has to be a twist. Why would she prefer to be the inanimate ‘statue’ like woman who flew under a man’s radar? What would drive her to risk that anonymity? And so Lainey Delacorte came to life.

Thinking about it, fairy tales, myths and legends often have a strong influence on my stories, even when I’m not fully conscious of it until the book is done. What’s your favourite tale of old?

Contest Closed.

Branded By Fire ARC

Contest now closed. Winner to be announced Monday.

I have an ARC of Branded By Fire to give away today! (As you can see, it's currently being read, but he's promised to return it without paw prints. :-))

If you'd like to go into the draw to win it, just leave a comment on this post by midnight April 24th, 2009 (New Zealand time). If you have trouble commenting, email me your entry at nalinisinghwrites AT gmail DOT com. I'll make sure you go into the draw.

Don't forget to come back the day after the contest ends to check if you've won - I'll redraw if I can't track the winner down in 72 hours. (Edited to add: If you enter as Anonymous, email me your details and the number of your comment.)

And if you win, please do a review of it somewhere before the release date (July 7th!).

Contest now closed. Winner to be announced Monday.

Links & OOTB Tour: Kiss of Darkness by Jennifer St. Giles

First up today, I've got an OOTB tour with the lovely Jennifer St. Giles!

Kiss of Darkness by Jennifer St. Giles
Out now!

In Kiss of Darkness, a vampire bite has Sheriff Sam Sheridan on the fast track to hell and demons are taking over Twilight Tennessee. He's battling not only to save both his soul and his town, but also his love for one woman, Emerald Linton.

Emerald has a secret that could destroy both her and Sam. She is an angel, and if she can't save Sam from turning evil, then she'll have to kill him, no matter how much of her heart belongs to him.

Sam is determined to take as many demons and vampires down with him as he can and to protect Emerald, but as the seductive dark power in him grows will he condemn Emerald to share his doomed fate, or will they both find a way out of hell?

Excerpt: http://jenniferstgiles.com/kissofdarkness.shtml

Website: jenniferstgiles.com

Blog: jenniferstgiles.blogspot.com

Reviews

"A FANTASTIC PARANORMAL THRILLER, FRAUGHT WITH DANGER, THRILLS AND SENSUAL PASSION." PAULA MYERS FRESH FICTION

“In the first of back-to-back Shadow- men releases, St. Giles unleashes hell. With each successive chapter in this pulse-pounding series, the stakes increase. The lead protagonists have been snapping at each other since they met, and the author skillfully builds on that tension to up the sexual ante. St. Giles is on a roll!” 4 stars Hot RT Bookclub.

“In my opinion this series is one of the best. It is definite a keeper. The struggle between good and evil is told in a way that holds your attention. I, for one, cannot wait for the next installment of this entertaining series. You must read this series. It is great.” Top Pick Night Owl Romance
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Also, you should go wink at Meljean Brook.

Oh, and don't forget to drop by Beth Kery's blog where she's got guest authors and giveaways galore to celebrate the release of Daring Time.

And most definitely don't forget to come back tomorrow <-- subtle hint. I'm off to edit the final scene in the second Guild Hunter book!

Glimpse Inside A Writer's Brain

I need a word.

Okay.

It means something is coming.

Hmm, arbor?

Isn't that related to plants?

No, it's like "And she knew it arbored great things."

Are you sure?

No, I know it's wrong. I just can't figure out the right word so I think you should put arbor in until we figure it out because it's making me CRAZY.

How about the thesaurus?

Good idea, but we need a synonym to look up first and I got nothing.

Huh. [Arbor] it is.

Some time later...

Augur! The word is augur! *Dance of joy ensues*

You know, all of a sudden, I can think of lots of synonyms.

This & That

Sorry to disappear on you all! It's coming down to the crunch on the second Angel book. I have deadline brain.

But someone sent me this link and I had to share it - Susan Boyle on Britain's Got Talent. I hope she makes it all the way to the top!

More good news - Jaci Burton has made some very cool lists with Riding on Instinct. Congrats Jaci!

Also, check out this Nightline article on Harlequin Books, featuring Gena Showalter.



p.s. Something fun happening later this week!

OOTB Tour: Eternal Moon by Rebecca York

A new Out of the Blogosphere book tour for you!

ETERNAL MOON by Rebecca York

In ETERNAL MOON Rebecca York creates a classic clash between good and evil–with a werewolf twist.

Renata Cordona is the reincarnation of an ancient goddess. She and her lover have met again and again down through the ages–only to be destroyed by a demon bent on conquering the world. In her twenty-first century incarnation, Renata is a private detective.

As the book opens, Renata is on an undercover assignment to catch a serial killer who has been murdering female real estate agents, when she’s almost attacked by a pack of vicious dogs. They are chased off by a lone wolf who swiftly disappears. Then, out of nowhere, werewolf Jacob Marshall materializes, and his electrifying touch brings out all the sexual longings she’s repressed because everyone she has ever loved has died a horrible death. Is Jacob the key to breaking the ancient curse that hangs over them? Or will the evil stalking them down through the ages destroy them both–this time for all eternity?

Excerpt: http://www.rebeccayork.com/sneakpeekparanormal.htm



ABOUT REBECCA YORK

USA Today best-selling novelist, Rebecca York (aka Ruth Glick) is the author of over one hundred books She has authored or co-authored more than 50 romantic suspense novels and 20 romances. But she never thought she could become a writer because her horrible spelling earned her poor marks in English classes in high school. She married well–to a man who can spot a misspelled word from fifty paces. He proofreads all her manuscripts to make sure there are no typos or spellos.

Rebecca’s KILLING MOON was a launch book for Berkley’s new Sensation romance imprint in June 2003. EDGE OF THE MOON and WITCHING MOON followed. Her first Berkley novella was in CRAVINGS, with Laurell K. Hamilton. CRIMSON MOON, published in January 2005, was her 100th book. The eighth book in her Moon series, ETERNAL MOON, is out from Berkley in April 2009. For many years, she has also written Harlequin Intrigue’s very popular 43 Light Street series. Her next is MORE THAN A MAN, August 2009.

Her many awards include two RITA finalist books, two Lifetime Achievement Awards from Romantic Times, five NJRW Golden Leaf Awards and a Prism Award. Her Intrigue, NOWHERE MAN, was named by Affaire de Coeur as the best Contemporary Novel of 1998. THE SECRET NIGHT was ROMANTIC TIMES’ best Intrigue of 2006.

REVIEW

In a new twist on her long-running paranormal Moon series, York adds in an ancient battle between the powers of good and evil. As always, York delivers engaging plots with dynamic characters. Definitely one of the genre's best!
---Jill Smith, Romantic Times

Web site: http://www.rebeccayork.com

Movies: Jodhaa-Akbar

I love this movie. It's about the marriage of alliance between a Mughal emperor (Akbar) and a Rajput princess (Jodhaa). This movie has got everything - the arranged marriage, the unexpected passion, the fantastic historical setting, the intrigue....but really, I'm there for the love story.

Here's the trailer (with English subtitles).



And here's a link to one of my favorite scenes from the movie. No subtitles but I think you'll figure out what's happening. Wait till around the 2.35 mark - talk about tension!

Needless to say, I have the collectors edition dvd :)

Seen any good movies/dvds lately?

Watch out this Easter

There have been reports of sudden strange behavior among pets, including an urge to bounce everywhere, and eat large amounts of carrots. Is it a bug, a virus, or is it...the rabbit snatchers?!
It's a long weekend over here, so stay safe if you're heading out of town, and of course - eat lots of chocolate!

NYT Article

On romance novels in the current climate.

Stationery Addiction

I went out to run some errands the other day and decided to stock up on pens. (I use up several while editing a manuscript.) Then I entered the stationery store.

End result: Ten pens for editing, ten sparkly pens (in all different colors!) and a whole set of post it notes (orange, pink, yellow, blue, green and even purple).

I'm pretty sure I have more fun stationery shopping than clothes shopping. Any other stationery addicts out there?

Ellizabeth's Wolf - Lora Leigh

It's no secret that I love Lora Leigh's Breed books - Elizabeth's Wolf was no different. In fact, I think it might be one of my favorite entries in the series.

Here's a blurb (from Lora's website):

She brought him back from death and made him live again.

Dash thought himself alone, a soldier, a fighting machine and no more.

Elizabeth made him realize he was a man.

Danger surrounds the woman his soul marked as his mate, death and blood and a treachery that goes beyond even his worst nightmares. But he will protect her and what she claims as her own. He was created to kill, trained to do it efficiently, and only a man bound to her, heart and soul, will have the strength to save Elizabeth and her prized possession.

He is a lone wolf. A man alone. No pack, no family, no one to call his own until one single, innocent letter awoke Elizabeth’s wolf.

What did I love about it? I think it's what I love about all of the Breed books I've read--the sheer emotional punch, the intensity of the relationship between the hero and heroine.

I have to mention Dash - he's a great hero. Deeply protective, honorable, and endearing in his determination to go it alone rather than put others in the line of fire.

The heat between Elizabeth and Dash is through the roof, so we warned - you might need to keep a fire extinguisher handy. *g*

This is a really great book. It's full of heart, passion and rock-solid love. Can't ask for much more than that. :-)

You can read an excerpt on Lora's website.

Have you read the Breed series? Thoughts?

Free Short Story & TMCC

Updated: Issue has been fixed! You might have to hit refresh to get the page to load, but the story is now available.

Edited to add: We're having some issues with the website, so the short story link doesn't currently work. I'll update this once it's been resolved!

The free short story A Gift For Kit, is now up. Enjoy!

Also, I see that Amazon is offering The Magical Christmas Cat for the bargain price of $6, so if you've been waiting to grab it, here's your chance.

Weekend

It's the weekend, woohoo! I'm planning to catch up with some writing buds.

Tell me what you're up to!

Random Random

Did you know you can do your Google searches in Klingon & pirate? (Info via Wikipedia)

No Life Without Wife

E-Mails

I'm a little behind on my e-mails, but I'm going to try to clear the decks today, so if you've contacted me, you should get a response within the new couple of hours.

Magic Strikes - Ilona Andrews

This book is so good on so many levels that I don't know where to start. It's got humor, action and yeah, let's not forget the sexual tension. I'm convinced Ilona is trying to kill us all with the way Kate and Curran are dancing around each other.

I love Kate - I love that she's strong but not all-powerful, that she has friends she cares deeply about, that she doesn't always do what's best for her - it all makes her wonderfully, likeably human.

As for Curran - okay, he's seriously hot, but he's also got all that uber-alpha stuff going on that would drive any woman to insanity, but I love him, too. Especially after this book. (See, now you want to read it don't you? *g*).

All the secondary characters are fantastic - I feel as if we get a glimpse into each and every one. From a writer's perspective, it's brilliantly done. From a reader's, it's just magic.

Magic Strikes releases March 31st (that's today!). You can read an excerpt on Ilona's site. If you haven't started the series, Magic Bites is the first book.

Who else loves this series?

Books On Board Daily Steal

Books on Board is running a special promotion on my books (20% off) in e-format for 24 hours only. Here's the link! Promo ends 10a.m. March 31st CDT.

Branded By Fire Puzzle

Mean Nalini of the awful teasing has a present for all of you who'd like a moment of procrastination or two - a Branded By Fire jigsaw puzzle!



Enjoy!

Galleys

I love Mercy's brothers. Love, love, love. That's all. *g*

Writing Update

The galleys* for Branded By Fire have arrived, so I'm spending some quality time with Mercy and Riley.

I'm also typing in the changes I hand-wrote on my latest draft of Angel's Kiss. I always start out neat, but then I scribble all over the pages and have to turn them upside down and sideways while entering the changes.

Do you all have anything planned for the weekend? Any books you're hoping to read?

*final time an author sees the manuscript

Thank you & Branded By Fire Blurb

Thank you for all the congratulations everyone! It's a great feeling to celebrate with you all :)

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I just realized that the Branded By Fire blurb disappeared when we redid the Books page. It'll be back up with the next set of updates, but for now, here it is:

Hailed by Christine Feehan as “a major new talent,” New York Times bestselling author Nalini Singh now brings together two fierce changelings in her most explosive story yet.

Though DarkRiver sentinel Mercy is feeling the pressure to mate, she savagely resists when Riley Kincaid, a lieutenant from the SnowDancer pack, tries to possess her. The problem is not simply that he pushes her buttons; the problem is that he’s a wolf, she’s a cat, and they’re both used to being on top.

But when a brilliant changeling researcher is kidnapped from DarkRiver territory, Mercy and Riley must work together to track the young man—before his shadowy captors decide he’s no longer useful. Along the way, the two dominants may find that submitting to one another uncovers not just a deadly conspiracy, but a passion so raw that it’ll leave them both branded by fire…

And in another bit of cool Psy/Changeling news for all of you who love ebooks. It looks like Slave to Sensation will be available in e-format from July. :)

RITA

I'm delighted to announce that Mine to Possess has been nominated for a RITA! Woohoo!!! Go Clay & Tally! :-)

You can see the full list of nominees here.

Writing

That's what I'm doing, hence the fly-by post. I did see a couple of links on the blog feed that might be of interest.

Dear Author is giving away Lisa Kleypas's newest release in their Save the Contemporary Campaign

The Knight Agency is holding a contest where you can send in three line submissions of your book. (Also, don't forgot to drop by the blog every Tuesday - they give away books every week).

What're you guys up to?

Magic Strikes Giveaway

Follow the link to Ilona & Gordon's livejournal. Be quick!

OOTB Tour: The Vampire's Quest - Vivi Anna

I've got an OOTB book tour for you today. Check out the details below!
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The Vampire’s Quest
A Valorian Chronicles Novel
By
Vivi Anna

Silhouette Nocturne
April 1

In a race against life and death, one woman holds the key to sanity and salvation

After escaping from the Otherworld Crime Unit, Kellen Falcon came to Nouveau Monde to crack a rare blood disease. But the European hotbed of temptation yielded sport no vampire could resist—criminologist Sophie St. Clair. And with only days to live, Kellen sought sweet release from her to escape a savage past.

The lycan beauty wasn't one to stray from her pact. But an investigation into a downtown bombing now tied the two together. And it wasn't long before Kellen's smoldering eyes and Sophie's fierce desire for this vampire put her loyalties to the test….

Excerpt: http://www.vivianna.net/thevampiresquest.php

RT TOP PICK
“THE VAMPIRE'S QUEST (4.5) by Vivi Anna: This is a fantastic supernatural thriller from start to finish. Anna takes two supernatural beings and makes us believe the romance and attraction between them are real.”

“A perfect blending of passion, danger, humor and profound emotions make THE VAMPIRE’S QUEST absolutely enthralling on every page. “ – 5 STARS-Cataromance.com

“Vivi Anna demonstrates her spectacular writing skills yet again with THE VAMPIRE’S QUEST. Kellen’s story is one that is even more satisfying than usual as I’ve anticipated and hoped for this story for quite awhile. THE VAMPIRE’S QUEST is highly recommended!”- 5 STARS – CK2KWIPSANDKRITIQUES

About the author

Frequently on Recommended Reading lists, award-winning Canadian author, Vivi Anna likes to burn up the pages with her unique brand of fantasy fiction. Whether it's in the Amazon jungle, an apocalyptic future, or the otherworld city of Necropolis, Vivi always writes fast paced action-adventure with strong independent women that can kick some butt, and dark delicious heroes to kill for.

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

Books I'm looking forward to...

Here's a very partial list of book I'm looking forward to. Of course, I must first finish writing my own book (the cave beckons) and catch up with the tbr ;-)

Demon Forged - Meljean Brook - releases October 2009 (How cool is that cover?!)

Ghostland - Jory Strong (I was tempted to steal this ARC for myself in the ARC contest. The concept sounds very intriguing). - releases April 2009

Hunting Ground -Patricia Briggs - releases August 2009 (I just love her writing, her world, everything).

What are some of the books you're waiting for?

p.s. I've read Magic Strikes by Ilona Andrews and it is spectacular. Post about that later this week!

Cover Love: Blaze of Memory

World, meet Dev! How cool is this cover?! Blaze of Memory releases November!

Too Cute

Polar bear cubs

Promises in Death - JD Robb

This is one series where every single one of the books have worked for me - some I've liked more than others, but I've enjoyed each and every one.

Promises in Death was no different. I opened it as soon as it came into my hands, and read it in one sitting. The mystery element was complex and interesting, but it was the emotional component - Eve and Roarke's relationship, their ties with the others in their world - that really made it stand out.

I simply don't know how JD Robb does it, but with each book, I simply fall more in love with the dynamics of this world and the people in it. This is absolutely recommended.

If you haven't read this series, I'd suggest starting with the very first one Naked in Death. While each mystery stands on its own, you'll enjoy the relationships so much more if you see them develop over the books. Also, this particular mystery does have a tie to an earlier book.

So, who else is a JD Robb fan? Who's your favorite secondary character?

Wednesday Wake-Up

I'm writing my heart out... But here's long, lean and gorgeous to keep you company :-)

AAR's Favorite Books by Favorite Authors

AAR is currently compiling a list of readers favorite books for 12 different authors -it's not a contest, but a resource for readers wanting to try new authors. I'm one of the twelve. :-) Swing on over and add your favorites to the list for one or all of the authors.

Dear Author Giveaway

A heads-up that Dear Author is giving away a whole bunch of Ace/Roc ARCs. Follow the link for details!

The Shadow Queen - Anne Bishop

If you haven't read Anne Bishop's Black Jewels trilogy, run to your nearest bookstore! It's dark, intense and utterly fantastic. In case it's not clear *g* I have no objectivity here - I'm a total fan, and I just love returning to the Black Jewels world - seeing familiar characters, learning what's going on in the world itself.

The Shadow Queen introduces us to a new queen, Cassidy, and a new circle of secondary characters, but we still get to see Daemon, Jaenelle, Lucivar and the others.

This book takes a deeper look at the consequences of what happens at the end of the trilogy, so if you haven't read the series, I'd recommend starting with the very first book (Daughter of the Blood).

After hearing buzz that there was going to be a sequel to The Shadow Queen, I contacted Anne Bishop and learned that Shalador's Lady is set for a March 2010 release.

There are no big spoilers, but just in case, I've whited out the info below for those of you who haven't yet read The Shadow Queen. Select the text to make it visible (with your mouse, or by holding down the shift key plus the down arrow).

In Shalador's Lady:

"Cassidy has to face a rival Queen from her past in order to give Dena Nehele any hope of a future. So Cassidy, Gray, and Theran will be back, along with the SaDiablo family. And there will be Scelties. ::grin::"

I can't wait for this next book!

I know many of you also love this series. What are your favorite parts? Favorite characters?

Books On Board Sale

Love ebooks? Here's a link for you: Books on Board is having an eBook Week Blowout sale, with discounts on orders and pre-orders. Follow the link for details. :)

Something Sweet

This is the sweetest song. The girl is teasing the boy about his being in love...never realizing that the one he's in love with is her. Aww... The body language is quite fun to watch in the video.

It's from a movie called Kismat Konnection.

Have a safe and fun weekend everyone!

Dancing & Linkage

Guess who's still dancing? Me, me, me!! :-) Thanks for celebrating with me!

Couple of links I saw today:

Meljean Brook is giving away signed copies of Demon Angel and Demon Night. Mmm, Ethan...

Jaci Burton is giving away all sorts of stuff on her blog to promote the release of Riding on Instinct!

And as it currently stands, Illium is edging out Dmitri in the poll on the sidebar. Is it those blue wings?

Angels' Blood hits the lists!!

#19 on the New York Times Bestseller List!
#117 on the USA Today Bestseller list!

Pop the champagne corks!!

A huge thanks to all of you who went out and bought Angels' Blood!! :-)

Countdown Winners!

Here are the winners of the "spreading the word" part of the Angels' Blood Countdown Contest, thanks to the random number generator.

Winner of the $100 gift certificate is Lexie!

Winner of the ARC of Branded By Fire (to be posted out when ready), is Allison('s) Reads.

Congratulations!!

New Poll

New poll on the right sidebar of the blog!

Answering Emails

That's what I'm doing, so if you've emailed me, you should get a response within the next couple of hours.

And just because it's Wednesday, here's dark and gorgeous to keep you company ;-)

Edited to add: I'm collating and assigning numbers to all the entries for the Angels' Blood Countdown so I can draw a winner. I'm hoping to announce that winner either Thurs or Fri. (Thanks to midnight for reminding me to post this!)

More ARCs thataway way!

Dear Author is giving away 17 ARCs from Berkley, so make sure to drop you name in the hat!

Devon Monk ARC Redraw Winner & Redraw Notice

As I didn't hear from the previous winner by the deadline, I've redrawn the winner of Magic in the Blood ARC by Devon Monk. It's Natasha! Congrats. An email is on the way to you.

Also, I haven't yet heard from macbeaner, winner of the Karen Chance ARC. Macbeaner, please contact me by midnight, Wednesday 11th March, NZ time or I'll have to redraw.

Cover Love: Must Love Hellhounds!

Look what great authorial company I'm keeping!


My novella is titled ANGELS' JUDGMENT, and features Elena's best friend Sara from ANGELS' BLOOD. It tells the story of how Sara became Guild Director...and how she met Deacon.

Contests all drawn & Redraw Notice

I've just finished drawing the random winners of the final ARCs in the giveaway. Please check if you're one of the winners and get back to me with your address.

I still haven't heard from Fatima, winner of the Magic in the Blood ARC. Fatima please contact me by 12 noon, Monday 9th (New Zealand time), or I'll have to redraw (I'd hate to do that!).

Thanks to everyone who came out to play! :)

Interview & Answers

I was interviewed by Danny for Love Romances & More. Click the link to read!

Also, this question came up in the comments of the previous post (and all your positive comments on that post seriously made my day, so thank you!!) and I thought it would be of general interest so I'm answering it here:

"...are all the books in the guild hunter series about Elena and Raphael???"

The first two books are going to follow Raphael and Elena, as I felt we still had so much more to learn about their relationship. However, after that, the focus may shift to one of the secondary characters. It's going to depend on the events from book to book - these books are very closely linked.

Any other questions? Let's keep them spoiler free for now. We can do a spoiler question thread or a chat in a couple of weeks when more people have had a chance to read the book :)

Also, if you left a question for me in any of the contest threads, I may have missed it with so many incoming comments, so please repost!

Angels' Blood is out!

ANGELS' BLOOD is now officially out!! I hope you all enjoy the start of my new series!!

A huge thank you to everyone who's helped celebrate the countdown by answering the questions and entering the contests every day. Also, don't forget - the "spreading the word" part of the contest doesn't close for a few more days yet, so if you haven't entered, you've still got time!

Handing out the bubbly and the chocolates.

Now it's time to party! I think it's time we resurrected the conga line! :-)

Zombies

I'm talking up the Resident Evil movies at Amanda Ashby's blog party to launch the Zombie Queen of Newbury High. Swing by and do a zombie wave *g*

Angels' Blood Countdown: Karen Chance - Curse the Dawn ARC

Winner: The random numbers have rolled and the winner is macbeaner! Macbeaner, please email me at nalinisinghwrites AT gmail DOT com.

ANGELS' BLOOD is about to release in mere hours! Here's what Mary M, one of the winners of the ARC contest had to say about it:

In ANGEL’S BLOOD, Singh masterfully creates yet another compelling world... It is a universe of sensuality and danger, both beautiful and merciless, familiar and utterly foreign....

...what a great world it is, one where you can read an angel's wings like the expressions on a face, watch the ballet of their takeoff and landing like you’d do with planes at the airport, get your hands shimmery with angel dust...

If you’re a lover of paranormal in the least, buy it, you won’t regret it.

The final giveaway in the countdown is a much coveted ARC of Karen Chance's Curse the Dawn, the fourth book in her Cassandra Palmer series.

Here's the blurb:

Cassandra Palmer may be the all-powerful Pythia now, but that doesn’t mean people have stopped trying to kill her. Most of the supernatural power players don’t want the independent minded Cassie as chief clairvoyant—and they’ll stop at nothing to see her six feet under.

The Vampire Senate does support Cassie in her position, but their protection comes with a price: an alliance with the sexy master vampire Mircea, who has claimed Cassie as his own.

But even the vampires will have trouble keeping Cassie alive now that the self-styled god Apollo, the source of the Pythia’s power, has it in for her in a big way. To save her life—and the world—Cassie’s going to have to face down her creator once and for all.

Curse the Dawn releases April 7th! You can check out an excerpt and a book trailer on Karen Chance's website.

In keeping with giveaway, today's entry question is: Would you like to see the future?

Interview/Blog/ Reviews & Contest Alert!

My interview with Bitten By Books has just gone live! I'm over there answering questions all day - swing by and say hi :)

I'm also talking about Hard Heroes over at Book Binge - come on over and discuss your favorites.

--> Both places have awesome contests linked to the posts!!!

And in more cool news, The Book Smugglers just posted up their joint review of ANGELS' BLOOD. Here's a snippet:

...I give huge props to Nalini Singh; Angels’ Blood never falters, packing a huge story into 350 pages. I never once found my attention slipping or getting bored with elements of this damn near flawlessly plotted story. Bravo, Ms. Singh.

There's going to be something extremely fun going on over there tomorrow, so keep an eye out!

Another review just went up. Here's what Janine of Dear Author had to say about ANGELS' BLOOD:

Angels’ Blood is part urban fantasy, part romance, and part detective story, as well as an exhilarating, addictive read from start to finish.

AAR also reviewed ANGELS' BLOOD and called it: "an intense, engrossing read"!

I can't wait for the release!

Angels' Blood Countdown: Alison Sinclair - Darkborn ARC

Winner: The random winner of Darkborn is M! M, please email me at nalinisinghwrites AT gmail DOT com.

I'm counting down the hours to the release of ANGELS' BLOOD! Here's what Chere Gruver had to say about it on PNR (where Angels' Blood is also a PNR Staff Top Pick!):

As with all of Nalini Singh's books, the world building is top-notch and we're plunged into non-stop action from the very first page. The characters, including the secondary, are all very well fleshed out, from the good to the truly evil...I absolutely love this story and can't wait to see where Nalini Singh takes the series from here! Have to say, she's going to have a very tough time topping this one.

And the countdown continues with today's prize being an ARC of Alison Sinclair's Darkborn.

Darkborn, releasing in May, is the first in a fantasy trilogy that will include Lightborn and Shadowborn. The books are described as: "a fantasy trilogy of magic and manners, espionage and romance in the tradition of Sarah Monette and Ellen Kushner."

There's something just so haunting about that cover and the tagline: When light is lethal.

Today's entry question is: How do you keep track of releases by favorite authors? What's the most useful - the author's website, blog sites...??

Angels' Pawn is out! Psst...something cool in the post [Edited]

Winner of special giveaway: The random numbers have chosen a winner and it's Lisa (comment began with: My ideal place is a comfy chair with plenty of light, a never ending supply of my preferred soda and no one...). Lisa, please email me at nalinisinghwrites AT gmail DOT com.

Angels' Pawn is now officially out! Currently, it's available in Kindle; Mobi Pocket, Adobe (pdf), eReader, Microsoft Reader (at Books on Board), at Diesel E-Books; and in Sony Reader formats.

Here's the blurb:

Angels' Pawn introduces readers to a world of beauty and danger where angels and vampires coexist. The novella is the prequel to Nalini Singh's Guild Hunter series. In Atlanta, a vampire hunter is caught between two rival factions and the angel who is manipulating them both. Her only assistance comes from a vampire who may have his own reasons for helping her...

You can read a snippet here.

Edited to Add: Courtney asked this question in the comments, and I thought I'd answer it here: if we don't read Angel's Pawn, will we be missing anything essential for Angel's Blood?

The answer is no. I wrote Angels' Pawn so that it's a stand-alone novella. You can read it at any stage in the series. Angels' Blood is the first book of the series - so dive on in! :-)
___________

I promised you something special to celebrate this release, and here it is. I have a novella coming out in September, in the Must Love Hellhounds anthology with three completely awesome authors - Charlaine Harris, Meljean Brook and Ilona Andrews.

My novella is titled Angels' Judgment. And if you're the random winner of this giveaway, I will print out and send you a signed copy of the galleys for Angels' Judgment as soon as I get them. You'll get to read it before all your friends *grin*

Just leave a comment with your answer to the question below to enter the giveaway. I hope you all enjoy Angels' Pawn!

Today's question comes from me: If you could create your dream environment for reading, what would it be? A comfy couch, a cup of tea? A lush bed full of pillows and chocolates at your command? Simple peace and quiet? Gorgeous eye-candy?

Angels' Blood Countdown: Christine Wells - Wicked Little Game ARC

Winner: The random numbers have rolled and the winner is Katy! Katy, please email me at nalinisinghwrites AT gmail DOT com.

Only one more sleep to go to the release of ANGELS' BLOOD! Here's what A.R. Bovey, one of the winners of the ARC contest had to say about it:

It wouldn't be a Nalini Singh book if the characters weren't sharply drawn. The two leading characters and several secondaries were clearly delineated - given enough personality to (hopefully!) warrant future writing.

I want MORE...A fabulous book and a strong start to what I hope is a lengthy series!

Tonight, I've got an ARC of a historical that sounds deliciously wicked. Christine Wells' Wicked Little Game releases in July and the ARC will be posted out as soon as she gets it!

Check out the blurb and tell me you're not intrigued:

“You want my wife. You always have…”

For years, the Marquis of Vane has hungered for Lady Sarah from afar, watching the beauty brave a cruel marriage. When Sarah’s wastrel husband makes Vane a shocking proposal—one night with Sarah for £10,000—the temptation is almost too great. Tricked by her husband into fulfilling his wicked bargain, Sarah can’t refuse a night of exquisite pleasure with the devastating man who haunts her dreams.

But neither she nor Vane imagined their passionate encounter would set the stage for murder, or that a deadly twist of fate could spell a love to last all time…

Today's entry question is inspired by the giveaway: Which historical period is your favorite setting?

Me, I'm a Regency girl, though I did have a love affair with Vikings for a while!

Angels' Blood Countdown: Shannon K Butcher - Burning Alive ARC

Winner: The random numbers chose LouiseD as the winner! LouiseD, please email me at nalinisinghwrites AT gmail DOT com.

The release of ANGELS' BLOOD is getting so close! I can't wait for March 3rd!

ANGELS' PAWN is already out! Check out the buy links here.

Today, I have an ARC of Shannon K. Butcher's paranormal debut to give away. I had the chance to read Burning Alive early and found it a great start to a new series - it's intense, passionate and the world building is unlike anything else out there.

Burning Alive releases May 5th this year and the ARC will be posted out when ready! Here's the blurb:

CAUTION : readers MAY feel the heat coming off the pages.

They are the Sentinels...

Three races descended from ancient guardians of mankind, each possessing unique abilities in their battle to protect humanity against their eternal foes - the Synestryn. Now, one warrior must fight his own desire if he is to discover the power that lies within his one true love.

Helen Day is haunted by visions of herself surrounded by flames, as a dark-haired man watches her burn. So when she sees the man of her nightmares staring at her from across a diner, she attempts to flee - but instead ends up in the man's arms. There, she awakens a force more powerful and enticing than she could ever imagine. For the man is actually Theronai warrior Drake, whose own pain is driven away by Helen's presence.

Together, they may become more than lovers - they may become a weapon of light that could tip the balance of the war and save Drake's people.

Today's entry question is: If you could have your way with one paranormal creature, which would you choose?

Oh, this one's hard. I do love my sexy, affectionate changelings, but the angels have something going for them too. Decisions, decisions!

Angels' Blood Countdown: Lora Leigh - Nauti Intentions ARC

Winner: The random numbers have rolled and Una is the winner! Una, please drop me an email at nalinisinghwrites AT gmail DOT com.

Only 2 days to go until the release of ANGELS' BLOOD! Here's what Fresh Fiction had to say about it:

Nalini Singh's Guild Hunter series is a fabulous addition to the paranormal world...A definite must read.

Tonight's giveaway is a most delicious ARC - the fabulous Lora Leigh's Nauti Intentions!

Fourth in the New York Times bestselling series known for 'blistering sexuality and eroticism.' (Romance Reviews Today)

Since he saw Janey Mackay taking a dip in her bikini, Major Alex Jansen has had to quell the fire she ignites in him. Even touching her would mean death at the hands of the Mackay men. Until now, the girl of his dreams - and fantasies - has lived in a vacuum of affection, shying away from the danger she thinks men represent. Alex sets out to prove her wrong, with his torturously slow caresses.

Everyone thinks Janey's safe now, with her abusers dead. But when someone starts leaving spine chilling notes, Alex won't rest until she's completely safe. And completely his - body and soul.

Nauti Intentions releases April 7th. Follow the link to read an excerpt! Is it wrong that I want to steal the cover model and keep him for myself - preferably half-dressed?

Today's entry question is inspired by that gorgeous cover: Naked (or semi-naked) male chests on covers - for or against? Why?

You know where I stand *grin*

Countdown to ANGELS' BLOOD

Contest now closed: Give me a few days to collate all the entries as they came in via email as well. I'll announce the winner here and in a new post either Thurs 12th or Fri 13th.

WINNERS

Here are the winners of the "spreading the word" part of the Angels' Blood Countdown Contest, thanks to the random number generator.

Winner of the $100 gift certificate is Lexie!

Winner of the ARC of Branded By Fire (to be posted out when ready), is Allison('s) Reads.

Congratulations!!

This post will stay up top for a while. Scroll down for newer posts.



ANGELS' BLOOD releases March 3rd! Plus on February 24th, you can get an advance taste of this world in ANGELS' PAWN, a special electronic release!

I am very, very, very excited about the release of this new series, and to kick it off, I've organized an extravangaza. This extravaganza shall be called the ANGELS' BLOOD Countdown, and it will involve prizes, prizes and more prizes. Are you interested yet?

There are going to be two ways to win.

Prize #1

A $100 gift certificate to any online bookstore of your choice (so long as I can make the order fairly painlessly). Think about how many books you could buy with that! Ooooh....

This prize is all about spreading the word. So to enter to win, all you have to do is talk about the release of ANGELS' BLOOD on your blog, journal, myspace, facebook, website etc.

You can do a post of your own, or you can use one of the widgets in this post, it's all up to you. If you feel inspired and make up a widget/graphic etc of your own, I'll put you into an extra draw - for an ARC (advanced reading/review copy) of BRANDED BY FIRE (to be posted out when I get it).

You can even Twitter about the book, tell a friend or three, or mention it on a forum (but please follow the rules of any forum re posting).

Then just leave a note on this blog post by midnight March 8th 2009 E.S.T. with the link to where you posted (if applicable), or a note saying what you did to spread the word. If you have a problem commenting, email me the link at nalinisinghwrites AT gmail DOT com.

Prizes # 2 - ?

There are many, many, many prizes in this pool. Thanks to my fabulous editor Cindy Hwang and the wonderful Anne Sowards at Ace/Roc, as well as a number of authors, I have ARCs(!!) many wuuuuuunderful ARCs for upcoming books from paranormal to contemporary to historical.

And thanks to several authors, I have heaps of signed books to give away!

To enter the draw for these prizes, all you have to do is turn up to the blog and join in the countdown (by leaving a comment with your answer to that day's fun entry question)! There's going to be a new prize, maybe two every day until March 3rd, which is the release day for ANGELS' BLOOD! Each contest will run for 24 hours (or if I lose track, until I close the comments). The winner will be announced in an edited note at the top of each post.

And since we're celebrating two release dates, February 24th might feature a surprise or three. You'll have to come back to see. :-)

Angels' Blood Countdown: Jean Johnson - The Mage ARC

Winner: The random winner of The Mage is Lili! Lili, please email me at nalinisinghwrites AT gmail DOT com.

Only 2 days till the release of ANGELS' BLOOD! Here's what Serena of Fallen Angel Reviews had to say about it:

When I got this advance reading copy in the mail, I promptly began reading (yes it was at a stoplight) and didn’t stop until I was done at 1:30 in the morning...This is probably one of the best stories I have ever read and will be one that I will rave about for quite a while. Not only was the world just completely awe-inspiring, but the characters and the storyline are evocative and a pure pleasure to read.

Today's countdown prize is an ARC of Jean Johnson's The Mage, which releases April 6th this year. Here's the blurb!

This is the final book in the acclaimed series of 'cursed brothers, fated mates, prophecies. destiny and magic.' (Robin D. Owens)

New York Times bestselling author Jayne Ann Krentz hails Jean Johnson's writing as 'fabulously fresh, thoroughly romantic, and wildly entertaining.' Now, Johnson returns for the final book in the series of eight brothers destined to fulfill a strange prophecy. As their growing family faces new problems, the worst of those troubles now fall upon Morg, the last of the Sons of Destiny, and on Hope, Morg's foretold bride.

The Mage is part of Jean Johnson's Sons of Destiny series. Follow the link to read more about the series!

Today's entry question comes from Una: Do you read hardcover books with the cover on or off?