Covers Cont'd

Talking about covers, have you all heard of Nathan Kamp? Over the past year or two, he's been on so many covers he's become very well known.

Think you can spot him a mile away? Check out this fan site of Nathan Kamp Covers - you might be surprised at some of the covers he's graced.

Covers

I have a question for everyone today. How important is a cover to you when it's an author you already read? I mean, personally, I'd probably buy JD Robb no matter what they stuck on the front, but we all know I'm a slave to Eve and Roarke.

And at the opposite end - if it's a new author, would a great cover make a difference if you were hesitating over whether to buy the book or not?

Windy Weather & A Lady of Rare Quality - Anne Ashley

We're experiencing stormy weather here today. It's gloomy and grey and basically, perfect for curling up with a good book. I find myself fighting the urge to do exactly that when what I really need to be doing is inputting editing changes into the computer.

But no, I must resist. Especially since I gave in to temptation last night and satisfied my craving for a regency-set historical. I have a weakness for regencies. Basically, I love them - as long as the heroines aren't the kind that make me insane (you know what I'm talking about).

I'm very pleased to say that A Lady of Rare Quality by Anne Ashley was a great read, just what I wanted. The heroine was smart and spoke her mind, leading to a very honest relationship between the two main characters. The hero was one of those distant males who melts only for the heroine...sigh.

Plus, these two behaved as two people of their class would have behaved at the time. For example, the first time Annis uses Deveral's first name, it means something. (Serendipity moment: Just last week, I changed a character's name to Dev in one of my stories). There is passion in this book but it's all below the surface, as it would have been in that time.

There is a slight mystery subplot, but the main story is the progression of Annis and Deveral's relationship and it's very well done. I really liked Deveral, too. He treats the heroine with respect and there's honor in him.

I picked up A Lady of Rare Quality quite randomly when it caught my eye at the library, because of the first line on the back cover blurb: They've never seen a lady make him smile... But now that I've read it, I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for more of Anne Ashley's books the next time I need a Regency fix.

Any other regency fans out there? If not, what's your secret fix? (As an aside, I'm really liking these new Harlequin Historical covers. )

Working Working...

I've just finished doing a set of edits on the hard-copy manuscript of Mine to Possess. Yay!

I'm also humming a song from the movie I watched in the weekend. Which leads me to ask - what's your favorite tune at the moment?

OOTB Tour: Sight Unseen - Samantha Graves

An Out of the Blogosphere tour book for you today. Check out the details below!

SIGHT UNSEEN by Samantha Graves
Warner Books; April 1 2007

Raven Callahan doesn’t do it for the money. She does it for the thrills. As a consultant for API, an art recover company, she gets to steal—legally. But when her colleague is kidnapped during an assignment, Raven is forced to steal a priceless master painting to save his life.

David “Dax” Maddox was the perfect street cop—until a botched burglary raid cost his partner his life and Dax his ability to see color. Now, with his world gray, Dax has only one mission: to take down the murderer. And he’ll use anyone—even a sexy thief with questionable ethics—to get justice.

Soon Dax and Raven are forced together as pawns in a madman’s scheme. From the heart of Cuba to the New York art world, they find themselves in a race against time to stop the ultimate revenge.

Excerpt

ABOUT SAMANTHA

Samantha Graves turned a lifelong love of daydreaming into writing fiction. Under the name of C.J. Barry, she is the award-winning author of the UN-Forgettable Futuristic romance series. She now brings her unique blend of high adventure, sizzling romance, mystery and humor to her first contemporary romantic suspense.

REVIEWS

4 ½ Stars & a Top Pick “This fast-paced adventure provides all the action, romance and thrills a reader could ask for. " - Romantic Times magazine

Five Stars "I found myself hooked from page one!" - Huntress Reviews

"Tightly woven and suspenseful...will keep readers riveted." - The Road to Romance

"A refreshing paranormal romantic suspense thriller." - Harriet Klausner

Five Angels & a Recommended Read "Fun, exciting and at times heart-wrenching." - Fallen Angel Reviews

WEBSITE: http://www.samanthagraves.com

Release Dates / DIK / Movie

Some cool news: Mine to Possess (Clay's story) now has an official release date of February 2008, so the current schedule stacks up like this:

Caressed By Ice - Sep 07
An Enchanted Season - Oct 07
Mine to Possess - Feb 08

Other good news, Visions of Heat got a Desert Isle Keeper review from AAR!! :)

I spent most of the weekend working but I did manage to see the movie, Inside Man, with Denzel Washington, Jodie Foster and Clive Owen. Have any of you seen it? It's about the perfect bank robbery. Very good movie. I thought I had it figured out, but nope.

So, what did you all get up to?

Demon Angel - Meljean Brook

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

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

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

Who will be the first to succumb?

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

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

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

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

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

Indulgence

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

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

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

Interview: Anna Campbell - Claiming The Courtesan

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

Interview with Anna Campbell

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

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

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

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

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

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

3. Backcover copy of Claiming the Courtesan?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Between the Covers

Calling all stationery addicts over to Between the Covers!

Links, links, links!

Some lovely links today.

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

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

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

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

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

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

JD Robb - Innocent In Death

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

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

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

Golden Rose & That Which Has No Name (Yet)

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

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

Jerk(y)
Abrasive
Persistent
Insomniac
Capable of sneak attacks

And...the clock starts now!

More Good News, Chat & Clay's Book

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

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

Thurday March 15 - 9pm Eastern
The Knight Agency Chatroom

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

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

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

So, what have you been up to?

Caressed By Ice Cover!

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

Visions & OOTB Tour: New Moon - Rebecca York

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

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

(insert happy dancing smilie!)

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

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

NEW MOON by Rebecca York

Berkley Sensation March 6, 2007

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

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

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

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

Excerpt

ABOUT REBECCA YORK

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

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

REVIEWS

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

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

BOOK TRAILERS

30-SECOND VERSION

2-MINUTE VERSION

Website http://www.rebeccayork.com

Visions of Heat Meme Contest Winner

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

Scooper

Huge congratulations!!

Twilight - Stephenie Meyer

Twilight - Stephenie Meyer

About three things I was absolutely positive:

First, Edward was a vampire.

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

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

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

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

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

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

VOH Meme Reminder

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

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

The VIP Folder

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Any questions?

Visions of Heat release & Blog-Hopping

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

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

Reviews, Interview & Moon Called by Patricia Briggs

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

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

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

Romance Junkies, 5 Ribbons

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

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

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

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

MOON CALLED - Patricia Briggs

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Reviews & Photos

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Onto the wildlife!

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

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

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

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

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

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

Visions of Heat Meme Participants

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

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

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

The Visions of Heat Meme

CONTEST NOW CLOSED!

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

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

Here's what you have to do to enter:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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