Silver Shark - Ilona Andrews

Winners: Thanks for all the great comments everyone! Here are the names of the random winners of a copy of Silver Shark. 

If there's an asterix by your name, that means we don't have a contact email for you, so please email naliniDOTassistantATgmailDOTcom with your preferred format within the next 72 hours. Everyone else should be getting an email from us soon.

- *Kalyrra
- kittygopounce
- CYP@ a bookalicious story
- *Jill B
- BerndLSch
- Kalynn
- KristiD
- Christine
- Laura darkelvingirl
- Jacqueline C

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According to Ilona Andrews, Silver Shark is about "A millionaire boss on a planet in the distant future. [The heroine] is a secretary who can kill you with her brain."

How could I not want to read that?! Now that I have read this novella, I can tell you that it is awesome. It's science fiction romance, but trust me, even if you don't like sf romance, you'll enjoy this.

Here's the more official blurb, along with a link to an excerpt:

Claire Shannon is a Kinsman, a woman gifted with enhanced mental capabilities. Her skills and her life were taken over by the military to fight in war that has raged on her home planet for decades. But as the war ends, she is forced to hide her abilities in order to make a new life for herself as a civilian. It’s a new persona, a new planet and new job that has her crossing paths with the powerful and alluring Venturo Escana. Is she strong enough to hide her true nature from her perceptive new boss? And as they grow closer, will she even still want to try?

Claire was a heroine I rooted for, as she tried to find her way in a beautiful new world that seems insane to her, coming as she does from the relentless gray of a wartorn mining colony. And Venturo was both delicious and dangerous, the perfect millionaire boss hero.

Giveaway: Because I thought this novella was so fantastic, I'm going to give away ten copies. This is an ebook only novella, so if you win, you'll be sent an electronic file in the format you choose (as long as it's available). If you don't have an e-reader, do still enter - as this is a novella (35K), I think you'd be fine reading it on your computer.

To enter the random draw, just leave a comment on this post by 5pm Saturday 1, October 2011, New Zealand time, with your answer to this:

If space travel were possible for everyone, would you jump on board? If so, what would you hope to see in your travels?

Please note that only comments on the Silver Shark post on the main blog will count, so if you're reading this on a feed at Goodreads etc, swing by the main blog to comment. Also, make sure you leave us a way to contact you, or check the blog on Sunday to see if you've won.

By entering you give permission for your name to be posted on the blog should you win.

The winner(s) will be picked using random.org and their names announced on the blog the following Sunday. International entries welcome. One entry per household. No purchase necessary to enter. Void where prohibited.

Contest Now Closed.

Chat Info

*Pinning this to the top of the blog until after the chat today. New posts below.

Mark your calenders! All four of us Royal House of Shadows authors (Gena Showalter, Jessica Andersen, Jill Monroe & me) will be chatting in The Knight Agency chatroom this Thursday. Details:

WHAT: Chat with Royal House of Shadows authors.
*WHEN: Thursday September 29th, 9PM ET
WHERE: The Knight Agency Chat Room
HOW TO CHAT: Enter any combination of user name and password. Login. Your computer must be Java enabled to chat!

*New Zealand time: Friday 30th Sep, 2pm

Berlin time: Friday 30th Sep, 3am (sorry!)

Bangkok time: Friday 30th Sep, 8am

If you'd like to work out the time of the chat in your timezone, check out the World Clock Meeting Planner.

Editing (Behind the Scenes)

2pm: Hey, these edits are going really well. I should be all done by 7ish.

5pm: Awesome, only a few more changes to enter from my printout to the file.

6pm: Yay, all done. I just have to read through the changes to make sure I didn't make a typo.

7pm: Dinner was delicious. Now, off to read

8pm: Hmm...this scene doesn't quite read right. *makes note to go over it one more time*

9pm: This other scene needs a bit of smoothing, and I think there might be a small continuity issue. *note, note*

10pm: *obsessively working on scenes*

11pm: Need to double check this research fact.

12pm: *obsessively working on scenes*

12.30am: See above. 

1am: Realize I am likely the only one who will ever notice this one thing, but I must fix it or it will drive me insane for eternity.

1.15am: Hey, I like that. That works really well. Happiness.

1.30am: Brain to self - it's time to let go. It really is. You're happy, remember?

1.40am: Self to brain - I think I should do another read to quadruple check everything.

1.45am: Brain to self - send it. Also you're starving.

1.50am: Self to brain - just one more read to make sure the changes I've made don't impact on later scenes.

1.51am: Brain to self - just one more.  

1.55am: Hey, scene actually does work great. I'll just fix this little thing here, and this other little tiny word here and...hey, didn't I just change this sentence back to how it was half an hour ago? I think it's time to stop and let it go.

1.57am: Brain to self - I'm not saying a word...

2am: Yay, I sent it! And I'm so starving. 

Here endeth your insight into the mind of a certain writer.

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Also, both Ilona Andrews and Meljean Brook are giving away copies of Angels of Darknesss today, so swing by and enter their contests.

Sunday Interview & Website

I was recently interviewed for the Sunday programme here in New Zealand, and the piece went to air today. You can watch it online at this link (available internationally). Some parts of it were shot at signings in NY and NZ, so you might spot yourself!

Also, the website has been updated, complete with excerpts for Angel's Wolf and Tangle of Need. Enjoy!

Friday Book Club

It's Book Club time! What are you reading and loving this week? Also, what have been some of your favorite reads of the year so far?
 

Cover Love: Tangle of Need

Edited: See updated cover here! 
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I think this cover is absolutely stunning! And the cover model is Riaz, complete with those distinctive eyes of beaten gold! I hope you love!

Huge thanks to the Berkley Art Dept!

Tangle of Need releases May 29th, 2012. Click on the cover to see a larger version.

Friday Book Club

The Friday Book Club is now open! What are you reading and loving at the moment?

Good News

Archangel's Blade hit the USA Today and New York Times Bestseller lists! Thank you to all of you for your support.

I also found out this week (at the awesome event on Monday at Whitcoulls, Queen St.), that the Psy/Changeling series will be making its debut on the Whitcoulls Top 100! I signed copies of Archangel's Blade while I was at the store, so swing by if you'd like to pick up a signed copy. A big shout-out to all of you who attended the Queen St. event, and to the fabulous staff who organized it!

If you're in Australia and would like a signed copy of one of my books, contact Galaxy Books. I'll be dropping by there tomorrow, so I can personalise the autograph if you get the request in by then. They also ship internationally - check out their postage price guide here.

What's your good  news? :-)

Bollywood: Jab We Met

There was a request for more Bollywood in the comments - and since I love Bollywood movies, here's a song from an absolutely adorable one - makes me want to watch it all over again. I hope you all enjoy it!

Angels of Darkness ARC Contest

WINNERS: The random winners of the ARCs are Saiqa and Janell W. Congratulations! You've been been emailed, and the ARCs will be on their way to you today.

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If you'd like to go in the random draw to win one of two Advanced Reading/Review Copies of the ANGELS OF DARKNESS anthology (excerpt from Nalini's story, "Angel's Wolf" should be up next week), send an e-mail to naliniDOTassistantATgmailDOTcom with:

- "ANGELS OF DARKNESS ARC Contest" in the subject line; and

- your mailing address

by Wednesday 14 September 2011, 5pm New Zealand time.

Please follow the correct format for entry re the subject line, so your e-mail goes into the right in-box. (Your e-mail address will only be used to contact you should you win, and your mailing address to post out the ARC if you win.)

The ARC has a yellow cover - here's a photo of what it looks like (on Ilona Andrews' site).

Since this will be an Advanced Reading/Review Copy, if you win, please post a review somewhere, on or before the release date (October 4th, 2011) - on a blog, on Amazon, B&N, Goodreads...it's up to you, but it would be much appreciated if you'd post your thoughts somewhere. The contents of the review are, of course, totally up to you, but we request that you not share any major spoilers until after the anthology is out.

By entering you give permission for your name to be posted on the blog should you win.

The winner(s) will be picked using random.org and their names announced on the blog the following Thursday. International entries welcome. One entry per household. No purchase necessary to enter. Void where prohibited.

Lord of the Abyss & Friday Book Club

If you're a reviewer, blogger, librarian or in the media, you can now ask for a review copy of Lord of the Abyss from NetGalley. 

If you don't fall into any of those categories, never fear. I'll attempt to get my hands on some early copies to give away on the blog. I'll also get an excerpt up soon, so you can have a sneak peak at Micah and Liliana.

This book will release in two editions. One will be Lord of the Abyss by itself, while the second edition will be Lord of the Abyss plus Desert Warrior, my first ever published book.

I'll let you know once the excerpt is up!

Onto the book club - what are you reading and loving this week?

Wednesday :-)

First up, the September newsletter has gone out. If you didn't receive it and would like to, email my assistant (naliniDOTassistantATgmailDOTcom) and she'll shoot it to you. You can also let her know if you'd like to be added to the mailing list for future newsletters - or you can subscribe yourself at this link. _______________ 

Executive Editor Anne Sowards from Ace/ROC is doing a big giveaway on Dear Author, including early copies of Angels of Darkness. There's still time to enter!

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I taped an interview with Morgan Doremus of RT Book Reviews while I was at RWA, and that interview is now live.
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Also, my bud Meljean also has a release this week. I haven't had a chance to read Demon Marked yet (and I even got an ARC!!), but I'm really looking forward to inhaling it soon.

This book is part of her Guardians series. It's book seven in the series, so if you haven't tried it yet, start with either books one or two. Or if you really want to dive in with Demon Marked, Meljean has a primer for the series on her website.

Click on the Meljean Brook tag at the bottom of this post if you want to read my posts about the previous books in the series (including my mad, mad love for Drifter from Demon Night).  

After I finish Demon Marked, I plan to resume hounding Meljean for Michael's book. (Shh, don't tell her).

And I think that's all for this update. Have an awesome day/night everyone!

Release day: Archangel's Blade!

Depending on your timezone, Archangel's  Blade is now available! Woohoo!! I hope you all enjoy Dmitri and Honor's book. To celebrate, here are a couple more quotes!   

(Please, no spoilers in the comments. I'll post up a spoiler thread next week, where you can go wild with the discussion.)

Dmitri pushed through into a lab. "New addition. Don't talk about it or I'll have to pay you a visit one quiet midnight while you're tucked up nice and tight in your bed."

Every muscle in her body went tight at that almost lazy comment.

Such a strange thing to say when she was the one who'd been fractured.

Perhaps he should've been angry at her arrogance, but his emotions toward this hunter were nothing so simple. "Tell me." An order.

Review links: Touch the Night, Supernatural Snark, Romance Junkies, Lurv A La Mode, Babbling About Books, Happily Ever After, Smexy Books, TwinMom 227, The Book Reading Gals, Goodreads, Romance Novel News

Archangel's Blade

Archangel's Blade Countdown Quote (3 days to go!)

Swiveling, she discovered the vampire with the wrap-around shades in the doorway. "Dmitri's outside."

He headed through to the balcony without a word, just as the black-winged angel stepped off the edge. Those incredible wings disappeared for a moment before he rose up at dizzying speed.

Henna, Archangel's Blade Quotes & Reviews

First up, Saiqa's awesome henna pattern that she mentioned in the comments to an earlier post. I love it!

Archangel's Blade Countdown Quote

Jason didn't speak for a long moment unbroken by any sound but for the wind whispering over his wings. "Do you know what was done to her?" 

"I can guess." Unlike Jason, he had intimate knowledge of the bloodlust that lived within the Made.

Great new reviews of Archangel's Blade have recently come in from Smexy Books, Supernatural Snark and Happily Ever After. There may be bonus quotes, so check them out. ;-) (If you've done a review and I've missed posting the link, please post them in the comments.)

Ashley, one of the readers who won an ARC of Archangel's Blade, also sent me her review:

...I was actually a little worried because I did not like Dmitri at first. What I loved about the book is that not only did she continue with her plot line she also stayed true to her characters. Dmitri is still a very sexy alpha male. But we also see another side of this very complex man whom I fell in love with. This book is definitely a must read for all of Nalini Singh’s fans. And I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Happy reading!

And just because it's the weekend, here's another little quote for you: 

After they were both done, the pile of knives and guns on the coffee table looked like they'd cleaned out an armory. "I think we have a problem, Dmitri." 

"I'm not finished." Unbuckling his belt, he began to pull it out. 

UK/Commonwealth Kindle Edition

...of Archangel's Blade is now available for preorder. Release date September 8th.

Amazon

Amazon UK

Here's the countdown quote for today:

It was an intimate act, one for which she asked no permission, though he was a man no one would touch without invitation.

He didn't stop her, lifting his own finger to trace the line of her jaw.

Have a lovely weekend everyone.

Friday Book Club

Archangel's Blade Countdown Quote
 

Taking out his cell phone, Dmitri glanced at Honor, using his gaze to caress lips he wanted to debauch and corrupt. "Try not to get killed while I'm making this call."

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I mentioned In Bed With A Highlander a little while back. It's now out, so check it out if you like Scottish historicals!

Excerpt link to Maya's website.

Your turn. What are you reading and loving this week?