Friday Book Club

And it's Friday already! What have you been reading and loving lately?

I've been rereading the Psy/Ch series this week to make sure of some continuity factors, but I did want to mention a novella (36k words) I had the chance to read as an ARC - Kaily Hart's Rise of Hope, which is now out.

I met Kaily at Lori Foster's Get Together a couple of years ago, and when I heard about the new paranormal series she was writing, I knew I wanted to have a read.

The series has a really cool concept (why did a paranormal race suddenly start abandoning their children at hospitals and other locations a couple of decades ago?), and I found Rise of Hope a fast, intriguing read. I'm looking forward to seeing where Kaily goes next with this series.

Here the blurb (and here's the excerpt link):

A secret ancient race of humans with fantastical abilities, the Vadïm are on the brink of extinction. Many of their women are imprisoned by an organization known as The Assembly, their history all but lost...

Devon Monroe has been a prisoner her entire life. She's determined to make sense of the strange markings on her body, to learn why no one may touch her, to find where she belongs. That means escaping into the unknown, where she has no choice but to trust her self-appointed protector.

Soldier-for-hire Seth Eastman has a job to do: deliver Devon to safety. When Seth discovers the markings on Devon's body, he's stunned at what they mean. And at how she awakens his long-suppressed needs. As they struggle to escape detection and search for the truth of the Vadïm, can he ever hope to claim her for his own?

And can I add a woo and a hoo that Archangel's Storm is almost out!!

 

Audiobook Sale & Archangel's Storm

Audible's having a sale on the Psy/Changeling series, so check it out if you're an audio book fan (these are the US editions).

And I think it's time for a quote from Archangel's Storm! Release isn't far off now! Woohoo! (Sep 4th North America / Sep 13th UK, Aust, NZ)

Elena blew out a quiet breath. "He's like that all the time, isn't he? Part of the world...but apart. A shadow who never becomes too involved."

Raphael had no need to voice agreement, because it was true. His spymaster might not be jaded, but he was numb in a far deeper sense. "To survive eternity," he murmured, "Jason needs to find some reason to exist beyond duty and loyalty."


 

Free Short Stories In Newsletter

Please share this info. I don't want anyone to miss out!

Starting October, I'll be sending out exclusive short stories via my newsletter. These shorts won't be published online for months, if not longer, so if you'd like to get a little Nalini fix between releases, please sign up! I'll be mixing it up between the two series.

Signup form on this page (middle column): http://nalinisingh.com/contact.php

You should get a confirmation email once you sign up - it's important you confirm or you won't be subscribed.

If you don't receive the confirmation email, contact super assistant, Ashwini, and she'll see what's up. (Email: naliniDOTassistantATgmailDOTcom - replace each DOT/AT with . or @)

The newsletter goes out once a month, and your email address is only available to me and Ashwini. We promise not to spam you and only send you nice things like excerpts, short stories, heads-up about signings, book releases, and other fun stuff. And of course you can unsubscribe at any time (though I hope you'll stay!)

Friday Book Club

Wow, where has the week gone?! It's book club time again. What are you reading and loving lately?
 

Archangel's Storm Quotes

Not long to go until ARCHANGEL'S STORM hits the shelves! Here are a couple of quotes to help with the countdown (also available on Facebook)!
 
Unthinking, she reached out, her fingers brushing the edge of his wing, the feathers sleek and warm under her fingertips.

He froze, every muscle tense.

~ Archangel's Storm 

Exiting the palace...Mahiya found an unexpected visitor about to take the steps to her door. "Venom."

A smile lazy with charm, his eyes hidden from view by mirrored sunglasses that reflected her own face back at her. Dressed in black pants and a white shirt, his damp hair combed neatly, he appeared one of the more dangerous courtiers - the ones who had the brains to scheme and collude. 

~ Archangel's Storm

September Appearance Schedule: New Zealand

Tuesday September 11 – AUCKLAND
An Evening with Nalini Singh
Time: 6pm – 7pm
Location: Whare Wananga, Level 2, Central City Library
Free event (bookings essential) 

For more information contact Erika Soeterik on 09 307 7768 or 
email erika.soeterik@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz

Saturday September 15 – AUCKLAND
Going West Festival ‘Shapeshifters Session’ with Graham Beattie
Time: 2.45pm
Location: Titirangi Memorial Hall, West Auckland
 
For tickets and more information go online Going West Festival or call Anna Fomison, Going West Books and Writers Festival project manager, on 09 301 0101 extn 42 816

Wednesday September 19  – ROTORUA
An Evening with Nalini Singh
Time: 5.00pm – 7.00pm
Location: Rotorua District Library, 1127 Haupapa Street 
Gold coin donation, bookings recommended
 
For more information contact Bev Emmerson 07 351 7042 or email bev.emmerson@rdc.govt.nz

Thursday September 20 – TE AWAMUTU
Supporting Make-A-Wish® New Zealand and Ronald McDonald House Charities® NZ

An Evening with Nalini hosted by Altrusa Club of Te Awamutu
Time: 6.30pm – 8.30pm
Location: Te Awamutu College, 938 Alexandra Street, Te Awamutu
Tickets: $20.00 includes supper, cash bar, available from Jewellery Boutique (Te Awamutu), Playmates Boutique (Te Awamutu), and Paper Plus Te Awamutu
 

For more information contact 07 871 8750
or email altrusata@xtra.co.nz (Altrusa Te Awamutu is a registered charity no. CC10620)

Friday September 21  – HAMILTON
Time: 12.00 – 2.00pm
Location: La Premier Lounge, Hoyts Te Awa, Corner of Te Rapa Road and Avalon Drive, The Base Shopping Centre, Hamilton
$25 per person, includes lunch and one drink. Limited ticket sales.
 
For more information contact Paper Plus The Base 07 849 0945 or email thebase@paperplus.co.nz 

______________

For further information please contact Ruby Mitchell, Publicist Hachette NZ rubym@hachette.co.nz / 09 477 5559

Tengger Desert - China

I took this during my trip to China several years ago. From memory, this shot was taken at dawn. :-)

This image is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

(i.e. If you'd like to repost, pin this photo etc, you're free to do so, as long as the use is non-commercial, you don't make any changes to the image, and provide a link back to this blog or my website. If you're not certain your usage is non-commercial, shoot me an email to discuss).

Friday Book Club

Book club time! What are you reading and loving at the moment?

Of Heroes and Rain

It's a rainy, rainy day in my neck of the woods and I've just finished writing a letter to readers talking about Archangel's Storm. The letter will be appearing on my publisher's website during release week - I'll put up a link once it's live so you can swing by and read it. :-)

Part of the letter talks about Jason as a hero - with his wings of black and spymaster's ability to keep secrets, he is intense in his quietness. But when he does speak, he commands the attention of the archangels themselves.

I've wanted to know his secrets from day one - and more, I've wanted to see what would happen should that fascinating, compelling restraint snap.

I've also been working on Walker and Lara's novella, which will be releasing next year as part of Wild Invitation (March 2013), and Walker, too, is a man who guards his words - and yet there is no doubt in anyone's mind that he is a power.

That got me to thinking about quiet, powerful heroes in general. I think done right, these heroes can be incredibly intriguing.

Can you think of some examples of quiet heroes who aren't stuffy (though we know I love those, too! Mr. Darcy, be still my heart), but simply prefer to keep their silence? Do you like reading about these intense, contained heroes?

Ring of Kerry - Ireland

This image is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

(i.e. If you'd like to repost, pin this photo etc, you're free to do so, as long as the use is non-commercial, you don't make any changes to the image, and provide a link back to this blog or my website. If you're not certain your usage is non-commercial, shoot me an email to discuss).

Friday Book Club

It's time to talk books! What are you reading and loving this week?

Edited to add: We've picked a new winner for the Swag contest as the original winner didn't get in touch. The new winner is Toot! Please email naliniDOTassistantATgmailDOTcom with your mailing address.

Bollywood: Main Hoon Na

I haven't posted a Bollywood song for a while - here's one from an older movie that's a lot of fun. Main Hoon Na is more than a little tongue in cheek, and very cute.

Hope you enjoy the video!

Archangel's Storm ARC Giveaway...

...at my agent, Nephele Tempest's blog! (Giveaway closes Thursday, August 9, 2012, at 5pm Pacific Time - full details on Nephele's blog).

Good luck! :-)

Waterfall, Blue Mountains - Australia

I've realized I have thousands of photographs that I haven't had a chance to go through, so I've made it a project to post at least one new image every week.

I'm also playing with some photo software to sharpen and intensify the colors of some of the images - this might turn into an addicting kind of hobby. ;-)

Hope you enjoy!

This image is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

(i.e. If you'd like to repost, pin this photo etc, you're free to do so, as long as the use is non-commercial, you don't make any changes to the image, and provide a link back to this blog or my website. If you're not certain your usage is non-commercial, shoot me an email to discuss).

Popular Romance Project

While I was at the RWA Conference in Anaheim, I had a chance to see a small piece of the documentary film titled "Love Between the Covers" currently being made by film-maker Laurie Kahn. You can see the preview now on the Popular Romance Project website.

I highly recommend you go by and have a look - the preview received a standing ovation in Anaheim and with good reason. I've met and been interviewed by Laurie, and really felt that she's trying to make a film that truly shows the heart of the romance community in an unbiased and most importantly, non-condescending, way.

I'm excited to see what the final film is going to look like.

Laurie asked me to let you know that through August, she's running a Kickstarter campaign to raise $50,000 to go toward the completion of the film. She's lined up a number of different gifts/rewards for those who make a pledge to support the project, including for example, dvds of the finished film and, for writers, offers of critiques from a number of authors and editors. You can see full details on her campaign page.

I hope you're all having a great weekend and that you enjoy the video. :-)

Friday Book Club

Time to talk books! What are you reading and loving at the moment?

Edited to add: The random winner of the Swag contest has now been posted!

Gunmetal Magic - Ilona Andrews

Link to Excerpt

My super professional review: This book is awesome!!!!

I love the voice of writing team Ilona Andrews, and inhale their books. This one was no different - the plot is fascinating, and Andrea and Raphael make an explosive couple. (For those of you who've read the book already, I have one word for you: carpet. :D)

Gunmetal Magic is set in the Kate Daniels world, but even if you haven't read the other books in the series, I think you can pick this up without problems, as it focuses not on Kate but her best friend Andrea. Of course, the entire series is amazing, and if you haven't read it yet, I highly recommend you check it out. You can read more about the books here.

Spoiler note: If you have read Gunmetal Magic, please keep any comments spoiler-free or sneaky so folks aren't accidentally spoiled. Thanks. :-)

Here's the backcover blurb for Gunmetal Magic:

Some people have everything figured out—Andrea Nash is not one of those people.

After being kicked out of the Order of the Knights of Merciful Aid, Andrea’s whole existence is in shambles. All she can do is to try to put herself back together, something made easier by working for Cutting Edge, a small investigative firm owned by her best friend Kate Daniels.

When several shapeshifters working for Raphael Medrano—the male alpha of the Clan Bouda and Andrea’s former lover—die unexpectedly at a dig site, Andrea is assigned to investigate…and must work with Raphael. As Andrea’s search for the killer leads her into the secret underbelly of supernatural Atlanta, she knows that dealing with her feelings for Raphael might have to take a back seat to saving the world…