Monday, December 31, 2012

New Year's Eve

It's just ticked over to December 31st in New Zealand. As we come to the close of 2012, I want to send out a big shout-out to all of you. Thank you for making this year so incredible and here's to an amazing 2013 for all of us!! 

Have a fantastic New Year everyone and see you next year! :-)

Auckland City at Night - Taken from the Sky Tower Observation Deck

Friday, December 28, 2012

Friday Book Club

It's time for the final Friday book club of 2012! Let's do something different for this one - what were some of your favorite reads this past year?

Tuesday, December 25, 2012

Merry Christmas!

I hope you're all having a fantastic day! :-)

Friday, December 21, 2012

Friday Book Club

Time to talk books! What are you reading and loving this week?


Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Psy/Changeling, Audio, & Declaration of Courtship

I'm currently trying to clear my emails - huge apologies if you've emailed me and had to wait ages for a reply. I promise you I was spending the time well, writing!

While going through them, I've been surprised at the number of people who are worried Psy/Changeling #12 (June 2013) will be the last book in the series. I was also asked the same question on Twitter yesterday, so I thought I'd better clear things up.

The Psy/Changeling series is not coming to a close. I have, in fact, been heard to say that I'll be writing it until I'm ninety-five. That might be *cough* a slight exaggeration, but I have lots of plans for this series.

There is a major overarching plotline as you all know, and that will come to an end, as giving readers a satisfying conclusion is very important to me. However, after we reach that point, I have lots of ideas to explore other parts of the world, as well as characters we haven't seen as much in the main storyline. For example, we might explore the falcons, or perhaps the water changelings. There are tons of possibilities!

~~~

For audiobook lovers: My North American audio publisher, Tantor, is currently having a 50% off sale on all formats, with free shipping on orders over $25. And on Friday, I've been told Tantor Downloads will be $4.99.

Here is the link to their website.

~~~

I posted this snippet from Declaration of Courtship (part of WILD INVITATION) on Facebook, and thought thought blog readers might enjoy it, too. (And yes, if you already have the other stories in Wild Invitation and just want the two new novellas, they will be available in electronic format a little while after the paperback release).

Don't run from me, sweetheart, he thought as he took the final steps to her, I only bite a little. Not quite true, but he was planning to be on his best behavior until she trusted him enough to handle the aggressive sensuality that was an integral aspect of his nature. "Grace."

- from DECLARATION OF COURTSHIP (in Wild Invitation - out March)

~~~

Last but not least, I'm doing a final edit of "Christmas in the Kitchen", the short story that'll be going out in the newsletter on Friday (U.S. time). If you haven't joined up, the signup form is on the sidebar of the blog, and on the front page of my website.  
~~~

Phew, that was a long post! I hope you're all well. What are you up to as 2012 draws to a close?

Friday, December 14, 2012

Friday Book Club

Wow, I can't believe it's Friday again! Where does the week go?

It's time for another book club - what are you reading and loving this week?

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Spanish Cover: Hostage to Pleasure

 
PRESA DEL PLACER
Febrero 2013

La científica Ashaya Aleine, que vive separada de su hijo de cuatro años y enfrascada en la creación de implantes cerebrales que supondrían la efectiva esclavización de su raza, es la psi perfecta: fría, imperturbable, sin sentimientos… O eso aparenta aunque en realidad lucha desesperadamente por salvar a su hijo y huir con él de la PsiNet. Pero cuando surge la oportunidad de escapar, Ashaya se encuentra a la merced de un cambiante enemistado con su raza.

Dorian Christensen, francotirador del clan de los DarkRiver, siente un profundo odio por los psi desde que uno de ellos asesinó a su hermana y, aunque es incapaz de transformarse en su encarnación animal, sin duda tiene alma de leopardo. Su rabia acumulada alimenta una sed de venganza arrolladora. Sin embargo, no solo es el encargado de proteger a la psi rebelde y a su hijo, sino que al ver a Ashaya y detectar el aroma de exótica feminidad que emana, siente el irrefrenable deseo de hacerla suya.

Poco a poco la naturaleza felina de Dorian entrará en juego para intentar derribar las defensas de esa enigmática mujer. Y juntos comprenderán que el verdadero enemigo a veces puede ser alguien que llevamos dentro.

«Presa del placer es lectura obligada para todos los aficionados a la literatura romántica paranormal.» Night Owl Romance
Serie Psi/Cambiantes, 5

Saturday, December 08, 2012

Friday Book Club

...coming to you on a Saturday! What are you reading and loving at the moment?

Wednesday, December 05, 2012

Tangle of Need Paperback Now Out!

Tangle of Need is now out in paperback! The e-book price has also dropped!  

(It sometimes takes a few hours for the change to go through, so if you're not seeing the lower ebook price at your bookstore, just wait a little bit and you should.)


I hope you all enjoy the book!

Friday, November 30, 2012

Friday Book Club Plus Video

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

Also, I saw this video online today and had to share. A little morbid, but funny.

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

UK Covers & Release Dates for GH Novellas

Gorgeous new covers for the UK & Commonwealth release of the Guild Hunter novellas!
ANGELS' FLIGHT
Paperback & E-Book
UK: 10 January 2013
NZ: March 2013
Australia: TBA


E-book
3 January 2013


E-book
6 December 2013

E-book
29 November 2012

E-book 
13 December 2012

Saturday, November 24, 2012

International Editions: France - Hostage to Pleasure

The French edition of Hostage to Pleasure is now out! :-)


Friday, November 23, 2012

Friday Book Club

It's Friday again and time to talk about our favorite books. What are you reading and enjoying at the moment?

Happy Thanksgiving to those of you celebrating the holiday. I hope you're having a wonderful day!

p.s. According to my spam folder, Salma Hayek is sending me emails about fitness. I'm touched she cares. ;-)

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Writing & Linkage

I have my head down, writing, so I'm not online much at the moment, but here are a couple of links I wanted to share.

Blogger Limecello is doing her annual Social Media for Social Good fundraising drive. This year, she's supporting charity:water. You can contribute in two ways - by making a donation, or simply by commenting. She has sponsors who will increase their donations depending on the number of comments. So swing by her site and add your comments.

Also for fans who read in German - I've just been notified that Lockruf des Verlangens has been nominated in the “Der Leserpreis – die besten Buecher 2012“. Thank you everyone! Readers can vote until November 26th, so if you enjoyed Hawke and Sienna's book, click over to LovelyBooks and add your vote.

And for fun, the cat lovers among you should enjoy this ad currently on NZ television. :-)



Saturday, November 17, 2012

Friday Book Club

...coming to you a little late today! What are you reading and loving at the moment?

Thursday, November 15, 2012

Berries & Flying

Summer is here and I have raspberries in my garden! I also have boysenberries and blueberries but they aren't ripe yet.

Over on Facebook, we're talking about what kind of a changeling we'd like to be, and I thought I'd post the question here, too. Me, I'm all about flying, so probably a falcon...then again, a leopard can prowl silently through the forest...

How about you?

If you'd like to use this photo for a non-commercial purpose, go ahead. Just provide a link back to my blog or website.

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Happy Diwali

Today is Diwali, also known as the Festival of Lights. I hope you're all having a wonderful light and love filled day!

I took the photo below in Jaipur, India, where I was on Diwali last year.  :-)

(If you'd like to use this image, go ahead. Just link back to my blog or website).

Friday, November 09, 2012

Friday Book Club

Wow, it's Friday again! Time to talk books. What are you reading and loving at the moment?
 

Wednesday, November 07, 2012

November Newsletter

The November newsletter, complete with an Elena/Raphael short story, should be in your in-box if you've signed up to receive it.

Apologies if you received it three times - that was as a result of a scheduling error on my part!

If, however, you haven't received it and you are signed up, or if you signed up too late, email Ashwini and she'll make sure you get it: naliniDOTassistantATgmailDOTcom (Before emailing her, please check your spam or junk folders to make sure it hasn't been caught in there).

Hope the week's treating you well so far!

Saturday, November 03, 2012

Newsletter & French Cover

The Nov newsletter is scheduled to go out on Tuesday. It may possibly contain a free short story featuring Elena and Raphael. ;-) If you haven't signed up, the form is right on the sidebar. --->

And, in keeping with the theme of this week, here's the awesome French cover for ARCHANGEL'S BLADE!

Friday, November 02, 2012

Friday Book Club

Book club time! What books have you excited this week?
 

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Angels' Dance E-Book

Look! The gorgeous cover for the US/Canada version of the e-book for "Angels' Dance". I adore it! 

This is Jessamy and Galen's story, originally part of ANGELS' FLIGHT. So if you bought Angels' Flight, you already have the story - this is for folks who only wanted this novella from the anthology. Release date: December 31st

In other exciting news, my UK publisher will be re-releasing ANGELS' FLIGHT in January, so if you're collecting the UK editions, you can grab the book then for a matching set.

There's no date yet for the stand-alone e-release of "Angels' Dance" for the UK & Commonwealth, but I've made the request, so watch this space!

Monday, October 29, 2012

Cover Love: Wild Invitation

Look!! So pretty!! I love it!


WILD INVITATION
A  PSY-CHANGELING COLLECTION BY NALINI SINGH
MARCH 2013

In Beat of Temptation, innocent Tamsyn has always had a place in her heart for Nathan, a blooded DarkRiver sentinel. But is she ready for the fierce demands of the mating bond?

In Stroke of Enticement, a wary young teacher, skeptical about love, arouses the man—and the animal—in an aggressive leopard changeling who must prove his affections are true.

Plus NEVER BEFORE PUBLISHED

In Declaration of Courtship, Grace, a shy submissive wolf, finds herself pursued by the last man she ever would have imagined: a SnowDancer lieutenant said to be “mad, bad, and dangerous to know.”

Plus NEVER BEFORE PUBLISHED

In Texture of Intimacy, SnowDancer healer Lara discovers the searing joys—and unexpected challenges—of being mated to quiet, powerful Walker, a man used to keeping his silence.


Sunday, October 28, 2012

Winners for giveaway #7

The random winners are:

Kasumi, Kalli Glyn, Danielle R, Tinuke, Cara56910, Shan, Megan Pritt, Laine C, Flyhigh, Selina Brinkmann

Congratulations! Contact me at naliniDOTassistantATgmail DOTcom to claim your book : )

 
 The 10 year anniversary celebrations are now finished. Thank you to everyone who participated in the giveaways, I loved reading all of your comments : )

-Ashwini

Friday, October 26, 2012

Friday Book Club

It's book club time. What are you reading and loving this week?

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Ten Year Anniversary Celebration Giveaway #7

CONTEST NOW CLOSED

Hello! Due to the popularity of the giveaways, I am extending the celebrations for one more week to give you guys a few more chances to win a book : )

Giveaway #7 consists of the UK/Aust/NZ editions of books 6-10 in the Psy/Changeling series.


Click here to view contest rules.

To enter the giveaway for one of the above books*, just leave a comment on this post with the answer to today's question: If you were stranded on a desert island, what is one book you would hope to have with you and why?

- Ashwini

*If there is a particular book from the giveaway that you would like to have please add this at the end of your comment and I will try my best to accomodate your request : )

Sunday, October 21, 2012

Winners for giveaways #4-6

The random winners are:

Giveaway #4 - Cassie Woods, jazzy.jaz, Marinella, alainala, Martina P., Rebecca L.B., Ravelin, Heather F., Emma Payne, Dana

Giveaway #5 - Christina, chelleyreads, Zoraida

Giveaway #6 - Cherry Mischievous, Linda Levine, Corinna Heinrich, Elaine Nelson


Congratulations! Contact me at naliniDOTassistantATgmail DOTcom to claim your book : )

Ashwini

Friday, October 19, 2012

Ten Year Anniversary Celebration Giveaway #6

CONTEST NOW CLOSED

Hello everyone. Here is the next giveaway celebrating 10 years since Nalini sold her first book to a publisher.
The book on the left is the German anthology Magische Verführung, featuring the novellas Angels' Pawn, Beat of Temptation and Stroke of Enticement.
And on the right is Lord of the Abyss, book 4 in the Silhouette Nocturne Royal House of Shadows series.


Click here to view contest rules.

To enter the giveaway for one* of the above books, just leave a comment on this post with the answer to today's question: Which fictional character do you wish would come to life and what would you do or talk about with this person?
 
*Please let me know which book you would prefer at the end of your commment : )

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Ten Year Anniversary Celebration Giveaway #5

CONTEST NOW CLOSED

Time for the next giveaway - the Thai translations of the first three Psy/Changeling novels : )


Click here to view contest rules.

To enter the giveaway for one of the above books*, just leave a comment on this post with the answer to today's question: If you could visit any fictional/storybook world, which one would you visit? Why?

*Only one copy of each book available, so if you are one of the winners you will receive a random title.

Monday, October 15, 2012

Ten Year Anniversary Celebration Giveaway #4

CONTEST NOW CLOSED

The next giveaway to celebrate 10 years since Nalini sold her first book to a publisher, is the UK/Aust/NZ editions of the first five Psy/Changeling novels.


Click here to view contest rules.

To enter the giveaway for one of the above books*, just leave a comment on this post with the answer to today's question: If you could shapeshift, what would you shapeshift into?

*If there is a particular book from the giveaway that you would like to have please add this at the end of your comment and I will try my best to accomodate your request : )

Sunday, October 14, 2012

Winners for giveaways #1-3

 Hi everyone, 

 The random winners are:

Giveaway #1:  Jessican H., \.Sabrina./, maered, shortyal2008, Jessica Z., J.A. Whiting, aikka88.

Giveaway #2:  kali, Kim Z., Madita W., Emily C., linda (no last name given)., evening-green.

Giveaway #3:  AriaMej, schenni, Alex, Jennifer K.

 Congratulations! If there is a particular book from the giveaway that you would like to have please let me know and I will try my best to accomodate your request.

Contact me at naliniDOTassistantATgmail DOTcom to claim your book : )

Ashwini

Saturday, October 13, 2012

Friday Book Club

This week's Friday book club coming to you from the Frankfurt Book Fair! What are you reading and loving at the moment?

Thursday, October 11, 2012

Ten Year Anniversary Celebration Giveaway #3

Thank you for all your comments. The random winners are: AriaMej, schenni, Alex, Jennifer K.

 Congratulations! Please contact me at naliniDOTassistantATgmail DOTcom within 72 hours to claim your book : )


CONTEST NOW CLOSED

Hello everybody. The ten year anniversary celebrations continue! The giveaway today is the Spanish editions of the first four Guild Hunter novels.


Click here to view contest rules.

To enter the giveaway for one of the above books, just leave a comment on this post with the answer to today's question:  If you could be an angel, what kind of wings would you have?

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Ten Year Anniversary Celebration Giveaway #2

Awesome comments guys. The random winners are: kali, Kim Z., Madita W., Emily C., linda (no last name given)., evening-green.
 
 Congratulations! Please contact me at naliniDOTassistantATgmail DOTcom within 72 hours to claim your book : ) 
 
CONTEST NOW CLOSED

Hi guys. Here is the next giveaway to celebrate 10 years since Nalini sold her first book to a publisher.
The books on the left and right feature a novella each by Nalini  (both from the Psy/Changeling series) plus three novellas from other authors. And the book in the centre consists of novellas from the Guild Hunter series.




Click here to view contest rules.

To enter the giveaway for one of the above books, just leave a comment on this post with the answer to today's question: How did you first hear about Nalini's books?

Tuesday, October 09, 2012

Ten Year Anniversary Celebration Giveaway #1

Thanks for all the great comments everyone! The random winners are:  Jessican H., \.Sabrina./, maered, shortyal2008, Jessica Z., J.A. Whiting, aikka88.

Congratulations! Please contact me at naliniDOTassistantATgmail DOTcom within 72 hours to claim your book : )
 

CONTEST NOW CLOSED

Hi everyone. As Nalini is currently in Germany for the Frankfurt book fair and also to do some book signings there I thought we'd start off the giveway with some German and French editions of the Guild Hunter novels.




 Click here to view contest rules.

 To enter the giveaway for one of the above books*, just leave comment on this post with the answer to today's question: If you could be any one of the characters in the Guild Hunter or Psy/Changeling series who would you be and why?

*If you have a language preference please include this at the end of your comment : )


Ten Year Anniversary Celebration Giveaway


Hello everyone! To celebrate the 10 year anniversary of Nalini selling her first book to a publisher, we are going to be giving away a selection her books, including foreign language editions of her titles over the next two weeks. Nalini will also sign the books for the winners if they request it. The contest is open internationally.

Each household gets one entry per giveaway, but please only enter the giveaway for the book(s) you'd like to win, as you can only win once over the entire span of the ten-year-anniversary celebration.
So for example, you can enter the giveaway for book 1, book 2, book 3 and book 4 if you like, but if you win book 2, you'll be out of the running for the other books.

How to Enter: If you'd like to go in the random draw for a book, just leave a comment on the post for that book with the answer to that day's question. Easy! (Comments must be posted on the original post on the main blog, not, for example, on the Goodreads feed.)

Each giveaway will be open for 48 hours from the time it goes up. Winners will be announced on the Sunday of each week. It's your responsibility to check back on Sunday to see if you've won. Winners will have 72 hours to contact us to collect their book.

No purchase necessary to enter. Winner will be chosen randomly using random.org and his or her name(s) posted on this blog as advised above. Void where prohibited.

-Ashwini

Friday, October 05, 2012

Friday Book Club

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

Thursday, October 04, 2012

Guest Author: Kaily Hart

Winner:  Thanks for your comments everyone. The random winner is Scarly
 Please contact Ashwini at naliniDOTassistantATgmailDOTcom with your mailing address.


I'm delighted to have Kaily Hart visiting us today! I've spoken about Rise of Hope, the start to her intriguing new Fabric of Fate series on the blog, and now Kaily's going to tell us about her journey to publication.

Please welcome Kaily to the blog everyone, and don't forget to enter her contest!

I’m a writer! Wait…I’m a writer
Kaily Hart

I met Nalini last year at a small writing conference in the US when we both happened to be breakfasting with Lori Foster ;). We also had an opportunity to get together again at the Romantic Times convention in Chicago earlier this year. Nalini is gracious, friendly and just…well…super nice. It might seem such a bland description, but I can’t honestly say that about a lot of people, especially one as successful as Nalini. It might also have helped that we’re from the same hemisphere and slice of the world :-). I was a huge fan of her work before we met and I don’t know…knowing the creator of those books is a nice person has made subsequent reading experiences that much richer. Does that seem weird?

That meeting was just one of many surreal moments I’ve had since I started on this particular journey. I’m a writer. An author. A published author. Many of the writers I know or meet always knew they wanted to be writers. Many talk about making up characters and crafting stories from the time they could hold a pencil. They often mention it being a ‘calling’, something that pulled at them throughout their lives so that not to write was never an option. A lot of them yearned for it, ached for it, felt as if there was no other option for them. Me? Nah. I never, ever would have guessed I’d end up a writer.

I never really knew what I wanted to be when I grew up and I cycled through many options—artist, psychiatrist, scientist, fashion designer, accountant. See a trend? Yeah, I didn’t either LOL. Many of my friends knew their path, knew from an early age what it was they wanted their career to be. Not me, so I ended up doing a business degree (because it seemed like a good idea) and I majored in Information Technology for goodness sakes LOL! I landed a spot in a prestigious graduate development program. I was recruited by a company from NY and moved to the US. I had a successful career as an independent consultant, I created and built my own IT services company, worked at the highest levels of corporate America. I was the mega type A over-achiever :-), on my way to take over the world. Well, not quite, but I was on a very different path and a lucrative one at that. Oh and along the way I’d also managed to have 4 kids. I said over-achiever, right?

So what happened? I decided I needed to spend more time with my kids. Yep. I was going to get more involved at the kid’s schools. I was going to take time for myself—get fit, take some classes, relax. Only…I couldn’t LOL. I needed to do something…more. I’d always read, all different things, but I had a secret preference for romance. And one day I just decided ‘I was going to write one’. And if you knew me, you’d know that once I set my mind to do something, I just do it. So I wrote that book. And then another. And another. And…gulp…before I knew it, I was a writer. Huh.

I’m often asked where I get my ideas. My first thought? I. Have. No. Idea. Not anything I can specifically put my finger on, anyway. As with most writers, I can make up a story about anything, anytime, anywhere. Inspiration is everywhere and it’s all a constant stream going in. I probably forget 90% of the ideas I get before I have an opportunity to capture them (and sometimes that’s a scribble on the back of a used snow cone wrapper I’ve found in the car from a kid’s birthday party). Don’t laugh. I did that once LOL.

The funny thing is…now? If I had the choice to do anything, be anything, it would be a writer J. I’ve found my niche, my groove, the thing I think I might have been meant to be. I’ve enjoyed all the things I’ve done professionally, but I love being a writer. Some people think writers are born. That might be true for some, but I’m thinking for most of us, it’s a long, hard road to make ourselves into writers. At least a writer someone would want to read! And the exciting thing? I’ve just started this amazing journey and have so many more books and stories to tell so stay tuned.

So…what about you? Are you doing the ‘thing of your heart’? If not, what would it be if you could choose? Or are you like I was, still wondering, searching? A random commenter will win their choice of my ebook backlist.

Link to Kaily's Website

The fine print: To enter the draw, just leave a comment with your answer to Kaily's questions on this post (on the main blog rather than the Goodreads feed), before noon Saturday 6th October, New Zealand time. Make sure you either leave a way for me to contact you, or check the blog on Sunday to see if you've won.  

One entry per household. No purchase necessary to enter. Winner will be chosen randomly using random.org and his or her name posted on this blog by or on Sunday 8th October 2012. Void where prohibited.


Wednesday, October 03, 2012

Newsletter & Angels' Flight

I hope you're all having a great week!

The newsletter went out a few hours ago, so if you signed up, you should have it (complete with a free short story :-) ) in your inbox.

If you can't see it, check your junk/spam folder to make sure it's not in there. If not, email Ashwini and she'll check to see if your email is bouncing the newsletter, and forward you a copy. Her email is: naliniDOTassistantATgmailDOTcom

~

Also, there's currently a contest running on Literary Escapism to win a copy of Angels' Flight, so if you haven't got your hands on a copy yet, make sure you swing by and enter.

Friday, September 28, 2012

Friday Book Club

Honestly, this week has raced by! I'm deep into editing Psy/Changeling #12, so that's my main reading for the moment. :-)

What are you reading and enjoying at the moment?

Thursday, September 27, 2012

Guest Author: Andrea Brokaw - Pride, Prejudice, and Curling Rocks

Winner:  Thanks for your comments everyone. The random winner is Serena S. T.
 Please contact Ashwini at naliniDOTassistantATgmailDOTcom with your mailing address.

I love Pride & Prejudice, so when I saw this Dear Author review about a book that retells P&P in the world of curling, I knew I had to give it a go. I'm so glad I did! I loved the originality of the retelling, and read through the book in one sitting.

Here's the blurb and the link to the excerpt on the author's website:
All Darcy Bennet wants is to make it to the regional curling championships while finding some way to stop Jean, her best friend and team skipper, from moving across the country for college.

Darcy's thrilled when Jean sets her heart on a boy destined for a local university. Maybe hooking them up will keep Jean closer to home. Unfortunately, she hits a roadblock in the form of Lucas Fitzwilliam, who doesn't think it's such a hot idea for his friend to date Jean and soon convinces his friend to feel the same. 
Darcy has no hope of matchmaking while Lucas is working against her in his mistaken belief that Jean “deserves better,” so when he offers to stop trying to keep the couple apart if she'll stop trying to push them together, she agrees. But when upholding her noninterference pact with Lucas means denying Jean help getting a date to the winter formal, the resulting argument leaves the girls' friendship in jeopardy.

Now Darcy has to repair her relationship with Jean so their team can regain the solidarity they'll need to win the tournament that would qualify them for Regionals. And she really has to resist the temptation to kill Lucas, because she's pretty sure there's no curling in prison.

I'm delighted to have Andrea Brokaw here to talk about her writing journey to Pride, Prejudice, and Curling Rocks. Please welcome Andrea to the blog everyone, and don't forget to enter her contest!

Andrea Brokaw on Pride, Prejudice, and Curling Rocks

A few weeks ago, I checked my email and saw something from Nalini Singh. I assumed I'd signed up for her mailing list, then forgotten about it, but while I was wondering if she had something new due out, I realized the subject of the email she'd sent was “Pride, Prejudice, and Curling Rocks.” I stared at that for a moment as it clicked in my head that Nalini Singh had sent me an email with the title of my novel as the subject line.

If someone had told me last year that my first fan letter from a complete stranger was going to be from someone whose name has repeatedly graced the New York Times Bestseller List, I would have laughed at this person and assumed they were drunk or stoned or something. But that's what had happened! Nalini said that not only had she heard of my book, she'd read my book and enjoyed it! And she wanted to know if I'd be interested in doing a guest spot on her blog.

I stared at that message for long enough that my son asked me what was wrong. He was a little freaked out when my response was to laugh.

So, to make a long story short (Too late!), yes, Nalini, I would love to do a spot on your blog and it really and truly means the world to me that you've asked!

~

A very common thing for people to ask me about is why I decided to retell Pride and Prejudice through a curling story.  The mainstream wants to know “Why curling?” and curlers are all, “Why Austen?”
There was never a point in time when I thought out of the blue, “I need to introduce Lizzie Bennett to winter sports!” Rather, the idea evolved on its own.

I've been a fan of curling since I noticed during the 2002 Olympics that my newborn would stare captivated and quiet at curling for hours straight. That February, I had curling on the TV every second I could and cursed the fact that I didn't live in Canada where I could continue watching it after the Olympics.

By 2010, my son was no longer bespelled by the sport, but I still enjoyed it immensely. I also enjoyed Twitter and spent a great deal of time Tweeting about the Vancouver Olympics curling matches I was watching. I'm sure  a lot of people didn't care for the sudden sports Tweeting, but there were quite a few people who really seemed to appreciate it. Some of them even wrote to tell me that I'd made the game much more understandable to them and that they were enjoying it for the first time ever.

Andrea at a curling rink!
Somewhere in all this, it occurred to me that I could write a novel about curlers. Before that point in time, everything I'd written had been some form of fantasy, either traditional or urban, but there was something appealing in the notion that I could create a contemporary romance if it had a background of something I enjoyed as much as curling.

I spent the last week of the Games alternating between Tweeting and outlining a novel. I was really excited about the idea, although there were two slight problems. One was that I didn't feel I knew enough about curling because all I'd ever done was watch it on TV. That was easily fixed thanks to the Granite Curling Club in Seattle. Sure it was over two hours from where I was living, but they let me join anyway and my uber-fabulous husband drove me over the mountains and through the city every week so we could pick up the sport. The other problem was harder though. There was something “off” about my outline and I couldn't figure out what it was.

I did the only thing I could think of and let the outline sit for a bit. When I picked it up with fresh eyes, I realized my issue. “Huh,” I said to myself. “You outlined Pride and Prejudice.”

I honestly hadn't meant to do that, but looking at the plot, it was inescapably the same basic story.

It took me a week or two of internal debate, but eventually I decided that rather than trying to edit my outline to make it stand out more from Pride and Prejudice, it would be more fun to tweak it to be closer. So my names changed and a couple of new characters wandered in and a few points were nudged around until I had something that I felt was perfect for the title Pride, Prejudice, and Curling Rocks.

When I told Twitter, the response was great. One friend immediately asked, “What position does Mr Darcy play?” With a grin, I wrote back, “Mr Darcy does not curl. He plays hockey. This is just one of his many flaws.” And my friend declared that I'd nailed it.

Now I'm working (far too slowly) on a curling version of Much Ado About Nothing, because Beatrice and Benedick are one of my favorite couples of all time. My mom thinks it should have ghosts in it. Or vampires. Maybe angels. I told her she should write that then. (Or perhaps Nalini should? ;)

But what about you guys? What unusual retelling would you create? 

Giveaway: Andrea is giving away a copy of Pride, Prejudice, and Curling Rocks. Giveaway open internationally. To enter the draw, just leave a comment on this post (on the main blog rather than the Goodreads feed), before noon Sunday 30th September, New Zealand time. Make sure you either leave a way for me to contact you, or check the blog on Monday to see if you've won.

The fine print: One entry per household. No purchase necessary to enter. Winner will be chosen randomly using random.org and his or her name posted on this blog on Monday 1st October 2012. Void where prohibited.

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Germany Appearances & Spring

The Appearances page has now been updated with my German tour schedule. Look forward to seeing some of you in a couple of weeks! (Edited to add:  Typo alert! We had the incorrect date up for the Lovely Books chat - correct date now up - 17th Oct).

Here's a photo I took during our return from the NZ book tour last week. So happy spring is here! I've planted my seedlings and am now babying them so they'll bloom for me. :-)


(If you'd like to share this photo on your own blog/FB etc, please go ahead. Just link back to this page).

Friday, September 21, 2012

Friday Book Club

Before we kick off the Friday Bookclub, a heads-up that all of the stores I visited on my recent tour (including event bookstores & informal bookstore stops) have signed editions available, so if you weren't able to make it to the store while I was there, you can still grab copies!

Onto the book club! What are you reading and loving at the moment?

Thursday, September 20, 2012

Rotorua to Fraser Cove - Photos

I'm having a great time on my New Zealand tour and loving the chance to meet so many readers. Looking forward to the event in Te Awamutu tonight, and in Hamilton tomorrow! See some of you there. :-)

Here are a couple of photos I snapped from the car this morning during our drive from Rotorua to Fraser Cove. New Zealand is such a beautiful country to drive through.



Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Archangel's Storm Audiobook...

...is now out!! I hope you enjoy listening to Jason and Mahiya's story.

Also, for those of you in NZ, remember, I'm on book tour this week. You can find full details of the events on the Appearances page. I'll also be making a number of informal stops at bookstores - details here.

Have a fantabulous week everyone!

Saturday, September 15, 2012

Dunkle Verlockung

„Prima Neuigkeiten! Meine Novellen-Sammlung „Dunkle Verlockung“ wird im Oktober sowohl als E-Book als auch im Print veröffentlicht! Wenn ihr bis dahin allerdings nicht warten könnt, gibt es sie Novellen auch bereits jetzt als separate E-Book-Kurzromane: „Engelsbann“, „Hauch der Versuchung“ und „Engelstanz“. Es ist zwar ein bisschen teurer, sie separat zu kaufen, dafür hättet ihr sie aber einen Monat eher – die Entscheidung liegt also ganz bei euch! Wie auch immer ihr euch entscheidet, ich hoffe auf jeden Fall, dass euch die Stories gefallen werden!“

 

Friday, September 14, 2012

Friday Book Club

So many books, so little time! What are you reading and loving this week?

Archangel's Storm UK/Aust/NZ & Lockruf Des Verlangens



Archangel's Storm is now available in the UK, Australia and New Zealand! Happy reading!

 ~

„Das Buch von Hawke und Sienna ist jetzt erschienen! Ich hoffe, es gefällt euch!“


(The German edition of Kiss of Snow is now out! I hope you all enjoy Hawke and Sienna's story.)

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Auckland Event & International Video Chat

Photo tken in Frankfurt earlier this year :)
I'm so looking forward to the New Zealand launch of Archangel's Storm at the Auckland City Library tonight! If you forgot to book, you may still be able to get a place - just email or give Erika a call.

Some readers have tweeted that they'll be dressing up (wings, feathers!), and I have been promised cupcakes *grin*, so it should be a fun night. See some of you there!

I'll also be taking part in a video chat with authors Ilona Andrews and Katie MacAlister on Tuesday 11th September @ 3pm EST.

Link to Chat Room

Conversions for other timezones
London: Tuesday 8pm
Berlin: Tuesday 9pm
Tokyo: Wednesday 4am
Sydney: Wednesday 5am
New Zealand: Wednesday 7am

(If I didn't list your location, you can easily do the conversion by using the World Clock Meeting Planner. Just add New York in as the first location, then your own as the second).

Looking forward to talking with you all!

Sunday, September 09, 2012

NZ Tour Additions: Informal Store Visits

Some additions to my NZ tour schedule - these will be quick and informal visits so I can sign some books for the store, but if you drop by while I'm there, I will happily sign books for you, too. =)

Thursday 20th September

10-10.30am
Paper Plus Rotorua
1304 Tutanekai Street

11.30am
Paper Plus Fraser Cove
Shop 38, 229-237 Fraser Street, Fraser Cove

1.45-2.15pm
Wrights Cambridge
54 Victoria Street, Cambridge

Friday 21st September

10-10.30am
Paper Plus Hamilton
Cnr Worley Place & Ward Street

10.45-11.15am
Penny's Bookstore
Westfield, Chartwell, Hamilton

2.30-3.00pm
Paper Plus Horsham Downs
44 Horsham Downs Road, Rototuna

Friday, September 07, 2012

Friday Book Club

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

Wednesday, September 05, 2012

Jason's taken flight!

Archangel's Storm has hit cyber and physical shelves! I hope you all fall in love with Jason and Mahiya's story - and enjoy traveling to Archangel Fort. :-)

International & Audio Release dates

Australia - 11th
New Zealand - Due to a slight shipping delay, some stores may have it on the 12th, but all will have it on the 13th. HOWEVER, if you're coming to the Auckland Central Library Event on the 11th, the bookseller will definitely have copies available!!
UK - 13th

Audio - 17th

To the left are beautiful handmade bookmarks I've received from fans (you can see a tiny copy of the German cover for Angels' Blood), to the right seashells I picked up on a New Zealand beach not long ago. :)
I've asked readers to post fun photos of their books/ebooks on Facebook - swing by and have a look at the ones that are already up. If you're not on FB, but would like to share you photo, email it to me and I'll put it up on the blog.

Happy reading everyone!

Tuesday, September 04, 2012

Archangel's Storm, Chat Info, Riveted, & Heroes

Amazon, B&N, BookDepo, B-A-M
Chapters, IndBnd, Powells

B-On-B, Diesel, Ibook, Kindle
Kobo, Nook, Penguin, Sony
Not long to go until Archangel's Storm is out. Sometimes people ask me if I still get excited with each new release. Answer - YES!! Each book is different, and so each is a whole new experience. I can't wait for Jason to fly into your hands.
___________

I'll be doing a chat on  Mo's Book Buzz Wed 5th September from 9-10PM EST.

Go to: http://www.romrevtoday.com/ and then you'll see the RRT Chat link up top.

If you're in New Zealand, that's Thursday 1pm.

If you're in another time zone, you can use the World Clock Meeting Planner to convert 9pm EST, Wed 5th to your timezone. (I'm afraid the chat's going to very late night/early morning for those of you in Europe.)
___________

There are lots of great books coming out alongside Archangel's Storm on September 4th, including my bud Meljean's Brooks', Riveted, part of her amazing Iron Seas series.

If you haven't tried this series out, check it out! It's one of my favorites.

___________

I also have a request to pass on to all of you from fabulous historical author Anne Gracie. She's going to be doing a talk on heroes, and she'd like you to nominate your favorite "enter the hero" scenes from the Psy/Changeling series - ie. any scene where the hero makes his entrance.

Last but not least, I hope you all have an awesome start to the week!

Monday, September 03, 2012

Archangel's Storm Almost Out!

Sep 4th's almost here! I can't wait for Jason and Mahiya's story to hit the shelves.

A couple of quotes to tide you over. =)

"Mahiya."
Fingers tucking back a tendril of hair. "Yes?"
"I think," he said, reaching across to cup her chin, brush his thumb across her lower lip, "you must decide something tonight."


~ from Archangel's Storm

"Pulse a stutter in her throat, she gave a jerky nod and walked to lock the doors into her suite as he shut and locked the ones to the balcony. "I've--" Her words ended in a gasp, his chest pressed to her back, his head bent over the curve of her neck."

~ from Archangel's Storm

I know those of you in the UK, Australia & NZ, have to wait a little longer, so I'll be sending out a brand new long excerpt with the newsletter this week.

Hope you all had a fantabulous weekend. :-)

Friday, August 31, 2012

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!!
 

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

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."



 

Monday, August 27, 2012

Free Short Stories In Newsletter

Friday, August 24, 2012

Friday Book Club

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

Thursday, August 23, 2012

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


Tuesday, August 21, 2012

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