WINNER: Thanks for a fantastic discussion everyone. Anna has picked her winner, and it's Bronwyn! Bronwyn, please email me your address (nalinisinghwrites AT gmail DOT com), so I can send it through to Anna. Congratulations!
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Today, we continue the series of monthly guest posts by authors from my part of the world with the talented Anna Campbell.
She's talking tortured heroes (ooooh) and giving away a copy of her latest release Captive of Sin, which was just named as one of the best mass market releases of 2009 by Publishers Weekly! Please welcome Anna to the blog everyone.
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Torture Me Some More!
Hi Nalini! Thanks so much for inviting me to be your guest today to talk about my new historical romance CAPTIVE OF SIN which Avon released on 27th October.
But first, how good is LORD OF SCOUNDRELS? It’s one of my top two or three romances EVAH! I think the Marquess of Dain is one of the best heroes ever written – and we all know how much competition he’s got in that category! If anyone hasn’t read it, run to your nearest bookstore and grab it. You won’t be sorry.
Nalini, am I wrong? LOL!
I read widely across all the romance genres. Basically if the characters draw me in and it’s a good story, I’m there. I don’t care if it’s set on Upsilon Minor, in an alternate reality with vampires, in small-town America (or elsewhere!) or Regency London. But the truth of the matter is I write historicals and here I am hanging out with paranormal gals!
So I started to think about what paranormals and historicals have in common. And something that immediately sprang to mind is a subject dear to my twisted heart – the tortured hero!
The tortured hero has been a staple of the romance genre at least since WUTHERING HEIGHTS and JANE EYRE. And he shows no signs of stopping!
So far, I’ve had four books released and guess what? They all featured a hero who was tortured to a greater or lesser extent – although when I say ‘lesser’, that would probably be the Earl of Erith from TEMPT THE DEVIL and he has an awful lot of emotional baggage, so ‘lesser’ is relative!
Sir Gideon Trevithick in CAPTIVE OF SIN would probably be close to my most tortured guy yet. He returns from a year’s horrific imprisonment in India as a national hero and as 
the inheritor (against all expectations) of his family’s estate in Cornwall. But he is haunted by the ghosts of his past and he’s convinced he’ll never lead a normal life. In modern parlance, you’d say he suffered both PTSD and survivor guilt.
When he stumbles across a runaway heiress in a stable, he rashly pledges to help her, unaware that this reckless promise will lead him into a marriage of convenience. But his young bride, Charis, is unwilling to settle for the barren bargain he offers her and she sets out to rescue him from his torment.
Does she succeed? Well, I guess you have to read the book! But believe me, she has a hard road ahead of her and her journey involves tragic secrets and emotional turmoil and sacrifices greater than she ever imagined.
You can read an excerpt here: http://www.annacampbell.info/captivesin.html
And here’s the really cool trailer a friend of mine put together for me as a surprise present: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTsRuTIYBaM
Anyway, let’s talk tortured heroes! Why do you think readers love them so much? Do you have a favorite tortured hero? My favorite comment wins a signed copy of CAPTIVE OF SIN. Good luck!
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Giveaway closes Wednesday 9 a.m. NZ time, so comment away! And please make sure we have some way to contact you if you win.
We're continuing the series of guest posts by authors from my part of the world today. Please welcome Erica Hayes to the blog everyone!
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Hi everyone, and big thanks to Nalini for inviting me on her blog. I attended Nalini's workshop on paranormal romance at RWNZ this year, asking all the silly questions like, "Is it okay if I kill my characters off after they've had their HEA?"
Wise woman Nalini assured me the answer was "Are you CRAZY? No way. Never. Not in a million years." Good advice, eh?
As a debut urban fantasy/romance author, I'm often asked: which idea came first, the characters or the world? In my case, it was the characters.
The first spark of an idea that eventually became SHADOWFAE came to me one night when I was faffing about on the internet (as you do) hunting for a cool paranormal creature to star in my newest steamy story. I was clicking through Monstropedia (what a fabulous time-waster… umm, I mean research site!) and I came across the entry for succubus: a female demon who seduces men and feeds off their energy when they have sex.
Awesome! I thought. A girl who eats souls. That's my heroine. But what if a succubus climbed in the window at midnight to steal a man's soul—and found him already dead? Who killed him, and why? Why did she want his soul in the first place? What if the killer's still there?
And though the story went through a dozen iterations since then, that's still what happens in the first few pages of SHADOWFAE. Jade, my heroine, is out on yet another sordid soul-drinking mission for her demon lord—gosh, don't get me started about the demon lord—and finds her potential victim already drained of his soul. And the killer is indeed still there: Rajah, a 400-year-old incubus with his own mys
terious agenda.
But now I needed a world for Jade and Rajah to play in. Somewhere their nefarious deeds would go not only unpunished, but virtually unnoticed. A place where getting your soul sucked out was an occupational hazard. A city where demons rule, and succubi are paranormal assassins. Warring vampire gangs own the streets. Fairies on the train, trolls in the coffee shop, angels and imps fighting in the gutters.
Add a shimmer of toxic fae glamour, so that we ordinary helpless humans can't see any of it, and the Shadowfae world was born. If you don't watch out, you'll lose your soul.
Which brings me back to my demon lord, Kane. Hello, sultry black-eyed blond :) Kane is my favourite secondary character, and he features in all three Shadowfae books I've written so far. His fight for control of his territory—and the souls that dwell there—has become the background theme of my series. The stories each feature a different hero/heroine, and Kane's the one jumping up and down in the wings, demanding his own book one day. He's a very persuasive man. He is a demon, after all…
So tell me: who's your favourite secondary character from a romance or UF series? Who would you like to get their own book one day? Me, I'm hanging out for a book about Riley Jenson's brother Rhoan and his BF from Keri Arthur's series ;)
Today, we continue the monthly series on guest authors from my part of the world. Everyone, please welcome Nicola Marsh to the blog!
Nicola's giving away a book to a random winner - leave a comment before 12 noon tomorrow, New Zealand time, to be in to win.
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THE ALLURE OF FOREIGN SHORES
I’m an avid reader. I devour books; have ever since I was a kid.
I read widely, across genres and could happily spend a day/week/month curled up with my nose in a book. For me, part of the appeal of reading is getting engrossed in another world, being so absorbed in the characters’ lives that I’m almost there alongside them, laughing and crying and feeling their pain.
It’s sheer pleasure to be swept up in the fantasy as I turn the pages, eager to reach the end yet reluctant to do so because I love the story so much.
So what helps sweep me along?
The setting.
I’m a sucker for an exotic setting, a place that brings the book alive.
How many of you have read a book set in Paris and can see the Eiffel Tower, the Place de la Concorde, Montmarte? A Roman book, with the Colosseum, the Spanish Steps? Venice with its charming waterways and gondolas?
Mention a city in the world and someone will have an instant mental image of what that place is like.
That’s what I hoped to evoke with my upcoming Harlequin Romance, A TRIP WITH THE TYCOON.
Set in India, I wove the sights, smells, sounds and tastes of this magical country through the book and by the reviews so far, readers are pleased with the results!
As I take readers on a journey through India, I also take them on a South Pacific cruise in TWO WEEKS IN THE MAGNATE’S BED (Harlequin Presents.) Balmy breezes, isolated beaches, Fijian islands, endless ocean…you can picture it, right?
Do you have any favourite settings around the world?
Both these books will be released in September and I’m giving away a signed copy of TWO WEEKS IN THE MAGNATE’S BED to a commenter chosen at random.
Want to know more about where I set my books? Visit my website at www.nicolamarsh.com
Happy armchair travels!
Nicola
(Thanks for having me, Nalini :-))
Winner: The random numbers have rolled and the winner of Sandra's giveaway is MAERED! Congrats! Please email me your address: nalinisinghwrites AT gmail DOT com
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Today we get to meet the third guest in my monthly series on authors from my part of the world - Sandra Hyatt! Not only is Sandra a friend, she's a debut author whose first book has just come out. Congratulations, Sandra!!
She's here today sharing the really cool story of where she got the "Call" and giving away a copy of her debut book, so leave a comment to be in the draw.
Everyone, please give a very warm welcome to Sandra. :-)
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First off – thanks Nalini for inviting me to blog with you.
It's great to have something like this going on while it seems so many authors I know are off having a wonderful time in Washington DC at the Romance Writers of America national conference.
I have fabulous memories of last year's San Francisco conference. The whole conference is always an amazing experience – terrific workshops and speakers, editors, agents, publishers and hundreds and hundreds, if not thousands of authors all in the one place. And the best thing is that every last person there is passionate about romance.
Then, of course, there are the Golden Heart Awards for unpublished manuscripts and the RITA Awards for the very best in published Romance fiction. (Fingers crossed on Saturday night for Mine to Possess in the paranormal romance category. How could Clay and Tally's story not win?).
But last year's conference was particularly special for me because that was where I got The Call from my editor saying she wanted to buy my book. To get that news, in a place like that, and to be able to share it on the spot and in person with my writing friends (as well as the complete strangers I told) was so much fun.
And now, a year down the track, that call has resulted in my very first book Having The Billionaire's Baby hitting the shelves in North America right about now. It's resulted in me being able to hold a real book with my name on the cover, in my hot little hands. It's also resulted in me being able to answer, when someone asks what I do, that I write romance. This is a dream come true for me, a dream that was ten years in the making, and a dream which I'm hoping is only just beginning.
I love the writing of my stories, the way characters come to life, and the way they shape their own destinies on paper. Callie, The heroine of Having the Billionaire's Baby has always been a 'good' girl, always followed the rules, and always carefully planned her life. But on the night of her ex-fiancé's wedding she gives herself permission to throw caution to the wind and act on impulse. Her actions that night land her in hot water with Nick (who plays by his own rules) and her carefully ordered life is turned upside down.
As exciting as it's all been, it's a bit like a rollercoaster too. There are parts where you're slowly climbing to a peak, not knowing what's in front of you. The book hitting the shelves is one of those peaks, because for so many years the only people who've read what I've written have been a few critique partners and some contest judges. Now the whole world—and my mother—can read it.
I'd love it if anyone out there had experiences they wanted to share where they had doubts but triumphed wildly (or even mildly).
Winners: The random winner's of Annie's giveaway are:
Orannia - The Greek's Convenient Mistress
Una - Blackmailed Bride, Innocent Wife
Congratulations! Please email your addresses to: annie AT annie-west DOT com
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It's time to meet the second guest in my monthly series on authors from my corner of the world.
Today's guest is the lovely Annie West! Annie, a Waldenbooks bestselling author, writes for Harlequin Presents (called M&B Sexy down under). She's also an Australian, but we don't hold that against her ;-)
Please give a warm welcome to Annie everyone! And check out the presents she's bought along to share.______________
Hi, Nalini! Thanks so much for the invitation to come and join you. This is a real treat. I’ve been admiring your work for a long time.
This is a special time for me right now and it’s great to be able to share that with other romance lovers. Recently I sold my 10th book to Harlequin and am well into my 11th manuscript. Double digits – yay! Somehow when I got ‘the call’ for that first book I never really looked ahead as far as this. Now I feel like maybe I can make a success of writing long term, especially as I’ve just heard that my first Presents story is about to go into a ‘By Request’ omnibus of reprinted stories in the UK in August.
As well as that, I’m grinning from ear to ear about my two (count them!) current releases. The Greek’s Convenient Mistress goes on sale this week in North America and in the UK Blackmailed Bride, Innocent Wife is on shelves already (and in Aus/NZ in June). (If you’re curious and want to read an excerpt follow these links to the Harlequin sites or visit my website).To celebrate I thought I’d give away a copy of those two titles – one book each to two contributors to the blog, chosen at random.
Both these books feature Mediterranean heroes: tall, dark, dangerous and sexy. One is Sicilian and the other from the island of Crete. I fell in love with both of them as I wrote their stories. That got me wondering what it is I enjoyed so much about these guys and why so many readers want a strong Mediterranean man in their romances.
For me there are attributes I particularly enjoy writing and reading in a Mediterranean hero. They’re strong, charismatic and sexy, with a sense of assured masculinity that just seems to ooze from them. They’re fantastic lovers and they know how to please a woman.
They may, I admit, be slower than their heroine to realise when they’re in love. Actually, one of the things I enjoy is watching a strong, self-assured hero, who’s been used to striding through his world, in charge and capable, off balance when he finds his emotions engaged for the first time, all because of one woman. Especially if that woman isn’t the sort to whom he thought he’d be attracted. Especially if he hadn’t expected to fall in love. Or maybe he didn’t even believe in love.
He’ll be a man used to taking charge. He’s powerful and pragmatic, often with a strong sense of responsibility 
– especially for family and friends. In protective mode, this hero will move heaven and earth to care for and keep safe those people who are important to him. He’d act swiftly, possibly ruthlessly, against anyone threatening them. Which makes life interesting if he perceives the heroine as a threat! It also means he’ll do whatever is necessary to protect the woman he loves – something I find appealing - even if a heroine is perfectly capable of fending for herself.
His strength demands an equally strong heroine to match him.
He has a sense of honour. His values may be different to those of others. He may not care what others think and may dare to do things others won’t, but he has boundaries he will not cross and standards he’ll fight to maintain.
He’s proud. And we all know what they say about pride going before a fall. Don’t you love to watch a hero realise he’s been on the wrong track in his assessment of the heroine, then figh
t to make things right?
He’s passionate and capable of caring deeply. He may have a dark side, which has an appeal all its own.
You could argue that he shares quite a few characteristics with heroes from some fantasy and historical novels.
Does this sort of hero appeal to you? Do you like your men dark, passionate and maybe a little dangerous? What characteristics make a hero memorable for you?
Annie
Winners: Thanks for giving such a warm welcome to Yvonne. She's chosen the winners of her giveaway and they are - Una, Azteclady & Tracy. Congratulations! Email me at nalinisinghwrites AT gmail DOT com with your mailing address and I'll pass it on to Yvonne.
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Today, we kick off a new monthly series of guest blogs with writers from my part of the world.
First up is fellow Kiwi author and my good friend (and not just because she put me in the dedication to her latest book *squee*), Yvonne Lindsay!
Everyone, please welcome Yvonne!
Pssst - she's come bearing gifts!!
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Thanks, Nalini, for inviting me to join you on your blog!
Well, this month is a month I never dreamed would come along. It’s the month that sees the release of my tenth title with Silhouette Desire. Frankly, I’m totally amazed.
Seeing PRETEND MISTRESS, BONA FIDE BOSS on the shelves is super exciting and I’m in the mood to celebrate :-) so I’m giving away one copy of each of the three Rogue Diamonds books (CONVENIENT MARRIAGE, INCONVENIENT HUSBAND—SECRET BABY, PUBLIC AFFAIR—PRETEND MISTRESS, BONA FIDE BOSS) to three randomly chosen commenters.
When I brainstormed the Rogue Diamonds mini-series, I had no trouble dreaming up the close knit powerful alpha trio of friends. I think it was a comment from an interview given by Keanu Reeves, where he mentioned demon riding, that started the ball rolling and gathering plot outline in my head. These guys are definitely risk takers.
As usual, for me, finding the women who deserved them was a whole lot harder (I don’t tend to share my toys and my heroes are pretty much the same.) When it came to Adam’s story I had a string of ideas running through my head. I wanted more than your average mistress, more than your average boss/secretary story—all of which meant that Lainey needed to have a big backstory, one that was powerful enough to drive this book and, coincidentally, this hero to the end of his tether.
I’ve always been drawn to the story of Pygmalion, of the statue, Galatea, brought to life and love and I started to play with how this could work in a modern setting—with a twist. Of course, there always has to be a twist. Why would she prefer to be the inanimate ‘statue’ like woman who flew under a man’s radar? What would drive her to risk that anonymity? And so Lainey Delacorte came to life.
Thinking about it, fairy tales, myths and legends often have a strong influence on my stories, even when I’m not fully conscious of it until the book is done. What’s your favourite tale of old?
Contest Closed.
Hi Nalini! Thanks so much for inviting me to be your guest today to talk about my new historical romance CAPTIVE OF SIN which Avon released on 27th October.
the inheritor (against all expectations) of his family’s estate in Cornwall. But he is haunted by the ghosts of his past and he’s convinced he’ll never lead a normal life. In modern parlance, you’d say he suffered both PTSD and survivor guilt.
