Upcoming Live Event - New Zealand: Author Talk & Book Signing

 

NZ folks: A reminder about this free event happening next week! Join Nalini as she discusses her most recent thriller There Should Have Been Eight, and shares insights into her writing journey. The talk will be followed by a book signing.

Tuesday 17th September, 5:30pm - 8pm NZST
University of Auckland
10 Symonds Street, Room 440
Auckland CBD, Auckland 1010

To reserve your ticket, click here. 

~Ashwini

Upcoming Live Event - New Zealand: Author Talk and Book Signing

 

Alt Text: Virtual Book Club Presents An Author Talk: Nalini Singh

NZ folks: Join Nalini at this free live event, as she discusses her most recent thriller There Should Have Been Eight, and shares insights into her writing journey. The talk will be followed by a book signing.

Tuesday 17th September, 5:30pm - 8pm NZST
University of Auckland
10 Symonds Street, Room 440
Auckland CBD, Auckland 1010

This is a free event. To reserve your ticket, click here. 

Archangel's Lineage

 

Alt Text: The connection failed before he could respond. But it was all right. She knew she was loved—loved in a way she’d never experienced before she stepped onto a Tower roof with her stomach clenched against a fear bone-chilling . . . and walked into her destiny.

The susurration of wings, the kiss of a power that was the turbulent ocean in her mind, the way he laughed until those eyes of impossible blue glowed, it was home to her now.

I’m working on Archangel's Lineage edits, so here’s a little glimpse of what’s on my screen today. 

Snapshot from the Writing Desk

 

Snapshot from the writing desk. Yes, there is a giant Toblerone on the right. Because chocolate is made from cocoa beans, which are a vegetable, and I like to eat healthy. 

Happy Birthday Desert Warrior

 

Twenty years ago this August, Desert Warrior made me a debut author. 

I wrote DW in a small notebook in whatever snatches of time I could manage, always aware that I was fighting a hard battle. Getting published when I began was difficult in the first place, and I was a young woman with no connections whatsoever who was submitting from a tiny dot of a country called New Zealand. 

I didn’t even know any writers in real life when I started. They were just names on books from faraway places.

The slush pile back then was a literal pile of paper, my submissions just one among thousands, tens of thousands.

I still tried anyway. Because we deserve to fight for our dreams. 

Then one day, a young editorial assistant named Diane wrote me back about a submission…and a year or so later, as an assistant editor, she bought DW. (Hi Diane! Thank you for being my first editor (and for one of the best phone calls of my life!))

I’ve now published millions of words across multiple series, but what drives me today is the same thing that drove the determined dreamer of a kid I once was: the love of writing, of stories, of books.

Thank you to every single one of you for reading my stories, whether you found me twenty years ago or today. You’re the reason that kid with stars in her eyes can live her dream. xo

Happy 20th birthday Tariq and Jasmine. 

Bookshelf Selfie

 

I took this pic the other day when I wasn’t in deadline pjs. Yes, that is Santa on the shelf. Yes, I only realized after looking at this photo. Oh well, it’s only six months to Christmas. 

Just wrote a conversation between Illium and Elena. It’s so good to be back in this world. 

Now back to the keyboard I go!

Catch-Up Time

Hello from the writing desk - where I’m currently working on the next Guild Hunter book. 

What’re you up to today?

Romance Authors In Conversation Event

 

Hello lovely readers! If you weren't able to register for the Romance Authors In Conversation event that took place yesterday (featuring Nalini, Amanda Bouchet and Ilona Andrews), here's the recording. :) 

~Ashwini

Coconut Palms and Library Shelves

I recently wrote a piece for The Sapling about my childhood reading experiences. Here's the link if you'd like to read!

Were you a reader in childhood or did you find books when you got older? The first book you remember absolutely loving?

Podcast - Playing Verbal Poker with Nalini Singh

I recently taped a podcast with Sarah Wendell from SBTB and it's now live! We talk about the genesis of Slave to Sensation, chat about the Guild Hunter series, discuss my upcoming thriller, grumpy heroes, and so much more! It was a really fun chat. I hope you enjoy it.

Fantasy Book Cafe - Women in SF&F Month

"...though I may tell stories in the context of shapeshifters and telepaths, archangels and vampires, the questions can be very much human. The nature of cruelty, and of love, the value of loyalty, and the pain of betrayal..."

I have a post up on Fantasy Book Cafe as part of their Women in SF&F Month, about what draws me to paranormal romance and other speculative fiction. I loved writing the piece!

Paying it forward

When I was a university student, my mum paid for me to go to my very first Romance Writers of New Zealand conference after we saw a little write-up about it in our local paper. I was working part time around my studies, but there was no way I could've afforded to go to the conference on my own.

Attending had a profound impact on my life - not only did I learn so much, for the first time, I'd found my tribe. Other people who understood the need to tell a story, who valued the journey of the human heart and adored romances, and who spoke to the people in their head!

I've always wanted to pay my mum's kindness forward, so this year, I'd like to send one New Zealand-based writer to the 2019 RWNZ Conference, to be held in Christchurch.

I'd like this to go to a FIRST TIMER, someone who's never had a chance to attend a national writing conference but would love to go. So if you know someone like that in New Zealand, please share the information with them. You don't have to be a romance writer, but you have to respect the romance genre and the people who work in it.

Here's what I'll cover:

- economy class flights from anywhere in New Zealand to Christchurch (if you're close to Christchurch, I'll cover your petrol/parking, or train/bus costs)
- conference registration for the "Love and Other Journeys" conference, to be held by RWNZ from the 23rd of August 2019 to the 25th of August 2019, including the awards dinner
- if you're not a member of RWNZ already, I'll throw in a year's membership
- $50/day for expenses (the conference already provides morning tea, lunch, and afternoon tea)
- accommodation in the conference hotel for 4 nights from Thursday 22 August to Sunday 25th August inclusive. If the conference hotel is booked out, I'll pay for any nearby accommodation you can find in a similar price range.

(You'll be responsible for making all the bookings/registrations yourself).

If you'd like to be considered, just drop me an email with "RWNZ Conference 2019" in the subject line, telling me a little about yourself and your reasons why you'd like to attend. Since I know writers like to write, try to keep it to around 300 words or so. :) Email: nalinisinghwritesATgmail DOTcom

This isn't an official scholarship, just one writer paying it forward, so I'll read through all the replies, and choose the one that resonates most with me. I'm sure it'll be a very hard decision for me, but I do hope to do this again next year, so please try again if you miss out this year.

Dates: Emails must be in to me by Saturday March 2nd 2019 at 5pm. I'll email the recipient back by end of day March 10th 2019. If I don't hear from them within 72 hours, I'll choose someone else. Also, if you're the recipient, you can keep your name private if you wish - or you can feel free to out yourself.

Good luck.

Writing Update

Me (in an Entertainment Weekly article in June): The next Psy-Changeling book will feature bears or falcons, I’m sure of it.

Characters: *whistle nonchalantly for a few months*

Me: Book time! Wait, hey, what’s this?

Characters: *laughter* *more laughter* *even more laughter*

Me: Come on! I said bears or falcons in NATIONAL NEWS MEDIA!!!

Characters (on the floor laughing): Why do you attempt to predict us?

Me: *finds wine bottle* *drinks* *repeat*

Dear readers: it will not be bears or falcons. Clue: the changeling group starts with the letter "W".

Catch-Up Time

What are you up to? I’m working on my next contemporary (Nayna and Raj and some crazy family shenanigans). No release date yet as I want to make sure everything is set in stone before I announce it. Okay your turn! Tell me your news! 

Catchup Time

What are you up to this week? Give me all your news!!

I took some time off after the release of Silver Silence, but am now back at my desk. First up: the proofs of Archangel's Viper. :-)

Interviews

Nalini had an interview in the New Zealand Herald yesterday, as well as an interview on radio station Newstalk ZB. Click here to read/listen. :) ~ Ashwini

Good News & Writing Update

Coming out of my hermit cave for a little while (shh, don't tell Ashwini) to share a writing and good news update:

In awesome news, Allegiance of Honor, Archangel's Heart, and Rock Wedding have all been nominated for RT Reviewers' Choice Awards!  In more awesome news, Allegiance of Honor, Wild Embrace, and Archangel's Heart have been nominated for the Australian Romance Readers Association Awards!

In writing news, the copy edits for Silver Silence are done, and now I'm working on Archangel's Viper. The review copies for Silver Silence won't go out until the proofs are ready, which should be in a few weeks or so (but don't quote me on that!).

Right, off I sidle back to my cave to chain myself to the keyboard. :D

Silver Silence

PSY-CHANGELING NEWS!!

Silver Silence

...is the title of the next Psy-Changeling book. I'm sure you can all guess who the heroine is!

Silver Silence kicks off season two of the series. The books in season one all had three-word titles, but for this next arc of the series, we're switching it up to two-word titles. (Yes, we like to live dangerously :D).

The series title will also be changing slightly from the Psy-Changeling Series, to the Psy-Changeling Trinity Series.

SILVER SILENCE

A Psy-Changeling Trinity Novel

Why the series title change?

As I started to think about Silver Silence, I realized it would be a very good entry point into the series. We're going to be meeting new characters, seeing a new part of the Psy-Changeling world.

The series title change means Silver Silence will be listed as book 1 of the Psy-Changeling Trinity series rather than book 16 of the Psy-Changeling series.

This'll also make it easier for things like my website, so the book lists can be neatly separated out. Right now, the series list is in danger of falling off the page on the main menu!

If I've read the entire Psy-Changeling series, will this feel like a continuation?

Yes. While Silver Silence is a great intro into the series, if you're already familiar with the world, then you'll see deeper layers of meaning within each story. And of course, you'll come into it with a lot of knowledge about all the events that have led up to this point.

Does this mean all the books will be about the Trinity Accord?

No. In fact, the Trinity Accord plays only a minor role in Silver Silence.

The reason for choosing Psy-Changeling Trinity as the series title is that in my head, this is the Trinity arc, while season one was the Silence arc. It doesn't mean everything focuses around Trinity - it just represents this new phase in the Psy-Changeling world.

Does the new series arc mean we're leaving the previous characters totally behind?

No. We will be meeting new characters and going into new territories, but this is a living, breathing world, so people's paths do cross.

Also, we'll be circling back to some previous characters who haven't had their stories yet.

If I haven't read a single Psy-Changeling story, will I understand Silver Silence?

Absolutely. And hopefully, it'll tempt you to go back and catch up on season one!

Will my favorite characters appear?

If they're necessary to the story. Given the sprawling cast, not everyone can return. Allegiance of Honor was a soft goodbye to some characters - I say soft because if they have a natural part to play in a particular storyline in the future, you'll see them again.

How many books will be in season two?

I never know how many books it'll take to complete a story arc so I can't give you a number, but I have plans for plenty more Psy-Changeling goodness!

Who is the hero of Silver Silence?

I recently turned in the first few chapters of the book to my editor and she loved it, so we should have a blurb soonish. Until then, I'll tell you that Silver's hero is most unexpected. I certainly wasn't expecting him to knock on Silver's door at seven in the morning like he had every right to be there. Once again, I learn never to predict what my characters will do!

Tell me more!

I've almost completed the first draft of the book. This doesn't mean it's finished. I do multiple drafts - my first drafts are the skeleton, with more layers going on draft by draft. Right now, I've been focusing mostly on the romance.

Silver and her hero are unlike any other pairing in the series to date.

I hope that answers most of your burning questions! I'll release the blurb as soon as it's finalized! Until then, anyone want to guess at the identity of Silver's hero?

Wild Night & Writing

If you missed the short story "WILD NIGHT" in the newsletter, you can now find it on the Free Short Stories page of the website.

A number of other stories remain newsletter-exclusive - you can access them by joining the newsletter. Just fill in the little form on the front page of the website. Access details are in the automatic welcome newsletter.

~

I'm currently going over the copy edited manuscript of the next Rock Kiss book. Hoping to finalize it this week.

I've also chosen a cover photograph. It was shot just for this book and is gorgeous. I can't wait to share the cover with you once it's done.

No firm release date yet, but I'm hoping for July sometime. :)

It's been a busy time with Allegiance of Honor written, edited, proofed, followed by the same with Wild Embrace, then edits for Abe's book, and handing in Archangel's Heart. I'm excited about all the releases coming this year!

~

And last but not least: I shared this little video I took in Antarctica on my Facebook and Instagram, but I know not everyone checks those, so here it is for you. Hope it puts a smile on your face. (Turn up the sound to get the peaceful background noises).

Archangel's Heart

I emailed Ashwini this Lolcat last night after sending ARCHANGEL'S HEART to my agent. Yes, it's finished!! (Much intrigue is afoot in this book!)

Now my editor will read it and get back to me with any notes. It's currently 476 manuscript pages, 125,831 words.