Signings & Books!

First of all, a huge shout-out to the wonderful booksellers who hosted the events, and to all of you who attended the signings, at the Lori Foster Weekend in Cincinnati, Joseph-Beth in Lexington, The Book Cellar in Chicago, Murder By The Book in Houston, and Hastings Entertainment in Waxahachie! I had an awesome time at all of the events, and loved getting to meet so many of you. 

I'll be at the Boas and Tiaras Tea tomorrow. If you aren't able to attend, you can still participate - the event will be livestreamed at: http://freshfiction.com/romancelive/, Saturday, June 11th at 11am Central (12pm ET / 9am PT).

That's Sunday 4am New Zealand time, Saturday 6pm Berlin, Saturday 5pm London. If you need to work out the time in your timezone, the Meeting Planner on the World Clock is great.

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

Teijan

Author Jess Granger recently started a #TheRatIsHot campaign on Twitter, in support of a story for Teijan. She even wrote a haiku to convince me. I thought you'd all enjoy reading it!

Rat

by Jess Granger

Stealthy in darkness, 

Your silent invasion each night

You take what you want

 

So, what are your views on Teijan?

New York Signing

The New York signing was so much fun! Thank you to all of you who came, and to the wonderful staff at the 150 East 86th Street Barnes & Noble. A special thanks to the brilliant and witty Sarah Wendell who interviewed me on stage.

Here are a couple of photos from the event! More photos to come from the tour stops soon as I have a little more time.

Sarah and I with the winner of the Archangel's Blade ARC we gave away at the event! (Don't worry, I snagged a couple for a blog giveaway after I return home. :-))

I hope you're all having a good weekend! I wasn't able to put up a Friday Book Club post, so share your reads on this post. What are you reading and loving at the moment?

Kiss of Snow *Spoiler* Thread

Thanks for keeping the comments spoiler-free everyone! I know many readers of this blog are still waiting for their copies of Kiss of Snow, so it's very much appreciated.

However, I know those of you who have read it would like to discuss it with spoilers - please do so in the comments to this post only.

If you haven't yet read the book, and don't want to be spoiled, look away! I'll place a bookmark to this thread in the sidebar sometime later in the week, so you'll be able to come back and join in the discussion once you have read the book. 

As always, please respect one another's opinions. Happy discussing!

Roseville & Heart to Heart Interview

Thank you to everyone who came to the signing last night, and to the awesome staff at the Roseville B&N! It was a fantastic way to kick off the tour. :-)

I also have an interview up at Heart to Heart, the BN Romance Blog today, so swing by and check it it.

I hope you're all having a fantastic week. I'm currently sitting at the airport- next stop, New York!

Kiss of Snow Now Out!!

Kiss of Snow is out!! I hope you all love Hawke and Sienna's story!

p.s. The newsletter went out a few minutes ago - it should be hitting in-boxes soon. Everyone who emailed me to ask they be manually added, has been. Please check your spam folder if you didn't get the newsletter. And enjoy! :-)

Kiss of Snow Countdown Quote #14

Kiss of Snow releases tomorrow! Here's one more Kiss before release day. :-) 

Kiss of Snow Countdown Quote #14

Hawke smiled...and she realized he was stalking her in slow, steady steps. Twisting, she saw she was about to back herself into a corner. She jerked left, expecting him to stop her. When he didn't, suspicion licked through her veins. "I'm glad you're going to be reasonable about this," she said, never moving her eyes off him. 

So who thinks Hawke *is* going to be reasonable? ;-)

And a bonus Kiss :-)

"Ready to play?" the wolf asked. 

1 day to go!!

Hawke's Kiss

2 days to go till Kiss of Snow hits the shelves! Here's today's Kiss. :-) 

That sneaky wolf charm was not going to weaken her defenses this time. "I'm working, in case you didn't hear me the first time."

Arms sliding around her waist, tugging her back against a warm male chest. "I've come to keep you company."

Reaching back, she pulled her hair out from between them. "I like being alone." 

A quick nip of her ear. "Such a liar."

Saturday Kiss

Kiss of Snow Countdown Quote #12

"I know he'd chew me up and spit me out, but God, it's all I can do not to strip myself naked and beg for him to bite me any way and anywhere he wants."

3 days to go!

Alpha Showdown & Kiss of Snow

The lovely Jaci Burton is giving away a copy of Kiss of Snow, so swing by and enter if you'd like to go in the draw. 

Smexy Books has posted up a new interview with me, along with another giveaway.

Also, it has been brought to my attention that Raphael is up against Kate Daniels in the Alpha Showdown. Go forth and vote.

(p.s. Who else is looking forward to Magic Slays? I'm so there!)

Friday Book Club & A Kiss

Kiss of Snow Countdown Quote #11 

Eight hours later, with the mountains kissed white-gold by the morning sun, Hawke stood staring at the door that had just been slammed in his face. "Sienna," he growled.

Friday Book Club

Time to talk books! What are you reading and loving at the moment? I'm reading Angel's Wolf. :-)

Winner of The Magical Christmas Cat

The random numbers have spoken and the winner of The Magical Christmas Cat giveaway is:

EMMA CLAW 

Congratulations! An email is on the way to you!

 

Angel's Wolf & Kiss of Snow

I'm working on the copy edited manuscript of Angel's Wolf (my novella in the Angels of Darkness anthology), and falling in love with the characters and the story all over again. I'll post a short excerpt from it after I return from the tour.

Here's today's Kiss!

Kiss of Snow Countdown Quote #10

"Tomorrow." Leaning down, he nuzzled at her, only taking a small bite before rubbing his lips over the spot. "Time to go back."

A Kiss, Interview, and Live Chat Details

While I’m in New York next week (woohoo!!) I’m going to be doing my first ever LiveStream chat event on Penguin’s Project Paranormal Facebook page.  The chat’s on June 2 at 3:30 PM EST—like the page and stop by! http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/ProjectParanormalBooks

If you want to work out what time 3.30pm EST on the 2nd is in your timezone, you can use the fabulous World Clock Meeting Planner.

Interviews

I have new interviews up at Galaxy Books and the Open Book Society. :-)

Now for today's Kiss!

Kiss of Snow Countdown Quote #9

Lurching up, she grabbed the front of his T-shirt. "You will not touch any of my friends."

Patient wolf eyes. Deadly wolf eyes.

The Magical Christmas Cat

Contest Now Closed

The random numbers have spoken and the winner of the copy of The Magical Christmas Cat is:

EMMA CLAW 

Congratulations! An email is on the way to you! 

________________

Time for a contest! I have a trade paperback edition of The Magical Christmas Cat to give away. 

If you'd like to go into the draw to win it, just leave a comment on this post with your answer to any one of these questions: 

Which authors would you love to see in an anthology together - i.e. your ultimate lineup?

Cats or dogs?  

If you could have Hawke to yourself for ten minutes, and he agreed not to snarl at you, what would you ask him?

Make sure you leave some way for us to contact you, or check back on Friday to see if you've won. Since I'm leaving on tour soon, if you get back to me asap, I can sign the book before I go.   

Rules: Contest closes Thursday 26 May 2011, 5pm New Zealand time. Open internationally. One entry per household. No purchase necessary to enter. Winner will be chosen randomly using random.org and his or her name(s) posted on this blog on Friday 27th May 2011. Void where prohibited.

Contest Now Closed

Kisses, Reviews & Suitcases

The suitcase has come out and the clothes are being packed. One week to go till the release of Kiss of Snow and the start of the tour! I'm incredibly excited about both the release and the tour.

Talking of the tour, if you're coming to the New York event, then swing by Smart Bitches Trashy Books, as Sarah Wendell, who'll be interviewing me at the event, wants to make sure she includes reader questions in the interview.

A number of reviews went up today for Kiss of Snow. Here are some links if you'd like check them out.

"This is a thoroughly satisfying book, one that met every high expectation I had for Hawke's book." - Katidom

"I love that Sienna never fears Hawke. While they have a volatile relationship, he never forces his will upon her (for her own good) as in some alpha shifter stories." - Heroes and Heartbreakers

"Without giving any spoilers, I will say that I am completely satisfied with they way Ms. Singh addressed the mating concerns and how the whole mating storyline played out in Kiss of Snow." - Twinmom 227

Today's Kiss is for the fans of a certain Arrow.

Going down on his haunches, Vasic picked up a handful of sand, the silica catching the moonlight as it passed through his fingers. "Yes."

Kiss of Snow Countdown Quote #7

A Kiss to kick off the week. 

Hawke stepped sideways to block her. "No."

Not long to go to the release date!

Kiss of Snow Countdown Quote #6

Today's kiss below!

"You can't go around biting me whenever you feel like it." It was very alpha male behavior, and he hardly needed any more encouragement.

Kiss of Snow Countdown Quote #5

Happy weekend everyone! Here's today's Kiss of Snow quote!

"Do it again," he whispered. "I want to watch." 

Friday Book Club

Kiss of Snow Countdown Quote #4

"Wow, talk about alpha. Makes me want to say 'yes please, and again.'"

 _______________

What are you reading and enjoying at the moment? I have a whole bunch of books I'm looking forward to reading during my upcoming trip!

Angels' Flight

I've sent in the edits for Archangel's Blade, and am now back at work on Galen and Jessamy's novella. The novella is titled Angels' Dance, and will release March 2012 as part of the Angels' Flight anthology (in paperback and ebook).

As well as Angels' Dance, the paperback will feature the long-requested print edition of Angels' Pawn, along with a reprint of Angels' Judgment (Sara and Deacon's story), so it's a good chance to get most of the GH novellas in one go. If you've previously read one or both of the other novellas, not to worry - Angels' Dance is turning out to be a little longer than my other novellas, so you'll still get good value.

Let me know if you have any questions. :-)

____________________

Kiss of Snow Countdown Quote #3

"Your pelt," a lazy voice drawled as he walked into the clearing around Lucas's home, "would make a nice coat for my mate."

(Who do you think is speaking? About who?)

______________________

Also, my agent, Nephele Tempest, is giving away an Advanced Review Copy of Kiss of Snow. Follow the link to enter the draw!

Upcoming German Editions

Gorgeous new German covers! (If you're looking for the Kiss of Snow quote for today, scroll down. :))

Archangel's Consort

Angels' Pawn, Beat of Temptation, & Stroke of Enticement

Speaking of Angels' Pawn, the English edition will be out in print next year! It's currently scheduled for a March release. More info to come soon!

Kiss of Snow Countdown Quote #2

"Kiss of Snow is a gift to fans of the Psy-Changeling series, the development of Hawke and Sienna's relationship written in magnificent detail and their progression from adversaries to lovers so euphorically satisfying we can't imagine how we've made it this long without their story in all its glorious completeness." ~ Jenny from Supernatural Snark

Kiss of Snow Countdown Quote #2

A faint smile that made every tiny hair on her body rise in quivering attention. "How fast can you run?" A wolf's question. 

___________

12 (or 13) days to go to release day depending on your timezone!

All Kiss of Snow excerpts copyright (c) 2011 by Nalini Singh 

Kiss of Snow Countdown

I'm posting a quote a day on my Facebook page to count down to the May 31st release of Kiss of Snow, and thought I'd post them here, too, for those of you not on Facebook. Enjoy!

Kiss of Snow Countdown Quote #1

Indigo gave him an easy, dangerous smile. “I know all you have to do is snap your fingers and women throw themselves into your bed—” She held up a hand when he growled. “I’m not saying you use your position, but the fact that you’re alpha, the reason why you’re alpha—your strength, your speed, your sheer dominance, that’s potent stuff. Not to mention your pretty face.”

Copyright (c) 2011 by Nalini Singh

p.s. The first newsletter goes out tomorrow, and I've put in something special for you all. :-)

New Newsletter

I have a shiny new newsletter. To subscribe, follow this link!

I'll be sending out approximately one newsletter a month (though I might do two just for Hawke ;-)), and among other things, I'll be recapping any excerpt links, news, etc, so it'll be a good way to catch up and see if you've missed anything. (You can unsubscribe at any time, though I hope you'll be pulled into my web and want to stay forever *grin*).

If you subscribed to my old newsletter, you're all set. We've moved you over to the new one.

Friday Book Club & Interview

Jenny at Supernatural Snark interviewed me recently and the interview is now up!

Now, onto the book club - coming to you on a Saturday. What are you reading and loving at the moment?

Linkage

A quick heads-up: Brenda Novak's online auction to raise money for Diabetes Research is currently running. Lots of things up for offer, including autographed books from me, and ARCs from various authors.

Oddshots

Swing over to Oddshots today and share your favorite sigh-inducing moments in books. :-)

Archangel's Blade

I'm currently working on the typeset pages for Archangel's Blade (the last time I'll see it before publication), so blog posts might be a little erratic over the next week.

But, I have a little bite to tide you over.

From Archangel's Blade

(full excerpt to come in June)  

[Honor]“Being food has never appealed to me.”

Dmitri turned to lean against the plate-glass wall that looked out over Manhattan, his masculine beauty starkly outlined by the piercing light of the sun at his back. “Ah, but I think you’d be a delicious snack.”

Copyright (c) 2011 by Nalini Singh

Friday Book Club

Time to talk books!

I've recently "discovered" Anne Gracie and fallen in love. The Perfect Rake was just a wonderful read - sweet and witty and romantic, but what really got me was that the hero of this book, Gideon, (the rake of the title), had a kindness to him that we rarely ever see in world-weary rakes. The heroine, Prudence, was smart and loving and well able to take on Gideon - I plain out liked her.

Very much recommended. 

Now, your turn! What are you reading and loving this week?

Guest Author: Thea Harrison - Dragon Bound

Contest now closed.

Winner: The random numbers have spoken and the winner is Kam Luen. Congratulations!  An email is on the way to you.

I'm delighted to host Thea Harrison on the blog today. I absolutely adored her debut paranormal romance, Dragon Bound (out now), when I read it for a quote last year. Since then, I've also read an early copy of the next book in the series, Storm's Heart, and fallen in love all over again.

Thea has several excerpts available on her website that you can check out. She's also giving away a copy of Dragon Bound to a commenter on this blog (Goodreads readers, swing by and enter on the main blog). Enter by 10 pm Thursday 5th May, New Zealand time, to go in the draw. 

Please welcome Thea to the blog everyone!

Thea Harrison

I was thrilled when Nalini approached me and asked if I would write a guest blog for her, but because I classify myself as “blog challenged” I asked her for a little guidance about what to focus on.  She wrote back quickly with a few ideas.  How did Dragon Bound come to be? What do I love about the hero and heroine? Why did I decide to write a paranormal romance? What great questions!

Dragon Bound came into being when the economy hit the skids.  My job was not going well.  I worked for a nonprofit, and a large part of my responsibility was to research grant opportunities and write grants.  Large grant making institutions that we had relied upon for funding for our programs were rerouting money to go to urgent needs like foodbanks. 

Not only that, but their financial portfolios were suffering huge losses.  One program officer told me their charitable trust was “fortunate” that they had lost only a third of their assets.  I found myself in the unfortunate position of having to recommend the termination of my own job to my boss.  As I was phased down, like so many others, I began to job search… and I decided it was also a perfect opportunity to try my hand at writing again.

Years ago I had published sixteen Harlequin Presents titles under the name Amanda Carpenter.  Single parenthood and school pulled me away from writing, and I always knew I wanted to return to it someday when the opportunity presented itself.  Images and ideas had floated around in the back of my mind for years.  I fiddled with a project or two but could never really get it off the ground.  When I finally sat down to write Dragon Bound, I knew the story would be a paranormal romance.  I had been reading science fiction and fantasy all my life.  Writing a paranormal romance seemed the perfect match for me, as it combined romance, which I had also read and written for years, with the fantasy elements I loved so well.

When I started Dragon Bound, the story exploded onto the page.  I had a complete draft written in 44 days.  I giggled and snorted the whole time I was writing it.  If anyone had witnessed me as I worked, I’m sure they would have thought I was a total nut-job.  The hero and heroine, Dragos and Pia, kept surprising me.  When I say that something “fell out of Pia’s mouth” that’s exactly how it felt inside—what she said was as much of a surprise to me as it was to her.  And Dragos simply didn’t have any of the normal brakes we humans have on our behavior.  They were a constant delight, and I loved every minute of it.

I was also putting out hundreds of job applications during the worst of the recession.  As discouraging as the job hunt was, I found revising the story as enjoyable as writing the rough draft.  I went through the query process in searching for an agent, approached seventeen agencies, had several nibbles of interest, and ended up with my wonderful agent Amy Boggs at the Donald Maass Literary Agency.  Together we ironed out more wrinkles in the manuscript, and she began the submission process.

Other aspects of my life continued to be increasingly painful.  Congress had stalled on passing an emergency extension on unemployment. I had exhausted all of my resources. I kept telling myself, wow, this could be like one of those stories where someone with $2 in their pocket wins the lottery.  Something good has got to happen sometime.

Then something good did indeed happen.  In March, 2010, Amy called with a multi-book offer from Berkley, and the Elder Races series was born!  Following the release of Dragon Bound on May 3rd is Storm’s Heart on August 2nd and Serpent’s Kiss on October 4th.  As for me, I’m feeling like I won the lottery and I’m still mopping my brow!

And if I can just emit a high-pitched fan-girl squee for a moment, Nalini is one of my favorite authors!  I was very excited when she invited me to guest blog.  Nalini, thank you very much for having me!  It’s been a pleasure.

So who are your favorite authors, and why?  Do any of them make you laugh out loud?  I would love to give away a signed copy of Dragon Bound to someone who comments!

Contest now closed.

Linkage & Writing

Science fiction romance author Marcella Burnard is guesting over at Oddshots, with an awesome post talking all about the adventure she's about to head off on.

The Book Reading Gals have posted their review of Kiss of Snow, plus they're giving away a backlist book. More review links to come soon!

We're having a guest on the blog tomorrow - Thea Harrison, writer of one of my favorite books of the year to date, Dragon Bound (releases May 3rd), so don't forget to drop by. Thea has a post up on Dear Author today, talking about her writing journey.

I'm working on Galen and Jessamy's novella - love these two. No specific release date yet, but it'll be out in 2012.

Friday Book Club

Hands up if you're going to be watching the royal wedding today? It'll be nighttime in NZ, but I'll be up!

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

One more Kiss

Here's a paragraph from Kiss of Snow that I thought you might enjoy. Sienna and Hawke are in a vehicle and let's just say someone's living a little dangerously. ;-)

Excerpt from Kiss of Snow

[Sienna] “Do you like my top?”

“Is that what it is?”

“Latest style,” she assured him, ignoring the silky menace of his response. “Laces up the side, so it’s easier to take off.”

His hands clenched on the steering wheel as he headed up into the mountains.

“And the boots.” She lifted one leg up to the dash, stroked her hand over her thigh. “They make me—”

The car shuddered to a halt near the perimeter of den territory. 

Copyright (c) 2011 by Nalini Singh

Themes We Love

My post on Oddshots today is about the themes we love, so come by and join in the discussion!
 

Friday Book Club

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

 

Review Goodness

I'm super excited to share that Kiss of Snow has received a starred review from Booklist, a Top Pick GOLD review from RT, and an awesome Publishers Weekly review!! Woohoo!!

Here's a quote from the RT review: "For this amazing novel, plot seeds that were planted much earlier add significant punch to an unforgettable tale that is rich with complex, vivid emotions and edge-of-your-seat danger." 

And from the Publishers Weekly review: "...fans who have been longing for this story will not be disappointed."

 

Only 38 days to go!!

Slave to Sensation Audiobook and Copy Edits

The audiobook for Slave to Sensation is out April 25th, but AAR is giving away 10 copies at the moment. If you follow the link, you can also read a great interview with an audiobook narrator.

I'm going over the copy edited manuscript of Archangel's Blade at the moment, so I'm going to be a bit scarce for the next few days. Talk amongst yourselves! (Maybe about what books you're looking forward to releasing in the coming months?)

Friday Book Club

Time to talk books! What reads are you enjoying this week?

Kiss of Snow Giveaway & Tour Schedule

Two really awesome pieces of news!

Dear Author has posted a wonderful joint review of Kiss of Snow, and they're giving away eight copies of the book, so don't forget to enter!

I'm also really excited to announce that I'm going to be on tour in the U.S. during the release of Kiss of Snow. The full tour schedule is now up on the website. I hope to see many of you this summer!

Email & Music

A quick note to let you all know I'm just a wee bit *coughamonthcough* behind in my emails at the moment. I'll definitely get to them all, but if you have a time sensitive question/request, please shoot it through to my assistant: naliniDOTassistantATgmailDOTcom.

And did I hear a request for more Bollywood? Here you go! This is from a movie called Mohabbatein. The title translates as Love Stories. The setting is in and around a prestigious boys college.

Friday Book Club

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

I want to mention a couple of new releases that I read as advanced copies and really enjoyed. 

 Lauren Dane's Mesmerized is an awesome futuristic, part of her Phantom Corps series. I read it not realizing it was part of a series, and had no problem following along - it definitely stands alone. I'm looking forward to diving into more of the Phantom Corps books. Link to backcover blurb and excerpt.
 
Maya Banks Sweet Possession is a wonderful hot contemporary that's part of her fantastic Sweet series, but like Lauren's book, it stands alone very well I think. Link to backcover blurb and excerpt.

Now, your turn!

Cordelia's Honor - Lois McMaster Bujold

I've just read Cordelia's Honor and discovered the Miles Vorkosigan series by Lois McMaster Bujold. All I can say is - what took me so long?! 

While very much science fiction, Cordelia's Honor also has a strong and compelling romantic thread between two fantastic protagonists. I utterly loved this book (which is actually an omnibus that contains two novels - Shards of Honor and Barrayar) and can't wait to read the rest of the series.  

  
If you'd like to read a detailed review, there's a wonderful one over at Dear Author.

The question of course is whether I glom the series in one big bite, or whether I spread out the books so they last. What would you do?

Archangel's Blade Cover!!

Check it out!! I can't wait for Dmitri's story to be released!

September 2011

Berkley Sensation

New York Times bestselling author Nalini Singh is back in the shadows of a deadly, beautiful world where angels rule, vampires serve, and one female hunter must crawl out of the darkness to survive…

The severed head marked by a distinctive tattoo on its cheek should have been a Guild case, but dark instincts honed over hundreds of years of life compel the vampire Dmitri to take control. There is something twisted about this death, something that whispers of centuries long past…but Dmitri’s need to discover the truth is nothing to the vicious strength of his response to the hunter assigned to decipher the tattoo.

Savaged in a brutal attack that almost killed her, Honor is nowhere near ready to come face to face with the seductive vampire who is an archangel’s right hand, and who wears his cruelty as boldly as his lethal sensuality…the same vampire who has been her secret obsession since the day she was old enough to understand the inexplicable, violent emotions he aroused in her.

As desire turns into a dangerous compulsion that might destroy them both, it becomes clear the past will not stay buried. Something is hunting…and it will not stop until it brings a blood-soaked nightmare to life once more…

ARRA Photos

Who is this? Swing by Oddshots to find out, and to see some photos from my recent trip to Sydney to attend the Australian Romance Readers Convention! :-)

Friday Book Club

The Friday Book Club coming to you on a Saturday today! What are you reading and loving this week?

Linkage

I hope you're all having a great day. A couple of links for you:

Ace/ROC editor Anne Sowards is doing her Spring Preview and Giveaway on Dear Author, talking about upcoming books, and giving away a number of advanced copies.

Operation Auction, set up in support of a member of the romance community, is underway. Lots of goodies still up for grabs, so check it out.

Good News & A Kiss

I've just returned from the fantastic Australian Romance Readers Convention in Sydney, Australia. I had a wonderful time. It was awesome to meet so many of you. :-)

I'm very happy to share that Bonds of Justice won the award for Favorite Paranormal Romance, and Archangel's Kiss for the Favorite SF, Futuristic or Urban Fantasy Romance. The Psy/Changeling series won the award for the Favorite Continuing Romance Series!

Photos to come when I've had a chance to download them. Today, I have the Kiss of Snow excerpt I promised as part of my DABWAHA campaign. Archangel's Kiss is now one of the final four books remaining. Thanks for the support everyone and I hope you're having fun playing!

Enjoy the excerpt!

Excerpt from KISS OF SNOW by Nalini Singh

Berkley Sensation - May 31st

“Again, none of your business.” Refusing to be intimidated, she glanced over his shoulder. “Excuse me, my ride’s here.”

Hawke stepped sideways to block her. “No.”

Her body threatened to lock her into place, so strong was the impact of him. Only her fury kept her going. “Move.”

Ignoring her command, he continued to hold her gaze with that wild wolf one even as he directed his next words to Judd, who’d just hopped out of the SUV. “Where are you taking her?”

“We were heading down to see Sascha, but I’ve just had a contact I need to chase up fast.” Judd looked at Sienna. “Okay if we delay this till tomorrow?”

“Sure.”

“No need.” Hawke smiled and held his hand back for the keys. “I can drive her to the cats.”

Sienna stared at Judd, sending him telepathic messages that seemed to go unheard. “No, that’s fine,” she said out loud. “I can wai—”

But Judd was already handing Hawke the keys. “Better you go down tonight,” he said. “Since the visit’s been cleared with Sascha’s security.”

“I can drive,” she pointed out through gritted teeth to the wolf blocking her way. “Judd was only coming with me because he wanted to take part in the discussion.” She held out a hand. “I don’t need a babysitter.”

To her shock, it was Judd who stopped her escape attempt. “It’s late. You’ve never driven this route in the dark—and it’ll be darker still by the time you head back.”

What is wrong with you?! she telepathed. I cannot be in a car alone with him. Especially when those ice-blue eyes had gone slightly aglow.

Deal with it. It was a pitiless response. If you need that to be an order from a lieutenant, then consider it done.

She clenched her jaw, but no way in hell was she about to disobey an order and bring her maturity into question yet again. So either she allowed Hawke to drive, or she stayed put. It was tempting to seize the latter option, but not only did she want to see Sascha, she would not give Hawke the satisfaction of knowing he’d derailed her plans. “I’ll wait in the car.”

She was ensconced in the passenger seat, her wireless speaker buds in her ears, by the time Hawke finished talking with Judd and got into the driver’s seat. He didn’t say anything until he’d turned the SUV around and they were on their way. Then he leaned over and pulled out the bud on his side.

“Hey!”

But he’d managed to grab the tiny music player from her lap, too, throwing it over his shoulder into the backseat. “I don’t like being ignored.”

Copyright (c) 2011 by Nalini Singh

Friday Book Club

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

p.s. I'm off to the Australian Romance Readers Convention, and so looking forward to it! See some of you there!
p.p.s. Don't forget to vote for Archangel's Kiss in the DABWAHA! The third round of voting is currently underway. 

News!! Guild Hunter Series

I'm very excited to share that I'll be writing four more Guild Hunter books. No release dates yet, but I thought you'd all like to know that there will be at least four more books set in the Guild Hunter world.

I'll probably talk about who the next book is going to be about sometime near the end of this year. Before I dive into that book, I'll be writing a novella about Galen and Jessamy. :-)

Laughter

I saw this on YouTube and it made me laugh - he's just so infectious and adorable. I dare you to hold out. :-) :-)

Tuesday

I hope you're all having a great start to the week. I've had a little bit of a break after turning in Archangel's Blade, but I'm back at work now on the next Psy/Changeling book. More info to come later.

The DABWAHA Second Chance Tourney is open if your original bracket didn't survive rounds one and two. Round three will start soon, and Archangel's Kiss is up again, so keep an eye out.

Friday Book Club

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

Lord of the Abyss, Art, Stories & More!

This might be a long post - I have so much interesting news to share! 

First, my gorgeous cover for Lord of the Abyss! You can read the backcover blurb on the website.

Talking about lickable abs (or was that just me *g*), I'll be posting the cover for Archangel's Blade soon, so keep an eye out!

The voting in the DABWAHA has begun! Make sure you vote for your favorites. *coughArchangel'sKisscough* New polls go up every 12 hours.

The website has just had a major update, including with a new short story, and the first set of wallpapers, banners and icons for you to use. If you go to the home page, and look on the right hand side, you'll see the total list of updates. Here's the banner - isn't it gorgeous?

DABWAHA & Oddshots

Archangel's Kiss has been nominated in the DABWAHA - make sure you all fill in your brackets. The prizes are awesome.

And when the voting rounds begin, why, I might be giving away some prizes if Archangel's Kiss wins. ;-) Everything's fair in the DABWAHA - speaking of which, check out my Oddshots post.

Kiss of Snow ARC Winners

Thank you to everyone who entered the contest! I hope you all enjoy Kiss of Snow when it releases! 

I was able to give away more than 5 ARCs - here are the winners.  Congratulations! All the winners have been emailed.

Erin T.

H Waston

Anna-Lisa

YzhaBella

Sophie T.

Anna S.

Priya S.

Sarah Z.

Ellen C.

Have a great weekend everyone. :)

Friday Book Club

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

p.s. The emails to the winners of the ARC contest have gone out. Names will be up tomorrow, but if anyone wants to out themselves, feel free. :)

 

Updates

The Kiss of Snow ARC Contest is now closed. We had well over a thousand entries!! Good luck everyone. :-)

Also, the website will be updated soon. There shall be a nice surprise. I'll let you know once the updates are complete.

I hope you're all having a great week. What are you up to?

Archangel's Blade

I've turned in Archangel's Blade! I loved seeing beneath the surface of Dmitri, dark, dangerous creature that he is, and learning about the (fascinating) woman strong enough to take him on. I can't wait to share their story with you all!

For now, here's the backcover blurb! Excerpt to come a little later.

ARCHANGEL'S BLADE

September 2011

Berkley Sensation

New York Times bestselling author Nalini Singh is back in the shadows of a deadly, beautiful world where angels rule, vampires serve, and one female hunter must crawl out of the darkness to survive…

The severed head marked by a distinctive tattoo on its cheek should have been a Guild case, but dark instincts honed over hundreds of years of life compel the vampire Dmitri to take control. There is something twisted about this death, something that whispers of centuries long past…but Dmitri’s need to discover the truth is nothing to the vicious strength of his response to the hunter assigned to decipher the tattoo.

Savaged in a brutal attack that almost killed her, Honor is nowhere near ready to come face to face with the seductive vampire who is an archangel’s right hand, and who wears his cruelty as boldly as his lethal sensuality…the same vampire who has been her secret obsession since the day she was old enough to understand the inexplicable, violent emotions he aroused in her.

As desire turns into a dangerous compulsion that might destroy them both, it becomes clear the past will not stay buried. Something is hunting…and it will not stop until it brings a blood-soaked nightmare to life once more…

Friday Book Club

It's time to talk books! 

I want to mention Julie James' A Lot Like Love, which has just been released. I was lucky enough to read it early, and absolutely loved it! Julie writes the most wonderful characters. If you like contemporary romance, definitely check this one out.

Here's the blurb. You can read an excerpt on Julie's website.

The FBI wants her cooperation.

As the daughter of a billionaire and the owner of the city’s top wine store, Jordan Rhodes is invited to the most exclusive parties in Chicago. But there’s only one party the FBI wants to crash: the charity fundraiser of a famous restaurateur, who also happens to launder money for the mob. In exchange for her brother’s release from prison, Jordan is going to be there—with a date supplied by the Bureau.

Agent McCall just wants her.

As the top undercover agent in Chicago, Nick McCall has one rule: never get personal. This “date” with Jordan Rhodes is merely an assignment—one they’re both determined to pull off even if they can’t be together for five minutes before the sarcasm and sparks begin to fly. But when Nick’s investigation is compromised, he and Jordan have no choice but to pretend they’re a couple, and what starts out as a simple assignment begins to feel a lot like something more. .

Okay, your turn! What are you reading and loving this week?

Kiss of Snow ARC Contest

Contest now closed.

Oooh, pretty!!!!

If you'd like to go in the random draw to win one of five Advanced Reading/Review Copies of Kiss of Snow, send an e-mail to naliniDOTassistantATgmailDOTcom with "Kiss of Snow ARC Contest" in the subject line by by 7pm Thursday March 10th, 2011, New Zealand time.

Edited to add: Please follow the correct format for entry re the subject line, so your e-mail goes into the right in-box. Thanks!

(Your e-mail will only be used to contact you should you win.)

Since these are Advanced Reading/Review Copies, if you win, I'd ask that you please post a review somewhere, on or before the release date (May 31st, 2011) - on a blog, on Amazon, B&N, Goodreads...it's up to you, but it would be much appreciated if you'd post your thoughts somewhere. The contents of the review are, of course, totally up to you, but I would request that you not share any major spoilers until after the book is out.

A note about the ARC - it's substantially the same as the final book, but since ARCs are printed prior to the final round of edits, there are some errors in the text that aren't in the final book. 

I'll give each winner 48 hours to respond to the email indicating they've won. If I don't hear back within that time, I'll redraw. By entering, you give me permission to post your name on the blog should you win.

The fine print: Contest is open internationally. One entry per household. No purchase necessary to enter. Winner will be chosen randomly using random.org and his or her name(s) posted on this blog on Saturday, March 12th, 2011. Void where prohibited.

Contest now closed.

Excerpts

I'm over at Oddshots today, talking about excerpts. Do you like being teased? Or do you prefer to avoid temptation? Come join in the discussion. :-)

Walker Lauren

For all you Walker fans who've been asking me when you get to find out more about him. :-)

Scene from Lara's Point of View

“I didn’t expect to see you here.” Her voice came out a little husky to her own ears, but no one else seemed to notice.

Walker’s pale green eyes held hers for a long, tense second. “I was passing by when I glimpsed these two.” His gaze shifted over her shoulder. “I’ll carry it back.”

“We need to speak—bring the kids for dinner.” Judd melted away into the forest so fast, Lara didn’t even manage to turn around in time.

“Lara, it hurts.” It was an almost apologetic voice.

Wrenching away the suffocating web of want and anger and hurt that had wrapped around her, she went to her knees. “Let me see, sweetheart,” she said, checking first Brace, then Joshua.

“Hold still for a second.” Using the pressure injector, she gave them each a shot of painkiller.

She was vividly conscious of Walker hunkering down beside her, his body big, the scent of him as cool and reserved at the man himself. As she worked, he spoke to Joshua and Brace. Whatever they’d done to get into trouble, the boys’ wolves relaxed at once under his attention. Lara only wished her own wolf wasn’t so hypersensitive to his presence, until its fur rubbed up against the inside of her skin—but sensitivity aside, the wolf maintained a wary distance. Both parts of her had learned their lesson when it came to Walker Lauren.

Excerpted from Kiss of Snow
Copyright (c) 2011 by Nalini Singh

Friday Book Club

Time to talk books. What are you reading and enjoying this week?

Earthquake

I think all of you will have heard by now of the devastating quake that hit Christchurch, New Zealand, yesterday lunchtime.

I wanted to share this newspaper link with you that has information about essential services, including who to call if you're searching for information about friends/family members. There's also information about how to make donations to help the victims of the quake.

If you're on Twitter, you can follow the #eqnz and #Chch hashtags for updated news.

Please keep the people of Christchurch in your thoughts.

Photos!

I just posted some photos from the Chinese Lantern Festival over at Oddshots, so swing by and have a look.

Isn't this guy adorable?

I hope you all had a lovely weekend. :-)

Friday Book Club

The Friday Book Club is now open! What are you reading and loving this week?

Writing

I've handed in the final proofs of Kiss of Snow! According to the countdown widget on the sidebar, it's only 102 days till release day - I'm so looking forward to it!

I'll have more small excerpts for you a little later - I have to ration them out. Finding non-spoilery sections is tough.

Today, it's back to Archangel's Blade. I can't wait to dive back into the book! I should have a backcover blurb to share very soon.

Hope you're all having a good week. Tell me what're up to. :-)

Kiss of Snow Banner

Look up above this post to see the banner! If you'd like to grab it, the code is available on this page of my website (scroll to the bottom). We've also got a vertical banner, so take your pick!

Friday Book Club

The Friday Book Club is now open! What are you reading and loving lately?

I'm reading a (fantabulous) book you might've heard of called Kiss of Snow. :D

Archangel's Consort - UK, Australia & NZ release!

Archangel's Consort releases today, Feb 10th, in the UK, Australia and New Zealand! I hope you all enjoy the book!


I was thinking to open a spoiler thread for Archangel's Consort on the blog in around one and a half, two weeks time. Does that work for everyone?

A little Kiss

Don't say I don't listen to you all. Here's a small glimpse of Kiss of Snow. I can't promise something every week, but there will be more kisses. ;-)

Part of a conversation between Ben and Hawke

“Didja really put Sinna in jail?”

Hawke bit the inside of his cheek. “Yep.”

Brown eyes the same dark shade as his mother’s, turned wolf-amber in shock. “How come?”

“She didn’t follow the rules.”

Ben thought about it for a second, lines wrinkling up that baby-smooth forehead. “Is it like time-out for grown-ups?”

“Yep.”

“Oh.” A decisive nod. “I’ll tell Marlee.”

Copyright (c) 2011 by Nalini Singh

New Website

The new website is now live! Let us know if something's not working. Hope you all like the site!

Edited to add: If you're having trouble seeing the website, try clearing your cache/cookies. You might still have the previous homepage saved.

(Just had a tweet that the Angels' Pawn page link is broken - we'll fix!)

UK, Australia & NZ Kindle Readers

The Kindle pre-order link for Archangel's Consort is now up! So is the Mine to Possess Kindle pre-order link. Both will be available February 10th.

And Caressed By Ice is now available on Kindle. Judd! :-)

Edited to add: The above links are to Amazon UK. If they don't work for you, these links to the U.S. Amazon site should. (Thanks to Kerry for the heads-up).

Archangel's Consort
Mine to Possess
Caressed By Ice

NB: Just a reminder that there is another writer also now publishing under the name Nalini Singh on Kindle, so please always double-check my website to make sure I'm the author before you buy anything thinking it's by me. Or you can email me to check (nalinisinghwritesATgmailDOTcom). :-)

Awesome News!! & Friday Book Club

Archangel's Consort has hit the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists! Thank you for the support everyone!

Onto the (very happy) Friday Book Club! What are you reading and loving at the moment?

Novella News

I have some great news! I'm going to be writing two more Psy/Changeling novellas and a Guild Hunter novella!

I haven't yet finalized who the stories will be about, but I'm thinking a certain "bruiser" of an angel for the GH novella. His heroine? She's wonderful and I'm guessing you know her identity. :-)

One of the Psy/Changeling novellas I'm considering is a little bit of a spoiler for Kiss of Snow*, so can't announce that yet. There are so many characters I would love to write about! Choices, choices!

I'm curious - which characters (from either series) would you like to see in a novella?

*I'm keeping a seeeeeeeecrit about the book. Okay, many seeeeeeeecrits. Now I'm going to run away before you start pelting me with tomatoes.

Good News & Friends Releases

Two pieces of awesome news:

Kiss of Snow has been listed as one of the Top 10 Spring Romances by Publishers Weekly!! (I was trying to wait to post this news closer to the release date, but I had to share.)

And Bonds of Justice has been listed as one of the Thirteen Best Romances of 2010 by The Kansas City Public Library!

Woohoo!!

_______________

A couple of my writing buds have books out this week that I wanted to tell you about.

Olivia Gates is a lovely author who I did some crazy dancing with last RWA. ;-) She's based in Egypt and given the current turmoil, unable to get the word out about her new release, so her friends are helping to spread the word.

To Tempt a Sheikh by Olivia Gates

He rescued hostage Talia Burke from his royal family's rival tribe and swept her into his strong embrace. But Prince Harres Aal Shalaan soon discovered there was more to the brave beauty than he knew. Talia held information vital to protecting his beloved kingdom…and she had every reason not to trust him.

Marooned together at a desert oasis, Talia couldn't resist Harres. Yet even as his sizzling seduction entranced her, his loyalty to his family and country would always make them enemies. Falling for the sheikh would be her heart's greatest mistake…but she feared it was already too late….

Link to Olivia's Website

The Perfect Play by Jaci Burton (a.k.a. the book with the lickalicious cover)

Jaci writes wonderful sexy contemporary romances and this one's no exception. Check out the blurb below and follow the link to Jaci's site to read an excerpt!

Football pro Mick Riley is an all-star, both on the field and in the bedroom. But a sexy, determinedly single mom just might be the one to throw him off his game…

For years Mick has been taking full advantage of the life available to a pro athlete: fame, fortune, and a different girl in every city. But when he meets and beds confident, beautiful event planner Tara Lincoln, he wants much more than the typical one-night stand. Too bad Tara’s not interested in getting to know football’s most notorious playboy any better.

As the single mother of a teenage son, the last thing Tara needs is the jet-set lifestyle of Mick Riley; even though their steamy and passionate one-night stand was unforgettable. Tara’s life is complicated enough without being thrust into the spotlight as Mick’s latest girl du jour. Tara played the game of love once and lost big, and she doesn’t intend to put herself out there again, especially with a heartbreaker like Mick.

But when Mick sets his mind to win, nothing will stop him. And he has the perfect play in mind.

Link to Jaci's Website

Are you excited about any of the new releases this week, or have some good news? Share!

Follow me...

...to Heart to Heart: The BN Romance blog, where I have a guest post up titled "A Fascination with Flight."

See you there! :)