ARC Winners #8 to #11

It's time to announce the final winners of the Visions of Heat ARC giveaway. Thank you to everyone who entered - you guys are awesome and if I could, I'd hand out ARCs to each and every one. But since I can't, I've done the next best thing and picked four winners today (including new winners for any unclaimed ARCs). They are:

#8: rtami
#9: loonigrrl
#10: Jennifer L.
#11: LesleyW

Email me your addresses at nalinisinghwrites @ gmail.com and we'll get them in the mail to you. Hope you all enjoy the book!

What's your fix today?

If you could walk into a bookstore today and magically find exactly what you want to read, what would it be? A romantic suspense, a sweet romance, a paranormal, a regency...? What are you craving on this Friday morning (Thursday night if you're on the other side of the world)!

Me, hmm, if I wasn't already madly in love with this book I'm writing, I think I'd be up for a western - with a prim heroine and a larger than life cowboy hero. There would be sparks, frontier stuff and lots and lots of passion!

Series Books

The other day when we were discussing following authors into different genres, Jennifer K. made an interesting comment about the appeal of series', and how they're compelling because you get to know more about the characters book by book. I have the same feeling about series books - it's why I love the JD Robb novels so much.

But at the same time, I've heard a lot of people worrying about the lack of completely stand-alone books. I must admit, there does seem a shortage of them - in the paranormal arena particularly. As an author, I think part of that is because most paranormals require intricate world-building, which means you can't explore everything in one go. Therefore the series. Personally speaking, I am loving writing a series because I get to develop both my world and my characters, as the series continues.

However, I also love stand-alone books because of the feelings of closure, of a definite HEA. (Though I do occasionally feel compelled to imagine more of a future for them than is shown in the book.)

So, how about you? Do you want more stand-alone books, or do you love interconnected books? What's the appeal (of either/both)?

Visions of Heat ARC - Final Week

Okay everyone, this is it - the final week of the Visions of Heat ARC giveaway. If you haven't thrown your name into the hat, now's your chance. Leave a comment on this post to be in.

Read the full details of the giveway here, but basically, if you win, I'm asking that you please do a review somewhere in the week of Feb 26-March 3.

FYI: I'll be giving away more than one ARC this week :) Winners posted on Sunday!

On Tour: Protector Of the Flight - Robin D Owens

Want to see a yummy pic of Sawyer from LOST? Click here.
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Today I've got an Out of the Blogosphere tour book for you. Check out the details below. The cover is amazing!


PROTECTOR OF THE FLIGHT by Robin D. Owens

Luna February 1, 2007

PUBLISHER’S WEEKLY:

Fans of Anne McCaffrey and Mercedes Lackey will appreciate the novel's honorable protagonists and their lively animal companions.


The Story:

If horses could fly...

Then Calli Torcher might ride again. But a devastating accident left her in such pain, she thought the chimes and chanting in her ears were a hallucination...until she found herself transported to another world, and met the Lladranans who had Summoned her.

Lladrana was a parallel, magical earth filled with exotic creatures, noble humans and magic– all threatened by an encroaching evil.

And when the might volarans stopped obeying the Chevaliers, the flying horses' unexpected rebellion had thrown Lladrana into an uproar. In desperation, the sorcerers had sought help from afar - and gotten Calli. If she could fulfill this mission perhaps she would also finally find all she had longed for – a mate, a home, a family. But against this great darkness she had no battle experience, no strategy plans. She had only a bond with horses...

Excerpt

ABOUT ROBIN D. OWENS

Robin D. Owens has been writing longer than she cares to recall. Her fantasy/futuristic romances finally found a home at Berkley with the issuance of HeartMate in December 2001. She credits the telepathic cat with attitude in selling that book. Since then, Heart Thief was a launch book for Berkley Sensation in June 2003, Heart Duel was published in 2004, Heart Choice in 2005, and Heart Quest in 2006. Her Luna Books series includes shape-shifting fairies and average American women Summoned into another world to fight monstrous evil.

REVIEWS


ROMANTIC TIMES:

Owens has an easy and engaging writing style which, when combined with her intriguing characters and interesting setting, makes for a fast and compelling read.

HUNTRESS REVIEWS:

This is among the most joyful series of novels in any genre...when the ending page arrives, YOU feel the Snap, pulling you reluctantly back to the real world. Ms. Owens has mastered characterization, interweaving the lives of previous main characters with those of the new expertly, so you meet new friends and catch up on the old. – Amanda Killgore, Huntress Reviews

Website: http://www.robindowens.com

Julie Garwood Interview

Have you seen this new interview by Julie Garwood at AAR? It looks like she's going to be writing another historical. Yippee!! While I did follow her into romantic suspense, I adore her as a historical writer. I think all of her historicals are on my keeper shelf.

Like Julie Garwood, a lot of authors change sub-genres during their writing career. Some change direction completely, while others write in several. I'm a case in point, writing both short categories (hypnotic suggestion: you want to preorder Bound By Marriage *g*) and single title paranormals.

As readers, how far would you follow an author? Would you give their first 'different' book a shot and see how you felt? Or would it depend on the genre? Would you follow them into an arena where you wouldn't usually read?

ARC Winner #7

This week's winner, courtesy of your friendly random number generator, is:

Nina

Congrats! Please email me at nalinisinghwrites @ gmail.com with your address.

Fly-By

FYI: The Berkley Babes now have a monthly newsletter (with goodies!).

As of today, I'm putting my head down to work on the 4th book in the Psy/Changeling series, so my blogging may leave something to be desired. Keep me company - tell me what you're planning to get up to this weekend.

Happy News

Slave to Sensation has been nominated as one of the best Contemporary Paranormal Romances for 2006 by Romantic Times BookClub Magazine! And it's been nominated in several different categories of the All About Romance poll! Yippee!

Okay, that's my happy news. Time to share yours!

Visions of Heat ARC: Week 5

It's week 5 for the Visions of Heat ARC contest and if you haven't already thrown your name into the hat, this is your chance. You only need to enter once so all prior entries are still in.

The full details are here, but basically, if you win, I'm asking that you do a review somewhere in the week of Feb 36-March 3. Simple!

I'll draw this week's winner on Sunday morning.

Age Differences

Is hooking up with someone 20 years your junior like tapping into your own personal fountain of youth? Or, are you better off with someone who actually gets your references and doesn't think Watergate is the latest brand of bottled H2O?

From an interesting article about age differences in relationships. The article's about the real deal, but applying it to fiction, do you find it easy to swallow a May-Dec relationship? Is there a cutoff after which the difference becomes too much?

The CEO's Contract Bride / First Drafting

In December, I blogged about Yvonne Lindsay's first book, The Boss's Christmas Seduction. Then I prompty emailed Yvonne and ordered her to asked nicely if she'd send me the next book in the series - The CEO's Contract Bride (which is out now). *g* She did and I'm glad to say that the second book in the New Zealand Knight's trilogy is as awesome as the first.

The emotions between Declan and Gwen are very intense, and the fact that they have a history together further raises the tension. I was sucked in from page one (when Gwen's fiance runs off with both hers and Declan's money!). Intrigued? Check out the blurb here.
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I've been reading a lot lately (as you can tell from all the book-related posts) but I think that's about to slow down as I set myself to completing the first draft of book 4 in the Psy/Changeling series (after doing the final edits on Caressed By Ice and Beat of Temptation (novella)). My first drafts tend to be very rough but I love doing them. It's such a rush to get the whole book out there. Then I get to play with it for months! :)

That's what I'm up to. You?

ARC Winner #6

This week's winner of the Visions of Heat ARC (picked randomly) is:

Pamk

Congratulations! If you haven't won yet, don't worry, I'm still giving them away till the end of January. And for the last week, I'll see if I can drum up more than one ARC so you have more chances to win.

Happy Weekend

Today is a fly-by-post as I head out into the gale-tossed windstorm that is my city right now. Have a safe and happy weekend!! (And go check out my friend Tessa Radley's first ever cover - for the tantalizingly named "Black Widow Bride").

Warprize - Elizabeth Vaughan

Warprize by Elizabeth Vaughan caused a huge buzz when it came out, but somehow, I missed it. I read it only a few weeks ago on the recommendation of friend and fellow author, Shelley Munro, and I loved it!

Here's the blurb:

She must choose between her people and her freedom...

Xylara is the Daughter of the Warrior King, Xyron. With her father dead and her incompetent half-brother on the throne, the kingdom is in danger of falling to the warring Firelanders.

Before she was old enough for a marriage-of-alliance, Xylara was trained as a healer. She can't usurp her brother or negotiate a peace--but she can heal the brave ones injured in battle.

But not only her countrymen are wounded, and Xylara's conscience won't let Firelander warriors die when she can do something to save them. She learns their language and their customs and tries to make them as comfortable as possible, despite their prisoner-of-war status.

She never expects that these deeds, done in good faith, would lead to the handsome and mysterious Firelander Warlord demanding her in exchange for a cease-fire. Xylara knows must trade the life she has always known for the well-being of her people, and so she becomes..

I know exactly why people were so excited about this book. It's a fresh new world, with great characters. Keir is a wonderful warlord of a hero. And Lara is a heroine you want to cheer on as she finds her way through the warrior camp of an enemy.

Their developing relationship is beautifully drawn and sucked me in from the start. Lovely book. Anybody else read it? Opinions?

Visions of Heat ARC - Week 4

Couple of things - first, I sent out the January newsletter last night with an excerpt from Visions of Heat so if you subscribe but didn't get it, you can drop by the newsletter site to read.

Second, if anyone knows Robin Snodgrass (ARC Winner #4), can you let her know she won? Otherwise, I'll have to redraw.
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Entries are now open for the Visions of Heat ARC contest. Full details here. Basically, if you win, I'm asking that you do a review somewhere in the week of Feb 26-March 3. Easy!

Just leave a comment to be entered. If you've entered previously and didn't win, you're still entered. :)

Book Recs

I have the usual suspects in my looking-forward-to-reading-in-2007 pile, but I want some more recommendations. What are you looking forward to? Heard about anything new and exciting through the grapevine? Share!

On Tour: Jaci Burton's Demon Island

The fabulous Jaci Burton's Demon Island is the first Out of the Blogosphere tour book for 2007. Check it out!

SURVIVING DEMON ISLAND by Jaci Burton

Bantam/Dell December 26, 2006

She's all curves and combat boots.

He's six feet of lean, dangerous male.

Join them in a game of survival.

That's as real - and hot - as it gets.

What's America's top female action star doing on a tropical island shrouded in secrecy? To Gina Bliss, competing in a survival-type reality show is a nice change from fending off on-screen villains. Until she meets real-life action hero Derek Marks. A survival specialist in a tight black T and sexy stubble, he's arousing every bad-boy fantasy she's ever had...and testing her survival skills to the max.

Martial arts, jungle warfare - Derek's done it all. But his latest mission is more dangerous than a stick of dynamite. Try telling that to the sexy, adrenaline-pumped actress who's got his libido racing off the charts. As the heat rises between them and real-life violence erupts, suddenly Derek and Gina are on the run...and when they uncover a secret so explosive it could blow the lid of their so-called reality show, these two unlikely heroes are about to discover what surviving's really about....

Excerpt

ABOUT JACI BURTON

Jaci Burton was born and raised in Missouri but now lives on an acre-and-a-half in Oklahoma with her husband Charlie. Jaci loves to write about passionate relationships with sometimes stormy outcomes but always a happily ever after. She’s a sucker for romance and a happy ending!

REVIEWS

Burton has an uncanny aptitude for intertwining the human and the paranormal so seamlessly that sudden demon attacks and labyrinthine underworlds are perfectly believable. Realistic dialogue, spicy bedroom scenes and a spitfire heroine make this one to pick up and savor. – Publishers Weekly

Big applause goes to Burton for succeeding in setting up a rousing & timely premise that is a real roller coaster ride. Not only does this book set the stage for further exciting adventures, it also delivers a great group of characters that have plenty of room for growth. Burton doesn’t skimp on the sizzling sex or romance either; this book has it all! Brava! 4 ½ Stars – Romantic Times BookClub

Fantastic reading is in store for paranormal fans with Jaci Burton’s new series about fighting demons. It’s a great good vs. evil story that will leave you breathless at times with the chills and thrills, and ready to take a cold shower at others as two of the neatest hero’s and heroine’s pull out all the stops as they get beneath the sheets, and behind their weapons. – Reader to Reader Reviews

Website: http://www.jaciburton.com

Seven Things I Did This Weekend

1. Continued my mini PC Cast glom by reading Goddess of the Rose. Wonderful, wonderful book! It's an unusual new take on Beauty and the Beast and that's one of my favorite fairy tales. I'm now officially a PC Cast fan.

2. Typed in 3000 words on book 4 of the Psy/Changeling series. (I write most of the first draft longhand). But I was feeling exceptionally lazy this weekend so not much got inputted. I'm still nutting out ideas so don't ask me what it's about yet!

3. Finished an email interview, sent in info for another, answered the three million emails I had to let build up last week because of other life factors.

4. Spent wayyyy too much time catching up on the blogs I read.

5. Slept in.

6. Ate chocolate biscuits, a chocolate bar and french-vanilla ice-cream.

7. Watched an episode of Child of Our Time.

As you can see I had a very *ahem* energetic weekend. So, what did you get up to?

ARC Winner #5

I picked this winner randomly (assigned all the entrants a number, then ran a random number generator). The person whose number came up was:

Amy S.

Congratulations! Email me your address at nalinisinghwrites @ gmail.com and we'll get that in the mail to you.