It’s week five of the Cyber Launch Party!  The prize is the DVD of the third season of CHARMED, and I’ll pick the random winner from this week’s comments.  

I’m so excited about our guest blogger today! Last year, I picked up New York Times and USA Today bestseller Nalini Singh’s book HOSTAGE TO PLEASURE and became an instant fan girl. Nalini’s Psy/Changeling world fascinated me. And now, she’s embarking on an exciting new series with the release of ANGELS’ BLOOD March 3rd. Romantic Times chose ANGELS’ BLOOD as a Top Pick, calling it “Tremendous!”, while Night Owl Reviews called it one “heck of a ride.” Join me in welcoming Nalini Singh!

 Location, location, location!

Nalini Singh

First up, thank you to Jennifer for inviting me to guest on her blog. I thought it might be fun to talk about story locations today. 

My March release, Angels’ Blood, kicks off the Guild Hunter series. Angels’ Blood is set in New York City. I had to change the geography of the buildings a little bit to insert Archangel Tower and a few other things, but the physical geography remains the same. So does the technology, as the book is set in the present day.

I didn’t consciously sit down and choose NY as the setting for Angels’ Blood. I simply knew as soon as I started writing it, that there was no other place it could be set. The city is urban, beautiful, and yes, it has a dark side. All those elements tied in perfectly into the story.  

But more, it was the feel, the beat of the city that was important, because the angels and vampires in Angels’ Blood aren’t reclusive or hidden. They’re very much active in the present, very much part of the world. We see the city through their eyes, and New York’s mix of sophistication and hard edges suits them far better than a “softer” city ever could.

I think setting can play an important part in a book, whether it’s described in depth, or mentioned in passing. As a reader, I often don’t pay attention to a setting consciously-sometimes, it’s only after I close the book that I realize how much it helped shape the story.

 How about you? Is setting important to you? Are there any settings, whether present day or historical, that you particularly enjoy?

 Everyone who leaves a comment goes into a draw to win a signed copy of a book from my Psy/Changeling backlist (i.e. published before 2009). Prize will be posted out in March.

 You can read excerpts at my website: http://http://www.nalinisingh.com/

Today, I have another exciting guest blogger: Nationally bestselling author Eve Silver, who also writes under the name Eve Kenin, has garnered starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Library Journal, Reviewers Choice Awards from RT BOOKreviews, and was chosen by Library Journal as one of their Best Genre Fiction 2007 picks. This is even more amazing considering her first book was published in 2005, just a few short years ago! Romantic Times designated DEMON’S HUNGER one of their Top Picks and said, “…Silver’s climb to the top is proving to be a rapid one!” I agree! I just finished Eve’s book DEMON’S HUNGER over the weekend and loved it! It’s dark, sexy and magical. Eve has generously offered to give away an autographed copy of one of her books to one lucky commenter. Welcome Eve!

 I’m often asked if I bring my life experiences to my stories. My first instinct is to say no because I haven’t experienced anything like the worlds I create in my novels. But if I think about it, then I have to backtrack a little and say yes. Sort of.

In my latest release, Demon’s Hunger, forensic anthropologist Vivien Cairn agrees to help sexy sorcerer Dain Hawkins hunt for a supernatural serial killer, only to find herself the most likely suspect.

Well, I’ve never met a sorcerer, a demon, or been part of the hunt for a serial killer, so all those aspects of the story came from the deep, dark cauldron of my imagination. But Vivien’s career as a forensic anthropologist—while not exactly familiar territory—was somewhat related to my own life experiences. I teach human anatomy, so I know a little bit about bones. Not as much as Vivien. But enough to get by. And I have to admit, I love bones. All the little bumps and grooves, the cool shapes, the way they fit together to create the framework to hang our muscles and ligaments and other soft tissues on. Sort of like hanging a coat on a hanger, LOL!

Oh, and the hero of Demon’s Hunger, Dain Hawkins, has a thing for vanilla bean tea. I was drinking a ton of that tea while I was writing the story, and it just crept in–another life experience weaving its way through the book. And while we’re on the topic of Dain…he’s a sexy, solitary, tortured mage of illusion who plays his cards close to the chest. He’s been betrayed by those he put his faith in, and has a bit of a problem with trust…and a problem with damsels in distress. He wants to save them. But this time, the damsel is the type to save herself. What’s a guy to do?

Thanks, Jennifer, for inviting me to guest blog, and thanks to all who have popped by to visit. I’m going to leave you with a short list of some of the February releases I’m looking forward to (yeah, there are a bunch more. I could go on forever, LOL!):

Blood Magic~Jennifer Lyon

A View to a Kiss~Caroline Linden

Road to Seduction~Ann Christopher

Lords of Desire~(anthology) Virginia Henley, Sally MacKenzie, Victoria Dahl, Kristi Astor

Made to be Broken~Kelley Armstrong

For a chance to win an autographed copy of one of my books, just leave a comment, a question, or a book suggestion of your own! (NOTE: Winner will be announced on the weekend.)

Happy reading!

Eve

—

http://www.evesilver.net

Copyright © 2008. Eve Silver. All Rights Reserved 

“This is not a good idea,” Dain rasped, but still, he held her close, the faintly citrus scent of his skin beguiling her, making her want to lean close and breathe him in until she was filled.

Deliberately, Vivien shifted her hips against his.

Catching her wrists, he dragged her hands up above her head, pinned her with the weight of his body against the frigid brick wall. He was wire-tight, in-control, and she wanted to break down that wall, free the power she felt pulsing just beneath the surface.

He looked down at her, unblinking, his features hard and beautiful, shadowed by the night.

“Please,” she whispered.

Myriad emotions chased across his features. Speculation. Bewilderment. Wariness. Lust.

He still held her wrists in his grasp, and she liked that, liked the feeling of him holding her, while at the same time she ached to drag her hands free, to shove them under his shirt, touch the heat of his skin.

Letting his weight come full against her, he moved his free hand to her nape, tipping her face to his, her mouth to his, and he kissed her. Rough. Urgent. His lips hard on her own.

She moaned, heat scorching through her, a fever, a blazing desert sun. There was no cold brick wall, no bitter wind, only Dain, the heat of him, the press of his body, a delicious, heavy weight.

Hard, demanding, his mouth moved on hers, his tongue tasting her, licking her lips, her teeth, twining with her own tongue until she thought of nothing but the lush taste of him.

The scrape of his teeth over her lower lip made her moan. Luscious, urgent pleasure. She’d never felt this way. Never wanted anything, anyone, the way she wanted Dain Hawkins, like she had a killing thirst that only he could slake.

She loved the way he tasted, the way he smelled, the crushing sensation of his body pressed to hers.

     Yanking her hands free of his grasp, she shoved them under his shirt, drew her nails along his skin. Hot. Smooth. The ridges of his abdomen—layers of lean muscle—twitched at her touch, his response making the burning current of her desire coil through her veins, setting her on fire.

She tore her mouth from his, licked the base of his throat, tasted a faint hint of salt. With a sultry laugh, she closed her teeth on skin and muscle, and was rewarded by a hiss of pleasure.

     Longing twisted in her gut, so keen, so deep.

     He groaned, slid his hands down her back to her buttocks, dragged her tighter against him, dragged his teeth along her neck. Then he took her mouth with his, claiming her, wet and rough.

Aggressive.

     She hadn’t known she would like that. But she did. Oh, God, she did.

Click Here For Contest Info

Today, I have a very special Guest Blogger: USA Today best selling author  Maureen Child.  Maureen has published over 100 books and novellas,  is a six time nominee for the prestigious Rita award from Romance Writers of America, and one of her novels, A POCKETFUL OF PARADISE, was made into a CBS-TV movie called The Soul Collector,starring Melissa Gilbert, Bruce Greenwood and Ossie Davis.  Maureen is also a voracious reader, and loves the paranormal genre, which clearly means she has excellent taste! Maureen is  here to tell us about her latest book  BEDEVILED, and pay attention because she’s giving away a free copy! Welcome Maureen!

Hey Jen, thanks for inviting me to drop in on your brand new site! Very nice and can’t wait to get my copy of BLOOD MAGIC!

I’m actually here today to talk about my new release from NAL. It’s called BEDEVILED and that’s the cover below. Is that gorgeous or what? And, speaking as the writer, I’m going to say the story’s really good, too. BEDEVILED got a starred review from Booklist, too, so I’m not the only one who thinks so! (okay, that’s enough for brag mode)

I absolutely love the paranormal. Dark. Light. Scary. Funny. But when I’m writing them, I’ve got to have some humor in there. And I think BEDEVILED really comes through in that department.

Maggie Donovan is a perfectly ordinary woman. Until the day she sees her ex-boyfriend being eaten. (Not in a sexual way, either)! Anyway, in the incredibly clumsy fight for her life, Maggie ends up inhaling what she finds out later, is Faery dust. And that dust is changing her whole world. Suddenly, she’s super strong and has a tendency to float when she’s not holding onto something. But that’s just the beginning of weird.

Culhane, a centuries old Fenian Warrior for the Fae arrives to tell Maggie that she is the Destined Queen of the Fae. The only trick is, she has to defeat evil Queen Mab to claim the throne. No problem, except that Maggie doesn’t know how to fight, doesn’t have time to fight and hey, has zero interest in being the Queen of a world she never even knew existed until like five minutes ago.

Plus, Maggie and Culhane have a much deeper connection than she knows. But then, Culhane has this pesky connection to Mab, too…

 I hope you give BEDEVILED a try and if you do, hope you love it! I’m going to give away a copy of BEDEVILED to one of the posters here today, so tell me…

How do you like your paranormals? Light? Dark? Funny? (Come on, vote for funny!)

Every comment will be entered into a drawing to win a free copy of BEDEVILED! The winner will be announced this weekend.