SS: Interview with Nalini Singh + Giveaway

To close the event, I’m super happy to receive best-selling author extraordinaire, Nalini Singh! It’s always such a pleasure to have her on the blog and we had to invite to celebrate the recent release of Heart of Obsidian. Please welcome her warmly!

----------------

1- Long-time reader and huge fan of the series are on pins and needles for HEART OF OBSIDIAN. How does it feel to have a book this hotly anticipated? What's your favorite scene from the book?

I'm delighted readers continue to enjoy the series! I truly love the world and its characters, and it's wonderful to know that readers feel the same.
As for my favorite scene...oooh, that's hard to choose, but one of my favorites is a flashback scene. I can't say exactly what it's about without giving too much away, but it makes me smile every single time I read it. 

2- From the entire series, which character was your favorite to write and why?

I absolutely can't choose - I love all my characters and find it so hard to compare them to each other. Some have appeared more in the series than others, but they all have a powerful role to play, not only in their own books but in the overall story arc.

3- If you could borrow another author's character and throw them into the Psy/Changeling world, who would you pick and why?

For me, the mark of a good book is that the characters fit absolutely into that world. As such, to tear them out and put them into another world simply wouldn't work - and I would never do that to characters about whom I love to read.

4- Will you ever write a book that pairs two Psy together now that Silence is fracturing for more and more people?

A Psy-Psy story or stories, has always been part of my plan for the series.

5-  Once fans have devoured HEART OF OBSIDIAN, will we have more questions or more answers? 

You'll have a lot of answers, and one big question resulting from the final events that take place in the story.

6- Will Vasic get his own story soon? You've said before it wasn't his time. Is his time soon? He's so interesting!!

Wait and see ;-) (He's in HEART OF OBSIDIAN quite a lot.)

7- Does the summer solstice means anything to as race as stoic as the Psy? What about the Changeling?

Not to the Psy, and the changelings are always in sync with nature, so the rhythm of the world is part of their very blood.

8- Do you have a personal tidbit to share in relation with midsummer?

While you're having midsummer, we're having midwinter over in the Southern Hemisphere! People have been known to celebrate Midwinter Christmas. :-)

-----------------

Thank you very much Nalini for taking the time to visit and answering our burning questions!

More about Hearts of Obsidian:

Step into New York Times bestseller Nalini Singh’s explosive and shockingly passionate Psy-Changeling world…

A dangerous, volatile rebel, hands stained bloodred.
A woman whose very existence has been erased.
A love story so dark, it may shatter the world itself.
A deadly price that must be paid.
The day of reckoning is here.

 

Purchase: Amazon | Book Depository

Previous books in the series:

 

 

Nalini is generously offering a signed hardcover edition of Kiss of Snow to one lucky winner!

open internationally

Fill the form to enter!

Ends July 5th, 2013.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

----------------

“I was born in Fiji and raised in New Zealand. I also spent three years living and working in Japan, during which time I took the chance to travel around Asia. I’m back in New Zealand now, but I’m always plotting new trips. If you’d like to see some of my travel snapshots, have a look at the Travel Diary page (updated frequently).

So far, I've worked as a lawyer, a librarian, a candy factory general hand, a bank temp and an English teacher and not necessarily in that order. Some might call that inconsistency but I call it grist for the writer's mill.”

Website | Facebook | Twitter

 

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Posted by Tynga at 05:54

 giveaway, Interview, Nalini Singh, Penguin, Supernature Solstice  27 People left their mark

SS: Interview with Nalini Singh + Giveaway

To close the event, I’m super happy to receive best-selling author extraordinaire, Nalini Singh! It’s always such a pleasure to have her on the blog and we had to invite to celebrate the recent release of Heart of Obsidian. Please welcome her warmly!

----------------

1- Long-time reader and huge fan of the series are on pins and needles for HEART OF OBSIDIAN. How does it feel to have a book this hotly anticipated? What's your favorite scene from the book?

I'm delighted readers continue to enjoy the series! I truly love the world and its characters, and it's wonderful to know that readers feel the same.
As for my favorite scene...oooh, that's hard to choose, but one of my favorites is a flashback scene. I can't say exactly what it's about without giving too much away, but it makes me smile every single time I read it. 

2- From the entire series, which character was your favorite to write and why?

I absolutely can't choose - I love all my characters and find it so hard to compare them to each other. Some have appeared more in the series than others, but they all have a powerful role to play, not only in their own books but in the overall story arc.

3- If you could borrow another author's character and throw them into the Psy/Changeling world, who would you pick and why?

For me, the mark of a good book is that the characters fit absolutely into that world. As such, to tear them out and put them into another world simply wouldn't work - and I would never do that to characters about whom I love to read.

4- Will you ever write a book that pairs two Psy together now that Silence is fracturing for more and more people?

A Psy-Psy story or stories, has always been part of my plan for the series.

5-  Once fans have devoured HEART OF OBSIDIAN, will we have more questions or more answers? 

You'll have a lot of answers, and one big question resulting from the final events that take place in the story.

6- Will Vasic get his own story soon? You've said before it wasn't his time. Is his time soon? He's so interesting!!

Wait and see ;-) (He's in HEART OF OBSIDIAN quite a lot.)

7- Does the summer solstice means anything to as race as stoic as the Psy? What about the Changeling?

Not to the Psy, and the changelings are always in sync with nature, so the rhythm of the world is part of their very blood.

8- Do you have a personal tidbit to share in relation with midsummer?

While you're having midsummer, we're having midwinter over in the Southern Hemisphere! People have been known to celebrate Midwinter Christmas. :-)

-----------------

Thank you very much Nalini for taking the time to visit and answering our burning questions!

More about Hearts of Obsidian:

Step into New York Times bestseller Nalini Singh’s explosive and shockingly passionate Psy-Changeling world…

A dangerous, volatile rebel, hands stained bloodred.
A woman whose very existence has been erased.
A love story so dark, it may shatter the world itself.
A deadly price that must be paid.
The day of reckoning is here.

 

Purchase: Amazon | Book Depository

Previous books in the series:

 

 

Nalini is generously offering a signed hardcover edition of Kiss of Snow to one lucky winner!

open internationally

Fill the form to enter!

Ends July 5th, 2013.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

----------------

“I was born in Fiji and raised in New Zealand. I also spent three years living and working in Japan, during which time I took the chance to travel around Asia. I’m back in New Zealand now, but I’m always plotting new trips. If you’d like to see some of my travel snapshots, have a look at the Travel Diary page (updated frequently).

So far, I've worked as a lawyer, a librarian, a candy factory general hand, a bank temp and an English teacher and not necessarily in that order. Some might call that inconsistency but I call it grist for the writer's mill.”

Website | Facebook | Twitter

 

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Posted by Tynga at 01:54

 giveaway, Interview, Nalini Singh, Penguin, Supernature Solstice  27 People left their mark

Caressed by Ice by Nalini Singh

Caressed by Ice by Nalini Singh

Book Stats:
Reading level: Adult
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Mass Market Paperback: 368 pages
Publisher: Berkley
Release date: September 4, 2007

Series: Psy-Changeling #3

Source: Library

Reviewed by: Tynga

Purchase: Amazon | Book Depository 

Nalini Singh explores new heights of sensuality, returning to the world of the Psy - where two people who know evil intimately must unlock the good within their icy hearts...

As an Arrow, an elite soldier in the Psy Council ranks, Judd Lauren was forced to do terrible things in the name of his people. Now he is a defector, and his dark abilities have made him the most deadly of assassins - cold, pitiless, unfeeling. Until he meets Brenna...

Brenna Shane Kincaid was an innocent before she was abducted - and had her mind violated - by a serial killer. Her sense of evil runs so deep, she fears she could become a killer herself. Then the first dead body is found, victim of a familiar madness. Judd is her only hope, yet her sensual changeling side rebels against the inhuman chill of his personality, even as desire explodes between them. Shocking and raw, their passion is a danger that threatens not only their hearts, but their very lives...

Brenna and Judd couldn’t be any more different. He, an ex sanctioned and trained psy killer, she, victim of a psycho psy serial killer. She shouldn’t attracted to him, he is dangerous and could very well be the end of her, especially since he is a Tk psy, same as her attacker. And he shouldn’t feel anything period. Not for her, not for anybody else either, the control of his abilities is at stake. Then how come they can’t seem to stay apart?

I must confess, I wasn’t thrilled with the idea of Judd’s story because he never really touched me in the previous books, but I have to say, he has really grown on me! He has a lot more to offer than even he knows and Brenna has a way to drag the tiniest bit of emotions out of him.  She used to be a sweet and lovely girl but after her abduction and mind rape she isn’t the same. She refuses to be sheltered and won’t take no for an answer. I loved that despite everything she was strong and determined and her stubbornness felt different than your typical badass heroine because she’s been to hell and back. Their relationship felt real and tangible because their passion was slow boiling, not rushed, and culminated at just the right moment. I truly enjoyed it.

While the romance was the main interest, the action part of the plot also kept me involved. The wolf pack is under attack from inside and out. They have a killer in their midst, and they have to discover him before he gets to Brenna. There’s also an unknown party trying to turn the different changeling packs against each other. While I never believed those attempts would succeed, I have to mention how original the attacks were. I also liked Judd’s personal vendetta and I hope we discover more about this side plot in the following books.

After reading book two I was hoping for a pairing that wouldn’t be female psy with male changeling and I was pleased to have a male spy and female changeling duo. It felt very different because while the female psy were lenient to their emotions, Judd was completely opposed to it. He reacted very differently and I was glad for this new perspective.

I really enjoyed this novel and the conclusion felt right. I was glad Judd and Brenna found an original solution to work-out their issues and I’m anxious to know more about Protocol I and the psy-changeling issues. I was late to join this series but I strongly urge you to give it a try. I can’t get enough!

Read an excerpt

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Posted by Tynga at 05:39

 Nalini Singh, Penguin, Review, Shapeshifter  5 People left their mark

Caressed by Ice by Nalini Singh

Brenna and Judd couldn’t be any more different. He, an ex sanctioned and trained psy killer, she, victim of a psycho psy serial killer. She shouldn’t attracted to him, he is dangerous and could very well be the end of her, especially since he is a Tk psy, same as her attacker. And he shouldn’t feel anything period. Not for her, not for anybody else either, the control of his abilities is at stake. Then how come they can’t seem to stay apart?

I must confess, I wasn’t thrilled with the idea of Judd’s story because he never really touched me in the previous books, but I have to say, he has really grown on me! He has a lot more to offer than even he knows and Brenna has a way to drag the tiniest bit of emotions out of him.  She used to be a sweet and lovely girl but after her abduction and mind rape she isn’t the same. She refuses to be sheltered and won’t take no for an answer. I loved that despite everything she was strong and determined and her stubbornness felt different than your typical badass heroine because she’s been to hell and back. Their relationship felt real and tangible because their passion was slow boiling, not rushed, and culminated at just the right moment. I truly enjoyed it.

While the romance was the main interest, the action part of the plot also kept me involved. The wolf pack is under attack from inside and out. They have a killer in their midst, and they have to discover him before he gets to Brenna. There’s also an unknown party trying to turn the different changeling packs against each other. While I never believed those attempts would succeed, I have to mention how original the attacks were. I also liked Judd’s personal vendetta and I hope we discover more about this side plot in the following books.

After reading book two I was hoping for a pairing that wouldn’t be female psy with male changeling and I was pleased to have a male spy and female changeling duo. It felt very different because while the female psy were lenient to their emotions, Judd was completely opposed to it. He reacted very differently and I was glad for this new perspective.

I really enjoyed this novel and the conclusion felt right. I was glad Judd and Brenna found an original solution to work-out their issues and I’m anxious to know more about Protocol I and the psy-changeling issues. I was late to join this series but I strongly urge you to give it a try. I can’t get enough!

Read an excerpt

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Posted by Tynga at 01:39

 Adult, Berkley Trade, Library, Nalini Singh, Paranormal Romance, Penguin, Psy-Changeling, Review, Shapeshifter  5 People left their mark

Visions of heat by Nalini Singh

Book Stats:
Reading level: Adult
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Mass Market Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Berkley Sensation
Release date: March 6, 2007

Series: Psy-Changeling #2

Source: Library

Reviewed by: Tynga

Purchase: Amazon | Book Depository

Hailed as a major new talent in paranormal romance, Nalini Singh takes us deeper into the world of the Psy and the changelings in her latest extraordinary novel, where a gifted woman sees passion in her future--a passion that is absolutely forbidden by her kind. In danger from fellow Psy, Faith NightStar's fragile sanity will be tested by an all-consuming passion for a changeling who can take the form of man or jaguar.

Used to cold silence, Faith NightStar is suddenly being tormented by dark visions of blood and murder. A bad sign for anyone, but worse for Faith, an F-Psy with the highly sought after ability to predict the future. Then the visions show her something even more dangerous-aching need . . . exquisite pleasure. But so powerful is her sight, so fragile the state of her mind, that the very emotions she yearns to embrace could be the end of her.

Changeling Vaughn D'Angelo can take either man or jaguar form, but it is his animal side that is overwhelmingly drawn to Faith. The jaguar's instinct is to claim this woman it finds so utterly fascinating and the man has no argument. But while Vaughn craves sensation and hungers to pleasure Faith in every way, desire is a danger that could snap the last threads of her sanity. And there are Psy who need Faith's sight for their own purposes. They must keep her silenced - and keep her from Vaughn . . .

Faith has been sheltered her whole life. Truth be told, she’s way too valuable to her psy-clan for it to be otherwise. Who would risk the security of a woman whose abilities are worth billions of dollars? Vaughn couldn’t care less about the money though, his jaguar is insane for this untouchable woman and is ready for anything to mark her as his own. Will Silence conditioning stop them from being together?

Visions of Heat is the second novel in the Psy-Changeling series and I loved it just as much as I did the first book. Faith lived in a very different environment than Sascha did and it was interesting to see this new facet of the Psy world. Faith is a F-Psy, a being able to foresee future. She was trained to foresee important business trends and make money for her clan. Removed from her family at 3 years old, her conditioning started, and she was the best of her field. The inhumanity of the situation was utterly shocking, yet completely in line with Psy attitude.

A chain of unexpected events brought Faith to question her beliefs and reach out to Sascha for answers – the only person out of the Psy-net – and only being she thinks she can trust. I totally loved how Faith unconsciously prepared for this moment, months in advance, even though she had no idea what was coming her way. It really shows the magic of her talents. What I liked most about her was her strength even though she’s been protected and controlled her whole life. She is determined to do the right thing and will stand up for herself.

Her meeting with Vaughn was delightful and I enjoyed seeing to two of them together. Even though they’ve lived very different lives certain aspects brings them together and their bond is really strong. I liked how Vaughn challenged Faith every step of the way, yet he was always there to catch her if she fell. He respected her strengths and supported her in her weaknesses. He was just perfect for her.

The pace established by Nalini was just right and kept me engage the whole time. I liked the way she highlighted the contrast between both worlds and how she took us deeper into Psy territory. The discovery of another Psy killer brings interesting elements to the table and I can’t wait to see where this will bring us in the following novels.

The conclusion brought peace to Faith’s troubled mind and I was surprised by a particular turn of events. Her father proved to be more than I thought and I find myself extremely curious. I hope we’ll see more of him in the future!

This novel might be an older release, but it’s a great opportunity to prompt you to give this series a chance if you haven’t yet. The twelfth book of this series releases this summer, so it’s a great opportunity to read each novel one after the other! I already have Caressed by Ice waiting for me and my only wish is that we see a different combination of main characters. The first two books were female Psy with male Changeling so I hope for something different the next time around!

Read an excerpt

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Posted by Tynga at 06:00

 Nalini Singh, Penguin, Review, Shapeshifter  6 People left their mark

Slave to Sensation by Nalini Singh

Book Stats:
Reading level: Adult
Genere: Paranormal romance
Mass Market Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Berkley
Release date: September 5, 2006

Series: Psy-Changeling #1

Source: Library

Reviewed by: Tynga

Purchase: Amazon | Book Depository 

Dive into a world torn apart by a powerful race with phenomenal powers of the mind—and none of the heart…

In a world that denies emotions, where the ruling Psy punish any sign of desire, Sascha Duncan must conceal the feelings that brand her as flawed. To reveal them would be to sentence herself to the horror of “rehabilitation”— the complete psychic erasure of everything she ever was….

Both human and animal, Lucas Hunter is a Changeling hungry for the very sensations the Psy disdain. After centuries of uneasy co-existence, these two races are now on the verge of war over the brutal murders of several Changeling women. Lucas is determined to find the Psy killer who butchered his packmate, and Sascha is his ticket into their closely guarded society. But he soon discovers that this ice-cold Psy is very capable of passion—and that the animal in him is fascinated by her. Caught between their conflicting worlds, Lucas and Sascha must remain bound to their identities—or sacrifice everything for a taste of darkest temptation…

A while back, ok a long time ago… Jenn dared us to read Slave to Sensation by Nalini Singh and I finally took her dare! I love Nalini’s Guild Hunter series (which is an urban fantasy and not paranormal romance) so at long last I decided to give the Psy-Changeling series a try and I’m really glad I did.

The story takes place in the 2080s and three races inhabit the earth. Humans, Changelings and Psys. Changelings are all kind of shifters, the likes we know, and are overlooked by the Psy, who see them as animals. The Psy are a race that eliminated all emotions through a severe protocol called Silence, which started a hundred years ago. The Psy are telepathically linked via the PsyNet and it’s vital to them. They have all kinds of mind powers and they strive to lead the world and their sense of superiority is suffocating. Despite the strong sci-fi element this race brings, the novel really reads like a romance.

Slave to Sensation’s storyline revolves around Sascha a Cardinal Psy (the strongest there is) and Lucas an alpha panther. Sascha has issues though, even though she has an amazing potential, her abilities never developed and despite her mother being a woman of power, Sascha is a cast-out, feeling deeply flawed. See, she can feel but nobody can know or they would destroy her mind. Nobody less than perfect is allowed to live in the Psy world. Her struggle to hide from everyone was really touching and I felt really compassionate toward her. Her sensory exploration was highly compelling and I truly liked her. Her growth would’ve been impossible without smoking hot Lucas and I love him that much more for his influence.

The Panther as a secret agenda. A Psy serial killer is on the loose and he is determined to stop him, whatever it takes. He plan to use Sascha to get information, but he didn’t plan to fall for the unfeeling (or so he thought) psy. His attraction to her was a great aspect of this novel, because even though he felt a spark as soon as he met her. He didn’t fall into her bed with limitless passion as so many paranormal romance couples do. There was a compelling ascension in their relationship and I savoured it. There was this scene when Lucas bring her to Tamsyn’s house for the first time and Sascha meets the woman’s son. It was so endearing, I felt all mushy inside lol.

The like the storyline beginning to end and there wasn’t a boring moment to speak of. Nalini Singh did a great job to keep the readers engage with the romance, the suspense of the murder investigation and the introduction of such original lore. The murdered wasn’t a surprise for me, but I liked how they managed to catch him and I found the romance conclusion to be quite satisfying.

All in all, I loved the beginning to this series and I’m about to start reading the second book, Visions of Heat, right away. Fans of Gena Showalter’s Alien Huntress series will love Slave to Sensation, I’m sure of it!

 Read an excerpt

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Posted by Tynga at 07:31

 Nalini Singh, Penguin, Review, Shapeshifter  4 People left their mark

PSC: Interview & Giveaway with Nalini Singh

Nalini Singh is one of the greatest paranormal romance author out there and I’m extremely happy to have her on the blog to celebrate the release of Archangel's Storm, releasing at the beginning of September! Read on to learn more about The Guild Hunter series and a chance to win!

-------------------------

1- The Guild Hunter series started with three Elena books, then the fourth book featured Dmitri and - now Jason is the star in Archangel 's Storm, when did you know it was time to move to other characters?

Though their story hasn't ended, I felt Elena and Raphael were in a good place at the end of book three.
In the same way, it felt like the right time to tell Dmitri's story, so the change in point of view was very natural, and by the time I completed it, it was clear to me that Jason would be next.

2- Jason has always been a character of interest for me, especially because of his mystery. How was it to write his story?

It was fascinating and frustrating both! Jason is an incredible character, but he's also an angel who likes to keep his own counsel (as befits a spymaster). Getting to know him took a long time - and in the end, it was his heroine who drew him out.

3- How do you think your readers will respond to Jason's story?

It's impossible for me to predict how any reader will feel about a story, but I hope they fall in love with Jason and Mahiya both. I certainly have.

4- Any chance you can let us know who will be in the spotlight in the next Guild Hunters books?

We'll be returning to Elena and Raphael in book 6.

Now onto Summer Camp Questions!

5- What would an angel summer camp be like?

Hmm, lots of aerial activities, I'm guessing! And pranks, too. Just because they're angels doesn't mean they angelic ;-)

6- What was Jason like as a kid?

You'll find out in ARCHANGEL'S STORM.

-------------------------

Thank you so much Nalini for stopping by! Can’t wait to get my hands on Archangel’s Storm!

More about Archangel’s Storm:

With wings of midnight and an affinity for shadows, Jason courts darkness. But now, with the Archangel Neha’s consort lying murdered in the jewel-studded palace that was his prison and her rage threatening cataclysmic devastation, Jason steps into the light, knowing he must unearth the murderer before it is too late.

Earning Neha’s trust comes at a price—Jason must tie himself to her bloodline through the Princess Mahiya, a woman with secrets so dangerous, she trusts no one. Least of all an enemy spymaster.

With only their relentless hunt for a violent, intelligent killer to unite them, Jason and Mahiya embark on a quest that leads to a centuries-old nightmare… and to the dark storm of an unexpected passion that threatens to drench them both in blood.

Purchase: Amazon | Book Depository

-------------------------

Nalini is offering a copy of Archangel's Blade to one lucky winner!

To enter the giveaway, fill out the Rafflecopter form below.

Open Internationally

Ends Wednesday, August 5th, 2012
(like all of our Paranormal Summer Camp giveaways)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

-------------------------

More books by Nalini Singh :

 

“I was born in Fiji and raised in New Zealand. I also spent three years living and working in Japan, during which time I took the chance to travel around Asia. I’m back in New Zealand now, but I’m always plotting new trips. If you’d like to see some of my travel snapshots, have a look at the Travel Diary page (updated frequently).

So far, I've worked as a lawyer, a librarian, a candy factory general hand, a bank temp and an English teacher and not necessarily in that order. Some might call that inconsistency but I call it grist for the writer's mill.”

Website | Facebook | Twitter

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Posted by Tynga at 06:30

 giveaway, Interview, Nalini Singh, Paranormal Summer Camp, Penguin  38 People left their mark