Countdown to Smugglivus – Nalini Singh

Day 9 ( 17 Days to Smugglivus and counting)

Who: Nalini Singh, a NY Times bestseller, writer of romance novels. Her Psy-Changeling series (paranormal romance) is a fan favourite with its fantastic balance of world building and romance. She has a brand new series – The Guild Hunter – coming out later in the year. You can check an interview we did with the author here.

Recent Work: her latest release is a story in the anthology The Magical Christmas Cat (reviewed here) and before that, Hostage to Pleasure the 5th full length novel in the Psy-Changeling series (also reviewed here) .

We give the floor to Nalini Singh with her favourite 2008 reads, what she is looking forward to reading in 2009 and a giveaway!
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Nalini:

As I write this (at the start of November), I’ve read 83 books this year – and it’s generally been a good experience. These days, I hoard my reading time so vigorously that I tend to be quite ruthless – if something doesn’t catch me within the first chunk, then I move on.

So, from an excellent year, here are some favorites. I could’ve mentioned several more, but I figure Ana and Thea probably didn’t invite me here to take over their blog *g*

Demon Night by Meljean Brook – Drifter made this book for me. I loved the way he talked, the way he made love to the heroine, everything about him. Meljean’s characters are some of my absolute favorites – they’re always so well drawn, so vivid.

Lick of Frost by Laurell K Hamilton – I am addicted to LKH. There’s no other word for it. If she writes it, I will read it. I think Ms Hamilton has an amazing imagination, and it’s impossible to predict where that imagination will take her characters, which I love. I’m now hanging out until I have a few solid hours to read Swallowing Darkness. Must. Have. More.

Tangled Webs by Anne Bishop – anyone who reads my blog knows I’m a fangirl of Ms Bishop’s. Her Black Jewels trilogy is among my all time favorites, and I was absolutely delighted to go back to that world in Tangled Webs. Of course now, I’m hanging out for The Shadow Queen – ooooh, it looks so good!

Duncan’s Bride by Linda Howard – I love LH’s romances. Her heroes are just sigh-worthy. Yum yum.

The Retrieval Artist and Other Stories by Kristine Kathryn Rusch – I’m a huge fan of Ms Rusch’s Retrieval Artist series. If you haven’t read them, they’re sf set in the future where humans work with and alongside alien races. The problem is, humans often break alien laws, with devastating consequences (for example, some alien races require you give up your firstborn to atone). As a result, people Disappear into new lives, new worlds, where the law can’t reach them. Retrieval Artists are the ones who go after the Disappeared – but only if certain conditions are met. It’s a really amazing series, so check it out if you haven’t already. I’m biting my nails waiting for the next book – Duplicate Effort.

The Rowan by Anne McCaffrey – this was a reread for me and it’s one of my favorite books of Ms McCaffrey’s. I love watching Rowan grow from a lost child to the most powerful Prime in the galaxy. And of course, I love watching her meet Jeff Raven, the only man who can take her on. The entire Talent series is brilliant – I would so be first in line at the bookstore if she wrote any more. As it is, I read her Pern books (now co-written with her son, Todd), as soon as they release.

New Blood by Gail Dayton – I read this as an ARC I picked up at the RWA Conference. I’ve enjoyed Gail’s other work, but with this one, she hits it out of the park – a Victorian steampunk novel that integrates magic with technology, and creates a cast of characters I’m going to have to follow as they grow and develop through the books. Keep an eye out for it in March next year.

Blue Eyed Devil by Lisa Kleypas – I’d never read a LK novel before Blue Eyed Devil. I’m now hooked. That says it all really! As I write this, I have A Wallflower Christmas sitting behind me, saying “read me, read me.”

Foundation by Mercedes Lackey – the Valdemar series is one of my absolute favorites and I loved being able to step back into it. It was at once familiar, and different, given that Foundation comes chronologically before several of the other trilogies. I think it’s a great book to start with if you’re picking up Ms Lackey’s books for the first time. Or try The Last Herald Mage trilogy.

I’ve mentioned several books I’m waiting for from the authors above, but here are some more.

Kay Hooper’s Blood Sins (out in Dec 08) – I love her blend of mystery/thriller/paranormal. If you haven’t read the Bishop/Special Crimes Unit series, check it out.

Anything by JD Robb – more Roarke, more Eve! Want, want!!

Bone Crossed by Patricia Briggs – Must see what happens to Mercy. I love Ms. Briggs’ voice.

The next books in Ilona Andrews’ and Meljean Brooks’ awesome series. Also, I hear Ms. Meljean has a new steampunk series coming out…

Paris’s book from Gena Showalter’s Lords of the Underworld. He so deserves a happy ending after what happened in the previous books.

Bengal’s Heart from Lora Leigh – I’ve been a fan of Cabal’s since I met him, so I can’t wait to see where Lora takes his story.

I’m sure I’m forgetting so many books – and will probably remember them right after this is posted, but I think I need to stop now. As you can probably tell, I love books, and I love to read. My tbr pile has not only taken over the floor, it’s spawned limbs and begun to climb up the walls. I probably need help, but I’m quite happy as I am 😉

Ana and Thea also asked me talk about what books I have releasing next year, so here goes.

March – ANGELS’ BLOOD kicks of the Guild Hunter series. If you like your angels deliciously dark and dangerous, this might be the book for you. You can check out an excerpt on my website.

July – BRANDED BY FIRE is book 6 in the Psy/Changeling series, and it lives up to the title. Promise. Don’t believe me? Go read the excerpt. *g*

September – “Angels’ Judgment” in MUST LOVE HELLHOUNDS. This will be a stand-alone Guild Hunter novella, focusing on one of the secondary characters introduced in ANGELS’ BLOOD. I’m so delighted to be in this anthology – my fellow authors are going to be Charlaine Harris, Ilona Andrews & Meljean Brook! Does that rock or what?!

In the spirit of Smugglivus and the holidays’ season, Nalini is generously offering two seasonal anthologies – first winner gets The Magical Christmas Cat and the second An Enchanted Season. All you have to do is leave a comment on this post by Saturday 11pm (Pacific time) . We will post the winners on Sunday.

Next on Smugglivus: John Marco