Jeaniene Frost is a New York Times Best Selling author, whose latest book in the exciting Night Huntress series hit the number #7 spot. The Night Huntress series consists of:

Halfway To The Grave (2007)
One Foot In The Grave (2008)
At Graves End (2009)
Destined For An Early Grave (2009)

Jeaniene has also started the Night Huntress World books – spin off books from The Night Huntress series that feature characters we have seen from Cat’s and Bones’ books. Jeaniene’s début book in the Night Huntress World is First Drop of Crimson, which is released tomorrow. Eternal Kiss of Darkness is the second spin off book, and features Mencheres as the hero. That will be released in July this year. Here is the blurb from Jeaniene’s official website for Eternal Kiss of Darkness:

Chicago private investigator Kira Graceling should have just kept on walking.  But her sense of duty refused to let her ignore the moans of pain coming from inside a warehouse just before dawn.  Suddenly she finds herself in a world she’s only imagined in her worst nightmares.

At the center is Mencheres, a breathtaking Master Vampire who thought he’d seen it all.  Then Kira appears—this fearless, beautiful…human who braved death to rescue him.  Though he burns for her, keeping Kira in his world means risking her life, yet sending her away is unthinkable.

But with danger closing in, Mencheres must choose between the woman he craves, or embracing the darkest magic to defeat an enemy bent on his eternal destruction.

First Drop of Crimson is released tomorrow – whoo hoo – and Jeaniene kindly agreed to do an interview. Here it be:

The Book Pushers: Jeaniene, thank you kindly for agreeing for this interview and welcome to The Book Pushers!

Jeaniene: Thanks! It’s great to be here and I’m flattered that you took the time out to interview me.

The Book Pushers: First Drop of Crimson is the first book in the spin off series: Night Huntress World. Could you tell us what we can expect in this book, and are there any surprises in store?

Jeaniene: Based on some of the early responses which went along the lines of “Wow, I didn’t expect ______ to happen!” I’ll say yes, there are surprises in First Drop. Readers can expect a far deeper look into the vampire world than they’ve previously seen, for starters.

Half of FDOC is written from the point of view of a Master vampire, whereas the Night Huntress series is only written from Cat’s narrative, and Cat starts out with only guesses about the undead world. So Spade has centuries of experience with things that Cat might not have even discovered yet.

First Drop is also the first full-length novel where demons are introduced. Demonic possession was previously glimpsed in a short story called “Devil to Pay” in the Four Dukes and a Devil anthology, but FDOC offers a much bigger look into demons. Raum, one of the villains in First Drop, is a demon who’s ancient, cunning, and can traverse through realms as well as shapeshift into any person or thing. So he’s unlike any former adversary in the Night Huntress books, and the consequences of the demon’s brands on Denise are something even Spade could never anticipate.

The Book Pushers: Denise has had to endure a lot of heartbreak previously. Do we see Denise in a new, stronger light with her relationship with Spade, or will it be a slowly budding romance that unfolds over time?

Jeaniene: First Drop is not the start of a new series featuring Denise and Spade. It’s a stand-alone novel, so the romance unfolds in its entirety within the course of this book. While writing FDOC, I discovered many layers to Denise. In my mind, she’s just as strong as Cat, but in a different way.

As you mentioned, Denise has been through the worst sort of heartache, but that’s just the beginning of her problems when First Drop opens. Yet no matter how many horrible, twisted things are thrown at her, Denise doesn’t break. She finds herself inner heroine instead. Gotta love that about her.

And of course, Spade is an equally complex, strong character. I thought I knew everything there was to know about Spade when I began this novel, but he still managed to surprise me. I may have developed a serious crush while writing him, but as an author, I take that as a good sign.

The Book Pushers: While writing First Drop of Crimson, what did you do to re-charge your brain between writing sessions?

Jeaniene Frost: First Drop WAS a recharge for my brain. Prior to, I’d written five straight Cat and Bones novels (Five? Then why are there only four out now?? readers might question. Well, my original third C&B novel ended up getting scrapped completely, but I did write it, even though it will never see the light of day). So switching characters – and switching POV’s from first person to third person multiple – was like taking a literary vacation. I love Cat and Bones, but after five books in a row, I needed a break from them. And hey, they needed a break from me with all the torture I constantly put them through, right? *wink*.

The Book Pushers: Will we see any familiar characters in First Drop of Crimson, or perhaps some new characters that will feature in future books?

Jeaniene: There are both new and familiar faces in First Drop of Crimson. Readers will see Mencheres, Ian, Cat, Bones, and Fabian pop up as side characters. New characters are also introduced in FDOC, but if I tell you who might make appearances in future books…well *evil grin*, then readers will know in advance who lives and who doesn’t, which would spoil the fun of finding out.

The Book Pushers: What made you decide to make the Ghouls intelligent, and not just raving beasts?

Jeaniene: Much like the original idea for the Night Huntress series, ghouls just showed up in my dreams one night with their supernatural tendencies in place. So from that, I knew they were just similar to vampires in strength, speed, appearance, intelligence, and control. The only difference was their diet. I still would like to write a novel featuring a ghoul hero, even though I can practically hear my editor screaming in horror at the idea. Ghouls are not her favorite creature.

We had this huge conversation when she first read ONE FOOT IN THE GRAVE about exactly how much, um, other sustenance a ghoul could eat before readers would get disgusted. I didn’t see the difference between ghouls eating the occasional person versus werewolves eating the occasional person (and I STILL stand by that opinion . But my editor’s point was that readers could more readily swallow – ha! – werewolves eating people while still considering them sexy because werewolves ate while in another form, whereas my ghouls never altered from their human appearance.

Here’s a snapshot into that conversation (if you’re squeamish, you may want to skip this part):

Me: But my ghouls are MUCH more civilized than werewolves. They don’t eat people while they’re still alive and screaming like some werewolves do. Ghouls wait until a person’s dead and then cook up some parts with seasoning and sauces. Really, it’s just like what people do with beef or pork, and once you filet, season, and sauté something along with veggies or potatoes, I doubt it looks much different than –

Editor: STOP! *gagging noises* Are you trying to make me a vegetarian??!

So after this long conversation, we came up with the formula of ghouls indulging in the occasional Homosapien consumption along with frequent helpings of raw animal meat. And at the end of that chat, my editor told me she was skipping dinner. For the next several days.

*grin* Was it wrong of me to be amused by that??

The Book Pushers:  What’s your favourite creature in the Night Huntress world – the being you have the most fun writing about?

Jeaniene: I write the most about vampires and they’ve been my favorite creature since I was a kid, so I’ll have to give the Fanged Ones a nod. There’s so much flexibility in vampire mythology that it leaves a lot of room for imagination.

I will say that I’ve had fun adding ghosts and ghouls to the usual vampire equation, too. And as I mentioned, in recent stories I’ve added demons into the mix. That opened up a new realm of possibilities that was very exciting for me. Squaring a vampire off against a demon opened up a ton of new things in terms of conflict, powers, and peril – all fun stuff when you’re writing.

The Book Pushers:  Do you have a Pre-Release Disorder? We have heard of some – like a certain nameless author you know well *hint, hint* -  going into hiding. Are there any oddities that occur when a new release of yours is imminent?

Jeaniene: Me, suffer from pre-release anxiety that results in odd behavior? Never! Just pay no attention to the tin foil wrapped around my head. Or the mindless rocking back and forth while screaming.

Seriously, during the time leading up to release, I’m a bundle of excitement mixed with nerves. With every new book, I can tell readers unequivocally that I loved the story. What I can’t guarantee is how many other people will love it. As authors, we know not everyone will like our books. That’s called variety of opinion and it’s a good thing. But it’s also never the goal to disappoint readers, even though tastes vary and it’s a statistical impossibility for one book to make everyone happy. So the combination of knowing some readers will share my love for the story is exciting, but the knowledge that, inevitably, some readers will not is a bit of a bummer. That’s why, pre-release, I’m giddy…but I also have the urge to throw up. Sounds a little like pregnancy, doesn’t it?

The Book Pushers: What type of scene is the most challenging for you to write: Love scenes, fighting scenes…?

Jeaniene: Both of those are equally challenging, because they involve incorporating every aspect of the character’s feelings amidst a series of specific movements. No, I’m not being cute by saying that. Whether writing a sex scene or a fight scene, there’s action involved that has to have a smooth flow from the cause to the effect, all while balancing the character’s physical and emotional responses.

Example 1: Spade vaulted forward on his belly, slicing into every bit of flesh he made contact with as he made his way into the freezer. Hard forms landed on him in a pile. Spade kept an unyielding grip on the knives in his hands, ignoring the pain from the stabs where his vest didn’t cover him, and slashed out with relentless purpose.

Example 2: His mouth covered hers, swallowing her gasp as he pulled her to him. Spade’s tongue probed past her lips in sensual demand, making heat scorch up her spine. She opened her mouth, groaning at the sensual flicks of his tongue combined with the hard feel of his body pressed along hers.

Both scene segments have high emotions, physical stimuli, and another person’s actions causing additional physical and emotional reactions. Only difference is one scene is a fight to the death and the other is the start of a love scene, but all those elements still have to be present for both to be realistic. When writing dialogue or other interactions, I don’t have to concentrate so much on every move the character makes, or the cause-and-effect physical response of the other character like I do in fight/love scenes.

The Book Pushers: Since you know Spade so well, we thought you’d be privy to this sort of information. Does Spade do Briefs, Boxers or Commando?

Jeaniene: Spade would wear boxers. High-end fabric, too, like silk. He’s probably the most refined out of my characters, though he’s far from a dandy. Because of his background – titled lord turned convict turned Master vampire – Spade was an interesting character to write. He had such extremes in his circumstances and in his personality. Put Spade in any fancy restaurant and he’d know the best wine to order…but he also wouldn’t hesitate to break that pricey bottle and cut someone up with it, if he had to.

The Book Pushers: What combination of characters – and if you could bring in other characters from other books – would wreck the most havoc upon the world?

Jeaniene: I don’t think the Night Huntress world could handle additions from characters or species that exist in other fictional realms, lol. There would be untold mayhem if Melissa Marr’s faeries existed alongside my vampires, ghosts, ghouls, and demons. Or if Ilona Andrews various shapeshifters, necromancers, gods, wizards, and magic came to visit. What’s great about reading in the paranormal genre is its diversity; you can choose from demons, faeries, angels, vampires, werewolves, succubae, dragons, gargoyles, witches, ghosts, druids, elves, mermaids, trolls, sirens, and more, all set up in whatever particular world an author showcases them.

And what’s great about being an author in the paranormal genre is getting to mix and match creatures according to what you want to exist together, under the rules you create for them. It’s a blast (and if only I had half as much control in real life…)

The Book Pushers: Will readers need to be current on your Night Huntress series before they read First Drop of Crimson?

Jeaniene: Not in my opinion. While current readers of my series will probably get some deeper context in First Drop because they’re already familiar with the world and characters, it was written for first-time readers to be able to pick it up without difficulty. I actually think it’s more “first time” friendly than my Night Huntress series because readers aren’t missing important chunks of Cat and Bones’s relationship by starting at, say, book three versus book one. This is the first time Denise and Spade take center stage and the first time sparks really fly between them, so new readers aren’t missing anything crucial from events in the past Cat and Bones books.

The Book Pushers: We saved this for last: Will there be a chapter 32 in First Drop of Crimson? *grins*

Ha ha, you had to ask, didn’t you? Okay, I’ll never exactly duplicate the events in the infamous Chapter 32 because then readers would scratch their heads and think, “Haven’t I already read this before?” But, Chap 32 lovers, fear not: First Drop of Crimson is a sexy book. I might have even blushed a few times while writing certain scenes. Does that answer your question? 

For anyone interested watching the book trailer for First Drop of Crimson, you can go here to check it out:

http://www.youtube.com/user/JeanieneFrost

And you can read the first 20% of First Drop online at HarperCollins here:

http://browseinside.harpercollins.com/index.aspx?isbn13=9780061583223

Thanks again so much to everyone at The Book Pushers for having me!

Jeaniene

And that concludes the interview. Big thanks again to Jeaniene Frost who totally rocked it!

And yes, once again giveaway time.

I’m going to be giveaway three copies of First Drop of Crimson, and it’s open internationally – to where ever The Book Depository ships – which is nearly everywhere.

To enter the giveaway, answer this question in the comments below: If you could combine a kick ass fighting team, that consists of other characters from other books, who would they be?

Giveaway will close next Monday night, GMT time.

Good luck!

This month, the Tools of Change conference will take place. Jane from Dear Author along with Sarah Wendell from Smart Bitches Trashy Books and Editor Angela James from Carina Press will be presenting.

Their presentation is what readers want and it is based on conversations they’ve had with ebook readers for over four years on their blogs, in email, and on message boards. But folks like hard numbers along with anecdotes so they’ve put together a survey and would love for you to fill it out. If you do fill it out, you’ll be entered to win $250.00 toward books or an ebook reader of your choice.

Survey Link Here

Blurb taken from Chloe Neill’s official website:

As the new girl at the elite St. Sophia’s boarding school, Lily Parker thinks her classmates are the most monstrous things she’ll have to face…

When Lily’s guardians decided to send her away to a fancy boarding school in Chicago, she was shocked. So was St. Sophia’s. Lily’s ultra-rich brat pack classmates think Lily should be the punchline to every joke, and on top of that, she’s hearing strange noises and seeing bizarre things in the shadows of the creepy building.

The only thing keeping her sane is her roommate, Scout, but even Scout’s a little weird—she keeps disappearing late at night and won’t tell Lily where she’s been. But when a prank leaves Lily trapped in the catacombs beneath the school, Lily finds Scout running from a real monster.

Scout’s a member of a splinter group of rebel teens with unique magical talents, who’ve sworn to protect the city against demons, vampires, and Reapers, magic users who’ve been corrupted by their power. And when Lily finds herself in the line of firespell, Scout tells her the truth about her secret life, even though Lily has no powers of her own—at least none that she’s discovered yet…

Firespell is the first book in the Dark Elite series by Chloe Neill. I bought it not long after it was released, and I think Chloe Neill is making a strong stamp in the supernatural romance genre with her Chicagoland Vampires’ series.

Firespell is a light-hearted and quick read, but unfortunately it didn’t make a huge impression on me. Not that the book is badly written, but I found it to be lacking in excitement and quite slow going in pace. Lily, the heroine, is a likeable enough character – she has a good sense of humour – but there was no distinction in her personality that made her stand out to me. The secondary characters did though, such as Scout, Michael and Jason who all have individual powers – especially Jason who has an extra edge to him, and who looks like to be the potential love interest for Lilly.

Yup, my main problem was that I found the secondary characters to be more interesting than Lily herself. Scout had more of a colourful personality than Lily, and made much more of an impression on me.

Lily does derive sympathy though, especially when you see her struggle with her parent’s decision with sending her away to boarding school for two years as they go on sabbatical – while professing that they loved her dearly. So at first, I did have this warning flashing through my head: Danger, Danger. Another YA book that features crummy parents!  But thankfully, there is more than meets the eye with Lily’s parents who seem to have been lying to Lily about their choice of profession. In future books, I think that particular revelation will be very important (and the headmaster of St Sophia’s seems to be hiding secrets also).

The blurb sounds fantastic, but Firespell doesn’t show actually show any demons or vampires – only The Reapers and the other members of the Dark Elite. The actual premise of their powers is quite interesting, and one that makes for a change where you choose to give your powers back, or keep them and become Reapers. The problem was, though, that you didn’t see the characters use their powers very much. IMO, it was more of a tell than show book. Firespell leaves you with questions rather than answers, but as I found it to be very slow in pace, numerous times I found my attention slipping away and losing interest.

But it does have promise, which was what kept me reading the book, and the ending was much more to my liking as it picked up pace. But I do hope we see more of the unexplored powers of Lily, and hopefully a lot more action in  the second book. I did like that there was no angst ridden love in Firespell. Lily and Jason do have a connection, but it wasn’t in the nature of: OMG, I love you and I’ll die if I’m not with you.   It was nice seeing a character who wasn’t focused 100% on getting the boy – a refreshing change.

So all in all, I did like Firespell, but IMO, it was simply lacking in action and slow paced for my taste for a 250 page book. I am going to pick up the second book in the series when it comes out, so I really hope that there is more action, and we see the demons and vampires. And hopefully the plot expands so we see more of this supernatural world that was vaguely introduced in Firespell

I give Firespell 3.5 out of 5 stars.

By using random.org, the winner of the Archangel’s Kiss giveaway by random sequence is:

chelleyreads!

I’ve notified the winner via email.

Thank you so much for entering everyone, and we’re so glad that you enjoyed the interview with Nalini.

We obtained an ARC of this book from  the author.

“Vampire hunter Elena Deveraux wakes from a year-long coma to find herself changed—an angel with wings the colors of midnight and dawn—but her fragile body needs time to heal before she can take flight. Her lover, the stunningly dangerous archangel Raphael, is used to being in control—even when it comes to the woman he considers his own. But Elena has never done well with authority…

They’ve barely begun to understand each other when Raphael receives an invitation to a ball from the archangel Lijuan. To refuse would be a sign of fatal weakness, so Raphael must ready Elena for the flight to Beijing—and to the nightmare that awaits them there. Ancient and without conscience, Lijuan holds a power that lies with the dead. And she has organized the most perfect and most vicious of welcomes for Elena… “

Ying: So Has, what do you think of Archangel’s Kiss? I think it’s the best Nalini’s book I have read so far.

Has: I agree – I thought this was definitely better than the first book. I think the main strength was that the book focused on Elena and Raphael’s relationship, and we really got to know more the angels’ world, which I loved – especially the political intrigue that surrounds them; such as the power plays with Archangels. The details that Nalini describes also enriches the world-building. I found that the opening scenes with Raphael and Elena’s relationship brought things forward, although in many ways, a step back.

Ying: Yes. Ellie is not in an equal footing with Raphael yet, and I don’t know if she will ever be. I think it’s something she will have to fight hard for. I like Raphael’s attitude more and more. He is learning. He even tried to get an insight from Elijah and Hannah’s relationship.

Has: I agree.  Elena is unsure of herself — more so now she’s an angel — and Raphael doesn’t want to rush into things. I really liked him in this book. In the first, I found he was too standoffish, and not as fully fleshed out. I think in AK, Elena was his weak spot and brings out his human side. It was an interesting development.

Ying: But Ellie is a baby angel who is having a relationship with an archangel. The balance of power is tipped to his end; not only is he much older and has more life experience than her, he’s an archangel with serious power. But they definitely showed commitment to each other in this book.

Has: Yes! And I loved that, but also the sexual tension was fantastic. This scene sums this up perfectly:

“Your mouth,” she whispered, her voice husky. ” I need your mouth.”
Not yet
She shivered at the implacability of that comment. The dark sexual tone of it. Raphael was not only out of control, he wasn’t going to allow her any either. She could have fought. But she’d hungered for him since the instant she woke from the coma. The archangel could have her any and every way he wanted.

I loved how Raphael held back for so long because he was afraid of hurting her, and it just built up the tension between them.  That was hawt *fans self*. I could have cut the tension with a knife. It also allowed them to bond, and really get to know to each other as well. I think their romance blazed more hotter in this book than the previous book in every way.

Ying: Yes, now that she is becoming immortal, he is going the opposite way by becoming more human.

Has: Yep – makes me think how her metamorphosis is going to affect her in some ways. Although she’s definitely human, I think there were signs that she was becoming more ‘angel-like’ – especially with that fight scene with Venom.

Ying: *nods* It is going to be a fascinating journey for Ellie to learn her new power.

Blurb taken from Lisa McMann’s official website:

For seventeen-year-old Janie, getting sucked into other people’s dreams is getting old. Especially the falling dreams, the naked-but-nobody-notices dreams, and the sex-crazed dreams. Janie’s seen enough fantasy booty to last her a lifetime.

She can’t tell anybody about what she does — they’d never believe her, or worse, they’d think she’s a freak. So Janie lives on the fringe, cursed with an ability she doesn’t want and can’t control.

Then she falls into a gruesome nightmare, one that chills her to the bone. For the first time, Janie is more than a witness to someone else’s twisted psyche. She is a participant….

I wasn’t sure about the style of writing when I first started to read Wake – the short sequences that are stamped in time date which repeats itself in a pattern throughout the book. But after a while, I got used to the style and it ties in with the sort of surreal tone Wake has.

Wake starts off with sequences dating back to when Janie, the heroine, was a child, and then to the present day where Janie is 17 years old and in high school.  Janie is working her socks off at school to gain her grades, working whatever shifts she can get at a Nursing Home for money to go to college, and perhaps even getting a scholarship as she doesn’t have any money. Janie has an alcoholic mother who doesn’t have a job and drinks herself to oblivion day and night without care or thought for her child. Before I continue, I would like to say this: Seriously, I would love to read a YA book that features a parent who’s loving and takes care of their child as a responsible adult. Somebody needs to break the curse that seems to have taken hold of YA’s lately with awful parents featuring predominantly in the books.

So because of her alcoholic mother, Janie has learned to be self-sufficient from an early age, and relies on nobody but herself for help. Janie has brought herself up and she doesn’t let herself get overly close to anyone – especially when they are sleeping! Otherwise Janie will get sucked into their dreams, ones that she can either bring herself out of slowly, or terrible and frightening nightmares that leave Janie paralysed, frozen and numb. The latter dreams are happening more often, and Janie is starting to lose control. In Wake, not only does Janie have to cope with these terrifying dreams, but she has to cope without having any family support and with the fear of never truly being happy with this affliction of hers.

I found Wake to be a good read, albeit dark in tone with Janie’s emotions on a downward spiral for most of the book. In a way, I found Janie to be a one dimensional character, in the sense that her character was so consumed with these nightmares and dealing with them, that I felt that she wasn’t fully fleshed out. There is a big TSTL moment that the heroine does in this book that actually angered me. Janie is driving down a street where she gets sucked into a nightmare. After crashing the car, she continues to drive on afterwards despite knowing the same could happen again. Stupid.stupid.stupid. The romance with Cable was sort of angsty, and while I enjoyed their story, there was nothing out of the ordinary to differentiates it from other YA romances. And also, IMO, it would be great to read a YA hero who is not predictably mysterious. I wasn’t too sure about the ending, and what Cable and Janie will be doing for the police as it didn’t seem to gel.

But what did differentiate this book overall is the surreal tone. Despite clichéd characters, this book’s premise is unique and the surreal tone saved Wake from blending into other YA books.

I give Wake 3.5 out of 5.

Thank you to Simon and Schuster UK for sending me this review copy.

A year has rolled on by, and this months arrival celebrates our blogaversary.

I hate getting all mushy, so I’m going to keep it short and sweet:

To celebrate, throughout the month, we will be having giveaways and showcasing our all-time favourite books that we lurve – along with our normal reviews.

Plus, we will be having a YA theme until the end of February. So be on the look out!

And we have another interview coming up soon with an author who writes a series that has a lot of bite. And a gorgeous British vampire.

We would like to give a big warm welcome to the lovely Nalini Singh. Nalini has reached NY Times Best Seller status with her latest book in her Paranormal Romance series, Psy-Changeling, which consists of:

1. Slave to Sensation (2006)
2. Visions of Heat (2007)
3. Caressed By Ice (2007)
4. Mine to Possess (2008)
5. Hostage to Pleasure (2008)
6. Branded by Fire (2009)
7. Blaze of Memory (2009)

8. Bonds of Justice (coming July 2010)

Nalini is also the creator of the Guild Hunter series that features Archangels, angels, vampires and a kick-ass heroine. A pretty fantabulous combination if we do say so ourselves. This series consists off:

Short story prequel: Angels’ Pawn (2009)
1. Angels’ Blood (2009)
Short Story in Must Love Hell Hounds anthology: Angels’ Judgment (September 2009)
2. Archangel’s Kiss (February, 2010)

With Archangel’s Kiss’ release date coming up soon, we’d thought we start the interview off with questions about the Guild Hunters.

Book Pushers: Nalini, how many more books will there be in the Guild Hunter series, and where did you find your inspiration for this new world?

Nalini: At present, the series is contracted up to book #4. However, it is an open-ended series, so there could be several more books

As for inspiration–I just saw this image in my mind one day of an archangel high in tower above New York and immediately wondered who he was, what he was doing there. And that’s how it began. I sat down and started writing and the story flowed from page to page to page.

Book Pushers: Would these possible future books in the Guild Hunter series feature characters that we have seen in Angel’s Blood, or/and may appear in Archangels Kiss? And if so, do you have a favourite character that your’re itching to explore and write about?

Nalini: Yes, definitely. I would love to write about so many of the characters, explore who they are, learn their secrets. Right now, Illium, Dmitri and Jason are at the forefront in terms of characters whose stories I’m beginning to glimpse, but the rest of the Seven are also intriguing, as are Elena’s hunter friends, especially Ransom and Ashwini (and Janvier of course!).

Book Pushers: Will the third book focus on Elena and Raphael, or do you have other characters in mind? If so, will you be able to tell us who?

Nalini: I’ve only just started sketching out the third book, but I think it will focus on Elena and Raphael. Other characters may have bigger roles to play, but this depends on how the storyline develops.

Book Pushers: What inspired you to have the symbiotic relationship between Angels and Vampires?

Nalini: Honestly? I just sat down and wrote and that’s what came out! If I’d stopped to think about it, I may have wondered what I was doing *grin*

Book Pushers: Archangel’s kiss is set in the forbidden city of China. Did you do any travelling and/or research for the book, to make sure the settings were featured correctly?

Nalini: I actually visited the Forbidden City several years ago and right away knew I wanted to use it in a book someday–but it had to be the right story. And when I began Archangel’s Kiss, I knew this was it. I have tons and tons of photos of the Forbidden City, and it’s such an amazing place that it left a strong visual impression in my mind. I would love to return to visit it again one day.

Book Pushers: Will you be able to give us any tidbits about Archangel’s Kiss? And will the other archangels make themselves known to Elena in a more upfront, personal manner?

Nalini: You find out about the secrets in Elena’s past in this book, and you also get a glimpse into the forces that shaped Raphael. As for the other archangels, you get to discover more about two of them in particular, but which two, I won’t say

Book Pushers: Elena – while not as physically strong as Raphael – has the spirit to match him in strength. Did you always know that Elena’s circumstances would change, and was it to put her on an equal footing with Raphael, and the other archangels?

Nalini: I didn’t consciously plan what happened at the end of Angels’ Blood. But when it happened, it just seemed so right, I knew it couldn’t be any other way.

As for an equal footing – I don’t think that’s possible, not with the amount of power the archangels have. Elena is still vulnerable, still much weaker, but her spirit remains undaunted.

Book Pushers: We iz mighty curious: How do angels get dressed? Wouldn’t their wings get in the way?

Nalini: There is a scene in Archangel’s Kiss all about this!

Book Pushers: Raphael is a true bad-ass. Well, in our opinion he is. He doesn’t deny what he is, nor did you make him softer because of his feelings for Elena. Did you want Raphael to have more of an edge, and did you struggle to get the right balance in his temperament and personality without making him unlikeable?

Nalini: Raphael is who he is, and he could be no other person given his life – and as a writer, I have to stay true to his personality, so there was never any question of “softening” him. Even though he has claimed Elena as his own, he is still very much the Archangel of New York.

Book Pushers: What is your process to mentally switch between your different worlds from the Psy Changeling to the Guild Hunters?

Nalini: I think it really helps that they are two very different worlds, and each series has its own unique “feel,” so when I switch, it’s a clean switch. And that’s part of what I love about writing two such different series–going from one to the other really freshens up my writing I believe. I’m always excited to return to my other world (whichever one that may be).

Book Pushers: The Psy Changeling series — what we believe to be — is one of the most exciting paranormal romance series out there at the moment, which features ethnic diversity, and a great balance of romance and paranormal. When you started the series, did you ever imagine you would have such a huge reader/fan base, and what do you envision for the Psy Changeling series in the future?

Nalini: When I wrote “Slave to Sensation,” I felt in my heart that it was a special book, and I really, really hoped readers would agree. But I never expected the depth of the reaction, and it excites and humbles me anew with each book that releases. It also pushes me as a writer–because I want readers to feel that same passion for every book.

Unlike the Guild Hunter series, the Psy/Changeling series is not open-ended. It has a very defined first story arc. Once that arc finishes, I intend to start a second arc – that one will be more open-ended, and will deal with the consequences of events that happen in the first arc. I also have ideas about doing what I call “tangent” books. I.e. Books that might not necessarily have fit the main story arc, but that will allow me to explore different aspects of the Psy/Changeling world.

Book Pushers: In your FAQ, you mention that not all Psy designations have been revealed. Do you have a set number of psy designations in mind?

Nalini: I know there are several more for sure, but the characters sometimes surprise even me, so I always leave room for that. And with the Forgotten, there are all kinds of unknown/unexpected abilities cropping up.

Book Pushers: We hear that Hawke’s story is in the works? When will his story be out and could you give us any tidbits please – with sugar on top? And cream. And marshmallows. And Belgium chocolate mousse topped with white chocolate shavings!

Nalini: The book is tentatively scheduled for a July 2011 release.

As for tidbits – I think I need to keep my lips zipped on this one until I’m well and truly into the book. And hey, you’ve got two more books to look forward to before Hawke’s!

Book Pushers: *grins* Ok, we’ll stop with the Hawke questions. We’ll be kind. Talking about the other two books before Hawke’s release, what made you decide to tell Max’s story, and are you allowed to tell us who the hero will be in the book after Max?

Nalini: Usually, when I’m writing a book, the hero or heroine of the next book begins to “speak” to me. I was fascinated by Max from his first appearance and knew I wanted to tell his story, and this was the right time – he’s human but he has connections with the changelings, and is part of Enforcement.

There are a number of developments to the overarching series arc in BONDS OF JUSTICE and many happen because of who Max is – no other character would have worked for this particular book.

As for the hero of Indigo’s book, I’m keeping quiet on that because I think it’ll be fun for everyone to find out in the first chapter.

Book Pushers: Our final question has to be smutty themed. What kind of dessert topping would your characters have fun licking off their respective partners, or future partners. (Totally not aiming for spoilers here *coughs* But, you know…specifically Hawke’s favourite topping!)

This is too funny – there are actually a lot of dessert references in Indigo’s book, including whipped cream and chocolate As for Hawke, hmm, well you know what I’m going to say right? All good things (including toppings) come to those who wait *grin*

And that concludes our interview.

Raise your hands if you want a giveaway. Ok, even if I can’t see you raising your hands, your still gonna get one.

We are going to give away one copy of Archangels Kiss via The Book Depository once it’s officially released.

To enter: Answer this question in the comments below: If you had a choice, would you choose to be an Angel or a Vampire. And tell us why?

The giveaway is open internationally – to wherever The Book Depository ships – and it closes next Saturday evening, GMT time.

Good luck!

Giveaway is now closed.

Leviathan is my first introduction to steampunk, and what an awesome first experience it has been. The world that Leviathan is situated in is a terrific creation; brimming with imaginative creatures and fascinating machines.

Leviathan is set in Europe, 1914, and while it has parallels that run closely with World War 1, in this world, Europe and its countries are on the brink of war – but it’s the Clankers V the Darwinists. The Clankers are creators of war machines, hulking machinery that defies the normal conventions of what we think machines are. The Darwinists are scientists; evolving and manipulating the gene codes of animals into living, flying contraptions and new animal hybrids. The Leviathan, a flying ship that consists of a whale and other creatures, is one of them!

Prince Alek, the male protagonist, is a Clanker and he’s on the run after his parents were murdered. His own people, and the Germans, are hunting him, and in his possession he holds a closely guarded secret that would upset the Austrian throne. Armed with his devastating Stormwalker and with his few trusted companions, Alek flees across the country to Switzerland. And along the way, Alek meets Deryn: a girl disguised as a boy who is part of the crew on the Leviathan.

This is such a gripping book to read, and it’s packed full of action and excitement. I did have to concentrate that extra bit harder whilst reading to get the imagery of the machines and hybrids into my head, but the illustrations that are featured inside the book helped greatly – and what beautiful illustrations they are.

The protagonists, Alex and Deryn, are young teenagers and both lead very different lives. Deryn is very sharp-witted and humorous, and comes from Britain which is a Darwinist land. In a world where women should be wearing corsets and not doing the jobs that men do, Deryn refuses to go by society’s rules. Deryn wants to become an airman. She wants the opportunities that are denied her because of her sex, so she goes out and takes her dreams in her hands and makes them real.

I really liked Deryn’s fearless attitude and her loyalty to the service when she becomes part of the crew. Deryn does have a brash mouth, and she’s naturally feisty, but she makes for a very likeable character that has spirit. She is the only girl – the unknown girl – among the Leviathan, and she manages to fit in seamlessly with the crew of men on board.

Alek is equally as strong, though he has a lot more emotional baggage to carry around that’s very fresh for him. I saw a vulnerability surrounding Alek that Deryn doesn’t have – he’s not as confident, he’s been forced out of his protective bubble into a harsh world, and I thought at times he was very unsure of himself which made for a refreshing change.

While Deryn loves the excitement of being an airman, she doesn’t love the devastation of war around her and the lives it costs, and the same goes for Alek, who is forced to defend himself at all costs.

The story flowed along without a hitch, and the secondary characters added to the already colourful story – especially the ‘boffin’ who is an important scientist who carries with her very valuable objects that haven’t been revealed yet, and Count Volger, whom is Alek’s sword-master and now caretaker.

I do have to admit, some of the scenes that describe the mechanical parts of the machines I quickly skimmed over. Usually, this is not my kind of book I would normally read. I lurve romance, and most of the books I read always have that playing alongside in the story, but the premise of Leviathan is so strangely new to me, that it grabbed my attention and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

The ending of Leviathan is very much a continuation, and I’m hoping secrets that were kept secret in Leviathan will be revealed in book two called Behemoth, which comes out in October this year.

I give Leviathan 5 out of 5 stars.

Thank you to Simon and Schuster for sending me this book for review.

Here’s the fabulous trailer of Leviathan: Book Trailer

And here is the link to some of the illustrations that feature inside the book. Scroll down to halfway page: Illustrations