The author hot seat specials are designed
to help readers get to know both popular, and up and coming authors, a little
better. The questions are broken into sections - About your writing, about you,
fun stuff and finally. Some of the questions are easy, other may need a little
more thought and some may cause our author friends to hesitate before answering—still, they all
answer.
Today we have Nalini Singh in the hot seat. She's stopping by as part of her Rock Addiction Blog Tour and I'm super excited to have her here.
I hope you all enjoy what Nalini has to say as well as the excerpt from her latest book, Rock Addiction. I've also included a review of Rock Addiction for those interested in finding out what the book is like from a readers point of view.
Getting Started:
Welcome to the Hot Seat, Nalini. Can you tell us about your latest book. What
was your inspiration for writing it, is it part of an ongoing series, the
characters, the genre etc?
Rock Addiction is a hot contemporary romance
with what early readers have said is a new adult feel. It’s the first book in
the Rock Kiss Series, which will have three full-length books and two novellas
overall.
I’ve
had the idea for a rock star romance in my head for a long time. I actually had
the first few chapters written years ago, but I didn’t feel ready to write the
whole book at that time. Then one day last year, I just had it. I knew where
the story would go. I knew the characters, and all I had to do was sit down and
write.
About your writing:
How many books have you written during your
career so far and which is your favorite?
At this point,
I’ve had 27 full-length books and 10 novellas published. Rock Addiction makes 28 full length books. However, I’ve written a
lot more, some of which will never be published, others you might see someday
in the future.
As for favorites
– I can’t choose! I love them all. Whichever book I’m writing at the time is my
favorite. It has all my attention and all my passion.
Have any of your books received
negative reviews and how did you handle the situation?
Of course! Bad
reviews are part of the life of a working writer. I think the fact I went
through the traditional submission process, where I was used to handling
rejections from editors, gave me a good foundation in terms of handling
negative reviews.
The simple fact
is that some people will enjoy my work while others won’t. The world would be a
very boring place if we all liked the same books. I deeply believe every reader
has a right to his or her opinion, whether negative or positive.
Do you believe in writer’s block and
if so, how do you overcome it?
No. My belief is
that if I’m finding a story difficult to write, then there is a problem I have
to figure out. Have I taken a wrong turn? Do I know my characters well enough?
I’m a proponent of writing and thinking my way out of the problem.
What is the one genre you would never write and why?
I’ve learned
never to say never! Who knows what the future might bring? However, I do love
my happy endings, so any genre with sad endings would a serious stretch for me.
Have you ever written a book that you’ve regretted
publishing and why?
No. I’m proud of
all my books. I’ve grown and developed as a writer over the years, but each
book I put out was my best work at that time. Same for my current projects.
If a reader said they wanted to write a book,
what advice would you give them?
Sit down and
write.
Writing workshops
and conferences are wonderful and great places to absorb knowledge that’ll help
you continue to grow as a writer, but you won’t really develop actual writing
skills until you put pen to paper or fingers to the keyboard. Constructing an
entire story from scratch requires determination and devotion both.
Also, it may help
to start small and work your way up. Short stories, then novellas, then a
novel. That way, you’ll achieve things at each step, motivating you to carry
on.
About you:
Tell us what a typical day in your life is like?
It depends on the
day! I’m a full time writer, so my schedule is flexible. I write new words, or
edit previously written work every day, but I’m not strict about the hours I
put in. Instead, I measure my work rate by how much I achieve in terms of words
written or pages edited. This keeps me honest and on track.
I love social
media so I jump on my Facebook or Twitter pages a few times a day, and I try to
carve out reading time as well.
I break for an
hour for lunch, and usually work right through the afternoon. After dinner, I’ve
been known to work till four in the morning at times (at which point I need to
eat breakfast again ;-)).
What sort of things put you in a bad
mood?
I’m a big
believer in keeping your promises, so if someone says they’re going to do
something and then they don’t, it does aggravate. However, generally, I’m
pretty laid back – life’s too short to waste on bad moods!
Do you have a bucket list and what’s
one thing you still want to do that you haven’t done?
I love traveling
and there are still so many places I want to visit – Africa, South America,
Antarctica…the list goes on!
What makes you laugh?
Oh, lots of things. The neighbor’s cat giving me his best suspicious “you
intruder” glare even though he’s seen me every day for years, my friends’
sharp, witty comments, LOL cats… I laugh pretty easily. J
Do you like to read and what are you reading at the moment?
I love to read – it’s what led me
into writing. I just finished the latest JD Robb. I adore Eve and Roarke! Next
up is something from the tbr – I haven’t decided what I’m in the mood for yet.
The anticipation is as fun as the choosing.
If you couldn’t write anymore, what would you do
instead?
Figure out how I could write
again. Writing is in my blood, my heart, my soul. I can’t imagine not doing it.
Fun Stuff:
If you could go out with one famous person who
would it be and why?
I would’ve loved to have met the late Anne McCaffrey. Her Pern and Talent
books are some of my all-time favorites. I would love to simply sit beside her
and listen to her talk about her worlds, ask her questions about the
characters, and just listen to everything she had to say.
I know you said one, but I’d also like to meet Joe Manganiello so I can
gaze upon his hotness. ;-)
Do you have a habit that drives your
partner/friends/family nuts and what is it?
I don’t put things back where they should be, so then no one can find it.
I’m trying to be better, I promise!
In your opinion, what makes a person attractive?
Generally, it very much depends on the person – beauty truly is in the
eye of the beholder. For me personally, it has to do with a solid core of honor
intermixed with the ability to laugh and enjoy the world.
What is the strangest food you’ve ever eaten?
Hmm… I once ate a snail. Not
escargot, but a steamed (?!) snail in a shell that was part of a banquet while
I was in Japan. A friend and I dared each other. I didn’t really taste it, I
swallowed it so fast!
Would you rather have a classic 1969 convertible
Mustang or have the use of a beach side condo any time you want?
Beach condo, hands down.
And finally:
Would you rather survive an
apocalyptic event (yes, even a zombie apocalypse) or die instantly without
knowing what happened to your family and friends?
I’d like to survive, because if I survive, then there’s a
chance I can rescue family and friends or be reunited with them.
What great answers, although I have to say I think that more than one reader will be arm wrestling Nalini to go out with Joe Manganiello. ☺
Excerpt from ROCK ADDICTION
by Nalini Singh
Fox hadn’t become the lead singer of one of the
best-selling rock bands in history by being a shrinking violet. No, he went
after what he wanted, no holds barred. And the raw promise he could feel
between him and Molly? He had to know where it would lead, the need so strong
he hadn’t felt anything like it since the day he’d figured out that music was
his escape, the air in his lungs.
Which was
why he was leaning against the wall beside Molly’s apartment at five that
afternoon, a guitar by his side.
The
elevator doors opened at a quarter after the hour, Molly going motionless two
steps outside of it, the doors closing silently at her back. Yeah, she hadn’t
expected him, but Fox was ready to work with that. Waiting patiently as she
took a deep breath and completed the trek down the corridor, he drew in the
scent of her, his gaze lingering on the fluttering pulse in her neck.
“How did you get past security?”
Fox
smiled slowly at the blurted-out question, wondering if Molly knew how bad she
was at hiding her emotions. He liked it, liked that he saw the real Molly, not
an illusion she’d created to tempt him—not that she had to do anything but
smile to tempt him. “I told you the security sucks.”
Unable to
resist, he reached out to run his finger down one creamy cheek flushed with a
mix of surprise, passion, and, he was certain, sweet, hot feminine anger. His
guess was borne out when Molly unlocked her door with jittery hands and put
down her handbag on one corner of the bench, her fingers trembling before she
curled them into her palms. “You’re breaking the rules.”
“What
rules?” Closing the door, he leaned back on it and willed her to face him. Much
as he loved the shape of her from the back, he liked watching those expressive
eyes whisper her mood to him.
Shoulders
tight, she turned. “This was supposed to be a one-night stand.”
“Ah.”
Folding his arms over the plain black of his T-shirt, he said, “How about a
one-month stand instead?” He knew he had to play this exactly right. Molly was
wary of him, and yeah, he could understand why. To have her in his life beyond
a fleeting instant, he’d have to win her trust.
She
jerked up her head. “What?”
“Why not?
I like you. You like me.” He smiled—because the reason Molly had needed to jerk
up her head was that she’d been staring at his chest. “Admit it.”
Sitting
down on the bench, she began to unzip her boots, very obviously not looking at him. “You’re okay for a
rock star.”
He wanted
to bite her, then pet her until she was limp and languid in his arms. “We burn
up together.” Deliberately modulating his voice—his instrument—for maximum
effect, low and bedroom rough, he saw her fingers stutter on the zipper. “I’m
here for a month. It’s an easy equation.”
When the
words “Let me think about it” fell from her mouth, he thought she might’ve been
as startled as he was, her lips parting on a slight gasp—as if to call back the
declaration.
Purchase links for Rock Addiction:
My thoughts on Rock Addiction:
I was lucky enough to receive an advance copy of Rock Addiction and couldn't wait to get started reading it. I've been a fan of Nalini Singh's work for many years and for me, when one of my favorite authors has a new book come out, then it's time to clear the calendar for some uninterrupted reading.
Rock addiction turned out to be a really enjoyable read. It's a contemporary erotic romance with emphasis on the erotic. The main characters, Fox and Molly have a magnetism that's combustible. The sex is explicit, hot and often in this romance as the characters fight their inner demons and past experiences trying to achieve the relationship they both desire.
The story is written in such a way that the secondary characters, whom I'm sure will be the basis of other books in the series, are engaging enough to tweak the readers interest and make you want to know more about them. Personally I can't wait for Noah's story and am looking forward to the release of Rock courtship, the first novella in the series, just so I can find out how David and Thea get together.
I must admit when I first started reading the book I thought I may be disappointed. If you are used to reading the Guild Hunter or Psy-Changeling Series this book is very different. It's not a book with in-depth world building and an ongoing story of otherworldly intrigue. The characters in Rock Addiction are normal human beings who just want to find love. It's a straight M/F contemporary erotic romance where boy meets girl struggling to get their happy ending and should be read as such.
If you love an erotic read, like the fantasy of ending up with a rock star who can be a bad boy at times, then Rock Addiction should be added to your TBR list. I've already got next one Rock Courtship on mine.
About the Author:
NEW YORK TIMES AND USA Today
bestselling author of the Psy-Changeling and Guild Hunter series Nalini Singh
usually writes about hot shapeshifters and dangerous angels. This time around,
she decided to write about a hot and wickedly tempting rock star. If you’re
seeing a theme here, you’re not wrong.
Nalini lives and works in
beautiful New Zealand, and is passionate about writing. If you’d like to
explore her other books, you can find lots of excerpts on her website. Slave to Sensation is the first book in the Psy-Changeling series, while Angels’ Blood is
the first book in the Guild Hunter series. Once Rock Addiction is out, swing by
the site to check out the special behind-the-scenes page, complete with photos
of many of the locations used in the book.
STALK HER: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads
Don't forget to enter the Rock Addiction Competition below and also pre-order Rock Courtship, the new novella in the Rock Kiss series, releasing at the end of September.
What happens when the
Gentleman of Rock decides to play dirty?
A drummer for the hottest rock band on the planet, David has a single, powerful
weakness: Thea, the band’s publicist and the woman who steals his breath away
with her every move.
Only problem is, Thea doesn’t date clients—or musicians. Emotionally scarred by
a cheating ex, she’s not about to risk her heart with a man who has groupies
buzzing around him like flies. Even if his sexy smile ties her up in knots.
What she doesn’t know is that David is a one-woman man...and he’s madly in love
with her. David’s determined to prove he’s worth the risk, and willing to court
her, step by exquisite step. Thea’s about to discover just how long and hard
this handsome drummer can play.
Pre-order on Amazon,
iTunes & Kobo
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