Nicki Elson's Blog, page 21

E: ER *90's Pop Culture Favorites* #AtoZchallenge

ER was suuuuch a good show. As evidenced by its obscenely long tenure---1994 to 2009. But I was only in for about 4-5ish of those seasons, maybe less. Having two bebes less than a year and a half apart sorta cuts into TV time. I watched it from the Clooney years into the beginning of the River Song (Alex Kingston) years.

E.R. was a great mix of drama, humor, and gasp-worthy moments with interesting, warm characters. Nice romance too at times. And the Chicago setting was a bonus. So did anyone here watch this show into the new millennium? And if so, are those later seasons worth hunting down?

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SHEEPISH ADMISSION: I'm not even here. I've been kidnapped by pirates and shall be hooped up on pixie dust for the rest of the week. Upon my return, visiting my A to Z commenters will be the top priority in my eLife, so see you then!  

D: Dean Koontz *90s Pop Culture Favorites* #AtoZchallenge

Have you read Dean Koontz? I haven't since the 90's, but I consider him to be one of my favorite mystery/horror/freaky writers. Turns out that the two books I mention in this post were published in '88 & '89, but I read them in the '90s, so I'm counting them.

Lightning was the first book of his that I read, and it was extra fun because I was reading it at the same time a co-worker was, so we'd take our lunch breaks together and theorize. Koontz was just so good at the timing of revelations---kept me guessing 'til I just couldn't stand it anymore, and then he'd drop something new that had me gasping.

Midnight is another one that sticks out to me. If you've read Dean Koontz's books, what's your favorite?

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SHEEPISH ADMISSION: I'm not even here. I've been kidnapped by pirates and shall be hooped up on pixie dust for the rest of the week. Upon my return, visiting my A to Z commenters will be the top priority in my eLife, so see you then!

C: Chicago Bulls *90's Pop Culture Favorites* #AtoZchallenge

I've never been a sports fan, but it was impossible to be a young urban professional in Chicago in the early 90's and not be a Bulls fanatic. It. Was. Magical.  Horace Grant, Scottie Pippin, John Paxson, BJ Armstrong, and Bill Cartwright all on the same team and led by Phil Jackson. Fugeddaboudit. Hmm, feels like I'm forgetting someone. Oh yeah---ever hear of a fella from North Carolina named Michael Joooordan?!?   
It probably didn't hurt that at the time I worked a job that scored me frequent tickets to the sky box. All I know is, I can't watch the video above without getting all tingly. 
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Find the full list of crazy AtoZ hoppers.
SHEEPISH ADMISSION: I'm not even here. I've been kidnapped by pirates and shall be hooped up on pixie dust for the rest of the week. Upon my return, visiting my A to Z commenters will be the top priority in my eLife, so see you then!

B: Beverly Hills 90210 *90's Pop Culture Favorites* #AtoZchallenge

Don't judge me.
I was working 10 hour days in the city and going to graduate school at night. Beverly Hills 90210 (1990-2000) was a much-needed guilty pleasure once each week---recorded on VHS tapes, of course.

The Brenda-Dillon-Kelly love triangle was what got me hooked. Kelly knew exactly what she was doing when she moved in on the Dillster while Brenda was on that student trip to Paris. But Brenda---ugh!  She acted like Dillon was SO bad for messing around on her when she had that thing going with the Lois and Clark guy the whole freaking time...and then Dillon...don't even get me started.

Aren't you glad you didn't know me in the 90's??

Learn the background on my AtoZ theme.
Find the full list of crazy AtoZ hoppers.
SHEEPISH ADMISSION: I'm not even here. I've been kidnapped by pirates and shall be hooped up on pixie dust for the rest of the week. Upon my return, visiting my A to Z commenters will be the top priority in my eLife, so see you then!  

A: Affleck & Damon *90s Pop Culture Favorites* #AtoZchallenge

Aww!  Look how cute & happy they are!! Skidding into the Hollywood bigtime with Good Will Hunting (1997), Ben Affleck and Matt Damon were fresh, fun, exciting, and adorable. I mean, come on---they brought their moms as their dates to the Oscars! It doesn't get cuter than that. And to me, their joke about having better seats than Nicholson was the best moment in Oscar history.

As a side note...stay with me here...my cousin's husband's brother has been Ben Affleck's and Matt Damon's agent since GWH, which I think says a lot about loyalty and talent on all three sides of that equation. Also, I just like revealing that my cousin's husband's brother is Patrick Whitesell. ;)

Learn the background on my AtoZ theme.
Find the full list of crazy A to Z hoppers.
SHEEPISH ADMISSION: I'm not even here. I've been kidnapped by pirates and shall be hooped up on pixie dust for the rest of the week. Upon my return, visiting my A to Z commenters will be the top priority in my eLife, so see you then!  

Escalation of Space Travel by @StephenTremp

As you've no doubt noticed, this has been Book Feature Week at my place. We started out with sci-fi, mixed it up with some YA paranormal, and now we're back to sci-fi with a guest post from author Stephen Tremp, who's celebrating the release of Escalation: The Adventures of Chase Manhattan.

Stephen writes sci-fi, but today he's going to tell us about some real life scientific ventures that only sound like fiction. Take it away, Mr. Tremp...





As we wind down the Escalation Blog Tour, I want to be sure to highlight some of what’s going on in the private Sector regarding things like commercial space flight, space tourism,


Virgin Galactic: Is an America-based, British-owned commercial spaceflight company within Richard Branson’s Virgin Group which plans to provide suborbital spaceflights to space tourists, suborbital launches for space science missions, and orbital launches of small satellites. Further in the future, Virgin Galactic hopes to offer orbital human spaceflights as well. Virgin Galactic's spacecraft is launched from a large aeroplane, giving the spacecraft more initial speed and altitude than if it were launched from the ground. REFERENCE

Book a flight now for only $250,000. You will be joining our community of over 600 future astronauts which has become one of the most exclusive clubs in the world! REFERENCE

SpaceX: The brainchild of Elon Musk (PayPal and Tesla Motors) made history as the world's first privately held company to send a cargo payload, carried on their Dragon spacecraft, to the International Space Station. The capsule then brought back more than one ton of science experiments and old station equipment. It's the only supply ship capable of two-way delivery.

NASA is paying SpaceX more than $1 billion for a dozen resupply missions. Space X can reuse their spacecraft too. SpaceX has signed contracts with private sector companies, non-American government agencies and the American military for its launch services. NASA needs these “private space taxis” to help ferry cargo to the International Space Station.

The Moon: According to SpaceDev, a return to the moon from the private sector could be accomplished under $10 billion using existing technology, significantly lower than anything NASA could accomplish.

“According to SpaceDev's chief, Jim Benson, the private group has found that a more comprehensive series of missions could be completed in a fraction of the time and for one-tenth of the cost of the NASA estimate.” REFERENCE

Mars: An ambitious private manned mission to Mars aims to launch a two-person crew to fly around the Red Planet and return to Earth in 501 days, starting in January 2018.
This bold undertaking is planned by the Inspiration Mars Foundation, a non-profit company founded by millionaire and space tourist Dennis Tito that was officially unveiled on Feb. 27 after early details leaked.

Though the spacecraft would not land humans on Mars or even put them in orbit, it would bring people within a few hundred kilometers of the Martian surface — roughly the same distance between the International Space Station and Earth — and represent a major milestone in human spaceflight. If successful, the mission would go down in history as the first time a private company accomplished something government agencies were unable to do in space. REFERENCE

Asteroid Mining: The race is on. Who will bag an asteroid first? NASA or private industry. There is so much money to be made in a venture such as this because of the minerals that it’s hard to say.

I love this idea and think we will see it in our lifetime. But my problem is, the best way to do this is to bring an asteroid into Earth’s orbit without crashing it into us. How else are they going to mine it and bring the precious elements to Earth in a cost effective manner. Stay tuned.

Well, lots of crazy and exciting stuff on our immediate horizon. For better or worse. And I’ll be on top of each and every step of the way at my blog.


Stephen Tremp Is the author of the Breakthrough series. Together, Breakthrough, Opening, and Escalation follow the lives of the unlikely participants from innocence to a coming of age through sacrifice, betrayal, passion, lust, unconditional love, and hope. Escalation will appeal to fans of modern-day science fiction, action, horror, and even romance.

Stop by Stephen’s Blog for more information on the Breakthrough series, or download Escalation: The Adventures of Chase Manhattan at Amazon.

Thanks for coming by, Stephen & congrats on the new book!

Are You Ready to Challenge Destiny? @CherieColyer Is!

Today, Cherie Colyer's upper YA novel with angelic flair---Challenging Destiny---is available on Kindle, and I'm excited to be part of the celebration by hosting an intriguing excerpt:

Logan’s point-of-view


I glanced down at the silver dagger and then back up into her eyes. I couldn’t move. My muscles froze as my mind whirled.
She pressed the bone handle into my hand and closed my fingers around it. “You’d be freeing me from my contract with the Fallen. My soul will finally be at rest.” Her voice was soft. Tired. She raised her chin and closed her eyes. “Just make sure you hit my heart because I’m not going to promise getting stabbed isn’t going to piss me off.”
It wouldn’t take much effort to kill Kira. She stood in front of me, half an arm’s length away.


CHALLENGING DESTINYPublisher: The Wild Rose PressKindle Release Date: March 27, 2014Worldwide Release Date: July 11, 2014
Logan Ragsdale and his younger sister, Ariana, have been marked, chosen to be unwilling participants in a war between angels and demons.
Logan can sense something's not quite right. Like an unexpected chill on a summer's day, he can feel the unseen closing in. He's had these feelings before and, each time, someone close to him died. He's afraid this time it might just be Ariana.
Logan's fears are soon confirmed when he discovers their new friends aren't human, but rather representatives from Heaven and Hell sent to Earth to ensure he and Ariana accept their roles in an ancient prophecy. Demons want Logan to open the gates of Hell. Ariana has the power to stop them, but if she chooses to side with Heaven to spare the lives of thousands of innocent people, she'll damn her brother for eternity.
Together, they must derail the biblical event if they hope to save themselves and the future of mankind...but what price are they willing to pay to keep the other safe?
Click here to read Challenging Destiny on Kindle today!  Amazon UK

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Cherie Colyer is the author of YA paranormal thriller/romance, EMBRACE and HOLD TIGHT from Omnific Publishing. Her latest novel, CHALLENGING DESTINY will be available this spring from The Wild Rose Press, Black Rose Imprint. Check out her website and blog for news on her books and bonus material. Follow Cherie on Twitter, Facebook, and/or Goodreads to get the latest updates on her books.


Congratulations, Cherie!

Gorgeous New Covers for the Shades Series by @CarolOates

Today is a double cover reveal for the Shades Series by Carol Oates!
Shades of Atlantis got a makeover (new cover to be available on April 15), and Shades of Avalon (to be released on April 15) is being revealed. To celebrate the reveal, Omnific is giving away an ePack of Shades of Atlantis at EACH hosting blog. So that means that right here, right now, you can enter for a chance to win just by leaving a comment on this post. 

Shades of Atlantis. 

Since the death of their parents, Triona Pryor and her brother, Ben, have lived with their aunt and uncle in Camden, Maine. Now in her senior year of high school, Triona loves her family and friends, but she has always felt that she didn't quite fit in...in Camden, or anywhere else.

Enter Caleb Wallace, the devilishly handsome man who has recently moved to Triona's small town.

While their attraction to each other is instantaneous, it also proves to be dangerous...and deadly. When tragedy strikes, Triona flees to London for solace and to start her life anew. It's there she discovers from an unlikely source that her family has been keeping secrets from her - secrets about not only her birthright, but her ultimate destiny as well.

Armed with this knowledge, Triona finds herself thrown into a whole new world and into a battle to save the lives of everyone she loves.



Shades of Avalon:

Ben Pryor grew up as an average kid in Camden, Maine, unaware of the supernatural storm brewing in his Celtic blood. However, at nineteen, as the last born in the royal line of the beings that once ruled Atlantis, Ben has eagerly embraced his newfound abilities and birthright.

When Caleb, his sister’s mate, goes missing under suspicious circumstances, the prime suspect is the last remaining member of the overthrown corrupt Guardian Council.

With the discovery that an old acquaintance has been keeping secrets and the future Ben was so sure of shifting before his eyes, the situation becomes more complicated, the ransom for Caleb too high.

In the sequel to Shades of Atlantis, Ben will delve deeper than he ever imagined into the magical old ways of the Guardians, the secrets of Excalibur, and the truth behind the legend of King Arthur


About the author:

Carol Oates came into the world on Christmas morning, in an elevator. Raised just across the street from the childhood home of Bram Stoker, author of Dracula, it was only a matter of time before Carol’s love of all things supernatural would emerge.

She began experimenting with fiction at school and keeps the notebook containing her first unpublished novel in her desk drawer. Over three decades later, all her stories still begin life scrawled on paper. 

When not writing, Carol can be found exploring history with her son. Luckily, he shares her love of old buildings, castles, and tombs. http://www.CarolOates.com

The story of the Backworlds continues, and the story of Earth begins. Worlds on Edge by @MPax1

In the mood for an intense sci-fi adventure? You're in luck because today is the official launch of the fifth book in M. Pax's popular Backworlds series.  Congrats, Mary!

Worlds on Edgeby M. Pax  War is coming. A horde of merciless aliens poise just beyond the Edge. In a matter of weeks, they will devour the worlds.
Racing ahead of the apocalypse, Craze returns to the Backworlds to warn them and plan a defense. Only he can’t go home. Banned from Pardeep Station, he must wage a more urgent battle. His moon is under siege, and his friends are dying.
Bad things come in threes, and the galaxy is no exception. An old enemy returns, attacking moons and defenseless globes, leaving a wake of destruction. Worse than that, they threaten to join forces with the alien horde.
Defeat seems inevitable. Craze may not be able to stop it. Yet home is worth the fight.
 Amazon / AmazonUK / Smashwords / Nook/ Other Outlets

Fantasy, science fiction, and the weird beckons to M. Pax, and she blames Oregon for that, a source of endless inspiration. She docents at Pine Mountain Observatory in the summers, teaching the public about the stars and the galaxy. A Bachelors of Science in Journalism, she had former lives in marketing and television before settling down to write. Want to know more? Visit mpaxauthor.com

In Which I Show You Mine #AtoZreveal

I was so happy to learn that I wasn't the only dork who planned to pre-reveal her theme for the 2014 A to Z Challenge. As it turns out, there are a whole bunch of us, led by Team Damyanti in the Great & Powerful Theme Reveal Hop.  Click here for the list of the many other bloggers who will reveal themselves today.
Ready to see mine?
90's Pop Culture Favorites!
As in, my favorites. I firmly believe the 80's were the best decade ever pop-culturewise, and as a result I tend to not give the 90's their due. So I forced myself to sit down and come up with 26 things I loved in the 90's that I STILL love, and you know what? It wasn't difficult at all.

So, starting on April 1, I'll be retroing back in time to show you bits of my 90's soul. But before we begin, I'd like to share with you my personal 90's timeline to provide insight into my baseline at the time I fell in love with these things:

1991: Got married1993: Earned MBA from DePaul University1995: Bought first single-family home1996: Started la familia w/ bambino #11997: Became a stay-at-home mamma
Expanded la familia w/ bambino #2
'98-'99: Pretty much a blur
You're all tingly with anticipation now, aren'tchya?

If you haven't signed up for A to Z yet, there's still time.