Nicki Elson's Blog, page 30

April 24, 2013

Liebster - German (noun). Sweetheart, beloved person, darling. Awww!

I was given the Liebster Award by the wonderful Cherie Colyer (who was so sweet & braved the floody Chicago area to come to my book signing last week---and then stupid, dummy me didn't snap one single picture!). This award is given to bloggers by bloggers and gives glimpses into our lives. We give 11 fun facts about ourselves, answer 11 questions, pass the award on to 11 bloggers and then ask 11 new questions. Ready? 


11 Fun Facts about Moi:1. I have a scar on my forehead in the very same place as Harry Potter's!
2. I have a fear of fish (not eating them, swimming with them).3. I can touch the tip of my nose with my tongue (go on...try to do it. You know you want to).4. I'm a Midwest girl, but I was born in California.5. My whole life I've been told I'm of German, Irish, and Belgian descent.6. The French woman who gave me my last facial insists I've got Mediterranean blood in me.7. I wholeheartedly believe her.
8. For my day job, I do web and print advertising for a shop that's a collection of multiple boutiques.9. Half the managers at the shop don't use computers. At all.10. They regularly ask the office girl to print out images that have been e-mailed to them and then leave a paper copy on my desk with a note to "put it on the internet."11. I enjoy the chance to feel like a techno wizard at my day job...though I still haven't figured out how to blink and get a piece of paper to appear "on the internet."
Questions from Cherie:1. What do you like best about blogging?Making real connections with other people in bite-sized pieces.
2. Mountains or ocean?Mountains. 
3. Favorite author?Jane Austen.
4. Are you an outliner or a panster?Combo - rough outline & pants the in-between
5. Where do you find your inspiration?No idea. It just happens.
6. What fictional world would you like to visit?Middle Earth---but only if I could spend most of my time in Rivendale w/ occasional visits to the Shire.
7. KFC or Popeye’s?KFC
8. Are there any books you won’t read?Those that are poorly written and/or filled with grammatical errors and typos. I also tend to shy away from books laden with heavy emotional trauma and no humor to break it up.
9. Name three people (living or dead) you’d like to meet?Abraham Lincoln. Sarah Jessica Parker. Robert Smith.
10. Do you have any advice for fellow bloggers?Don't over commit. Blog at a pace you can reasonably maintain.  

11. Is this your first Liebster award?I received something called Liebster a long time ago, but it's evolved since then.
Now I get to pick 11 bloggers and ask 11 new questions. I choose (and if you've already been tagged for this award, consider your "obligations" fulfilled. And I know, I know, A to Zers will need to catch their breath before officially accepting):
1. Suze at Subliminal Coffee2. Janie Junebug3. Anne Gallagher4. Johanna Garth5. Mark Means6. Julie Flanders7. Jennifer Lane8. Jackie at Bouquet of Books9. Dani at Entertaining Interests10. The Neurotic Workaholic11. Elliot Grace
Aw man!  Eleven slots went so fast and I have so many more I want to ask my questions to. Well, if you're reading this and you're willing to answer my questions, consider yourself tagged.
Your new questions:1. Les Mis or Sweeney Todd?2. If you were a comic book superhero, what wold your name be?3. What are the toppings on your dream hamburger?4. What city (that you've never visited) do you most want to visit?5. Favorite city (that you have visited).6. Which Disney character is most like you?7. Why? (in follow up to question 6)8. You can only choose one: would you rather write a book that's a best seller or a book that's highly acclaimed?9. What's your biggest pet peeve when it comes to grammatical mistakes in a published book?10. If you could live permanently in any decade, which would it be?11. Who's your favorite fictional romantic couple?
Please stop by to let me know when you've posted your answers because I definitely want to read them!

The Liebster Rules:1. The Liebster Award is given to bloggers by bloggers. 2. Each blogger should post 11 facts about himself / herself. 3. Each blogger should answer the 11 questions that are asked by the nominating blogger. 4. Choose 11 new bloggers to nominate for the Award and link to them in the post. 5. Create 11 new questions for your nominees. 6. Go back to their pages and tell them they've been nominated. 7. No tag backs.
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Published on April 24, 2013 04:15

April 17, 2013

Unexpected 80s






You weren't expecting that, were you? Me neither. Muchos gracias to my sister across the pond, who regularly shares the best of the BBC with me. We're so booking these guys next time I visit her.

Even though I'm not doing A to Z here, I managed to finagle a letter over at Bouquet of Books, so today you can read all about the O character I contributed to Jackie's A to Z characters theme.

Also, for whoever had a Goodreads account and is in the mood for some mindless clicking, I would just lourve it if you'd go to this link and vote for Divine Temptation on any of those lists. Thank ya.




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Published on April 17, 2013 04:46

April 11, 2013

I Just Got Pinteresting

I don't expect to be a frequent Pinterester, but I've been interested in setting up an author account there, and yesterday I finally did---spurred on by my desire to share the mad crafting skillz that have become my latest obsession, that thing I shouldn't be doing that I'm spending way too much time on (but I've got a lovely group of people coming to my Wine & Sign Party next week and there's not a chance I'm letting any of them escape without a homemade bookmark).
Now that my Pinterest page is set up, I see the real beauty in it. It's not promo, it's organization. It's one fabulous overview of the fun stuff I want to keep track of! If any of you are Pinterested, please come find me over there or leave a link to your page in the comments below. I want to see your fun stuff too. :)

And now if you'll excuse me, I've got a lot more of these to make:





 

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Published on April 11, 2013 04:57

April 1, 2013

Have Fun & Godspeed, A to Z-ers

*sigh* I'm not doing the A to Z Challenge this year---the timing is bad for me with too many April 2013 obligations in my hopper, but I refuse to miss out on all the fun, so you'll be seeing my face around your place at least once or twice this month. You can also catch a glimpse of me on D day at Michael Di Gesu's and on O day at Jackie Felger's Bouquet of Books. On April 26, Anne Gallagher at Piedmont Writer and I are planning a fun post---so I'm sorry to tell you that you're not entirely rid of me for the month. 
Since I'm here today, I suppose I could at least give you an A, eh? 
A is for Angel
With the release of Divine Temptation, angels are on my mind, and sometimes certain humans are very angel-like---my head editor, Kimberly Blythe, for example, who stepped into the process when I needed her most and amazed me with her objectivity and wisdom. Her wonderful suggestions allowed me to address publisher concerns while keeping intact every single thing that was important to me. And then this angel came through with a review on opening day that brought me both tingles & tears: Divine and Diabolical
Suze of Subliminal Coffee is another such angel. She had the misfortune of being in contact with me when I was first clued into the aforementioned concerns, and while my natural way to have handled the situation would've been to promptly launch into a full-on freak out, she calmly and logically helped me to view the situation from a reasonable perspective, thus allowing me to take a much needed breath and carry on. I'm so abundantly grateful to both these angels. If not for them, this lovely box may have never landed on my doorstep: 
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Published on April 01, 2013 10:57

March 29, 2013

It's a Birthday Bash with Splash

I'm very excited that I now get to share a Book Birthday with an author and wonderful person whom I feel very fortunate to have met through our mutual publisher. I speak of psycho author, Jennifer Lane. 

Streamline turns one-year-old this week! We're celebrating with a giveaway.

Seems like Leo Scott has it all: looks, brains, and athletic talent. He's captain of his high school swim team with a bright future in college and beyond. But Leo has secrets. His mother's crippling car accident has devastated his family and left Leo to deal with his father's abuse, battered and alone.

Leo's girlfriend Audrey Rose is poised for her own share of success. As one of Florida's top high school swimmers, Audrey dreams of college swimming stardom. But there's an obstacle to her glorious rise to the top. Her number one supporter--her father--is in prison for murder.

Part murder mystery, part tale of young love in a military family, this gripping story takes readers on a journey from Pensacola to Annapolis. Leo and Audrey must band together to rise above the adversity they encounter and find their true selves in the process. When everything's on the line...streamline.

"What an emotional journey! I don't think I have ever cried over a character so much in my life."
~Dani from Paulette's Papers

"The issues that are touched upon in the story: family, substance abuse, teen relationships, trust, honor...they are dealt with in an amazingly realistic, unglossed manner."
~Andrea from The Bookish Babe

"Overall, Streamline is a wonderfully, emotionally complex story about the ones we love, the ones we hurt, the mistakes that break the human heart, and the unconditional love that puts the pieces back together."
~Dani from Refracted Light Reviews

Streamline at Amazon for $2.99
Streamline at Barnes & Noble for $2.99

Author Jennifer Lane is giving away one signed print copy of Streamline to a US winner and three ebooks to international winners. To enter, complete the Rafflecopter form.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

To learn even more about Jennifer and this story, visit more Birthday Bashers for reviews & interviews. 
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Published on March 29, 2013 04:00

March 26, 2013

Release Day Blog Crawl

Today I'm popping the bubbly at:Cover Girls (a bit of insight into Divine Temptation's Cover + Giveaway)Angela Felsted (her thoughts as she reads the blurb)
Bouquet of Books (Book Trailer + Giveaway)Entertaining Interests (Book Trailer + Giveaway)
Omnific Publishing (Interview)
Jen Lane Books (Blurb & Three Daves review)Talk Supe (Excerpt...um, not sure if it's today or later in the week)Fabulosity Reads (Wed-Excerpt, Fri-Inside dirt)
I'm also celebrating at Twitter with 24 hours of #angel quotes. Feel free to pop over & add your own  or simply reTweet your faves. 

Divine Temptation is now available in Paperback, Kindle and Nook.


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Published on March 26, 2013 04:55

March 25, 2013

My answer to the final question in The Next Big Thing piq...


My answer to the final question in The Next Big Thing piqued the interest of at least one reader---Arlee Bird, Mr. Controversy himself.  And so he's invited me to his Tossing it Out blog today to talk a bit more about one of the sticky wickets in Divine Temptation (to release tomorrow!).  I'd love to get your two cents on the issue.


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Published on March 25, 2013 05:00

March 20, 2013

She Puts the Edge in Edgy: Michelle Sutton

In a publishing world that likes to stick everything in neat little boxes, it’s easy to feel like a misfit. Especially when your books crossover between genres that are thought to be incompatible. With the impending release of my steamy romance featuring lots of spiritual elements (see the countdown on the sidebar. Ah! Is getting close!!), I’ve gone searching for others who like to push genres beyond their limits.

Did you know that there’s a whole sub-genre out there known as Edgy Inspirational? Everywhere I looked to find more information about this genre, I came across mentions of author Michelle Sutton. She’s not only got a full catalog of books that push Christian fiction to the edge, she founded the Edgy Christian Fiction Lovers group and has been instrumental in gaining more exposure for this genre.

Well, who do you go to when you have questions? The expert, right? So I was thrilled when Michelle agreed to answer a few questions for me to share here:

Me: What qualifies as “edgy” in Christian fiction? I’m sure there are still lines that shouldn’t be crossed—what are they?
Michelle: For me it's about the heart of the message. I think the only lines that shouldn't be crossed are offensive language (like the f bomb) and glorifying sin. You can write about sinful situations (I sure do) but the consequences have to be shown as well as the spiritual struggle for the story to have a Christian message of redemption and forgiveness.
Me: Ooh, I like that answer. The characters' inner struggle between what they want to do and what they should do is what I usually find most interesting about any story. What are some examples of the edgy parts of your books?
Michelle: Well, in regards to topics there is nothing I don't cover (such as sexual intimacy before marriage and the consequences of promiscuity, rape - including date rape, abortion, adoption, foster care, homosexuality, child abuse, incest, pornography, addiction, death, deception, unforgiveness, slander, etc. etc.)
Me: Sounds like you’ve got the edgy covered for sure. Would The Red Tent or The DaVinci Code qualify as Edgy Christian Fiction?

Michelle: Never read either book, so I can't say one way or the other. I have heard from people who have read The DaVinci Code that it firmed up their belief that Jesus swooned and didn't raise from the dead. That's disconcerting, but again, I am only reporting what I heard. I haven't read it.
Me: I think a lot of people forget that The DaVinci Code is a work of fiction and should only be taken as such. What's funny about that book is that although it puts forth theories that are in opposition to my faith, even after all those years of CCD and listening to sermons and looking at statues, paintings, and crucifixes, reading this story was the first thing that actually made me feel the humanity of Jesus in addition to his divinity, and that spark sent me along a path that has brought me closer to him. He does indeed work in mysterious ways.
Still Me: Okay, next question: how did you get started writing Edgy Christian Fiction?
Michelle: The stories just came out that way. I was told my ideas were good, but the content was too edgy, so I ended up adopting the term by default to describe fiction that wasn't of the softer variety when it comes to novels with Christian themes and a Christian worldview. Some people call it realistic fiction. I just think it's honest. I don't write about what characters should think, do and feel. I write about what they really would think, do and feel. We're all sinners saved by grace.

Me: Exactly---how can we possibly relate to characters who always make good choices? Even Jesus’ parables were chock full of sinners. Hey! I guess in a way he was the first author of Edgy Christian Fiction, eh?

Thank you so much, Michelle, for giving us more insight into this genre---and thanks for all you do to give Edgy Christian Fiction more exposure.

Below are just a few of Michelle’s inspirational books with an edgeEach book cover links to its Amazon page so you can read more about it.
 
 
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Published on March 20, 2013 04:00

March 18, 2013

Top 10 Movie Countdown Blogfest

Yay, today's the day for another of Alex. J. Cavannaugh's famous blogfests. I'd like to thank him not only for hosting, but for keeping it simple & fun---coming up with this list and looking at posters of my most favorite movies turned out to be quite a cathartic exercise. I hope you found it to be the same (assuming you were in need of catharting). Thanks, Big Al.

These are in the order of my affection for them:
1. Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl


2. Raiders of the Lost Ark


3. Star Wars: A New Hope


4. When Harry Met Sally


5. Return of the Jedi


6. The Empire Strikes Back


7. Toy Story


8. Mystic Pizza


9. Goodfellas



10. Jaws 

I'm allowing myself two more because I think it was really good of me to count the original Star Wars Trilogy as three separate entries:
11. Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring


12. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest

Oh wait, now I've included two Pirate's movies as two entries soooo....

13. Pulp Fiction


Come now, you can't expect me to end on an unlucky number like 13:

14. Chocolat


Are any of these in your top 10?


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Published on March 18, 2013 04:00

March 13, 2013

What Would You Do with a Wormhole?

First: Happy Birthday, Albert!

Second: Thank you Stephen,  Luanne, and Laura for imagining and organizing this clever hop: What would you do or where would you go if you could traverse a wormhole through space or time just once? One safe round trip passage. 

Third: What am I gonna do with my wormhole?

Since it's only one trip, I'd go to the time and place that would best prepare me for the long haul once I returned to here and now. So I'd go to Galilee about 28 A.D. I'd jimmy the wormhole to put me near the crowd that listened to Jesus deliver the Sermon on the Mount. I wouldn't understand the language he was speaking, though he might make it so I could, but even if he didn't, I think just hearing his voice speak those crucial lessons and watching the early Christians drink them up for the very first time would drive them into my heart in a deeper, more indelible way than they ever have been before. And that would be pretty cool. :)

Visit here for more wormholers

But before you go!  Look to the left and down just a bit. See the Blog Blitz? It's a brand new concept in blogging and it's all about suprising someone with kindness. The brainchild of D.L. Hammons, Mr. Kindness himself. Please read what it's all about and consider joining. 

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Published on March 13, 2013 04:00