Nicki Elson's Not-So-Deep Thoughts

Yikes! I haven't posted since August. And now I'm only back for a brief flash because I have a story I want to tell. But I plan to rejoin  IWSG  in 2019. :) Looks so innocent, right? And usually it is. But last weekend, I was walking these grassy trails as dusk approached. About 30 feet ahead, a coyote cut across the trail. My first thought: "Cool. A coyote!" My second thought: "Uh, I'm not sure how far off the trail she went. Maybe instead of continuing to walk this way, I should head in the opposite direction." Remembering the black bear safety tips I'd learned before a trip to the Smoky Mountains, I continued facing the coyote's direction and took steps backward. The rule (which I later confirmed also applies to coyotes): Don't turn your back on the animal and DON'T run away. If you do, you could be perceived as prey. As I slowly moved away, I spotted Madame Coyote standing not far off the trail, and I congratula...

Hi, gang! Thanks for all the visits last month. I had lots of fun during my first time as IWSG co-host. For any of you who've thought about volunteering to co-host but haven't done it yet, I highly recommend it. The time commitment's not bad and it's a perfect opportunity to reach further into blogland and meet more IWSGers while learning from their experiences. The August optional question is: What pitfalls would you warn other writers to avoid on their publication journey? So many pitfalls...but I'll zero in on one bit of advice: don't obsess too much over one book. Whether you're seeking publication or the book is in the midst of the publication process or has just been released, don't let that one story consume your world - because that will drive you crazy and it's unproductive.  While you're in the waiting stages - waiting to hear back from agents/publishers, waiting for notes from your editor, waiting for the next sales promot...

Welcome to July, everybody! Sorry I missed last month. I was out in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee with a bunch of my family. It was so much fun. This was the view from our cabin (that's Gatlinburg down below): I'm making up for my absence last month by co-hosting the IWSG this month! Looking forward to visiting bunches of blogs over the next few days. Get ready for #IWSGPit! On July 19, you'll have the opportunity to pitch your completed and polished manuscript on Twitter. If your pitch receives a favorite/heart from a publisher/agent, that means they've requested a query! See all the details and rules at the IWSG website . Now, on to the  IWSG Optional Question: What are your ultimate writing goals, and how have they changed over time? Goals? What are goals? Just kidding! I've heard of them; I'm just not great about setting them. But I guess my goal when I first started writing was to have fun with it, and that hasn't changed. After...

Happy May IWSGers! Believe it or not, I actually started writing this post ahead of time - and then I forgot to schedule it, d'oh. Anywho, here I am now. Lately, I've been thinking about the reactions I didn't anticipate before my first novel was published back in 2010. For the benefit of any about-to-be-published-for-the-first-time authors out there, I'm sharing 5 things I didn't learn until after my first book came out. For you experienced published authors, I'd love to know - do these "truths" hold for you, too? 1. No matter how many times you tell your friends and family that your main character isn't you, they won't believe you. 2. Once you've written and published one book, and no matter how many you publish after that, you will forever be asked, "When are you going to write a new book?" 3. You'll be amazed to learn how many people you know who've also thought about writing a book. 4. Friends who bought yo...

Hi, gang! Here we are in April, can you believe it? I know you're all busy, busy, so I'll get right to the optional  IWSG Day question:  When your writing life is a bit cloudy or filled with rain, what do you do to dig down and keep on writing? Two things. One is---write. Even when I know what I'm spewing is garbage, I remind myself I can always go back and rewrite later. Eventually, I warm up and the words start flowing better.  Secondly---this one tends to happen more by necessity rather than design---I step away from writing. For example, I host the big family Easter brunch, and as I've mentioned in a previous post , housekeeping is not my jam. So getting my abode in shape for entertaining left me with zero time for writing last weekend. But you know what? While I cleaned and cooked, I daydreamed about my story and worked out how to resolve some of the issues that've bugged me. Now I'm totally excited to get back to it. :) I guess what I'm sayin...

Happy March, everyone. Hope your month is off to a good start. I'm happy to report that my plan to write a new chapter every weekend is going great. My current WIP is at 40K words. :) No telling how many of those words will be ripped apart and Frankensteined back together during rounds 2 and 3, but that's a concern for another day. With an end goal seeming possible, I enjoyed thinking about this month's Optional IWSG Day Question:  How do you celebrate when you achieve a writing goal/finish a story? I hadn't thought of it as an official thing I do to celebrate - it's just what's ended up happening in the past - but now I'm making it official. When I finish a story, I celebrate by tackling a home project. Make that a fun home project. When I finally finish with my current writing project, the master bathroom is on the agenda. While taking a writing break last weekend, I even picked out the color. What do you think of it? Weird that I picked...

Today's the big day - the release of Twin Sacrifice by Jennifer Lane! As you'll see in my review below, I found this to be an excellent read - Jennifer Lane at her very best. Twin Sacrifice by Jennifer Lane Genre : Psychological Thriller Release Date : February 28, 2018 My twin brother is determined to kill himself, but I won’t let him.  I just discovered the sacrifice he made for me when we were young. Now it’s time I return the favor. This time I’ll be the one with the secret. Psychologist Matthew Durante’s twin brother, Justin, has struggled with mental illness since their parents died in a house fire. After Justin is accused of setting off a bomb that killed an innocent woman, he lands in a maximum-security psychiatric hospital. In the face of Justin’s unrelenting suicide attempts, Matthew grows frantic to keep him alive. And as the pieces of their past fall into place, Matthew decides bold action is his only choice, no matter the cost. Set ...

That's right - you can now pre-order this wonderful psychological thriller by Jennifer Lane. I was a lucky pre-reader of this book and I'm SO excited for you all to get a chance to read it very, very soooon. Twin Sacrifice by Jennifer Lane Genre : Psychological Thriller Release Date : February 28, 2018 My twin brother is determined to kill himself, but I won’t let him.  I just discovered the sacrifice he made for me when we were young. Now it’s time I return the favor. This time I’ll be the one with the secret. Psychologist Matthew Durante’s twin brother, Justin, has struggled with mental illness since their parents died in a house fire. After Justin is accused of setting off a bomb that killed an innocent woman, he lands in a maximum-security psychiatric hospital. In the face of Justin’s unrelenting suicide attempts, Matthew grows frantic to keep him alive. And as the pieces of their past fall into place, Matthew decides bold action is his only ch...

Welcome to another chapter in "Holy s@*& I almost forgot IWSG day." Thank you again , Jennifer Lane for the very much needed personal reminder. So, straight to the optional question of the month: What do you love about the genre you write in most often? I most often write chick-litty romance. There are two things I love most about the genre: 1) The excitement of realizing you love someone and that they love you back. 2) Lightheartedness. This life is filled with so much conflict and garbage that it's easy to become trapped in darkness. I choose to remain most often in light and fluffiness. I look forward to hearing what draws you all to your genres and will be back later today to visit. Right now, I'm knee deep in a work project and about ankle deep in new snow I've got to get off my driveway (luckily, it looks to be light & fluffy. ;)).    This post is part of the monthly blog hop/therapy session known as  Insecure Writer's Support Gr...

I'm super excited for today's cover reveal because being the lucky ducky that I am, Jennifer Lane is my crit partner, so I've gotten a preview on this story. And folks - it's a GREAT one. My full review will be coming, but for now, here's a sneak peek: Twin Sacrifice by Jennifer Lane Genre : Psychological Thriller Release Date : February 28, 2018 My twin brother is determined to kill himself, but I won’t let him.  I just discovered the sacrifice he made for me when we were young. Now it’s time I return the favor. This time I’ll be the one with the secret. Psychologist Matthew Durante’s twin brother, Justin, has struggled with mental illness since their parents died in a house fire. After Justin is accused of setting off a bomb that killed an innocent woman, he lands in a maximum-security psychiatric hospital. In the face of Justin’s unrelenting suicide attempts, Matthew grows frantic to keep him alive. And as the pieces of their past ...