Nicki Elson's Not-So-Deep Thoughts

Happy Christmas to all. As a gift, how about a very fun, heartwarming holiday movie rec? It's a film I'd not heard of until my lovely Brit sister passed the DVD to me yesterday. Last night I watched with my little family, and we give it an enthusiastic Eight Thumbs Up: Click image for a preview May peace be in your heart and on your lips and all around you.  See ya next year, cheeky monkeys. ;)

It’s Embrace ’s Book Birthday and to celebrate the success of her debut novel Cherie Colyer is giving away a copy of her book plus swag. Before we get to that, here is a brief excerpt and some information about Embrace . “I’m beginning to realize I’d do whatever it took to keep someone I care about safe—expose what I am, harness my anger, let my darker side take over. That’s one promise I know I can make without regret.” […] I was about to protest when he then asked, “What about you? Just what are your feelings toward me?” I must have hesitated because he laughed, light and warm, yet there was a bitter edge to it. “I just told you I’d embrace the dark to protect you, and you still can’t open up to me?” Embrace by Cherie Colyer From Omnific Publishing How far would you go to save the people you love? Synopsis: Madison is familiar enough with change, and she hates everything about it. Change took her long-term boyfriend away from her. It caused one of he...

What better way to celebrate An Unexpected Journey coming to the big screen than with a Hobbit Blogfest , hosted by Tyrean Martinson and M. Pax ? Here are my answers to these very hobbitty questions: What is your favorite hobbit characteristic/or the one that you think closely resembles you . . .? Hairy feet.  Just kidding!! Blech! I like to think that I have the loyalty of Samwise Gamgee. If you could choose between a scrumptious second breakfast and a perilous unexpected journey – which would you prefer? I'm getting better at it, but I'm still not comfortable with anything unexpected, so I'll take that second breakfast, please.  Have you ever left behind something on a journey (expected or unexpected) and wished you could have it over and over again? (a pocket handkerchief?) Oh yes. I still occasionally think about the camera I left behind in a Denny's during a family trip out west. We must've been pretty far away by the time I realized,...

Look who's arrived at the second-to-last question for The Next Big Thing : 9. Who or what inspired you to write this book? As I'm sure you all know, there's a difference between being inspired with a story idea and being inspired to invest the months and months it takes to write the thing out. We covered the inspiration behind the idea for Divine Temptation  in my answer to question #2 , but the credit for the inspiration to actually write it goes to my very good friend, the pre-reader I mentioned in my answer about first drafts . The idea for the story was born before I knew him, but through his curiosity about this story in particular (he's also currently working on a very different kind of angel story) and his persistent interest in seeing more and more of my writing, he made me want to put this one into words. And he was there every step of the way to encourage me to continue until it was finished. Ya might say he's rather like my real life angel. Spe...

Today's the day we make this kind and generous soul squirm.  But I'm not the evil one---it was all Mark “The Madman” Koopman,   “ Marvelous” Morgan Shamy,   Stephen “Breakthrough” Tremp &   David “Kingpin” Powers King's   idea. Let's get to this, shall we? What does Alex look like? I'm not sure why, but I'm betting heavy on mustache.  Who could play Alex in a documentary? Lenny Kravitz. With a mustache, of course. Who does Alex remind you of? Santa Claus. Flash Fiction: The  Ninja  crouches. He is alone, but far from lonely, for he's accompanied by the imagined classical  guitar  riff that he mentally jams to while biding his time. Waiting. Watching. There it is! He leaps into the  Cosbolt  and speeds to his target. As always, the spacecraft is first on the scene—comments are still at zero. “Not for long,” he murmurs, his mustache twitching ever so slightly. He delivers a witty one-liner, maneuve...

Whether you're having trouble getting into the Christmas spirit or are already fully Kris-Kringlefied, Kate Evangelista 's blog is a great place to be. Since December 1, she's been posting Christmas-themed guest posts, and each one includes a giveaway! It's a marvelous way to stoke your festive fires in the weeks leading up to Christmas Eve---and you could end up with a whole bunch of gifts before Santa even makes his way down your chimney.  My post is up at Kate's today, so please stop by to learn of the top 5 things on my Christmas wishlist.    What's at the top of your list? 

If you're here for IWSG, you can find that post below, and on your way down, you just might want to check out this super awesome Kindle Giveaway.  THREE Kindles, actually---each loaded up with a collection of Omnific Publishing books:   Season of Sweetness ( YA Collection) , Haunted Holidays ( Paranormal Collection) and Holiday Hotness ( Adult Contemporary Collection) . Be sure to stop by the Omnific Publishing Blog for holiday-themed posts by the authors, a new one each day of the giveaway.  I made an 80s Christmas Mix for the occasion. a Rafflecopter giveaway Here are two authors featured in the Holiday Hotness Kindle--me with Marian Vere at the book signing for her debut novel, Once Upon a Second Chance , a modern day retelling of Jane Austen's Persuasion. 

I'm multi-tasking today and at the end of this post you'll get cookies!  First up is the monthly meeting of the Insecure Writers Support Group , brainchild of Mr. Alex J. Cavanaugh, whom we'll incidentally be roasting...I mean honoring... next week during the Cheers Cavanaugh Blogfest  (brainchild of  Mark Koopman,   Morgan Shamy,   Stephen Tremp,  and  David Powers King) . Is not too late to get in on the fun. My next  The Next Big Thing question conveniently ties in w/ an insecurity, or really, more of a frustration:  #8  What other books would you compare this story to within your genre? I don't understand this question.  Don't we write because we have stories in us that no one else is telling?  So how then, am I supposed to identify a book that mine is like? If I'd found one like it, I would've just read that one instead of writing this one and saved myself a whole lot of time and trouble. But when something's...