Nicole Williams . . . Writes About Writing

FISSURE Playlist!

2012-02-24T10:24:00.000-08:00

I've uploaded a playlist for FISSURE in anticipation of the upcoming release! The music is as varied and neurotic as Patrick is, so it suits him perfectly, and I couldn't resist adding the last song. This could be Patrick's theme song half of the time. If nothing else, hopefully it will put a smile on your face and get you shaking your booty.

The release is getting close (a few weeks close)! Enjoy a little Patrick mood music and feel free to add your two cents as to what songs you like/don't like, or which ones should be added to the playlist.

FISSURE Release Update and Blurb

2012-02-10T21:57:00.000-08:00

I am neck deep in edits and FISSURE will be off to my editor in the next week, so sleep and sanity will be in short supply for me this upcoming week! Since I will be lucky to put one foot in front of the other these next few days, I figured I better get this update posted.

FISSURE will be released sometime in the first half of March. Of course, once I have a more specific date I will let you all know. In the mean time, I wanted to release the jacket blurb to give you all a taste of what kind of trouble our first (or second) favorite Hayward brother has been up to. This may be tweaked slightly before the final blurb is released, but here's the gist of it.

Enjoy and, as always, thank you, thank you, thank you to all my loyal fans. I love you all!

Patrick Hayward’s never been a one woman type of guy, that’s why he never dates just one. However, still reeling the loss of the one woman he took a chance on falling in love with to his older brother, Patrick is enrolled—sequestered, if you asked him—at Stanford in hopes of breaking him out of his months long, beard growing, rootbeer chugging, hygiene impaired, funk.

Something breaks when a certain Emma Scarlett storms into his life his first week on campus as he’s suntanning and cat calling when he should be in class. Emma sees through his act and calls him out like she’s seen his kind a million times before, but Patrick knows he isn’t one of a million, he’s one in a million.

Intrigued by this fascinating creature that is ignorant to his charm, surrounded by four older brothers who look at Patrick like he’s a bug they could squish, and dating the same guy for the past six years who gives new meaning to the term territorial boyfriend, Patrick gravitates to her, knowing she’s everything he shouldn’t fall for.

So, of course, he can’t help himself.

Forcing the stars to realign and slapping fate in the face, Patrick takes matters into his own hands and finds a way to wrangle his way into Emma’s life at every chance. As Emma begins to open up to him, he’s about to discover she’s thwarted by as many secrets as he is.

But hers are the kind that make you want to keep your light on at night.

Patrick never could have imagined a more unhappy ever after for himself than the one he's about to face.

A Long Overdue Update

2011-12-20T11:21:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone!

It's been two months since my last blog post and I'm still scratching my head trying to figure out where those months went. Really, I don't have a clue.

But, since I can't rewind time to figure out where those weeks went . . . onward and upward!

I wanted to update everyone on novel release dates since we're nearing the end of 2011. Patrick's novel (I will be releasing the title of it soon!) will be released in the first couple months of 2012. It's turning out to be longer than I anticipated (not a big surprise I guess when you're writing about someone like him) and I'm agonizing over every word as I want this to be as perfect as it can be. Of course, once I have a release date, I'll let you all know. I'll also be releasing little one liners and blurbs on twitter to get some buzz going!

Crash, the YA contemporary I'm working on, will also be coming out sometime in the first half of 2012. I've put this one on the back burner as I want to get Patrick's novel out first, but it's a beautiful story and I'm really proud of it so far.

As I near the 100,000 mark for total books sold, I find myself overwhelmed. In the best kind of way. When I published Eternal Eden back in March, I really didn't know what to expect, but as I look back on 2011, I realize that I hadn't even dare to hope I'd end the year with nearly 100,000 books sold in the Eden trilogy. It's mind boggling and humbling and a hundred other things too, but what I find myself most is thankful. Thankful to all the readers and fans who have taken a chance on my books, spread the word, left reviews, sent emails, and been all-around encouraging and supportive! I'm even thankful to the critics and the one star reviewers for leaving constructive criticism and pushing me to be a better writer. I heart you all!!!

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year and thank you for making this girl's 2011 the best year ever. Wishing you all the same in 2012!

A BIG Announcement for all you Patrick Fans!

2011-10-19T22:47:00.000-07:00

Okay, I've kept my mouth closed and the secret to myself long enough. I can't do it any longer. I've gotten countless emails from so many of you (I've read them all!) requesting, begging, threatening life and limb ;) for a follow-up book/novella/series on a fan favorite from the Eden trilogy.

He needs no introduction . . . Mr. Patrick Hayward.

Soooooo, since I'm rather fond of my limbs, my life, AND my readers too, I'm going to make the big announcement. I'm DYING to make the big announcement.

A book all his own is in the works. Actually, more than just in the works, it's going to be coming to your virtual bookshelves this December/January! I'd been toying with the idea of giving Patrick a spotlight all his own (he's just too great a guy to play second string) since releasing Eternal Eden back in March. What really pushed pen to paper was the continual emails from all of you. There are an awful lot of you Patrick fan girls out there (I'm starting a club!) and your emails, prayers, and appeals have been answered. Classic case of ask and you shall receive!

The book is currently untitled (I'm tossing around a bunch of titles), but as soon as I have a title and the cover is completed, you all will be the first to know. If anyone has any title ideas, I'd love to hear them!

Last off, thank you, thank you, THANK YOU for making United Eden's launch such a success. Yet again, reader response has been overwhelming. I'm thankful to each and every one of you. Truly, truly.

YA Indie Carnival: Favorite Character to Write

2011-10-07T00:01:00.000-07:00

Our Indie Carnival topic of the week is to reveal who our favorite character to write has been. I love writing quite a few of my characters from the Eden trilogy, but there's definitely one I love the most because, well, he's a smart a** with just enough charm and reluctant sweetness to be endearing. If you've read the books, you probably already know who I'm talking about. A fan favorite, Mr. Patrick Hayward.

He's one of those characters that consistently pops in and out of my mind, carrying on a one-sided conversation with enough wise cracks and snarky cynicism to have made the Eden trilogy the never-ending trilogy! I love larger than life characters that have a rough exterior and a soft interior and he's all that.

For all you Eden trilogy/Patrick fans out there, I've got some uber exciting news coming soon for you. Stay tuned for an announcement to come that I'll be lucky to keep quiet for the next couple weeks as planned!

Make sure to check out the amazing other members of our ever expanding carnies!

Fisher Amelie (Author of The Understorey)

K. C. Blake (Author of Vampire Rules)

J.L. Bryan (Author of the Paranormals series)

Heather Cashman (Author of Perception)

Courtney Cole (Author of The Bloodstone Saga, Princess & Guardian)

Rachel Coles (Author of Diary of a Duct Tape Zombie and other stories)

Laura Elliott (Author of Winnemucca)

T. R. Graves (Author of The Warrior series)

P.J. Hoover (Author of Solstice)

Kimberly Kinrade (Author of Bits of You, Pieces of Me and Forbidden Mind)

Patti Larsen (Author of the short story, Henry and the newly released Run)

Michelle Leighton (Author of the Blood Like Poison series, The Reaping, Wiccan, Caterpillar, and the upcoming Madly series)

Lexus Luke (Author of Manitou and The Sky People Saga)

Amy Maurer Jones (Author of The Soul Quest Trilogy)

Alicia McCalla (Author of the upcoming debut novel Breaking Free)

Cheri Schmidt (Author of the Fateful series and Fair Maiden)

Dani Snell (A Fab Book Blogger)

Cidney Swanson (Author of Rippler)

Cyndi Tefft (Author of Between)

Suzy Turner (Author of December Moon and Raven)

Nicole Williams (You are here!)

Gwenn Wright (Author of Filter)

YA Indie Carnival : Dream Cast of The Eden Trilogy!

2011-09-30T00:55:00.000-07:00

Okay, let me preface this post by saying this topic terrifies me. Not even marginally . . . it absolutely, positively terrifies me. Why? For a ton of reasons but mainly because the images I have in my head and the images readers have in their heads will never be able to be measured just right by even the best casting director. How many times have we watched our beloved books on the big screen only to be let down by the script or the acting or whatever else happens when we try to put words to screen.

So, with that said, here are some actors I could see possibly playing in the movies if the Eden Trilogy were ever headed for Hollywood. However, I'd LOVE to hear any of you reader's suggestions! Let me know what you think of mine. Be kind!

Alright, (inhaling deep breathe) here it goes . . .

Charles Hayward:

Jim Caviezel

OR

Liam Neeson

OR

Hugh Jackman

Nathanial Hayward:

Chris Hemsworth

OR

Chris Evans

Abigail Hayward:

Emily Blunt

OR

Eva Green

Cora Hayward:

Rachel McAdams

OR

Emilie de Ravin

Joseph Hayward (this one was hard!):

Matt Dallas

OR

Matt Lanter

OR

Chace Crawford

Patrick Hayward (alright girls, chime up here. I know a bunch of you are lovers of all things Patrick!):

Travis Fimmel

OR

Taylor Kitsch

John Towsend:

Jonathan Rhys Meyers

OR

Hayden Christensen

Stella:

Ali Larter

OR

Charlize Theron

Paul Lowe:

Liam Hemsworth (did you guys know Liam and Chris are brothers? Just figured that out . . .):

OR

Paul Walker (little old, but has the "Paul" look and attitude . . . maybe because they share the same name!)

Bryn Dawson (this one was SUPER hard, still don't think I've got it anywhere near right):

Mischa Barton:

OR

Emma Stone (she'd need to wear some serious heels to be Bryn tall!)

William Hayward (this one was the hardest of all. How do you personify William Hayward . . . only one answer for that. It's impossible. However, I gave it a try and that's about all I can say for it.):

Henry Cavill

OR

Cillian Murphy (needs to be about ten years younger and half a foot taller, but has the William look and I'm a 28 Days Later mega fan!).

So what do you think? I'd love to hear your thoughts/ideas. As always, thanks for checking in and be sure to check out the rest of my carnie cronies!

http://www.refractedlightreviews.com

http://pattilarsen.blogspot.com/

http://courtneycolewrites.wordpress.com/

http://wrenemerson.wordpress.com/

http://nicoleawilliams.blogspot.com/

http://fisheramelie.com/blog/

http://laurasmagicday.wordpress.com

http://amyjonesyaff.blogspot.com

http://rachelcoles.wordpress.com/

http://thewarriorseries.blogspot.com/

http://ctefft.blogspot.com

http://pjhoover.blogspot.com

www.aliciamccalla.com

http://heathercashman.com/better_off_read

www.abbiglines.com

http://cherischmidt.blogspot.com

http://cidneyswanson.blogspot.com

UNITED EDEN Going Live!!!

2011-09-16T20:22:00.000-07:00

That's it! I hit the publish button for UNITED EDEN tonight so it should be available on Amazon later tonight or tomorrow morning. Barnes and Noble should also have it available later this weekend!

The final chapter in the Eden trilogy has been written and released out into the world and I'm excited, relieved, sad, and thankful! These characters and this world have been my second life for several years now and it feels like I'm saying goodbye to good friends, but I'm able to say farewell with a smile on my face because I couldn't have been happier with the way the characters evolved and the way everything ended.

I look forward to reading your feedback and I cannot express the magnitude of the gratitude I feel to all of my readers for making the Eden trilogy such a success.

Happy reading!

UNITED EDEN Cover and Blurb Release!!!

2011-09-09T01:30:00.000-07:00

So I just got the cover design and I'm pretty much speehless. Since I can't think of anything else to write, I'm going to let you enjoy the cover like I am and read United Eden's jacket blurb.

As a release update, it's looking like we're one to two weeks away from the official release. I can't wait!!! Again, thank you so much to all my amazing readers out there!

Life’s been many things for twenty year old Bryn Dawson, but one thing it’s never been is easy. And it’s only about to get harder.

As the gossip of Bryn being Betrothed to Patrick, her true love’s little brother, becomes more reality than rumor, Bryn does her best to think positive thoughts, ignore Patrick’s odd behavior, avoid Paul’s relentless advances, and attempts to conjure William back from his latest overseas mission. She fails on all fronts.

The night an army of Inheritors set out with an agenda to deliver vengeance on any Guardian surrounding Bryn, the Betrothal Ball becomes the least of her worries. Instead of worrying about who she’ll be marching down the aisle towards, she has to accept she might not be making the journey down the aisle ever.

Happily ever after is about to take a serious hiatus and Bryn’s about to discover the only thing waiting for her at the end of that aisle is a grave.

HUGE Giveaway and Interview with the Talented Fisher Amelie

2011-09-09T00:01:00.000-07:00

This weeks episode of the YA Indie Carnival includes an author interview with one of the other members and a huge giveaway! For giveaway details, look towards the end of the post. Good luck to everyone!

I was fortunate enough to get to interview none other than the amazing author of The Understorey . . . Ms. Fisher Amelie! She is a blast to interview (as you can see from below) and she's a sweetheart to boot. Enjoy the interview and check out The Understorey!

1. The Understorey's getting amazing reviews. People love it! What's the next great thing you're working on?

They are!? Oh, that's fabulous news! I have the worst case of tunnel vision and my eyes go straight for the ones that say things like, 'She's preposterous! Can't believe she's an author! Wonder if her face really looks like that or if it's a mask.' Ba ha ha! Only kidding. Sort of. Okay, so my 'next great thing'. I love that you worded it like that because, drum roll please, I am releasing a new book in late September called,

The Heart Pounding, Blood Racing, Chest Aching, Stomach Throbbing, Skin Warming, Toe Curling, Nail Biting Performance of...Callum & Harper.

It's rather lengthy, I admit, so in the interest of saving time, I'll call it Callum & Harper for short.

Callum & Harper is about two orphans in New York City who are thrown from their foster homes because they suffer the 'eighteen disease'. Fated to meet one another, each has an appointment at the exact same time with their social workers. They are instantly attracted to one another but ignore their own feelings, each assuming the other isn't interested through a myriad of silly misunderstandings. They decide to work together though, to build a new life, but crazy, crazy, crazy things happen, threatening not only their new life but the growing attraction between them.

2. How old were you when you wrote your first "novel" and when did you first realize you could do it as a profession?

Honestly, I'd never wrote anything more than a few pages until about three years ago. I did secretly write notebooks and notebooks worth of short stories growing up though. Since junior high, really, but I never showed a soul. I assumed they were no good and was too embarrassed to have them read, even by my own family.

I recently pulled a few out. Turns out, I was right. They were rubbish. Ha ha ha! But that's okay, they did get better as time progressed and by the time I was in high school, I'd developed a certain style. I still wrote at uni but never anything as extensive as what I had written in high school. I was geeky and silly and had an astronomical amount of time on my hands then. Not that I wasn't those very same things in college, it's just the part about time. College students, serious ones anyway, don't have time for anything. (Except for the occasional party, sit-in, bra-burning demo (Which never work. Trust me, I know.), and maybe the notorious nervous break downs come finals.) Yes, those are parenthesis inside of parenthesis. That's how I roll. Anyway, I....What is that?

Be right back. I smell something emanating from the general direction of my toddler and I don't think he's baking bread, if you catch my drift. Actually, don't catch that drift. Trust me.

So, back. Where were we? Oh, yes. Me. Glorious me.

Long story short, I became a copy writer. I wrote a crap children's book. Realized I was much, much better at young adult which should tell you a lot about my children's book. Ha! And, voila! I am here! Talking to you.

3. If The Leaving Series had a theme song, what would it be?

Oh, I love this question. Danny Elfman's Ice Dance. Oh, I am such a sucker for violins and glockenspiels. I'm a traditionalist. Nothing says traditional like the glockenspiel. (Yikes.)

4. You just won Best New Author of the Year at the make believe Emmy's of the literary world. What would you wear and what would your speech be?

I would wear this because, let's be honest, this is make believe. Oh, who am I kidding? I'd wear it today at the grocery store if it were only in my possession. What? Too much for bread and milk purchases? I completely disagree.

I'd probably replace the red top hat with the same but maybe in black. I've never been a huge fan of the colors red and black together. Maybe a higher quality silk for the skirt and a better lace. Oh, look at me. I'm a regular Victorian Vera Wang.

Now, for my speech:

*Screaming* Yes, yes. Sit down. No need for a standing ovation! *Louder Screaming* Please, this is just embarrassing. *Even Louder Screaming* Sit down, you idiots! *People scrambling to their seats* Now, I have so many people to thank. First, *Music is cued* Dang it! See what you did, people? You've ruined any chance I had of making an impression on you!

That sounds about how it would probably go. Just my luck.

5. If The Understorey became a movie, who do you see playing the main characters?

I don't know why but I had the worst time with this question. I suppose it's because I have just never heard of anyone who could match what I imagine in my mind. No one can top your imagination, right? But if I had to choose, I'd pick Ben Barnes to play Elliott. I know he looks rather menacing here but it's the closest thing I could find.

And for Julia, I pick Lucy hale. Pretty close.

TODAY'S GIVEAWAY [for people over 13, internationally]: Winners announced Sept. 16 at the next YA Indie Carnival. Just comment [incl. your email address] on any Q & A post ALL DAY TODAY and tweet the carnival [#yaindiecarnival] to win ebooks from the carnival authors:

Kindle copy of The Understorey by Fisher Amelie

Kindle digitally-signed edition of Winnemucca by Laura A. H. Elliott and a Winnemucca signed Coffee Mug.

Kindle copy of Breathe by Abbi Glines along with an autographed canvas Breathe tote.

Kindle copy of Solstice by PJ Hoover

Kindle copy of Between by Cyndi Tefft

Kindle copy of PineLight by Jillian Peery

Kindle copy of Filter by Gwenn Wright.

Kindle copy of Eternal Eden by Nicole Williams

Kindle copy of Fallen Eden by Nicole Williams

Kindle copy of Soul Quest by Amy Maurer Jones

Kindle copy of Run and Hide by Patti Larsen (YA thrillers, 1 and 2 in a series of 4)

Kindle copy of Fractured by Cheri Schmidt

Kindle copy of Warriors of the Cross by T.R. Graves

Kindle copy of Diary of a Duct Tape Zombie, Bees of St. John, Mushrooms, Whistles, and Beergarden by Rachel Coles

UNITED EDEN: Coming to your Nightstand Sooner than Anticipated. MUCH sooner!

2011-09-02T14:00:00.000-07:00

I live by the motto that good news must be shared. With that said, I've got good news. Really, really, REALLY good news. If you haven't guessed what that good news has to do with from the post title, let me share with you now. UNITED EDEN is going to be released sooner than November. And quite possibly sooner than October! I don't want to promise every one an exact release date yet because there are so many variables that have to come to a head all at once and I don't want to let anyone down if they look forward to a release date only to have it pass them by as they wonder where the heck United Eden is.

We're looking at a release date sometime in late September to early October. As we get closer and the final few items get checked off on the list, I'll do my best to narrow it down to an actual date. I am thrilled to get this out to all you Eden fans earlier than anticipated. I cried when I typed THE END. The characters and the world of Immortals have been like a second home to me for the past few years and it was hard to say good-bye, but with that said, I cannot wait until you all get a chance read the conclusion to William and Bryn's love story. It's been quite the journey.

I will be doing a blurb release in the next few days and a jacket release in the next couple weeks.

I can't say it enough and I won't ever stop . . . thank you sooooo much to all my readers/fans out there. You give me the energy and inspiration I need to keep pushing through a tough scene when I'm going on four hours of sleep and fresh out of caffeine!

Three Tips for YA Indie Authors

2011-09-02T00:01:00.000-07:00

The topic of the week for the YA Indie Carnival is what three tips would I give aspiring YA indie authors. I'm fairly new to the scene, but I feel like I've picked up some invaluable information in six short months and hope my list below will help other aspiring authors.

1. Read! Read YA, both indie and traditionally published. I'm a supporter of both. For me, it's essential I stay refreshed and invigorated with my first literary love, reading. I know I need to stop what I'm doing and read a good book when my sentences starting coming out like: See. Spot. Run.

2. Invest some money and time into a library of writing how-to books. I've got quite the collection and for under a few hundred bucks I feel like I got a school of hard knocks MIF degree. I love that I can pick up a wealth of information from the giants in this world for ten bucks. I've become a much better writer because of them and I'll be become a much better writer as I continue to read and learn from them. Looking for somewhere to start? Writer's Digest puts out a solid collection of writing mechanics books. I've found each one I've read to be invaluable.

3. Do it, already! What does that mean exactly? That depends on what stage of your writing career your at. If you've been tossing an idea around in your head, get it down on paper. If you've been suffering from a month's long writer's block, sit down in front of that darn computer until you force, if need be, inspiration to the surface, or if you're holding a completed manuscript in hand and biting your nails with worry about releasing into the world . . . just do it, already! Dreams don't become reality by accident.

As for my other indie sisters, well, as you can see the list continues to grow. Check out what top three things they'd suggest to YA indie authors as well. These are some smart ladies after all!

http://www.refractedlightreviews.com

http://pattilarsen.blogspot.com/

http://courtneycolewrites.wordpress.com/

http://wrenemerson.wordpress.com/

http://nicoleawilliams.blogspot.com/

http://fisheramelie.com/blog/

http://laurasmagicday.wordpress.com

http://amyjonesyaff.blogspot.com

http://rachelcoles.wordpress.com/

http://thewarriorseries.blogspot.com/

http://ctefft.blogspot.com

http://pjhoover.blogspot.com

www.aliciamccalla.com

http://heathercashman.com/better_off_read

www.abbiglines.com

http://cherischmidt.blogspot.com

http://cidneyswanson.blogspot.com

Indie Carnival Topic of the Week: First Paragraph of Current Work In Progress

2011-08-26T00:01:00.000-07:00

This week my sisters and I at the YA Indie Carnival decided to post the first paragraph (or two or three . . . or four!) of our current work in progress. Since I'm in the revision stage of the third and final installment in the Eden trilogy, United Eden, here's the opening lines of the conclusion in William and Bryn's love story.

In one year’s time I’d lost a lot. My parents, an Ivy League scholarship, enrollment at a state school I was all but failing out of , and, not to forget the big one, my life. That was a lot for a twenty year old to take, but in return I’d been given Immortality, a family by all definitions of the word save for blood relation, friends that would willingly lay down their lives for me as I would them, and a man named William Hayward.

The man who didn’t only have my love, but my soul. A man I never believed was out there, a man who I never knew was meant for me once I did find him, and a man I’d come to accept I deserved.

We’d fought with our lives to be together, nearly losing them on more than one occasion, but we knew death was a risk worth facing if that’s what it took to make our wish come true—to spend an eternity together—we’d settle for nothing less and knew better than to expect anything more.

Our wish was one night from coming true.

TaDa! There it is. I can't wait to get it out into the world!

As always, be sure to check out the rest of the Indie gang!

http://www.refractedlightreviews.com

http://pattilarsen.blogspot.com/

http://courtneycolewrites.wordpress.com/

http://wrenemerson.wordpress.com/

http://nicoleawilliams.blogspot.com/

http://fisheramelie.com/blog/

http://laurasmagicday.wordpress.com

http://amyjonesyaff.blogspot.com

http://rachelcoles.wordpress.com/

http://thewarriorseries.blogspot.com/

http://ctefft.blogspot.com

http://pjhoover.blogspot.com

www.aliciamccalla.com

http://heathercashman.com/better_off_read

An Attitude of Gratitude

2011-08-23T08:10:00.000-07:00

The title pretty much sums up how I've felt the past month. I am so very grateful for the overwhelming response from readers, reviewers, book bloggers, authors, and all you crazy fans I love so much. Fallen Eden's surpassed my expectations for sales, ranking, and reviews after just one month and it's all because of you. So, thank you. Thank you from not only the bottom of my heart, but with everything I am.

I wish I could send each of you a bouquet of flowers or on an island getaway, but let me leave you with something not as instantly gratifying, but far more priceless in the end: follow your dreams. Do it, people! Don't just know your dreams or believe in them, follow them. All the way to their end. Don't be afraid of them, what others will think or the hard work it will take to bring them to fruition. Because when you're standing on the top of Everest or have that degree in hand or see your book in print or *insert dream here* you're not going to look back and say, man, all that effort wasn't really worth it.

The world needs more purposeful dreamers. Get after them . . . like now.

Sending out masses of thankfulness and love to all you who helped make one of this girl's dreams a reality.

Biggest Indie Surprise (YA INDIE CARNIVAL Topic of the Week)

2011-08-12T00:01:00.000-07:00

There have been MANY surprises along my indie publishing journey, good and bad. Mostly good, though (and I'm not just saying that to sound like one of those people that say those things . . . that was a mouthful).

The good have included seeing my book available to the world, the positive reviews, the sales, the amazing readers who write such kind things, seeing my books climb the charts, the indie community (my sisterhood most especially!) who is helpful and encouraging and so not what I was expecting to find (I love when I'm wrong about these kinds of things).

The bad have included formatting nightmares, the bad reviews (although the constructive criticism most contain are a good thing!), and . . . well, I'm sure there are a couple more that are not coming to mind, but I guess my point is that very little has been what I'd consider "bad".

So, what has been the biggest, bestest surprise in the indie universe for me? There are two parts to this answer. The first being a platform for my work to be widely available to the public (Amazon: you will be getting a Christmas card complete with homemade sugar cookies from me for the rest of my life!), and the second . . . the success, it really is a sweet thing. I didn't know what to expect when I hit the publish button on Amazon back in March, praying for something like a miracle. And you know what? I believe I got my miracle.

As always, be sure to check out the rest of my Carni Cronies for their exceptional thoughts.

http://www.refractedlightreviews.com

http://pattilarsen.blogspot.com/

http://courtneycolewrites.wordpress.com/

http://wrenemerson.wordpress.com/

http://nicoleawilliams.blogspot.com/

http://fisheramelie.com/blog/

http://laurasmagicday.wordpress.com

http://amyjonesyaff.blogspot.com

http://rachelcoles.wordpress.com/

http://thewarriorseries.blogspot.com/

http://ctefft.blogspot.com

http://pjhoover.blogspot.com

www.aliciamccalla.com

http://heathercashman.com/better_off_read

What Three Indies am I Reading RIGHT Now?

2011-08-05T00:01:00.000-07:00

This week's topic for all my YA Indie Carnival peeps is . . . what three indie authors am I reading right now? Let me start by saying when I first got my Kindle this past Christmas, I downloaded a book without realizing it was an indie author. An author you've probably never heard of, Amanda Hocking (that was my pathetic attempt at being cheeky), and finished My Blood Approves in a 48 hour period. Now I'm not a vampire fanatic, I know, I know, I'm a rare breed in my ya lit world. Before the tomato tossing begins, I'm not anti-vampire, I'm just not pro-vampire . . . but I am pro crazy-good-writing. And in my opinion, and thousands of others mind you, Ms. Hocking is a CGW (crazy good writer for those that don't know my love to turn phrases into acronyms).

After reading one of Amanda's series, I downloaded some other indies, found the books to be just as solid and sold for a fraction of the price of traditionally published books. For someone like me who might read a couple of books a week, price is a definite consideration. Having read a couple dozen indie books in the past six months, I've found they are just as good as their traditionally published counterparts. I'm not saying every indie book is a winner worthy of a blue ribbon, but I can't say that every traditionally published book is either.

Long story short: give an indie a chance *winks*, because once you go indie, you never go back!

SO, who am I reading right now?

Solstice by P.J Hoover

Piper’s world is dying. Global warming kills every living thing on Earth, and each day brings hotter temperatures and heat bubbles which threaten to destroy humanity. Amid this Global Heating Crisis, Piper lives with her mother who suffocates her more than the chaotic climate. When her mother is called away to meet the father Piper has been running from her entire life, Piper seizes an opportunity for freedom.

But when Piper discovers a world of mythology she never knew existed, she realizes her world is not the only one in crisis. While Gods battle for control of the Underworld, Piper's life spirals into turmoil, and she struggles to find answers to secrets kept from her since birth. And though she’s drawn to her classmate Shayne, he may be more than he claims. Piper has to choose whom she can trust and how she can save the people she loves even if it means the end of everything she’s ever known.

Winnemucca by Laura Elliott

Winnemucca is a young-adult coming-of-age, paranormal novel about a teenage girl's enchanted road trip to her true self no matter who or what tries to stop her.

One mistake will change Ginny's life forever.
One answer will set her free.

Once upon a time Ginny's road blood ripened, the day she got wise to love. Engaged to the high school quarterback, his quarter-carat ring and enchanting smile should have been enough for her. But, she stands him up and takes a walk where every step questions her happily ever after gone-bad and the fate of the mother she never knew. The mother her father refuses to talk about. Ginny fights to untangle her big, fat, lie-of-a-life on an enchanted road trip to Winnemucca, where she believes all her answers lie. She must solve the riddle of her past and outrun everyone who wants a piece of her future, including a man determined to see she never has one. When fear's as blind as love, how far would you go to find the flesh-and-blood reality of your own happily ever after?

The Understorey by Fisher Amelie

Elliott Gray is incomplete, scrambling through the dark on his hands and knees, blindly feeling for the switch it would take to bring the peace he's forever been searching for.

Julia Jacobs is unhappy, missing a noticeable piece of her soul, a naked canvas with vivid paints at her disposal but no brush to assemble the vision.

At a young age, courtesy of an unknowing Elliott Gray, Julia tastes the burn of heartache and since then, has silently vowed to her heart that it would never be susceptible to such pain again but when Julia and Elliott discover they share a supernatural connection that's never been revealed before, Elliott makes it his life's goal to convince her they are fated. He knows, if she only gave him but one chance to prove himself, she would not be afraid but when Elliott's best friend Jesse Thomas turns out to be much more than meets the eye, it's all Elliott can do to hold on to his new love, while attempting to survive an enormous threat on their future.

These are turning into great reads so far and I 've got so many more to get through on my to-be-read list including several of my indie carnival sister's books (Amy Jones' Soul Quest, T.R. Graves' Warriors of the Blood, Wren Emerson's I Wish . . ., and so many more). In addition, here are several of my favorite indie author's I can't get enough of: Courtney Cole (The Bloodstone Saga), Addison Moore (Celestra series), and Jamie McQuire (Providence, Requiem, Beautiful Disaster).

Be sure to check out what the rest of my indie sisterhood are reading!

http://www.refractedlightreviews.com

http://pattilarsen.blogspot.com/

http://courtneycolewrites.wordpress.com/

http://wrenemerson.wordpress.com/

http://fisheramelie.com/blog/

http://laurasmagicday.wordpress.com

http://amyjonesyaff.blogspot.com

http://rachelcoles.wordpress.com/

http://thewarriorseries.blogspot.com/

http://ctefft.blogspot.com

http://pjhoover.blogspot.com

www.aliciamccalla.com

http://heathercashman.com/better_off_read

The GlassHeart Chronicles Hot Off the Virtual Presses!

2011-07-29T13:09:00.000-07:00

The Glassheart Chronicles was released a couple days earlier than anticipated and is now available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble! In case you missed my earlier posts, this is a short story collection of seven authors that write YA paranormal romance. Each story is either a back-story/side-story/flash-forward of one of the author's novels. Mine is a side story from Eternal Eden told from William's point of view. In case you're wondering what scene it is, I'll give you a hint: it's one involving Bryn (as if you couldn't have already guessed that!).

The six other authors and their novels are as follows:

Courtney Cole : Every Last Kiss
Wren Emerson: I Wish . . .
J.L. Bryan: Jenny Pox
Fisher Amelie: The Understorey
Tiffany King: Meant to Be
Amy Maurer Jones: Soul Quest

This was such an honor to work on this project with these talented, exceptionally kind authors. Check it out and let me know what you think if you do.

Why I Write YA Fiction

2011-07-29T00:01:00.000-07:00

This week's YA Indie Carnival blog theme is discussing why we write what we do. For me, I've always been a lover of all things fiction. At one point in my life, I tried to force myself to read non-fiction because a mature, responsible, enlightened (so on and so forth . . . yawn) adult would do that. They wouldn't waste their free time hours tearing through the pages of make believe, right? You want to know the result (I bet you can guess)? I wasn't chomping at the bit to get back to my "age-appropriate" books, it seemed like more of a chore, another thing to check off on the list, and ultimately I gave up on the whole idea of it and embraced the fiction freak I am. Little life lesson I learned from this: let your fiction freak flag fly, people!

So what brought me to YA when I was in my twenties you might ask (maybe you're not, but just go with me on this)? I became more and more aware of the slow story lines plaguing adult fiction that were infused with morose themes and finished without delivering the happy ending I'm a total sucker for. Real life has enough sadness and unhappily ever afters in it, I certainly don't want to waste my precious entertainment hours reading the same sad stuff. No thank you.

So it was in this state of new-found awareness that I one day wandered a few aisles over to the expanding YA section of my local bookstore (it's come a long way from my tween days of Sweet Valley High and The Babysitter's Club). I picked out a handful of titles that I was intrigued by either a. the cover, b. the jacket blurb, or c. the COVER (have I mentioned I'm a sucker for a pretty cover?). I read them, devoured them, and found myself back in book utopia. I was hooked from page one, and stayed hooked due to the fast pace, witty dialogue and . . . the happy ending (sigh). So thank you to whoever was the first person to write a juicy piece of YA literature and thank you to the person who decided to give the genre a name. Thank you. You saved my literary life.

So why do I write YA? (please see above).

If you're pressed for time like I am the majority of the time, let me paraphrase: because that's what I LOVE to read. Simple. As. That.

Check out what the rest of my Indie sisters have to say on the matter:

http://www.refractedlightreviews.com

http://pattilarsen.blogspot.com/

http://courtneycolewrites.wordpress.com/

http://wrenemerson.wordpress.com/

http://fisheramelie.com/blog/

http://laurasmagicday.wordpress.com

http://amyjonesyaff.blogspot.com

http://rachelcoles.wordpress.com/

http://thewarriorseries.blogspot.com/

http://ctefft.blogspot.com

http://pjhoover.blogspot.com

www.aliciamccalla.com

Fallen Eden's Available on B&N Today

2011-07-27T08:34:00.000-07:00

Wanted to let everyone know that Fallen Eden was released on Barnes and Noble today, so all you Nook people should be able to download it now. YAY and happy reading!

On another note, I'm sending out a thank you to everyone who has already purchased/read/reviewed Fallen Eden since its release on Amazon last week. Again, my expectations were far exceeded and I find myself humbled by the exceedingly kind words and glowing reviews it's received so far. I hold a place in my heart for all of you. Thank you.

Why Indie?

2011-07-22T08:21:00.000-07:00

This Friday's YA Indie Carnival blog theme . . . why indie?

There are many contributing factors for me, but the largest one was a way to get my work into the public eye to let them decide if there was a place for Nicole Williams in the book world or if I'd be better off keeping my "masterpieces" to myself.

A couple years back when I completed Eternal Eden, I attempted the traditional publishing route by submitting queries. A few agents wanted to see partials and one wanted to see the full, but none offered representation, or much feedback as to why. So I put Eternal Eden up on the virtual shelf, had a baby, became a stay-at-home mom, and got a Kindle for Christmas (forgive my seeming randomness, it'll all make sense soon. I think.). Using naptime as my reading time, I downloaded a novel by an indie author and found it wasn't only good, it was traditional publishing good, so I downloaded another indie, and a few more after that. All were just as solid and captivating as the first, and this got me thinking that this might just be an opportunity I couldn't let go unexplored.

With an exceeding amount of support and assistance from my husband, I pulled EE from the shelf, tuned it up a bit, went through a bottle of Tylenol getting the thing formatted for Kindle, and hit the publish button. I can't remember a time I felt such an extreme mix of exhilaration and body-crippling fear! I waited for reviews to come in, feeling like I'd left my dreams in the hands of my readers. Talk about feeling powerless!

To my overwhelming relief, the first reviews came in strong and glowing, affirming there was an audience for my books out there. Not all my reviews have been glowing, I can assure you. I've even received some one stars (gasp!), but I've been able to accept those with more grace than I originally thought I would. I take the constructive feedback from those reviews (how about . . . hire an editor, dummy?!) and don't get caught up in the non-constructive feedback. My books are not for everyone, I'm well aware of that, but there are enough readers out there to affirm I need to keep marching down this yellow brick indie road.

For me, each day gets better and better. I was just telling my husband yesterday how I'm waiting to wake up or for the bottom to drop out, it's been that wonderful of an experience for me. The publishing industry is changing, it feels a bit like the Wild West, and I'm making sure to stake my claim in this new land.

Be sure to check out what the rest of the indie sisterhood has to say on going indie:

http://www.refractedlightreviews.com

http://pattilarsen.blogspot.com/

http://courtneycolewrites.wordpress.com/

http://wrenemerson.wordpress.com/

http://fisheramelie.com/blog/

http://laurasmagicday.livejournal.com/

http://amyjonesyaff.blogspot.com

http://rachelcoles.wordpress.com/

http://thewarriorseries.blogspot.com/

http://ctefft.blogspot.com

http://pjhoover.blogspot.com

Fallen Eden . . . IT'S HERE!!!

2011-07-20T22:51:00.000-07:00

The publish button has been ceremoniously pressed, so I'm guessing Fallen Eden will be available on Amazon sometime tomorrow afternoon! I wanted to release the cover to my "hardcore" fans before the rest of the world sees it. It turned out beautiful and I'm thrilled with the result.

I want to send out a genuine, heart-felt, ginormous thank you to all of my readers. When I published Eternal Eden back in March, I never imagined it would have taken off like it did, and I owe it all to you. Thank you, thank you, thank YOU for taking a chance on an unknown writer from Eastern Washington. I hold a place in my heart for all of you and it's my earnest wish that you will never give up on your dreams. They come true. Promise.

Enjoy Fallen Eden and I look forward to reading your feedback via Amazon/Goodreads/email/etc.

Fallen Eden Jacket Blurb

2011-07-19T16:28:00.000-07:00

I wanted to release a little Fallen Eden teaser to everything out there waiting patiently for the official book release, which, depending upon how fast Amazon can do their thing, should be available around this Friday-Sunday! Yes, that noise you just heard was me breathing a huge sigh of relief. Barnes and Noble takes a few days longer, but it should be available for Nook mid next week.

So, enough wasting time . . . here's the official Fallen Eden jacket blurb hot off the presses. Try to contain your pure, unbridled, child-on-Christmas-morning joy.

If happily ever after were a place, twenty-year-old Bryn Dawson would be on the farthest planet from it.

Reduced to stolen glances and secret meetings as they await a Betrothal the Council is bent on stalling, William and Bryn have to settle for happily right now, but with a man like William Hayward at her side, Bryn’s hardly settling.

The day John Townsend sends an army of Immortal mercenaries intent on destroying everyone Bryn loves, she must make the decision generations of star-crossed lovers before her have—live alone or die together. William’s made his decision, Bryn’s the one fate’s waiting on.

But fate will only wait so long until it makes the decision for her.

Welcome to the YA Indie Carnival!

2011-07-15T08:57:00.000-07:00

Welcome to our Friday posts about all things YA Indie for authors, readers and reviewers. We are a group of YA Indies that post on the same theme each Friday. Binge on all the cotton candy and popcorn you want and get set for a thrilling ride! If you've got questions about anything indie, the YA Indie Carnival has the answers. Our first week's topic is a simple introduction, so here's Nicole Williams in a few sentences . . .

As far as titles go, I'm a wife, mother, and author. As far as everything else goes, well, there's not enough blog, time or reader interest for that! I published my first novel, Eternal Eden, in March of 2011 and the second installment, Fallen Eden is coming out later this week. The indie world has not only surpassed my expectations, it has turned my dream into reality. I've been overwhelmed by the number of talented indie authors out there and I feel privileged to be a member of this community.

That said, here's the line-up for the rest of the YA Indie Carnies:

Dani Snell: A book reviewer who tells it like it is.

Wren Emerson: Author of I Wish . . . and a contributing author in the upcoming anthology that I am participating in (The Glassheart Chronicles).

Patti Larsen: Author of The Ghost Boy of MacKenzie House, and The Diamond City Trilogy.

Courtney Cole: Author of Every Last Kiss, Fated, Princess, and Guardian. Also a contributing author in The Glassheart Chronicles.

Fisher Amelie: Author of The Understorey, as well as a contributing author in The Glassheart Chronicles.

Amy Maurer Jones: Author of Soul Guest, as well as a participant in the Glassheart Chronicles

T.R. Graves: Author of Warriors of the Cross.

Rachel Coles: Author of Diary of a Duct Tape Zombie, Whistles, Beergarden, Plagues, Bees of St. John, and Mushrooms.

Laura Elliott: Author of the recently released Winnemucca!

Allie Burke: Author of the Enchanter Series.

I hope you find our weekly series to be informative, fun and inspiring. Please leave a comment with any questions you might have.

Character Reveal from The Glassheart Chronicles

2011-07-14T22:08:00.000-07:00

I promised last week I'd let everyone know which character from the Eternal Eden series I wrote a side-story on for The Glassheart Chronicles. In case you missed it, The Glassheart Chronicles is a short story collection from eight YA authors. You can check out more details here, (http://nicoleawilliams.blogspot.com/2011/07/glassheart-chronicles.html)

Since I know everyone's been holding their breath (oh wait, that was just me!), I'll alliviate everyone's discomfort and satiate your curiosity by making the big mystery character reveal right now . . .

It is none other than our Bryn-worshipping, surfing Immortal god, William Hayward.

The story will be a side-story to a certain scene in Eternal Eden told from William's point of view. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. It was a new, difficult, and sometimes agonizing challenge writing a short story from a different character's POV, but as I've found with most every good thing in my life, if it was easy, everyone would be doing it.

Any guesses as to which scene is told from William's point of view?

Fallen Eden's Almost Here!

2011-07-01T09:58:00.000-07:00

Okay, patience isn't one of my strong points. I wish it was, I envy those that have it, and attempt to exercise my own. However, amidst my patience-seeking journey I've discovered some attributes are just not to be. For me, at least.

That leads me to the topic of this post . . . WHEN IS FALLEN EDEN GOING TO BE RELEASED?!?! If I had my way, it would have been the day before yesterday, but since I've also learned somewhere along life's journey that I don't always get my way . . . it wasn't released the day before yesterday, or today, or tomorrow, but . . . it's coming. Soon!

Everything's nearing completion: the cover, final editing, and the formatting. I'm so excited to share this novel with you, and share the continuation of William and Bryn's story. Fallen Eden will be released around the 18th-25th of July. Once I have the final sign-off's from everyone and can announce an exact release date, I'll let you all know.

In the mean time, I'm going to attempt to approach this as an opportunity to practice that patience thing. Is it a self-fulfilling prophecy if I already know I'm going to fail?

The Glassheart Chronicles

2011-07-01T09:23:00.000-07:00

Here it is! The cover and title for the short story collection coming out on August 1st. Didn't it turn out amazing? The Glassheart Chronicles is a short story compilation of eight ya paranormal romance authors, and did I mention they're super talented?! We all selected a character from one of our novels to write a backstory or sidestory on. Any guesses on who I decided to write a sidestory on? I'll let everyone know next week who that character is.

If you have a Goodreads account, The Glassheart Chronicles is listed on there now, so you can add it to your to-be-read list and take a closer look at the profiles of the authors involved in this project.

An Exciting Project Coming Soon

2011-06-07T22:12:00.000-07:00

I love to write. I love to read. I love authors, especially the ones that have a knack for transporting you into their world and making you sigh one of those wistful ones at least a few dozen times throughout the story.

So what do you get when you combine the three? A literary trifecta that has me counting my lucky stars I get to be a part of.

I, along with five other talented authors are teaming up to write a short-story collection that will be released early August. We're each taking one character from one of our novels and telling a side-story/back-story. The only thing that makes me more excited about the project, is the authors I'm working with.

Drum roll please . . .

Brandon Alston (Grey Eyes) http://brandonalston.blogspot.com/: perhaps you've seen it sitting in the number one spot on Amazon's YA love/romance category.

Courtney Cole (Every Last Kiss) http://courtneycolewrites.wordpress.com/: Just released her debut novel and it's climbing the charts in leaps and bounds.

Tiffany King (Meant to Be) http://authortiffany.wordpress.com/ : Released a couple of months ago and has been sitting strong in several Amazon YA categories, not to mention she's garnered some amazing reviews.

Wren Emerson (I Wish . . .) http://wrenemerson.wordpress.com/: Released less than a month ago and is already on Amazon's UK bestseller list.

Addison Moore (Ethereal, Tremble) schedule permitting http://addisonmoorewrites.blogspot.com/: Ethereal skyrocketed to the top of the charts shortly after it's release. Tremble was released a couple of weeks ago and is sitting in the top ten of several categories on Amazon.

Is that a power line-up, or what? I'm honored, to say the least, to be a part of this project. I'll keep everyone updated as the release date draws closer, but one thing's for sure, this is one short-story collection that will be worth the wait.

It feels like summer's just started and I've already filled my schedule until the end of August. That wasn't a complaint, in case you were wondering, that was me pinching myself.

Thank you all for your support!

Fallen Eden Cover Design

2011-05-29T23:33:00.000-07:00

So I'm not the best blogger in the world. Obviously. I have to thank you all for being patient with me as I find my way in this brave new world of blogging!

To the point at hand . . . Fallen Eden is getting close. Not so close it could be released next week, but close enough I felt I could take fifteen minutes away from the manuscript to write a post! I have to say I feel so lucky that I get paid to write. It is my passion and I'd write regardless, but being able to add to my family's bottom line in the process, well . . . like I said, how lucky am I?

I love the entire process of writing a novel. The creation, the first draft, the second, third, fourth . . . . (I'm taking the fifth as to how many drafts I went through with Eternal Eden), the editing and revision process, and the cover design! The cover to Eternal Eden was created by my husband, who is a gifted photographer and Photoshop guru. When he showed me the cover, my jaw dropped. Figuratively and literally. So when cover design time came for Fallen Eden, who did I look to? That's right, you got it . . . none other than Mr. Williams (did I mention he's the best husband ever? Not just saying that because I'm his wife. He really is the best. He holds the unofficial world title.). We're working through a few ideas, basically at cover genesis, but I know the end product is going to be nothing short of phenomenal.

I love my readers, and since I know you're the best, most intelligent, tasteful people out there, I'm interested in what attracts you to a book cover. I'll unabashedly admit I've purchased my share of books just because the cover design was "pretty". So what do you love when it comes to covers? Do you have a favorite cover that comes to mind?

Fallen Eden Update

2011-04-22T23:05:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

So first off, let me apologize for being the worst blogger in all cyber-dom. To shed some light on how out-of-touch I am with the whole online, social-networking, blogging world, I went without a Facebook account up until a month ago (I heard that gasp!). I'm working through my online phobias and promise I will be publishing posts more often than once every thirty years. Thank you for your patience and all the emails you've sent me when you probably would have rather posted a comment on my Facebook wall (am I even using the correct terminology?).

Secondly, and much more exciting in my opinion, is an official update on Fallen Eden. I am presently taking a fifteen minute break from writing the last scene. Holy moly, people . . . it's a roller coaster ride through every emotion of the rainbow. I'm actually looking forward to getting the red pencil out and hunkering down to trudge through some serious editing work. The release date is slighted for the first part of July, (fingers crossed for a 4th of July weekend release so we can all grab our swimsuit and suntan lotion and extinguish the flames in a nearby cool body of water!).

Finally, I just want to extend a huge, heartfelt thank you to all my readers out there. I can't begin to express my gratitude for the kinds emails, positive reviews, and overall success of Eternal Eden. I'm humbled by readers who have taken a chance on an unknown, indie author from Spokane, Washington, and sent Eternal Eden into a realm of success I'd only hoped for. I've always believed in dreaming big, and then putting in the work it takes to make these dreams a reality, but it still feels surreal when you see it happen. I want to encourage all of you out there to hold onto your dreams like they're your life-source, don't let them slip away . . . for anything. If everyone were to believe in their dreams, and claim them as reality, just imagine what the world could be . . .

Thank you again to everyone, and read on. The literary world, I'm afraid, is an ever-increasing dying breed, and it's time for a revolution!

Until next time, I am, forever yours,

Nicole

2011-03-24T09:45:00.000-07:00

Indie author Nicole Williams is proud to present Eternal Eden.

Purchase your copy of Eternal Eden today!

Available on Amazon for your Kindle!

Now also available on Smashwords in 10 different formats, including Nook, Kindle, Sony, and Epub!