Dreaming Of A Blood Red Christmas (Kindred, Book 8.1) (9 page)

For me, becoming an Indie Author was a conscious choice. As an avid reader myself, I was blown away with the convenience, variety and cost of purchasing eBooks on-line, compared to conventional brick and mortar bookstore options. The reading world was being transformed before my eyes and I wanted in on it.

It never crossed my mind to publish my books any other way, and nothing has changed over the past couple of years either. I am still one hundred percent dedicated to the self publishing revolution and wholeheartedly support Indie Authors worldwide.

I believe independently published books are becoming more mainstream, and with care and attention matching, if not surpassing, some of the big players out there.

But to sum it all up, there are several important things that stand out for me with Indie Author books: Convenience. Immediacy. Variety. Cost.

• Downloading an eBook is easy.
  
• Once found and purchased, you can be reading it within minutes.
  
• Many of the independently published books out there are brilliant, and without the Indie Author revolution they would have been missed altogether or delayed in reaching their audience.
  
• And you can't deny, Indie Author eBooks are better value for money, especially when so many give strategic copies away for free.
  I'm an Indie Author and proud of it!
  

I love writing. Pure and simple. I have never had a job that has fulfilled me in the way writing books has. I feel privileged and enormously lucky to call myself an author, and to actually be able to do it for a living.

But in order to adequately answer this question, the greatest joy I get out of writing has to be split into two main categories for me.

One: The joy of getting to know a character. Of falling in love with them, getting frustrated with them. And most importantly finding out how it all goes for them in the end. I have a fair idea of where my stories are going when I start tapping away on the keyboard, but I don't necessarily know the path they will take until my characters walk it. That for me is joy. Discovering the twist and turns the story takes, as though I'm a reader along for the ride.

And two: Hearing from readers of my books. Finding out I touched them through the words of my story in some way. Made them feel. Made them moved to such a degree that they either had to tell the world, or contact me. Nothing beats corresponding with a person who fell in love with one of my books.

I write for me and I write for my readers. Everything else is secondary.

One of two reasons why I write is because of the fans. Straight up, without that feedback it would be a very lonely and insular career. But when a fan posts on Facebook, or messages me through GoodReads, or simply drops me a line via email, the day brightens, the sun, whether shining or not, feels warm and my feet float a few centimetres off the floor.

We all need a little love, and I LOVE hearing from fans of my work.

It's important to me that they get what they want in the end, or as close to it as the story in my mind can allow. I listen to what they like, to their concerns for a character, or their frustrations with a storyline, sometimes smiling to myself because I know what's going to happen in the end, and I want to make it perfect for them. I can't always, but the will to do so grows exponentially whenever I get feedback from a fan. I don't know if they realise the power they wield!

Every time someone contacts me to let me know they liked my work, the desire to do the very best that I can is reinforced. So, keep 'em coming. Let me know and I promise you'll always play an important part in the final story. You'll always play an important part in why I write the next line.

I have so many stories going around inside my head, sometimes I wonder if I look a little spacey. Several current projects are taking up most of my daydreaming time, including the next Sweet Seduction book, as well as the next Mixed Blessing Mystery one as well.

But as of today, the editing and final preparation of Dreaming Of A Blood Red Christmas (the Kindred Series Christmas Special Novella) is the piece of work that is currently on my mind. I loved writing a little more of Lucinda and Michel's story and can't wait to get it out there and see how readers find it. But I have the fifth Sweet Seduction book waiting patiently for me to finish as well, so that is also very much on my mind right now.

For me, it's important to write when the mood takes me. I find my best work is when the creativity flows and isn't forced. So although I was in the throes of finishing a Sweet Seduction book, I just took time out to write the Christmas Novella, because the desire struck. Sometimes I can be writing up to three different books at once.

If the mood takes me, I'm there.

So, keep an eye out for new books in Sweet Seduction, Mixed Blessing Mystery and Elemental Awakening. Oh, and I'm toying with a contemporary romantic suspense story about a paramedic with a twist. Is it any wonder I look a little spacey sometimes?

Oh my, that is a very long list. But not surprisingly one that is predominantly filled with paranormal romance writers - my genre of choice.

The person that influenced me the most, and made me think about putting myself and my stories out there, is New Zealander Nalini Singh. I love her Guild Hunter series.

Follow that up, in no particular order, with J.R. Ward, Karen Chance, Patricia Briggs, Kresley Cole, Karen Marie Moning, Richelle Mead, Dianne Duvall and Darynda Jones.... whew! And still there's so many more I have enjoyed over the years.

J.K. Rowling has a special place in my heart too. Love me some Harry Potter, that's for sure.

So much...

My kids and my hubby.

The next scene to write in my latest book I've just dreamt about.

Coffee.

Catching a trout on the Tauranga-Taupo or Hinemaiaia Rivers.

Going for a walk along the foreshore of beautiful Lake Taupo.

Coffee.

Seeing if I've received any more nice reviews overnight.

The book I'm currently reading.

Going out on our boat and soaking up the sun.

Oh, and did I mention coffee?

With my family. I have two young, energetic and gorgeous boys. And a husband who means the world to me. Without them I couldn't write. I wouldn't have an everlasting romance story of my own to call upon, or the countless humorous moments with the kids to fill me to the brim with joy. I strongly believe none of my books would have been nearly as good as they are without my family. And that's not even considering the technical support my hubby offers. Just being with them makes my world a better place.

So, when not writing I'm doing something with them. We love to fish for trout, either on the lake at Taupo or up one of the world class fly-fishing rivers nearby. In winter we ski on Mt Ruapehu, at the Whakapapa Ski-field. In summer we swim at the end of our street in the bay. We go for drives and have picnics. The boys help me bake cakes, and we all help hubby when he's got a project on, like the chicken coop to beat all chicken coops he built a couple of summers ago.

There's always something to do, and we always do it together. My family is how I spend my down time, and I thank my lucky stars every day for each one of them.

Nicola