Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I took a long, curvy path to writing fiction. I first discovered my affinity for writing when working as an investment analyst. Eventually, I tried my hand at writing fiction, and then I was in love. I’d put off turning my daydreams into words for a long time because who has time for that? But when you love something, you find the time, and now I have six published novels as well as a bunch of short stories.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The premise behind my latest novel, Molly Unplanned, wormed its way into my brain while I was digging in the dirt of my garden. I’m always interested in unlikely pairs, and while pulling weeds, I thought it would be interesting to connect one such pair in a way that they couldn’t unconnect, no matter how much they might want to. The dirt, of course inspired the farm setting.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’m a weekend warrior when it comes to writing. I see a lot of advice out there to write every day, but that doesn’t work for me. I need space and time to really delve into the work, and at this point in my life, I can only make that happen on weekends.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Jane Austen’s wry humor gets me every time. I love how she can make fun of her characters even when – or maybe especially when – they’re taking themselves too seriously. I strive to weave humor throughout my stories, but I don’t think I’ve quite hit Jane’s stride in being so sly about it.
What are you working on now?
Right now, I’m working on launching Molly Unplanned into the world. Once I get past the new release hubbub, I’ll focus on…something. I’m sort of torn between two ideas right now and need to settle on one. Then I’ll let it stew in my head for a while before making a game plan for putting it into words. No matter which direction I take, I’ll be veering off the Chick Lit/Romance path.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
The best method I’ve found is to occasionally set my books at promotional pricing (including at release) and then advertise the heck out of them through bargain book e-newsletters. I really appreciate sites like Awesome Gang that make it easy and affordable to promote my books.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
I’m honestly more of a hobby author than a career author, so I guess my advice would be to first decide which of those two you want to be. If you choose career author, find a successful career author in your genre – not a super, mega, household-word bestseller, but a consistently publishing and making-money-at-it author. e-Stalk her and see where she spends her time and money to promote her books (hint: consistently writing and publishing is a big part of her success).
If you choose hobby author – welcome to the club! The number one rule here is to enjoy writing and enjoy sharing your writing. Take in every bit of feedback you can get, even the bad, and continue to grow in your craft (same goes for career authors). Don’t let Amazon rankings get you down, but do explore promotional opportunities and take part in those that you enjoy. You see the theme here, right? Enjoy!
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The best advice I’ve ever heard for writers who either have a manuscript out on query or a newly published book is this: start working on a different writing project. Querying and publishing are scary and at times depressing, and both require loads of time and work. But when you’ve done what you can do, step away and remind yourself of why you started this crazy writing thing in the first place – go create something new and wonderful.
What are you reading now?
I just started reading a history about the little-known end to the American Revolutionary War. It takes place in the Caribbean and is called The Sweetest Deal of the American Revolution by Gilbert Lewthwaite. I’m not a huge reader of non-fiction, especially historicals, but I like to shake things up, and this story involves lots and lots of sugarcane, so I’m in.
What’s next for you as a writer?
I’ll keep writing, and when I feel good enough about the results, I’ll put my stories out there. As I mentioned above, I’m itching to veer outside my usual chick litty romance genre. I’ll keep you posted on what happens.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Gone with the Wind. Pride and Prejudice. The Hobbit. Because I love them all. And a Tale of Two Cities – because maybe being stranded on a deserted island would give me the time and patience to finally actually read it.
Author Websites and Profiles
Nicki Elson Website
Nicki Elson Amazon Profile
Nicki Elson’s Social Media Links
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