Hello Email Connect: Goodbye Hats Off Corner: Nicky Peacock is my last Hats Off Corner writer.
As some of you know who’ve been hanging with me for a while, I’m “sometimes” scattered. So to help un-scatter my brain, I’ve put together a plan to keep supporting authors, but to do so in a more organized, and I think a better way. Jury’s still out, but it looks like this just might work.
Sign up on my Special Offers List. Take a look, and if you don’t think it’s for you, unsubscribe.
I invade your email once, a month.
My plan is to choose a Follower to Feature each month. I’m still fine-tuning that, but if you want to see what that involves right now, here’s the LINK to the post that explains what I do.
I’m also sharing information that I think might be helpful.
When I can, I offer free stuff–mostly books.
End of Commercial. So now on to the last Hats Off Corner and Nicky Peacock!
Hats Off Corner Welcomes Nicky Peacock
As some of you know who’ve been hanging with me for a while, I’m “sometimes” scattered. So to help un-scatter my brain, I’ve put together a plan to keep supporting authors, but to do so in a more organized, and I think a better way. Jury’s still out, but it looks like this just might work.
I invade your email once, a month.
My plan is to choose a Follower to Feature each month. I’m still fine-tuning that, but if you want to see what that involves right now, here’s the LINK to the post that explains what I do.
I’m also sharing information that I think might be helpful.
When I can, I offer free stuff–mostly books.
End of Commercial. So now on to the last Hats Off Corner and Nicky Peacock!
Hats Off Corner Welcomes Nicky Peacock
Nicky’s an Evernight Teen sister. I’m really happy to host her here today.
Connect with Nicky on her Amazon U. S. Author’s Page |
ME: So, Nicky, if you had to tweet about your book what 140 characters would you write?
NICKY: Battle of the Undead is a vampires VS zombies YA urban fantasy. It’s the Walking Dead meets True Blood for teens and above.
ME: I’ll do some Tweets for you using that. It’s good. Can you tell us about one of your characters. What would she love to receive as a gift? What would she most likely choose to buy for someone she cared about?
NICKY: Britannia is the heroine in the Battle of the Undead series and she is a stubborn 400+ year old vampire with a dry sense of humor and love for violence (whether its necessary or not!) I think she’d want the gift of a weapon of some kind, something that could do a lot of damage in a small amount of time. She really wants people to like her, so she’d probably buy someone she cared for something really expensive. For a fellow vampires she’d go out of her way to get them an antique, something that reminded them of the ‘old days’.
ME: I always wonder if I’m asking good questions. What questions do you wish interviewers would ask you, but never do?
NICKY: The interviewers that have gotten hold of me have been pretty in-depth so far! I think I’ve been asked just about every question going. I guess it would be nice to get a ‘How are you?’ I always try to be really honest in interviews so here’s the answer…I’m really tired, the UK just lost an hour to daylight savings time and my body has not adjusted well! It’s like having jet lag but not having the holiday. I’ll be back to normal soon though – probably just before we get the hour back in Autumn! LOL
ME: Since almost all authors are expected to promote their books, what has surprised you about the marketing side of this business? What has disappointed you?
NICKY: I work in sales and marketing for my day job, so nothing has really surprised me. It takes a lot of work and time to get yourself out there and, as a writer, you need to make sure that you balance your time effectively between promotion, social media and actually writing something to promote. It’s always lovely when you connect with other authors and help one another, just like the lovely C Lee McKenzie is doing for me right now!
ME: Simlie Face Here. Hosting authors here is always fun. Do you have any advice for authors still seeking publication? If so, what would that be?
NICKY: Start with the anthology market. This is what I did. There are a wealth of publishers out there putting together anthologies in all sorts of genres that are actively seeking short stories. If you give them what they are looking for, you’re more likely to get published. Also, short stories are quicker to write and edit than a novel and give you a really good starting point for your writer’s CV.
ME: We’re about through here, so what are two important things you’d like readers to know about you and/or your books?
NICKY: Well, about me…I’m always honest in interviews and get really excited when readers get in touch with me.
My books…They are action packed and the series has one more book to come, it’s called Bad Karma.
ME: That sounds very ominous! Don’t want Bad Karma if we can help it.
NICKY: Thank you for having me on your site!
ME: Great to host you and find out about you and your books.
You can connect with Nicky a lot of places. Blog, Twitter, Facebook, UK Amazon, Goodreads, Tumbler, Authrograph
Quote of the Week: “It is always important to know when something has reached its end. Closing circles, shutting doors, finishing chapters, it doesn’t matter what we call it; what matters is to leave in the past those moments in life that are over.”
― Paulo Coelho, The Zahir
nashvillecats2 says
Wonderful post full of news and remembering Memorial Day. A few years ago I was in Washington DC ON Memeorial Day a great experience.
Yvonne.
M Pax says
Congrats to Nicky!
More organized, Lee? What's that? lol Waves to you.
Chemist Ken says
Hmmmm… Considering how slow a writer I am, perhaps short stories and anthologies is the way I should go.
Elizabeth Seckman says
Hi Nicky! I'm tired too, though I can't keep blaming daylight savings time…or can I? I do stay up really late now. It's hard to unwind when it's still light outside.
lorilmaclaughlin.com says
Interesting interview! The time change always throws me for a loop, too. Congrats to Nicky on her book release and best of luck with it!
Catherine Stine says
Interesting to learn more about Nicky and her work.
Juneta Key says
Congrats on book release Nicky. Great interview Lee.
Juneta @ Writer's Gambit
Medeia Sharif says
It's great seeing Nicky here and I enjoyed learning more about her.
Joylene Nowell Butler says
You asked all the right questions, Lee. Love the quote. Congratulations, Nicky. You've written a fascinating story. I can understand why you're tired. The writer's life is a full one. Not enough hours in the day. Sounds like you're holding yours together nicely.
DMS says
That is a great quote that you left us with. Sometimes it is hard to see when something is over in our own lives (always easier to spot it in the lives of others on tv or in movies). 🙂
Thanks for sharing the interview!
~Jess
Kathleen Valentine says
Zombies scare me–there are too many of them in the real world without letting them invade my imaginary world. I hope the book does well though.
@Kathleen01930 Blog
Crystal Collier says
I completely agree about the short story avenue. That's definitely a way to get your foot in the door and build publishing credits.
Yolanda Renee says
Great interview and it sounds like a great premise, but I may put off reading that one. I hate Zombies, they give me nightmares. Such horrid creatures! 🙂
Great advice all the way around though, Nicky, wishing you all the best with your books and especially Battle of the Undead!
Alexa from Summer Snowflakes says
Ah, heroines with a dry sense of humor are the best!
And I love that quote. I need to put that somewhere I can read it often. 🙂
Alexa
thessalexa.blogspot.com
verbosityreviews.com
Sherry Ellis says
Nice interview, you two! One of my favorite aspects of marketing is connecting with readers, too. These blog interviews are great places to do that.
emaginette says
Great interview, ladies. Nice to meet you, Nicky. I wish you well.
Anna from elements of emaginette
C. Lee McKenzie says
Thanks for stopping by!
Cathrina Constantine says
Nice interview with Nicky.
C. Lee McKenzie says
Thanks, Cathrina.
Annalisa Crawford says
A sales and marketing background sounds very useful indeed!
C. Lee McKenzie says
I could use that. All I have is this Linguistic degree, and right now that's not a huge help.
Nicola says
I'm signing up to receive some of your wisdom, Lee 🙂
Great interview with Nicky and some useful tips. Thanks for sharing.
C. Lee McKenzie says
I'm not sure about wisdom, but at least you can see where I screw up.
Natalie Aguirre says
Great interview. Nicky has such an advantage working in marketing in the day. I'm sure that helps her a lot with the challenges of marketing.
C. Lee McKenzie says
I wish I knew more. I think I know less every day!
Mason Canyon says
Lee, thanks for the introduction to Nicky and Nicky congrats on your release. Sounds like you have some fascinating characters.
C. Lee McKenzie says
I still haven't met all the authors at Evernight Teen. There are tons it seems.
Liz A. says
There are a few people I know who would love a nice weapon as a gift…
Anthologies, huh? That's an excellent idea.
C. Lee McKenzie says
I must meet your friends.
Shannon Lawrence says
Great advice on the anthologies! We moved when we were doing daylight savings time here in the States a couple years ago. Boy, did that throw me.
C. Lee McKenzie says
That time change always throws me off!
Penny the Jack Russell dog and modest internet superstar! says
Hi humans, Lee and Nicky,
What a pawesome interview. I reckon that Nicky has the pawfect daytime job to help inspire her writing. I now have to go figure out what a "Simlie Face Here.", actually means. There you go, human, Lee, I actually, well almost actually, read every word of this pawst. I'm such a good doggy.
Congrats to Nicky and what the heck, congrats to everybody.
Pawsitive wishes,
Penny!
Penny the Jack Russell dog and modest internet superstar! says
Gosh and arf, my comment was so incredibly pawesome that it showed up twice. What is this, "GroundBlog Day?"
Gosh and arf, my comment was so incredibly pawesome that it showed up twice. What is this, "GroundBlog Day?"
C. Lee McKenzie says
Two comments in one day? This is a pleasant and very welcome surprise.
Penny the Jack Russell dog and modest internet superstar! says
Hi humans, Lee and Nicky,
What a pawesome interview. I reckon that Nicky has the pawfect daytime job to help inspire her writing. I now have to go figure out what a "Simlie Face Here.", actually means. There you go, human, Lee, I actually, well almost actually, read every word of this pawst. I'm such a good doggy.
Congrats to Nicky and what the heck, congrats to everybody.
Pawsitive wishes,
Penny!
Roland D. Yeomans says
Best of sales to Nicky!! I have a story in an anthology being released the end of June — which stars a character from my just released Steampunk novel — cross-polination of book forms. 🙂
C. Lee McKenzie says
Oh, I love the cross-polination idea.
Kelly Hashway/Ashelyn Drake says
Congrats to Nicky! I hate losing an hour. It takes me a while to adjust.
C. Lee McKenzie says
And I don't care what they say, you never get that hour back.
sage says
Zombies vs. Vampires… wow. I like the Coelho's quote
C. Lee McKenzie says
I have some trouble imagining that.
Tyrean Martinson says
Love that quote!
Congrats, Nicky and thanks for the tips on the anthology market. 🙂
C. Lee McKenzie says
It's often hard to close those doors and forget.
Pat Hatt says
Congrats, Nicky. Great interview. I'm sure there are a few curveball questions out there you still haven't got yet lol.
C. Lee McKenzie says
There's always another of those waiting.
Elephant's Child says
What a lovely, and clever way to feature authors. This weak-willed obsessive reader thanks you.
C. Lee McKenzie says
I can't imagine you as weak-willed.
J.L. Campbell says
Thanks for the intro to Nicky. Balance is indeed very important.
C. Lee McKenzie says
I should get me some of that. 🙂
Cherie Reich says
Congrats, Nicky! What a great tweet! I agree anthologies are a great place to start as a writer searching for publication opportunities.
C. Lee McKenzie says
There are many anthology opportunities these days. So I'm guess more authors will take advantage of them.
Beverly Stowe McClure says
Fun interview, ladies. Nice to meet you, Nicky. Your books look interesting. Congratulations and best of luck.
C. Lee McKenzie says
I'd like to have other Evernight Teen authors here.
Yvonne Ventresca says
Congrats on the new book, Nicky!
Yvonne
C. Lee McKenzie says
Thanks YV!
Mark Noce says
Nicky's series looks great! 🙂
C. Lee McKenzie says
Hi Mark!
Chrys Fey says
Congrats to Nicky on being the final author featured in the Hats Off Corner.
"…the Walking Dead meets True Blood…" Now you've got me hooked. 😉
C. Lee McKenzie says
I hated to stop the Hats Off Corner, but I couldn't do it and the Email Connect. If EC doesn't work I'll think about going back to HOC.
Lexa Cain says
I enjoyed Nicky's interview. Like her, I'm tired. But while she can blame the time change, we don't do that here, so it's just over-work for me. I wish I was as organized as her. I can't do a little a day, I'm too obsessive. Wishing her the best with her Underworld-ish series!
C. Lee McKenzie says
I think you're well-organized. You do a lot on your blog and you get new books out! That requires organization.
Of course, I can relate to your obsessive writer nature. Only the two of us would cancel on a family trip to a lovely beach so we could work on getting that next book out.
H.R. Sinclair, Southpaw says
Hello and congrats Nicky! Vampires and zombies are a winning combination!
Nice interview!
C. Lee McKenzie says
I didn't have you pegged as a vampire/zombie type of reader. Interesting.
Libby Heily Author says
Congrats Nicky!!!!! Right now, I'm trying to fit in writing time. So far, not easy at all.
C. Lee McKenzie says
That's the biggest issue for writers who are published.
Misha Gericke says
Nice to meet you, Nicki! I hope you catch up to that lost hour easily! 😀
C. Lee McKenzie says
Hate losing hours!
S.A. Larsenッ says
Got to love a dry sense of humor! Great to meet you, Nicki. Awesome idea to support fellow authors, C.Lee.
C. Lee McKenzie says
I'm always glad to do that, but I needed some way to do it more efficiently and to do it more consistently. Thanks, Sheri.
Hilary Melton-Butcher says
Hi Lee – I've signed up already .. but look forward to following along. The Anthology idea is a very sensible one: sales and marketing should be slightly easier with more of you doing it – and everyone helping each other .. cheers Hilary
C. Lee McKenzie says
Not as lonely a journey, that's for sure! Thanks for signing up. There's more good stuff heading out on June 1.
L. Diane Wolfe says
Her experience from her day job came in handy.
C. Lee McKenzie says
Seems like it did, alright!
Alex J. Cavanaugh says
Anthologies are a good place to start. Also good to continue with!
C. Lee McKenzie says
I have mixed feelings about these. Guess I need to post about that one of these days.