Nichole Chase's Blog

 

First and foremost, Happy New Year. I hope it is filled with happiness, good health, and a little magic. That's my word for the new year, by the way. Happy. I think that covers a lot.

Well, life can be a weird and crazy thing. I turned forty in June and never would have thought my life would be as odd, exciting, and crazy as it is now. My point is, never think you're too old for anything. I became a bestselling author by thirty. It was and still is mind blowing to me. To think that so many readers related and loved these characters that lived in my head. I honestly thought, this was it. I'd hit my peak at thirty and I was incredibly grateful. 

But as my thirties progressed I realized, I still had a lot of hutzpah. There was still more in me. I wanted to accomplish more. I wanted to do more. I had more in me still waiting to be done. 

Life throws us curveballs and I had to take a sabbatical to take care of my daughter. It took time and a lot of work, but now she is healthy and working hard to reach her dream. 

I can't wait to be able to tell you her secrets, too! This kid amazes me on a regular basis.

And I'm helping her as much as possible. I'm also still reaching for my dreams--because we're allowed to have more than one. There is a lot of things I still want to accomplish and experience. There are a lot of things I still want to learn. And by damn, I'm going to... but I can't talk about all of them yet.

I can tell you this... I'm currently working on three secret projects. One is the re-release of a book that I love and am updating. Due to time constraints the first version was not everything I wanted it to be. It could have been better--stronger. So I've taken the time to update the book. No huge plot changes, but some adjustments to characters that make the story more compelling.

I'm also working on a Young Adult book, but I can't say much about it. I do not have a release date right now and cannot divulge the plot or give any hints other than I love every bit of this book--the plot, the characters, the twists. 

Last but not least is a secret I honestly can't tell you anything about. Non-Disclosure Agreements are serious things. So, I'm trying to be very careful with my words. Some of you will guess, some of you will be right, and some of you will be very wrong. What I can tell you? Holy crap, I'm excited. Oh man. This could be a dream come true. And despite how it might look, it's completely and utterly unrelated to anything else going on in my life. Just an awesome coincidence that has made me smile, given me crazy anxiety, and then made me smile again, God, I can't wait to talk about it more.

What have you been up to? Where are you headed? Any thing special going on? Fill me in! I want to know.

XO,

Nichole

I haven't updated in a while. So I have a bit to say. I'll try to intersperse with a few fun pictures to keep you entertained.

(New Author Headshot! Thanks, Val Tanuzzi!)

Life can be weird. I'm an author, a teller of stories, book writer. And now, I'm working on screen plays and starting a production company. I'll be 40 in less than a year and I'm still surprised by the projects I take on. For my readers, don't worry, I have books in the works. There are many, many books I have yet to write. I had to take a sabbatical when Nia became ill four years ago. I've never hid from you guys that family did and always would come first. While she healed and tried to find a new sense of normal, she found a love for acting. And in doing so, introduced me to a new form of story telling. Don't get me wrong, I've always loved movies. In fact, a long time ago I would have killed for an internship at ILM and to be a set designer, prop designer, or possibly even a special effects make-up artist. Life had other plans, even bigger ones. I became an author--something I thought was nothing but a pipe dream. Something people say they want to do but never achieve. Yet, with a husband that believed in me even when I didn't I was able to write the stories my heart wanted to read.

As Nia healed after her brain surgery and I helped her pursue her acting dream, I was exposed to a new form of story telling. Well, exposed in a much more personal, up close manner. But here I am, following my daughter from set to set, surrounded by this different way of story telling. And I have to admit I was intrigued. It's insane, really. One of the things I love about self-publishing is that I am in control. You've got me. I'm a control freak. I want the final say in everything when it comes to my books babies. Yes, I have people that I contract with and consult, but only because I trust them completely. But on sets? It's a million moving pieces, hundreds of people that all have important jobs. Some small, some big, some titles you recognize, and other jobs that never cross your mind. And yet, they're all just as important. All those little cogs, people, that come together and create one story. It's insane. And so am I. Because a piece of me fell in love with it. No, I have no desire to be in front of the camera. Uck. I will leave that for my daughter and root for and support her for as long as she wants to work in this insane industry. Just call me the dreaded 'Momager'/pack mule/ uber driver/ audition partner/ camera worker/ a million other things you wouldn't think of as the parent of an child actor.

But I do love and appreciate all forms of story telling. Wanting to help Nia and her friends learn more about cameras, cinematography, directing, editing, script writing, etc., a good friend (another acting mom, but more so, my friend) and I started something crazy. We opened a production company. JalaBean Productions is officially open and it's first project releases tomorrow. A micro-short film titled Henry: A Story of Cousins. As the girls learn, we learn. It's an amazing give and take. Most of Henry is improv. The girls had a story idea, a couple of lines, and then ran with the improv. It was a blast to watch them take it and see what they came up with. 

 

So tomorrow, Henry: A Cousin of Stories, debuts. And then on October 31st, the first episode of the web-series A Story of Cousins will debut. So. A micro-short film and a web-series. It's happening. And I think these will get better as they learn and we learn. This project isn't all about their acting. It's about them learning to tell a story via camera and script and improv. So I hope you will tune in tomorrow for Henry. Check out the JalaBean Productions YouTube Channel. 

For those of you waiting on books for me:

Yes, there will be another Flukes book. When it's time, it will be released into the great wide ocean--I mean the world. There is a prequel for The Accidental Assassin and a follow up book that will find Ava, Owen, Mavis, and burly scared undercover agent dealing with the Maria case.

I also am working on something secret. Something I've been keeping all to myself. Slowly putting it all together, so that it will be completely finished, the entire series before the first book is even published. This is a project that is close to my heart and a step back to my roots. Some of you only know me for my contemporary romances, but I'm a paranormal, fantasy junkie. And this is a return to that. I never intended to actually become a contemporary romance author. Though I love the stories I've written. However, the next series will be an epic fantasy. For those of you that hate that genre, my apologies. For those of you that haven't read my magical Christmas short story, Young Adult Urban Fantasy Trilogy (first ebook is FREE on Amazon!), or my paranormal romance, now might be the time. (Not to mention, Unholy Night, my last published book, co-written with Lux Karpov-Kinrade.) 

Ooooh. Why so serious?

While I've been away, I haven't stopped creating stories. I just slowed down and focused on my daughter. Books are coming and they're ones that I feel are not rushed and are the stories I wanted to write. I've also been learning about another form of story telling while making sure my daughter has a chance at her dream, the way my husband cheered me on in my seemingly impossible dream. After all, I have some experience in how a lot of hard work, timing, and little luck can all line up to make those dreams come true. So yeah, I'm serious. I'm dedicated to my craft and to my family. I just decided to adjust my focus a little and take more time. So, please keep being patient. This new series is dear to my heart, so I hope even my contemporary readers will give it a chance. And be sure to check out Henry tomorrow. 

Oh! A happy Nichole again.

Thank you all for sticking with me for so long. And I appreciate all your support and love over the years. 

So, I did a thing. A crazy, insane, fun thing! I coerced the amazing Lux Karpov-Kinrade into writing a standalone Holiday Romance with me! And don't worry if you've been a bit naughty this year, because it looks like Lucifer is the one sneaking down your chimney... and maybe into your heart?

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The official poster for my current project is out! That's right. I'm script writing! The Adventures of Bonny Hall begins filming soon. It's a show even the parents won't mind watching! Think: A young Veronica Mars meets the Goonies! Sounds fun, right? Did I mention that this web series will have a book series that goes along with it? Yep, that's happening! Watch out for these young ladies. They're brimming with talent. (And I'm not just saying that because one of them is my daughter.)
I've never been a part of a go fund me before. I've donated and shared them, but never asked for help. Well, we're asking for help. To make @TheAdventuresofBonnyHall a web series we have to raise a good amount of money. None of this is going to me, the writer, or even the actors, but all to the show. We have to rent equipment, locations, pay a crew, e.t.c. (all of which is VERY expensive).In fact, I want to keep you updated on the project as much as possible so you can see just what really goes into making a show. If you donate, email me at nicholechase.author@gmail.com and I will add you to a special mailing list that will give you behind the scenes pictures and information. I'll share the stories that happen *during* production. Trust me, those can be crazy.Please, any little bit helps. And feel free to share if you can't donate. I certainly know what it's like to not be able to give.




GOFUNDME


Oh and if you want to keep up with Nia on Instagram (her auditions, callbacks, etc.), click HERE.She's a busy little bee! (And we'll be announcing something exciting very soon!)

Surprise!
If you don't follow me on Social Media, then you're going to be surprised (hopefully, happily so) to find out that I have novella coming out on May 28th (tomorrow! EEEK!)

FOREVER TABOO is a paranormal romance set and part of the Midnight Covens Vampire Brides series. Each novella can be read alone or in any order. You don't have to read all of them to read one of them--but you should! Because they're all great. For those of you that have been with me from the very start, you'll know that I started out writing paranormal and urban fantasy stories, so it's been a lot of fun to go back to my roots. I dare say that while I will be continuing to write contemporary romance it will be interspersed with paranormal stories. I hope my contemporary readers will give them a shot.

FOREVER TABOO will only be available on Kindle and will be part of the Kindle Unlimited program for those of you that subscribe. (ME! I use KU all the time!)



Now! A little about FOREVER TABOO and the first chapter. Also, isn't that cover to die for? *SIGH* Gosh, I love a good cover.


In Ireland, where female witches have been hunted to near extinction, she’s a rare jewel that glows like the moon. He’s a vampire, blood thirsty and not ashamed of it. When he sees a woman being abducted by two burly men, he can’t quite keep himself from trying to step in to help. Too bad Willow didn’t really need his help and instead he ends up in her not so gentle care.Witches and Vampires aren’t supposed to mix. It makes them too big of a target… too much of a threat. Especially when there are so few female witches in Ireland to continue their species. The last thing Cavan wants is to be attracted to the tiny, red headed woman, but his traitorous heart won’t stop beating every time she’s near... A heart that hasn’t beat in four hundred years; a heart that would only begin to beat again once he found his true mate.
If he pursues feisty Willow he will be breaking every taboo there is among their species.
*** Please note that FOREVER TABOO is a novella, not a full length novella. It's meant to be enjoyed in on sitting, while eating lunch, or just before bed. It's a fun, short and sweet novella meant to entertain you for a short time.***

Chapter 1


The few porch lights still on at the late hour flickered erratically as Cavan staggered down the narrow lane. He grimaced and rubbed at his eyes with one hand. He knew he should have stopped at three drinks, but the last one had practically begged him to take a sip.
He should have known something wasn’t right. She’d smelled off, but he’d attributed it to the alcohol and company she’d been keeping for most of the night. Instead of nipping a little more blood before he made his exit, now he was wasted, staggering down a nameless lane in a tiny Irish village.
A hiccup interrupted his thought process and steps. How could hiccups hurt so damn much? Reaching out a hand, he leaned against a nearby light pole and closed his eyes. The flickering of the lights was making his head pound. Without thinking he slammed his fist into the post causing the wood to splinter. Not realizing the damage he’d inflicted, he wasn’t ready when the top half of the pole slowly fell forward, only to make contact with his head.
“Bloody hell.” Cavan crouched down and held his head, his ears ringing so loudly he forgot about the lights until he heard a woman’s voice raised in anger.“I’ll kick your stupid asses, or arses—whatever you call them, if you try to touch me again!”
Heh. American, he thought. Looking up, he could make out the blurry outlines of three people standing at the end of the lane. Two men stood in front of a pixie-sized woman, her chin defiantly raised.
The largest man held his hands up in a placating gesture just as the other man rushed forward. A flash of silver light sparked between them as the woman screamed in anger. Bloody hell, witches. He stood up and started to make a hasty, if wobbly retreat, but something pulled in his chest stopping him in his tracks. He looked back over his shoulder and saw that the men had caught the little witch and she was flailing in an effort to escape.
“This is kidnapping! This is assault! You can’t do this. I’ll hurt you.  I’ll do it. This is your only warning!” She continued to try and pull away from her captors and something in his chest tightened. No one should be treated that way.
The street lights flickered again and he realized it wasn’t just his senses messing with him. The witches were pulling power to try and hold the tiny woman. She must be incredibly strong. No wonder they wanted her enough to steal her off the streets. Female witches had almost disappeared in Ireland, hunted by authorities during the witch trials almost to extinction.
“I said, Let. Me. Go!” Her skin began to glow the softest blue, almost like the moon on a clear night.
“We’re not going to hurt you, lass!” One of the men hollered before dropping her arm and stepping back.
“I told you. I told you I’d hurt you.” Her hair started to float around her shoulders as her eyes zeroed in on the man still holding her arm.
What she didn’t see was that the other man hadn’t really given up. He’d pulled something from his pocket that looked suspiciously like a gun and was raising it to aim at her back.
Cavan’s focus sharpened, and he was moving before thought could filter through his brain. He barely made it between the tiny witch and the male before something exploded in his chest.
Growling, he bared his fangs and grabbed the male witch by the throat before throwing him against a lamp post. Thankfully that one didn’t land on his head.
He wasn’t sure if the other man's gasp was because of what Cavan had done to him or the effect of the blinding silver light that seemed to explode from the pixie behind him. Cavan himself was thrown forward, landing hard on his chest. He tried to push himself to standing, only to fall forward again, but this time he realized there was something impaled in his chest.
Horror swept through him as he reached up and frantically tried to remove a stake. Instead of the wooden stick he expected, his shaking hands yanked a dart from his chest. He tossed it to the side, not sure if he should be relieved or even more worried. Witch potions could be fatal to vampires.
His head hit the pavement as his eyes fought to stay open. Tennis shoes moved into his line of sight and he tried to look up, but only managed to moan.
“What were you thinking?” Someone knelt down next to him, and a small hand brushed the hair from his forehead. “Why would you do that?”
“Try. Help.” His words slurred so much he would be embarrassed if he wasn’t about to pass out.
“Idiot. I had everything under control.” Her hand lingered on his skin.He snorted. “Didn’t… didn’t look… like it.”
It was her turn to snort. “I might be small, but they were no match for me. Now c’mon. Let's go take care of the puncture.”
His eyes shut and he wondered how she thought she was going to move a grown man twice her size. Suddenly the world spun and his head lolled to the side. It took him a moment to realize that she had not only lifted him, but thrown him over her shoulder.“Hey!” He tried to struggle, but got no where.
“Stop that and be a good boy.” To his utter dismay she smacked his ass, like he was an unruly toddler. “It’ll take longer to get to my place if you fight.”
As he drifted off, he thought of how he’d just been sexually harassed by the woman he’d tried to help and wondered if he had somehow become the kidnap victim.

Buy your copy now!

P.S. Stay tuned for more announcements. I have more surprises in store over the next few months. Just bare with me while I get back in the writing game after my hiatus.

I'm so incredibly excited to share the news! The Royal Series, starting with Suddenly Royal, is coming to the amazing interactive Chapters App. On February 14th (that's right! VALENTINES DAY!) you can live Samantha's story. What exactly does that mean? You can choose what she looks like, what clothes she wears, how she responds to Prince Yummy. I mean, Prince Alex. ;) You get to experience what it's like to suddenly become royal. I’ve been playing the Chapters App for months and can honestly
say that I enjoy this form of storytelling. It’s fun, fast-paced way to enjoy
the stories you already love—and to fall in love with new ones! I can
definitely recommend giving this app a shot and not just because my books are
on it. I truly enjoyed ‘living’ some of my favorite stories from authors I
love.
And to start you out just right, the fantastic team at Chapters
is providing 100 gems to 5 lucky winners to celebrate the release. What are Gems, you ask? Well, gems allow you purchase certain things in the app... like fancier clothing for your avatar! Tell Alex something crazy or call him Prince Yummy to his face. Tell a reporter exactly what you think of their article. It's all up to you. That's the beauty of this app. Here's how you could be one of the five winners of 100 gems:
a Rafflecopter giveaway Crazy Maple Studio is a group of writers, artists, and engineers whose mission is to share compelling stories with readers, gamers, and story enthusiasts all over the world. We are best known for our interactive storytelling game, Chapters— but our desire to help readers consume fresh and innovative content extends beyond mobile entertainment. Come join us on our new adventures! 



Download the app now! 




http://bit.ly/ChaptersAndroid
http://bit.ly/ChaptersDownload
They have stories from some amazing authors and even more are coming your way. crazy

A couple of years ago I was offered the chance to have my books published in another language and sold in another country. I was so excited to see my books reach a whole new audience, and I was honored by the response they received. The Brazilian readers are so warm and kind—I felt incredibly lucky.

Unfortunately, working with my Brazilian Publisher hasn’t gone as well. It took a while to get the first payment from Pandorga (the publisher), but I chalked that up to international business—things can take a little longer. Regrettably, that trend continued… to the point where I was waiting for almost a year for one payment and still waiting, over a year later, for the next payment. I’ve received countless messages asking me when the third Royal book was going to be published and I had no answer, because my agent and I were receiving no information. The entire original schedule seemed to have been thrown out the window. I do realize that Brazil has gone through a difficult period, and I tried to be patient. As I mentioned above, I’ve already waited over a year for one payment, and the next one (which was due over a year ago) is nowhere in sight. I tried to be reasonable and kind, but they continually broke their promises. My agent and I sought every possible way to make things work, but after talking with other authors, I found out I was not the only one having these sort of issues.
It’s with deep regret that I decided that it was not in my best interest or that of the readers to continue my working relationship with Pandorga. I hate to disappoint the readers in Brazil. I hate that my first foray into International Publishing has turned out this way. I hate that some people will not be able to finish that series, because it isn’t available in their language. For that I am truly sorry.
I realize that some people will think me talking about a deal that went sour isn’t appropriate. I get that. But I also think that I owed an explanation to the readers and a word of caution to other authors. Be careful before signing with a new publisher. Vet them as thoroughly as possible and make sure you have clear ways to handle any disagreements. Trust me, you do not want to have to deal with this frustration.
 

Two years and the Truth
It's been a while, quite a while since I last released a book. Almost two years in fact. There are reasons for that, some boring, some personal, some were just part of life, but I'm going to tell you about it.
I don't share a lot of personal stuff, other than pictures of my family, because I just adore my family. My husband and daughter are my moon and earth. So, I love to share things about them. But myself? Not so much. This time I will because it affects my books. So here goes.
Writing is... the most amazing adventure. I live in places that I imagine, experience things, and meet people I'd never have the chance to in the real world. The best part is sharing those things with other people. But like any adventure, there are snags along the road. Sometimes, the car won't start, or your luggage gets lost, maybe you trip and fall in a mud puddle and lose your binoculars. My point is that I hit a few bumps. This book wasn't the issue, it was all me.
You see, I suffer from severe anxiety and I tripped on my own feet. Suddenly Royal did so well and it was the most amazing surprise. I've never felt so grateful and in awe of a moment. But, soon all of the stars that filled my eyes and heart were quickly replaced by dark clouds. It felt as if the whole world rested on my shoulders. I spent months suffering from imposter syndrome and convinced that it all had been a fluke. I second guessed every decision I made while writing. I rewrote everything many times and basically drove myself insane. I spent so much time worrying about everything, anything, that I missed out enjoying so much of life.
And I decided that wasn't healthy. It wasn't healthy; I wasn't healthy. I needed change. So I stepped back, I scaled down everything, and focused on getting my anxiety under control, on being well. I took things slowly, I learned to be patient with myself, and that meant unhurried book releases. I worked on Bedmates until I was sure that I'd written the book that I wanted, created something in which I was proud.
I'm telling you all this because I think I owe it to the readers that have been with me from the very first book. A two year gap in the publishing world is an eternity and I know some probably wondered if I fell off the face of the earth… or if I’d given up. I didn't! I just decided to make sure I was in a place to give you the very best book possible...
And I feel like I've done that. Bedmates comes out in three weeks. TWO. WEEKS. I love this book. I love Maddie and Jake. I love their story. I love continuing the Royal world. And I really hope that you all love it too. (But good grief, somehow in the last two years, time has lessened the memory of my anxiety during book releases. HOLY COW! The fear and nerves are intense but that's okay! It's part of the whole experience. I'm genuinely excited that I FINALLY get to share this book with you.)
So, if you've been waiting for another book from me you don't have long now. October 4th is just around the corner.
I've now spilled my guts to everyone and will get back to gearing up for the release and putting the finishing touches on the next book in the series.
I’m going to leave you all with my thanks. Thanks for your patience, your understanding, and continued support. And please, if you suffer from anxiety or anything else, remember to be kind to yourself.

 


Pre-OrderBEDMATES in ebook or paperback, releasing 10/4/16
Amazon | iBooks | BAM| B&N
 
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To celebrate Memorial Day and my upcoming birthday, I decided to giveaway one of the Early Review copies of BEDMATES! That's right! One lucky person will have the chance to read the book FOUR months early! Enter below to win a paperback copy and make sure to share!
 a Rafflecopter giveaway

 Good luck!


Good l