FIRE now available in audiobook!

I'm thrilled to announce that FIRE, Book Two in the Elemental Series, was released today in audiobook! What a great way to start the summer. I hope you love Ethan as much as I do. As the resident hothead among my Elemental characters (pun intended), Ethan has a long way to go before he's ready to fall in love. Here's a little bit about the book.

 

FIRE by Nicki Greenwood (The Elemental Series, Book Four)

Is love worth the risk of getting burned?

Ethan Sutter is good at running, but he can't outrun himself. Rootless and reckless, he prowls the country, able to abandon everything except his hated Fire Elemental power. Then he lands in Pickering, Vermont, out of gas and out of options, and meets New Age curio shop owner Gypsy Ronan, an even bigger misfit than he is.

Gypsy knows Ethan is trouble. However, none of her tarot cards or tea leaves could have prepared her for their undoubtedly dangerous mutual attraction. More shocking still is the discovery that he possesses an incredible power, and he wants her help getting rid of it.

Ethan needs a normal life. He's sure a woman like Gypsy couldn't be part of it, but she sets his blood smoldering. Gypsy knows there's more to Ethan than he admits, even as she fears for her heart.

Listen to an audio sample here:  https://www.amazon.com/Fire-The-Elemental-Series/dp/B07S67644H

Memorial Weekend Book Signing in Waterloo, NY

I'm very excited to be part of a huge craft and vendor fair coming up May 25th-26th in Waterloo, NY. There will be dozens of local and commercial craft artisans and vendors, as well as The Wandering Wordsmiths, a group of Central NY authors writing in many different genres. We'll be there all weekend signing copies of our books and meeting with the public. Come and ask us about the writing life!

This is the 20th annual show in Waterloo, NY, the birthplace of Memorial Day. It's going to be a weekend full of fun, crafts, food, music, parades, and excitement. For details, check out the Facebook event page for the fair: https://www.facebook.com/events/872311246477064

Hope to see you there!

Creative Stretching

I'm sure you've heard it said that in order to get yourself out of a creative slump, it can be helpful to try something different. For many writers, that involves exercise, getting outdoors, or a switch to a different creative medium like painting. I am fortunate in that, so far, I haven't had many "slump" moments on my current WIP, however, I do "burn out" a little from time to time. I've done many of these "gear switching" techniques, and they do work, often sending me back to the computer with fresh energy.

What Works for You?

I have been wanting for some time to learn a musical instrument. I tried the recorder. It felt clunky in my hands. I tried guitar. The strings feel foreign, and I don't care for how they wear on my fingertips. But piano seems to work for me. I love piano music. The keys feel natural to me. I like the sound it makes. Music is as much a sensory activity as painting, and I find myself enjoying it. This week, I bit the bullet and purchased a reasonably priced digital piano.

For most of my life, I have refused learning an instrument partly because I hate the songs they teach in the books. I am not a fan of folk music, and if I never hear another rendition of "Comin' Round the Mountain" or "Hot Cross Buns," it'll be too soon. I want to learn songs I love to play, especially in the beginning when I'll be playing them over and over to learn the notes. I think I've finally hit on the right book.

I do enjoy classical music, and one of the first songs this book teaches you is Beethoven's "Ode to Joy."  Day one, and I'm already playing a recognizable song I've always admired. Just as a teacher is only as good as how well they get you to understand a topic, a reference book is only as good as how accessible its information is to the student.

I came back to my New Adult WIP ready to polish off the scene I was writing, and I am excited about it and my budding new skill. It's good for a brain to stretch its limits, and you're never too old to learn something new. Wish me luck!