Thank You and Happy Holidays

Thank You!

Today, I want to thank each and every one of you who bought or read one of my books, visited me at a signing, or simply chatted with me this year about your favorite reads or writing. I love talking books with people who love reading the way I do, and it has become my favorite reason for doing book signings. It's truly a joy to meet fans of the same characters and compare notes on what I liked best about certain stories.

If you did enjoy any of my books, whether bought or borrowed, the most wonderful gift you can give me is a review. Reviews are the lifeblood of an author. You can simply add stars, or if you like, make a comment on something you especially enjoyed. Here are just a couple of links where you can post a review for any of my books:

Amazon: https://buff.ly/4idHEYy

GoodReads: https://buff.ly/4iiy3jt

Thank you so much for your support. It means so much to me!

Happy Holidays

The winter holidays are upon us as I write from my toasty warm office here in NY. This was a strange year, no question. From the disarray of putting a new patio in all summer, to the loss of my Macey in October, things have certainly felt "out of order." Here's hoping that 2025 brings exciting new adventures and good times with friends and family...and perhaps a new book release! I'm still working on an as-yet-untitled spicy contemporary romance. In the meantime, I have a stack of books on my TBR pile with which to while away those chilly nights, and a cup of Peppermint Mocha in my hand. I hope the holiday season brings you joyful memories and hopes for a bright year ahead.

Happy Holidays! / Updates at Greenwood House

The Holidays are Here!

Every year, our family hosts a Friendsgiving "Holiday Dinner" where we make the main dishes, and friends each bring a side to help celebrate the beginning of the holiday season. This was our 19th year, and it was a great time. Our house isn't often this full with people, and I love hearing the laughter and stories as we all come together over a delicious meal. (If you haven't tried BBQ Pit Boys Apple Cider Turkey, you definitely should. We make it every single year. 😋)

If you're looking for a unique holiday gift for the book lover in your life, you can order personalized signed copies of any of my books! Don't want to wait for a print book? Check out any of my books available in ebook or audiobook, and have them delivered straight to your loved one!

Or maybe, like me, you love watching those holiday movies. If that's the case, pick up either of my holiday novellas, THE PEPPERMINT BARK PROPOSAL or THE GINGERBREAD SHRED, in ebook, or in print in HOLIDAY HEARTS!

What's Happening at Greenwood House?

On a sad note, we had to say goodbye to my soul dog, Macey, in October. She was with us for twelve and a half wonderful years, and I miss her terribly.

The house was so quiet the week after we had to let her go, and I was not in a good place. It's strange how you get used to the sounds of dog tags jingling and the ticking of claws on the floor. Not to mention how sad it is when you want to hug a furry family member and they're not there. Fortunately for us, I remembered that a good friend worked with Second Chance Canine Adoption Shelter, and she found us Archie, a Shiba Inu mix with a great personality and extensive expertise in cuddling. Archie is now a happy part of our lives, and the house is full again with the sounds of fur family.

In between training and playing with our new pup, I've been writing in a new contemporary romance which I hope to have out next year (although I never count my chickens, because life). However you celebrate the season, I wish you a festive and happy one. Lift a cup of your favorite warm beverage, and toast good cheer to your friends and family. Happy Reading!

To Resolve or Not to Resolve?

Happy New Year!

 

How is it possible that it's 2024 already? The holidays have gone by in what seems like a rush, and Greenwood House has settled in for winter. Normally, I want to hibernate with the rest of the world here in NY, but it's also a time for planning and preparing. The Wandering Wordsmiths will soon be gearing up for this year's book signing season, so watch for new places where you can meet us.

 

 

I'll be winter sowing some plants soon for gardening in the spring. Here in NY, anything you can do to get a jump on the growing season is a good thing! Our growing zone was recently changed when the USDA redid their maps, which happens every ten years or so. We went from 5B to 6A, which isn't much, but my rosemary and sage are still going in the raised bed, if you can believe it. For now, I have cuttings taken from most of my herbs, as well as some grocery store parsley and scallions, that are awaiting the return of spring.

Making Your Plan

A lot of people make New Year's resolutions: quit smoking, start exercising, do that thing you've been putting off. Mine is, as always, to get a book out the door. THE GINGERBREAD SHRED made it out in time for Christmas, so it's time to turn my attention to other projects. I'm taking this month to rest, but come February, I'll be working on the sequel to FREAK FRAT and hoping to get it nailed down.

The truth is, you don't need to wait for January 1st to make a resolution. You can do it any year, month, week, day, or hour you want. And if you slip and have a cheeseburger on a gym day, that's okay. Just keep resolving. You don't even need to call it a resolution. Sometimes naming it as a resolution or promise puts the idea in your mind that once it's broken, you've lost. Maybe just call it a change or process. The occasional slip won't break you. It's just a step in the process.

The sequel to FREAK FRAT has been a years-long undertaking, and that's okay, too. Sometimes stories need time to marinate. I need to trust the steps in the process, too. Whatever you decide to do with your new year, I hope it's a good one. Happy New Year, and happy reading!

Announcing HOLIDAY HEARTS: An Ice Cream Novellas Anthology!

 

HOLIDAY HEARTS: An Ice Cream Novellas Anthology!

It's going to be a wonderful holiday season! Now that THE GINGERBREAD SHRED is available for preorder, I've collected it in an anthology for print with its companion story, THE PEPPERMINT BARK PROPOSAL! It's on sale now at Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Click here to get your copy!

Do you love signed books? How about finding the perfect holiday gift for the book lover in your life? You can also get a custom-signed copy of HOLIDAY HEARTS or any of my other books available in print. Click here to go to my website and order an autographed book! Order soon for holiday delivery.

About HOLIDAY HEARTS: An Ice Cream Novellas Anthology

What's sweeter than holiday romance? HOLIDAY HEARTS is an anthology containing two heartwarming stories with all the Christmas feels.

THE PEPPERMINT BARK PROPOSAL

Desperate to thwart her meddling mother, Becca Barnes convinces handsome Jake Bannister to pose as her boyfriend during the Christmas holidays, only to find herself falling for him in earnest.

THE GINGERBREAD SHRED

Entertainment blogger Maura Barnes is determined to interview the ungettable get: elusive Hollywood heartthrob Pax Campbell. When she catches him at a Colorado ski resort over the Christmas holiday, will the sparks between them be the year's biggest scoop, or will they lead to a disastrous wipeout?

Happy Holidays from Nicki Greenwood!

Happy Holidays!

This has been a wonderful year. As a founding member of The Wandering Wordsmiths, I've been all over Central New York this year with fellow local authors, and it's been a fun and rewarding experience. Our last engagement for 2019 is today, December 1st, 10 am-4 pm at the Black Friday Weekend Craft & Vendor Event. We're expecting a big crowd and lots of vendors, so if you're local to Central New York, come on out and enjoy some holiday shopping and free goodies at our table.

I hope you have a safe, happy, and memorable holiday season. Thank you to all my readers for your support, and I hope to offer you more delightful stories in 2020. Happy Reading, and the happiest of holidays!

Living History: The Civil War at Waterloo, NY's Memorial Day Celebration

Living History: Civil War Reenactment

Today, I want to share with you a few tidbits from my time at Waterloo, NY's 153rd Commemorative Memorial Day Celebration. You may or may not be aware that Waterloo, NY is the official birthplace of Memorial Day, when we honor fallen soldiers and servicemen and women. Among the festivities was Living History at Oak Island, a Civil War reenactment camp. I was unable to attend most of the events there because I was busy at my book signing, but there were activities all weekend at this encampment. As a history buff, I would have spent the entire time there if I could!

Civil War Ingenuity

I had a long talk with reenactor Raymond Ball of the reenactment group Co. A of the US Regular Engineer Battalion, who explained that during the Civil War, engineers were perhaps the most important facet of the army and one of the major reasons the Union won the war. Without their knowledge and efforts, getting wagons, cannons, horses, and soldiers across the often difficult terrain would have been impossible. The engineers solved problems such as getting troops across gorges quickly (in one case, building an entire bridge fit for a train engine in as little as six days!), or working out how to get a cannon into firing range on swampy land (answer: a floating platform!).

A Moving Office

The engineers needed a place to work out the problems of terrain and equipment. The first thing that caught my eye was a travel desk in the engineers' tent. If I ever need a portable desk, I'm getting one of these!

There were many other things to see at the encampment, but I had to cut my visit short and return to my book signing. If you'd like to see some of the other photos, visit me on Facebook!

Happy New Year!

Happy 2019! I hope you all started off with a wonderful day. The first of a new year is always a hectic day of celebration for the beginning of new things. I often feel that the second day is when the real work begins. Today is the day we all decide which of those hasty resolutions we want to truly keep. Mine, as always, is to get a book out the door. In December, I participated in the CNYRW 100 Words a Day challenge. I did well over the minimum at 5,895 words, coming in at 740 words on my best day. Not too shabby! I hope to keep it going this year, stretching to my previous year's goal of a page a day, which works out to about 250 words. I know there will be days when I do more, but this will at least keep the fire going for me.

I am a quarter of the way through Book Two of my three-book New Adult series, and it's going well for a first draft. I hope your resolutions keep your 2019 exciting! Wishing you the happiest New Year, and Happy Reading!

Happy Thanksgiving, USA!

Taking a moment today to wish all who celebrate a Happy and healthy Thanksgiving day.  We just finished up a "Friendsgiving" last week, with a boisterous houseful of company.  We have friends whose family live out of town, and it became one of my favorite annual traditions to invite everyone over for an "extended family" dinner.  Everyone brings a dish, and we pass a wonderful evening with good conversation and a delicious meal.

No matter who you spend it with, I hope your day is full of great food and familiar faces.  Enjoy the season!

Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day to all the dads, uncles, stepdads, and father figures! I hope you have a fun, peaceful day doing what you love with the people you love. We spent yesterday with some old friends pitching horseshoes, and today, a family friend has put together a bowling party for all the dads in our circle. This evening, it's dinner with my stepdad. It's going to be a fun afternoon! Enjoy!

Parenthood

I've been a parent for a number of years now, and it's a bit like juggling the space-time continuum.

Moms, I'm sure you get this.

I know it's 2018, and that my son is getting so tall he can just about look me in the eye. But sometimes I can't help looking at him and seeing that little baby we brought home from the hospital, with those ten tiny fingers and ten tiny toes. I remember how his hair smelled and how soft it was. I remember sitting on the couch with him and grinning at him, and my delight when, at three weeks of age, he grinned back. I can also look at him and see that toddler we brought to his first Renaissance Faire in his little kilt. And then when he got big enough to tote around a wooden sword at the Faire. This kid looks So Cool in a kilt. *grin*

And then, once in a while, I look at him and I can see what he's going to be like at 15, or 20, or even 30. That happens a lot more now that he's catching up to me in height.

Is it like this for every parent? I can't say. Do you forget what day it is? Do the weeks go by in a blur until you realize, holy cow, it's spring again? Are you buying shoes and pants because your kid's growing out of them the week after you got him a new pair?

Then yep. You're right there with me.

I love my son at every age. The more he changes, the more I miss that little guy. And then, the more he changes, the more I love seeing the new things he can do. I am with him every step of the way, and at the same time, I am right there with him again when he's a toddler taking his first steps, or in some slightly hazier future where I watch him graduate high school and head for his dreams. It's bittersweet, and still the best feeling I've ever had.

It amazes me every day that my husband and I made this person, this incredibly smart, kindhearted person. Part of me wants to hold onto him forever, but the other part is simultaneously looking forward with excitement to the day he jumps out of the nest and flies. He's a constant gift.

Moms, I'm sure you get that, too.

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day!

It's a romance writer's favorite time of year! Happy Valentine's Day to one and all. Whether you're going out with your honey or staying home with a book or movie, I hope you have a terrific day full of all the sweet things. Cheers!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year! I hope this year brings you happiness and good health. As always, I'm hoping to finish a book, but this year, it'll be different: I'm working on a college-age New Adult book rather than romance! This book's main character first "spoke" to me several years ago, at four o'clock in the morning, and refused to stop talking until I got up and began writing. Those are the kind of characters you want: the ones who tell you their story and all you need to do is take dictation! I'm very excited about this book, and I hope you will be, too. Keep an eye out, because I will let you know as soon as I have news about it!

Enjoy your 2018!

HEAVY NETTING Coming Soon in Audiobook!

I am thrilled to share the news that HEAVY NETTING, my Lobster Cove short story, will soon be available as an audiobook! I just finished listening to the recording this evening, and it's delightful. Alexis Portner reads dialogue with terrific charm, and she has captured the sweet, fun spirit of this book exactly as I envisioned it. I can't wait to share it with you.

Stay tuned to the blog for news on the release, which should be coming very soon. In the meantime, I'd like to wish all of you in the United States a very Happy Thanksgiving! (I know mine will be!)

Happy 2017!

Happy New Year!

I would like to take this time to wish you all a safe and enjoyable New Year, and especially to take a moment to thank all of my wonderful readers for making 2016 such a treat. I am thankful for your support in helping me to do what I love to do: share stories of adventure and hope with all of you!

In 2017, I hope to keep doing just that, but in a slightly different direction. My goal is to get a brand-new book out the door in a totally new genre: New Adult. For now, it's under wraps as I get underway with writing the rest of the book. I hope you'll stick with me in this new venture, and rest assured, there is more romance in my future as well! Happy New Year!

Christmas Tree 2016

This year was my son's turn to decide the Christmas tree theme, and my patriotic boy chose red, white, and blue for the theme, so we did a "God Bless America" tree. He chose the ornaments to go on it, and the arrangement of them. I think he did a pretty good job, don't you?

Website Moving (Let Freedom Ring!)

Website Down (Temporarily, I Hope)

Nothing makes a website-owning writer crazy like outage. I've been having several issues since Aabaco bought out my old host, Yahoo, and have finally given up on them. My website has been down for a couple of days, and as you know, FIRE is coming out August 5th. That's a pretty hefty problem. So, I've bitten the bullet and transferred to another host, and am currently awaiting reactivation of my website under my new host's watchful eye.

What this means, for now, is that you won't be able to access my website (http://www.nickigreenwood.com) for a short time...but I am always here on my blog, or available via my social media pages at Facebook or Twitter. You can reach me easily there, and I hope to have everything back up and running smoothly as fast as possible. Thanks for your patience!

Happy Fourth of July!

I hope you Americans have all had a terrific Fourth of July. I have spent it both at the day job, and working out the issues of transferring my site to its new host, where (I hope) I will have freedom from worry that it's going to be running smoothly. ;) Happy Fourth!

Happy Earth Day!

Happy Earth Day!

I hope you're doing something outdoorsy today - at least for a little while.  I spent last weekend planting flower and vegetable seeds in preparation for the growing season.  I've already got some sprouts!  I can't wait to get out there into my butterfly garden and positively pack it with butterfly-friendly flowers.  I've started spinach, lettuce, and beet greens in my raised bed greenhouse, and the warmer-season seeds like beans, peppers, and tomatoes in peat pots indoors.

Free Book!

The Earth Day Giveaway is still going on, and there aren't a lot of entries yet, so if you're looking for a free read this spring, what better way than to fill out the simple form at this link, and tell me what you're up to this Earth Day? Click here to enter: https://nickigreenwood.wufoo.com/forms/nickigreenwoodcom-earth-day-giveaway/

Have a terrific Earth Day, everyone!

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter! Every year, I get giddy when spring rolls around. Maybe it's the anticipation of getting the garden ready for its growing season. Maybe it's watching the tulips and daffodils push up through the soil like an annual reminder that no matter how bad the winter, spring and regrowth will always return. Whatever it is, I wish you the happiest of Easter holidays if you celebrate. Enjoy!

A Little St. Patrick's Day Lesson About Snakes

Whether you're Irish, or Irish at heart, I hope you have a magnificent St. Patrick's Day! In between your bouts of green beer and Irish food today, you might be interested in a little factoid I dug up on the Internet.

You may have heard the legend of Saint Patrick, who is said to have driven all the snakes out of Ireland. While good ol' Saint Pat might have done some amazing things in other respects, the absence of snakes in Ireland was not actually his doing. Wikipedia also mentions that New Zealand, Iceland, Greenland and Antarctica are also snake-free (make a note of that, ophidiophobics).

There's a very interesting article at Popular Science about Ireland's snakeless state. While Ireland is currently free of native snakes, there are pet and zoo snakes living there. Imported snakes are not illegal. However, if these pets get free of their owners, they run the risk of becoming an invasive species. As anyone in Australia can tell you, invasive species are bad news. Snakes have many uses, but in a foreign environment with no limiting factors, they could be devastating to an ecosystem.

For now, though, Ireland remains largely snake-free, so you can sip that green beer and listen to some traditional Irish harp music. Sláinte!

Starting 2016 Right!

Happy New Year everyone!  I hope you're starting your year off happy, healthy, and ready to tackle those resolutions.  I've already accomplished mine: getting a book out the door!  I submitted FIRE, the fourth and final book in The Elemental Series, to my editor this morning, and am hoping for a fall release.  More on that as news becomes available.

This year, since my calendar is all freed up for other projects, I am working on both a short contemporary romance and a full-length new adult novel.  In addition to that, I will be exploring the world of self-publishing.  It'll be exciting to test out my mettle in a new arena!

I hope you all enjoy 2016 and that it's a terrific year.  Enjoy!