I’m one of the authors participating in the challenge to get a new 25-novel cozy mystery boxed set onto the USA Today Bestseller List. It’s called 25 Mysteries to Die For and will be available from December 27th. And it’s just 99¢/99p!
So if you’re interested in adding hours of cozy mystery reading to your ereader for a bargain price, and helping us to achieve our goal at the same time, you can pre-order it right now for Nook or Kobo. (Coming soon for iBooks and Kindle).
In the meantime, you can get to know all the participating authors here. Check back often, I’ll be posting a new interview every day until the boxed set is launched.
ºººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººº
In today’s interview, I welcome Nicole Marie Howell, whose Cozy Mystery, Murder Any Witch Way, is featured in the above mentioned box set.
Nicole, can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
I like to consider myself a compulsive creative. I’m always making something, whether it’s writing a book, designing a building (day job), laying out a magazine (other day job), designing and building costumes, taking photos, etc…
I’m currently in my eighth and final year of university, and am studying to be an architect. The dream is to design and build houses in the woods to write in! But, you know, I’ll probably design things for other people to use, as well.😉
Was there a certain time in your life you knew you wanted to write?
I’ve always love writing, but it wasn’t until the end of this past summer that I considered writing as a career. I had a two-week break after the summer term of my work contract ended in August, and I sat down and decided to write my first full-length book. It was called Murder Any Witch Way, which is included in our upcoming 25 Mysteries to Die For boxed set. Since then, I’ve written three more books in the past two months, and have an ambitious writing schedule for the rest of the year. Consider me hooked!
What are you currently working on?
I’m currently working on the third book in my Brimstone Bay Mysteries series, and the first book in a new urban fantasy series. I’m hoping to have both completed by the end of November – sort of a double NaNoWriMo target. Perhaps a bit ambitious, but I think I’m just stubborn enough to make it happen. I’m also in the process of editing a fantasy romance serial I wrote last year, and will be publishing it as a complete book this month. It’s called Winter Reign, and it was just something I wrote on the side while in school. I never planned on publishing it, but decided I might as well give it a shot! It was truly an exploration into new language and writing styles, and is very different from the other books I write.
Of the books you’ve written, which one is your favorite and why?
I have a sci fi series I write under a pen name that I really enjoy. Sci Fi was new to me, so I learned a lot and really pushed past my comfort zone. I also really love the characters in my mystery series, and enjoy writing it a lot. I’m also extremely excited to write Demon World, my new urban fantasy series I mentioned above. There are a lot of parallels between the main character in that series and myself, so I think I’ll really have a blast writing it.
What books have most influenced you as a writer?
It’s funny, because I was never a reader growing up. As a kid, I much preferred writing a story to reading a story. I’m much the same today, actually. I love to read, but I find after a few minutes into a good book, my mind is racing with new ideas and I often find myself writing instead of finishing the book. I have to really discipline myself to keep the pencil down so I can finish a book.
My favourite genre to read is fantasy, and I loved the Lord of the Rings books. I’m currently reading Patrick Rothfuss’s The Name of the Wind, and I’m really enjoying it. I’m also a huge fan of George R.R. Martin and early Laurell K. Hamilton books.
In terms of what’s influenced my writing the most recently, I’d say that would be the many amazing books I’ve been reading by my fellow indie authors that are part of a number of fantastic Facebook groups I’m a member of. It’s inspiring reading their work, and hearing their stories of how they’ve published, and what they’ve gone through to make it as a full-time author.
What do you find to be the most challenging part of writing? And the most rewarding?
To me, the most challenging part of writing is sticking to one book. I seem to always have at least four or five books on the go at any given time, and I bounce back and forth between them based on my mood. This month I’m going to try and stick to each book exclusively until they’re finished. I also find editing difficult, as once I’m finished the first draft of a manuscript, I get so excited to move on to the next project that sometimes I don’t spend enough time catching all the errors in what I’ve previously written. The goal for 2017 is to hire an editor.
What book is on your nightstand?
Patrick Rothfuss’s The Name of the Wind. Beautiful book!
What can we look forward to seeing from you in the future?
I’m launching two new urban fantasy series in January, and a third next spring. I’ll be spending next year bouncing back and forth between these three new series, and of course my Brimstone Bay Mysteries. The goal is one to two books per month. I write fast, and love the challenge of meeting daily word counts. I’m also working on an epic fantasy trilogy set 1,000 years prior to one of the urban fantasy series I’ll be launching in January. The first book is called Mists of Shaeyara, and you can keep an eye out for that around the middle of next year.
Is there anything you’d like to share with your readers?
Perhaps just the fact that I’m new to all of this, so go easy on me! I love hearing from readers, and truly value feedback on my books. I’m a firm believer that you are never done learning, and I consider each book I write to be a stepping stone towards building my skills as a writer. Even in the past two months, I’ve noticed my writing style change and my speed improve. Writing is a journey, and I’m loving every minute of it. Oh, also… I’m Canadian! But I typically write my books in American English.
AUTHOR LINKS
Author website: https://www.amazon.com/author/nmhowellbooks
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/nikk0marie
Facebook: https://www.fb.com/nikkomariecosplay
AUTHOR BIO
N.M. Howell is an emerging author from the West Coast of Canada. Writing primarily fantasy and paranormal mystery, she also dabbles in the occasional romance. When not spending her time writing books, she’s busy playing with her micro-wolf pup, Mica, or working on her Master’s thesis.
Murder Any Witch Way by Nicole Marie Howell is just one of the titles featured in a 25-novel cosy mystery collection called 25 Mysteries to Die For which aims to hit the USA Today Bestseller List at the end of the year.