Chase-ing Assassins - The Accidental Assassin by Nichole Chase.

The Accidental Assassin by Nichole Chase

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Ava McKenzie is a creature of habit. Life is passing her by and she has nothing to show for it. She’s had the same job since she started college, she orders the same dish every time she goes to her favorite restaurant, and only reads books from authors she knows. There is nothing new or surprising in her life… until her best friend marries a man from London. When her newlywed friend asks her to house-sit while she honeymoons, Ava jumps at the chance. She thinks this could be the very thing she needs to shake up her life. Ava throws herself head first into her new lifestyle; she wants to try everything, go everywhere, and never get stuck in a rut again. Of course, offing a man in a car garage hadn’t been one of the things on her list to try.

Owen Walker spends every day in a new place with a new case. As one of the most renowned assassins in the world, he has his choice of marks—and he’s never failed in a mission. When a new hit takes him back to his hometown, he looks forward to spending time somewhere familiar. What he isn’t expecting is to help an attractive, confused American woman find out how she’s ended up on a hit man’s list. 

As Ava and Owen dodge bullets, will they be able to escape their undeniable attraction to each other? Or will all of that chemistry blow up in a shower of hot and dangerous sparks?

To me, Nichole Chase has become the literary equivalent of a sure thing. As a story teller, she has consistently delivered with each title she has added to her CV. You are guaranteed an engaging and entertaining tome and you can expect that Nichole will give you something new. She does not tread the safe path nor stick to the same formula. She is a risk taker, extending herself in both genre and style and it has been meteorically successful. Having earned the rare distinction of being a New York Times best seller is testament to that.

The Accidental Assassin is testament to that also and I think it is Chase's most accomplished work to date. Part action, part thriller, Assassin takes the fish out of water scenario and offers it up anew in a frenetic chase story that evolves masterfully through the dual protagonists, Owen and Ava. Chase's grasp of action and tension is confident from the get go. The mystery and conspiracy elements unfold beautifully and keep you guessing throughout and there is a sexual energy between the two leads that burns seductively towards a satisfyingly electric, erotic encounter later in the book.

When we first meet Owen and Ava, a mutual attraction is evident but as their arcs evolve, we find a pair of characters who feel trapped in their respective existences - playing it safe by sticking to what they know. This is used as a primer that draws them towards each other and though it is a subtle thread, I found it really appealing.

One of the most effective devices Chase uses throughout the story is the first person narrative which she shares equally between Owen and Ava. By switching between the two chapter by chapter, Chase builds the narrative and drives the plot forward in a way that I found engaging. I felt invested in both of them. One could argue that this type of switching has the potential to be confusing but Chase handles it beautifully.

The Accidental Assassin ticks all the boxes for me. It's a smart and sexy thrill ride that is signature Nichole Chase and it was a pleasure to delve into.

DFA.

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Sunshine on the Shore - Conversations with Abbie Williams.

Having written in the romance genre myself, I'll admit to not having explored the genre as deeply as a reader. Perhaps it is simply because I am male or that it doesn't usually strike me as my first choice for reading material...

...in fact - both of these are a lie because if I am truly honest, I am a sucker for a good love story. I think it's perhaps more the case that good romance novels are hard to find - ones that balance good story telling with strong, believable characters and deliver the romance in just the right way that make you go all gooey. It takes a good author to do that. Molly Ringle (one of my Central Avenue Publishing stable mates), is an exceptional example a good romance writer. Likewise, Nichole Chase - a fellow Star Wars tragic and now bona fide New York Times best selling author is another.

New onto my radar in recent times and another Central Avenue stable mate is Minnesota based romance author Abbie Williams. Having connected via Twitter in the past couple of weeks, I have thoroughly enjoyed kicking off a conversation with Abbie which has ranged from topics such as our mutual love of bluegrass music, of course - our writing and the works of 17th century poet John Donne, which Abbie has caused me to fall in love with. 

Born and raised in Minnesota, Abbie has always been a writer. She pays homage to her home state, setting nearly all of her novels in Minnesota lake country, some of the most breathtaking scenery in all of the world. Her novels feature true love, passion and intensity, humour and the strength of family ties. She lives with her husband, three daughters, and a great deal of books. 

Abbie has built an impressive resume of titles for Central Avenue's romance imprint Everheart Books - the most notable of these is her Shore Leave Cafe series. Constructed around her love for the Minnesota country side where she grew up, Abbie's novels have those essential ingredients that make for, not just romance, but really good romance. 

I am presently reading her Shore Leave debut - Summer At The Shore Leave Cafe - and what I am finding already is a story that is very real, with vivid characters and a grounded narrative where I feel connected to both it and the people she has created.

From the liner notes on the novel;

Joelle Gordon is leaving Chicago and her cheating husband to head for her hometown of Landon, Minnesota. WIth her three beautiful daughters in tow, Joelle is bombarded with an onslaught of memories that Landon evokes. Landon -- home to the Shore Leave Cafe, the restaurant Joelle's family owns -- has some surprises in store for Joelle. Finding herself confronted with the reality of single motherhood, a mysterious but handsome young staffer at the Shore Leave Cafe, her upset daughters, and the prospect of returning to her husband for the well-being of her kids, Joelle must make decisions she never thought she'd face. 


A story about heartbreak, blame, family, desire, love, and the difficulties of returning home, Summer at the Shore Leave Cafe highlights hardships to which everyone can relate.

In our conversations, Abbie told me that she is inspired very much by real life characters - people who have influenced her and affected her. Likewise, Abbie has brought to life her beloved Minnesota with all the sounds and the smells and the visuals of a place that is very close to her heart. Not only is it immersive, is addictive and satisfying. I should add also, that her stories are also sexy, offering readers another satisfying, toe curling facet that will have the pages turning from beginning to end.

As a writer, Abbie has drawn on many and varied inspirations to bring life to her novels and I was particularly taken by the inspiration for Summer At The Shore Leave Cafe which Abbie recounting in a 2013 interview with Wovenmyst Magazine:

"I actually first had the idea for Summer at the Shore Leave Café from a commercial I saw years ago. It featured an attractive woman getting out of an SUV and unloading a surfboard from the back, all the time being observed by a group of cute guys, who were drooling over her from afar. After a moment, the passenger door opened and three girls (obviously her daughters, ages early teens to maybe about eight years) came piling out. The guys observing are like, “Whoa, she’s a mother!” as though they can’t believe it. It was funny and yet the idea was also in my mind that, Hey, mothers can be sexy, too! Mothers are women! I started thinking about a novel with a mother of rambunctious daughters as the central character. What the commercial advertising? I honestly don’t remember!"

Wovenmyst Magazine: Interview with Abbie Williams March, 2013.

I'm so pleased to have discovered and connected with Abbie Williams. As an author, she represents romance alchemy - great story telling, great characterization and vivid imagery. As a person, she is a breath of fresh air and I enjoy interacting with her very much. 

You simply must acquaint yourself with Abbie Williams. 

Tweet with Abbie Williams here.

Connect with Abbie on Facebook here. 

Visit Abbie's official website here.

Purchase Abbie's Shore Leave titles here. 

DFA.

Chase-ing Flukes - A Conversation with Nichole Chase.

Nichole Chase is an author whom I've featured here a couple of times now and there is a good reason for that - she is seriously good.


Nichole has proved herself to be an author of considerable talent and savviness as she has carved out a prominent name for herself in the world of YA fiction over the past couple of years - most notably with her highly popular Dark Betrayal series. But not content to sit idle, Nichole has opened a new door upon her verdant imagination with the release of an entirely new and equally exciting series that begins with the debut - "Flukes" which hits shelves on October 8th. Already, from the buzz I've observed across the internet, Nichole Chase will deliver another engaging mold-breaking fantasy that will hook readers in and won't let them go.

The guff on "Flukes" is thus: 

Meena has a secret guarded closely by her family—a secret as dangerous as the sea, and buried just as deep. When court appointed community service workers are assigned to Flukes, the family-owned animal sanctuary, everyone is on high alert. It doesn't help that Meena finds herself attracted to sexy-as-sin Blake Weathering, one of the new workers. If he wasn't so distracting, she might be able to land Flukes a much-needed cruise line contract.

Blake Weathering, the first in his family to attend public school, has developed a tough image. Unfortunately it lands him in trouble. Now banned from his high school graduation ceremony, getting his diploma is dependent upon a community service gig cleaning fish crap. No diploma, no trust fund fortune—and no way to escape his overbearing father. The last thing he needs is the distraction of a mysterious girl with teal eyes who pulls at his heart strings.

When Blake discovers Meena’s secret, they are both thrown into a desperate search for information about her past. Two worlds pull them in opposite directions, and they will have to fight to hold onto all that really matters.

Already, I am hooked by the few lines that describe the novel and my inquiring mind was immediately hungry for more. So what better way to satisfy that hunger than to approach the woman herself. I had the pleasure to meet up with Nichole just this week and, over some coffee and poppy seed muffins, Nichole revealed a little about the origins of "Flukes". 

I've been working on the Dark Betrayal Trilogy for over two years. It's been a long, intense process. I needed a break. Something a little lighter and fun. Something that could stand alone. I had no idea what it would be. Then while giving my daughter a bath, she was trying to learn how to float on her back. She put her legs together and said, "Look! I'm a mermaid!" She was so happy, I couldn't help but laugh. Then a thought hit me. How adorable would a real mermaid baby or toddler be? Unbelievable adorable! No where near as precious as my cutie, but still, pretty darn lovable!" 

Lovable indeed and it's apparent that, the idea was not going to leave you alone. 

The thought stayed with me. It haunted me. My thoughts drifted to how I would care for a little mermaid. What type of people would be good parents for a mythical creature. If humans were to raise a mermaid, how would she learn about her mer-side. And then... then it really started to get interesting. What if there were important things about mermaid heritage that a mermaid raised by humans wouldn't know? As all good ideas do, this one grabbed me and didn't let go. Meena came to life, as did Blake, her tempting bad boy. I fell in love with these characters. Head over heels in love and I hope that the readers will, too. 

The characters and indeed the mermaid angle sounds really fascinating and, given you've so skilfully created a convincing world with the Dark Betrayal Series, I gotta say you're well placed to make this new book a huge success. I gather that "Flukes" is shaping up to be a series in its own right. Is that indeed the case and how will "Flukes" differ from the Dark Betrayal Trilogy? 

Flukes will be a series, with every book revolving around a different couple. They will be linked, but can each stand on it's own. It's quite different from the Dark Betrayal Trilogy. They are not Young Adult novels, but rather New Adult. They center around college aged individuals, which means the reader should expect mature themes and material. They are also Paranormal Romance, instead of Urban fantasy, which means the story focuses more on the couple than on an outside plot.

Awesome stuff. Nichole and I chatted for a little bit longer about the novel but I don't want to give it all away here and spoil it for you. Rest assurred, however, that my early tip for "Flukes" is that it will make a big splash and Nichole Chase will have a serious success on her hands.

Flukes releases in eBook on October 8th and shortly thereafter in paperback.


Nichole Chase continues to describe herself as a daydreamer. She lives in South Georgia with her husband, energetic toddler, two dogs, and two cats. For years she has had story lines and characters begging for attention, but she resolutely pushed them aside to focus on more normal (read, boring) jobs but she has thrown caution to the wind and now heeds the voices in her head and frantically writing their stories.

When not devouring novels by the dozens, you may find her writing, painting, crafting, or chasing her daughter around the house while making monster noises.

Visit Nichole's official site here

Connect with Nichole here

Tweet with Nichole here

Defiance Rising - A Look At "Mortal Defiance" by Nichole Chase.

Well here we are hey? 2012 - and no sign of John Cusack...yet. I hope your holiday season was a grand and warm one and you're entering the new year with good things to look forward to. 


In this, my first post of 2012, I wanted to return to Savannah, Georgia where, last year, I visited with a stellar new author, the totally charming and lovely Nichole Chase. During 2011, Nichole made a rather large splash in the indie book world with her debut novel "Mortal Obligation", the first book in a three book cycle badged as the Dark Betrayal trilogy. I featured "Mortal Obligation" here at DFA Dot Com back in September and I said then that, in a ever growing dearth of paranormal fiction, Nichole's work was definitely a huge shining light and it gave the genre a massive dust and polish. Her writing features well drawn and engaging characters, cracking and intense plot with touches of hip humour and an overall sense of 'realness' and 'grittiness'. I chatted at length with Nichole about the book and the series and she promised that we would see Book 2 before the close of 2011. True to her word, book 2 "Mortal Defiance" did hit the shelves in December and already it has garnered a enthusiastic response from readers who, like me were eager to read more about the understated heroine Ree McKenna. 

Savannah, GA native and author Nichole Chase.

"Mortal Defiance" kicks off pretty soon after the events in the first book and is described thus - 


One short week turned Ree McKenna’s life upside down. Not only does she have the weight of the world on her shoulders, but she still has to juggle homework, a job, and a curfew. While Ree tries to find her footing amidst the chaos, the Dark Ones and their champion are busy hunting down any humans that have a touch of the gods running through their veins. Allies have turned into foes, and enemies have become stronger.


The world is growing darker, but the passion between Ree and two irresistible guys blazes hotter. Romantic ties from a past life will threaten to break Ree away from the love of her life and will cloud her judgement. In order to follow her heart, Ree will break rules put in place by the gods, risking her life and the lives of her friends in an act of Mortal Defiance.

The premise certainly promises much and, true to form, Nichole Chase delivers, imbuing her rich world with added depth to the characters, heightened tension to her prose and more of the cinematic flourishes that made "Mortal Obligation" such an engaging jump off point. As the title suggests, there is more at stake in "Mortal Defiance" with the Dark Ones ramping up their campaign and wreaking havoc and the heroine, Ree, struggling with her own internal conflict. For a 17 year old girl, living in the midst of a somewhat normal life whilst dealing with a potentially cataclysmic 'other world', it makes for a compelling reading experience. Nichole's deft hand as a story craftswoman, again shines as she handles the multi-faceted plot line with all it's inherent complexities while maintaining a 'spunkiness' and a dark humour which is intelligent and appealing. "Mortal Defiance" is kinda like Star Wars "The Empire Strikes Back". It takes all the ingredients that made the first instalment so successful and adds to it - depth of character, heightened stakes for the characters and a richer world to explore and experience. As such, "Mortal Defiance" is a resounding success and one that will set the stage for a thrilling finale when book 3 lands.


As I did back in September last year, I was able to catch up with Nichole this past week and over a couple of glasses of South Australian sauvignon blanc in the foyer of the Marriott Hotel in Savannah, GA ( *massive disclaimer* ), we talked about the response to book one, the evolution of its central protagonist, Ree McKenna and the Dark Betrayal trilogy from book one to book two.


*   It's great to catch up with you again Nichole and I've gotta say from the outset - Well done you! You've made quite a impact with the Dark Betrayal series and have garnered some wonderful feedback for "Obligation" and "Defiance". How does it feel to have achieved so much and how has that shaped your writing going forward?



It was one of my wildest dreams come true - last August I published a book. Then another dream unfolded before my eyes. People began to buy my book and even better, a bunch of them seemed to really enjoy it. I could hardly believe it! And then a thought occurred to me; One that I had barely hoped to ever be faced with. I had to get crackin’ on book two.


Holy bejeezus, was that thought exhilarating. And horribly frightening. I sat at my desk, late one night and stared at my keyboard. Writing a second book should be easy! I’ve already done it once, right? Yeah, the pep talk didn’t work on me either.  There was a whole new set of expectations at this point. There were flesh and blood readers invested in the story that I had created. And while I already had the entire trilogy outlined, I felt a little lost. I didn’t want to disappoint anyone and that became one of the biggest obstacles to writing Mortal Defiance. Reviews poured in, some people loved this and hated that, while others had a complete opposite reactions. I found myself worried that I might write my story the wrong way. I had to shove away all of the doubts, fears, and worry to focus on my characters and the story. The story that I wanted to tell, not necessarily the story others thought it should be.


*   Yes, and there is no doubt that the series thus far has an individuality and an 'independence' that really shines through. I take your point about keeping the momentum up in continuing the writing journey and the pressures that can befall authors in maintaining a steady workflow. It's not an easy thing to do and we as authors can't be forced by the weight of expectation to produce.  In evolving both the story, the protagonist Ree McKenna, and her enemies and friends, what did you learn about them in penning "Mortal Defiance".


Well, Ree had a lot of growing up to do in Mortal Defiance, and I was looking forward to sharing her journey. So, I set aside my worries and doubts, and worked on unfolding the story. In the first novel, Ree and her friends are thrust into a situation where they have little control. Their actions and thoughts are in response to things happening to them. In book two, they’ve had some time to absorb what has happened and to try to wrap their minds around who and what they are expected to be. Ree must learn to trust her instincts, to stand up for herself, and to take control of her destiny. Let’s be honest, that is a lot for someone to process (especially at seventeen—not to say that teens aren’t faced with very serious dilemmas all the time), and it doesn’t go smoothly. When does life ever go smoothly?


*   Ha-hah indeed! Life as mortals here the real world is complicated enough without the additional burdens of adolescence and world crushing beings from the nether-world, aren't there. Do you think the Dark Ones ever had to wait on a line for a Starbucks? (At this point Nichole fixes me with a puzzled frown and we sip our wine in a momentary awkward silence). I'm kidding of course.


Now in penning Mortal Defiance, there is certainly a raising of the stakes that no doubt required a certain approach to the development of the work. Did your writing process differ at all from the first book "Mortal Obligation" and, if so, what drove your process.


Much of the process came from me in writing the books. When I look at their situation, I ask myself questions. What would it feel like to have all of this responsibility dumped on my shoulders? What would have to happen for me to come to terms with the situation, to accept the things that are being demanded of me? Big things would have to happen. And in Mortal Defiance, some very big things happen. Hopefully, these things help shape Ree and her friends into the individuals they need to be in order to win the battle. Hopefully they will all survive to find their own happily ever afters.


*   Well, Nichole I have must again congratulate you on "Mortal Defiance" and I wish you all the best for the final instalment. It's been a pleasure talking with you again. 


Thank you Dean!


There you have it - "Mortal Defiance" Book 2 in the Dark Betrayal trilogy is available now by following the links from Nichole's own website. Be sure to visit Nichole over there and secure a copy today and while you're at it, catch yourself up with the series if you haven't already buy reading "Mortal Obligation".  


So - Kindle-up people! You won't be disappointed.


DFA.

Dark Obligations - A Look At Mortal Obligation by Nichole Chase

Mortal Obligation: Book One of the Dark Betrayal Trilogy by Nichole Chase
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Seventeen year old Ree McKenna has three goals: get through high school, convince her crush she is more than his best friend’s little sister, and save money for college. Fate, though, has other plans for her. After the untimely death of her older brother, Ree is haunted by dreadful nightmares and terrifying visions. To make matters worse, Ree has started to suspect that something dangerous is stalking her from the shadows.

A night full of frightening surprises leaves Ree with unsettling news. Gifted by the gods with unusual powers, she must devote herself to a battle that could very well lead to not only her death, but the demise of everyone she knows and loves. After all, Ree is the only mortal standing between the Earth and utter darkness.

Set in Savannah, Ga, Mortal Obligation is the first book of The Dark Betrayal Trilogy.

Okay, I have to say this from the outset - it's kind of like - the elephant in the room. There has been an explosion of paranormal fiction in the young adult market over the past few years to the point where, for me now, it's almost too much.

That said, I am still a huge sucker for the genre, in part because of my total Buffy fandom which still resonates from years ago (YES I ADMIT IT - I AM A BUFFY FANBOY) but also because, every now and then, a book will come along that offers the genre something completely fresh and engaging. It may not be totally obvious what that 'something' is at first look but it's there and it grabs you right away.

Georgia native, author Nichole Chase.

And this is indeed the case with author Nichole Chase's debut "Mortal Obligation". This first book in the Dark Betrayal triology (as evidenced by the title) is a considerable achievement for Nichole because she has in a number of subtle ways, introduced a resounding freshness and character to the genre which I think has been lacking in a lot of other titles of late.


Nichole Chase introduces us to Ree McKenna, a earnest and popular 17 year old at a cross road that is familiar to many of us. Approaching the end of high school she is looking towards a college future and has a creative mind and heart that will see her go far. Already, she has an artistic flair that befits someone much older and her job in an antiques shop no doubt fuels her love for all things arty. Unlike a lot of protagonists, Ree is less a loner and engages well within her peer group. She's popular and independent yet she is imbued with just the right amount of vulnerability that lends weight to the romantic threads of the story. In my mind Ree is the whole package, a gutsy young woman who is worldly and wise.


And because of the strength of Nichole's protagonist, Mortal Obligation's plot moves crackingly along. Part mystery, part thriller, part romance, the story follows Ree as she is forced into a potentially world ending battle with the Dark Ones - a group of evil Vampires who are obsessed with enslaving humanity. Balancing the everyday real world with the world of fantasy, good verses evil struggle and mythic ethos is a challenge that Nichole Chase has mastered in spades. Her mythic creation draws upon familiar thematic derivatives but she has molded them so attractively that - again - there is freshness and originality that one cannot help being drawn to. Nichole has a innate sense of tension, romance and humour and she taps into the reader's emotions to draw out the adrenaline, the warmth and the laughs when it is required. I am always drawn to books that encourage me to feel the story rather than be a passive observer of it and in this case, Mortal Obligation is no exception.


Settings and mood are also a strength of Mortal Obligation and this is no doubt informed by the fact that Nichole Chase herself resides in Georgia - the setting for the novel. Thus she has been able to capture a genuine feel for place, which clearly translates well onto the page. Georgia has featured prominently in many books and films that I have sat down with and I freely admit to being a fan of that most southern of icons. In Mortal Obligation, Nichole Chase adds another facet to my overall impression and I like it's personal feel. It's probably the most real of any impression I've experienced.


As the first book in a triology, Nichole has created characters and situations in Mortal Obligation that are attractive and emotive. There is modern coolness, theatrical tension and old school romance that that makes you root for the characters. Thus, I look forward to subsequent entries into this series with gusto.


Mortal Obligation with leave you wanting for more - even before you have turned the last page.


ABOUT NICHOLE CHASE: Savannah, Ga. native Nichole credits sucking badly at maths for her emergence as one of this year's most exciting YA authors. According to Nichole herself - "just ask any of the math teachers that had the misfortune of seeing my name appear on their class schedule". 


Despite this apparent (and I'm sure inaccurate impediment), a fertile imagination has become the hallmark of this engaging young woman who juggles parenthood and life with an insatiable desire to write and create wondrous stories of magic and myth that push the envelop and challenge the reader in new and exciting ways. Oh! And there is this little obsession Nichole has with pistachios but we're not gonna go there...just now.


UPDATE: Wednesday September 7th 2011. 

Following on from my feature on Nichole Chase and MORTAL OBLIGATION, I'm pleased to welcome Nichole herself, into the DFA green room to talk about her amazing writing journey and her breakout first novel. 

1. Thanks for stopping by today Nichole! Now, firstly, tell me a little about your writing journey - how it was that you came from being the maths teacher's worst nightmare to one of this year's most appealing YA authors?

Oh boy. Well, I’m still terrible at math! My strength lies in other places. I’m one of those creative types. I draw, paint, and craft. I also love to read. I can’t remember when I started reading, but I do know that it was early. I guess that the combination of my imagination and my love of reading would inevitably lead to my need to write. When younger I would get lost in day dreams (often in math class, of course) and those stories would consume my mind. Eventually I realized that the only way to get them out of my head was to put them down on paper- or computer screen, as it is now. If there is one thing I hope that people, especially the young adult readers can take away from my experiences, is that it is okay to not be good at everything. That isn’t an excuse to give up, rather a challenge to find ways that your strengths can help you.

2. That is a great philosophy and one that I think we as parents should encourage as much as possible. Your debut novel Mortal Obligation represents, to my mind, all that is good about the YA paranormal genre in that it is populated by accessible characters - people could be as famailiar as our next door neighbors - and situations that have a cinematic, almost epic feel to them. How did you balance the two did you find it a challenge to keep them balanced?

I wanted the reader to be able to truly imagine themselves being caught in the middle of something that was so unbelievable. For me to get lost in a story, I have to be able to relate to the characters. The decisions need to feel real, the reactions need to feel authentic, and the interactions need to feel genuine. I believe that those things are the keys to balancing a large, intense scene. If your characters are genuine to themselves and to real life then that should translate in their actions during extreme situations. 

3. Your central protagonist, Ree McKenna is such an engaging and fully rounded heroine in the story. Who or what was the inspiration for Ree and how did she develop from your initial "sketchings" of her as a person.

Honestly, Ree came to me just as she appears in the novel. She isn’t based on anyone that I know, but rather an image that developed in my crazy imagination while driving through the downtown area with the radio playing. In my mind I saw a blonde teenager walking through one of the lush green squares that fill the city center. She was walking with a purpose, checking over her shoulder with a look of determination. I knew instantly that she was aware that someone was coming for her, and that she also knew she was going to have to make a stand. From there I had to know what was coming for her, and how she was going to defend herself. It’s hard to explain in a way, that I saw so much in her imaginary expression, but something there caught me. 

4. The story and place in which you situate Ree is almost sumptuous in it's detail. As a reader, I found your style to be evocative of imagery and emotion. Did these qualities develop organically for you whilst writing the story or did you have a fully developed structure before you began with a good idea of the visual and emotive elements?

Thank you, Dean! I felt Mortal Obligation as I was writing it and I’m glad that the emotion translated to the reader. Honestly, though, Savannah lends itself to beautiful, yet creepy scenery. The backdrop for this story is a character in its own right. So many of the historical spaces here are beautiful in the daylight and more than a little sinister at night. I had an outline for the novel, but I had wiggle room for things that might develop as I wrote. I think that because I had room for the characters to do their own things, it gave the book a very natural flow.

5. That was one of the things I loved the most about the book - it's natural flow - that is an awesome descriptor. You've introduced a mythology into Mortal Obligation that hums with presence and feels complex and well researched. Did you do any research into mythical archetypes and if so what formed the basis for the characterizations in the novel?

I’ve always enjoyed mythology and I think that I had a pretty good base of information to start my research. The gods and goddesses have characteristics of the stories that have made them famous (or infamous) through history. I introduce a different set of mythological elements, so wanted the more familiar ones to be recognizable. I did spend some time researching African deities, and Native American religions that was completely enthralling. I hadn’t delved into those particular subjects before, and may bring some of the information I learned into future stories

6. Now you're a wife and mother with big demands on your time and inevitably, forces competing your time to write. You've bedded down the first in the trilogy. How do you find time to write each day and do you employ any particular strategies to squeeze as much quality writing time?

First, I have to get the toddler in bed! I only get uninterrupted writing time when everyone else in the house is asleep. My husband is incredibly supportive of my writing, and I occasionally escape to a coffee shop (I know, terribly cliché.) on weekends to write. I have found that writing down notes as inspiration strikes really helps too, even if it is only a short clip of a scene. That makes it so much easier to sit down and pick it up from there when I do get to write.

7. I'm totally with you there. Having a note pad surgically attached to my hip is something I'm looking into right now. I've garnered from your tweets recently that you are a Star Wars fangirl. Is this correct and where have you been all my life? (insert canned laughter here).

Yes, yes I am. And I’m not ashamed of it! Now, can you please explain to my husband how awesome that is? Seriously, I managed to marry one of the only men in the world that doesn’t appreciate my love of all things Star Wars. *shakes head* Go figure!

8. I think I married one of the only women in the world that doesn't appreciate my love of all things Star Wars. Shall we elope now? Seriously though, what's next for Nichole Chase and how is that "what's next" coming along?

The next thing for Nichole Chase includes more writing. I am currently working on book two of the Dark Betrayal Trilogy. Mortal Defiance will be available in December of this year and I am really excited about it. Once my first draft is finished, it is off to my beta readers for a read through. Once it is ready for editing, I will send it to Anne at Victory Editing and start the process over for book three!

Nichole, it's been a pleasure having you stop by today and I wish you all the best for the upcoming 2nd installment in the Dark Betrayal trilogy. I've already reserved space on my reader for it. 

And you can keep abreast of Nichole's happenings and writings at her official site and follow her tweets at the place where it is appropriate to do so.    


DFA.




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