Bio:
Shari Nichols grew up in a small town in Connecticut where haunted houses, ghosts and Ouija boards were common place, spurring her fascination with all things paranormal. Ever since she read her first Barbara Cartland novel, her life-long dream has been to write sexy, romantic stories. Shari has been married to her own alpha hero for twenty-two years. When she’s not writing, she’s reading, going to the gym, or hanging out with family and friends.
She lives in New Jersey with her husband, two teenagers, and her adoring golden retriever. Shari graduated from Rider University with a degree in Business Administration. After spending several years in the grind of Corporate America, she quit to stay at home with her kids. Now she’s thrilled to spend her days in sweats, eating chocolate while pounding on her keyboard to create her next novel.
Her first book, Witch Hunter is available with Ellora’s Cave Publishing. Her next book, another steamy, romance, will venture into the world of ghosts and haunted inns. Shari is a member of Romance Writers of America, New Jersey Romance Writers, Liberty States Fiction Writers and Fantasy, Futuristic, and Paranormal Romance Writers.
Shari Nichols Links:
http://sharinichols.com/
http://sharinichols.blogspot.com/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Shari-Nichols/706144776103554
https://twitter.com/shari_nich
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/29514513-shari-nichols
Ink Motions Interview/Shari Nichols/ Witch Hunter
How do you get an idea for your novel?
Sometimes I get ideas from watching TV, or movies, reading other romance novels and even dreams. In the case of Witch Hunter, I got the idea for the book from an article I read in the newspaper. In fact, I let the story percolate for years in my head before I actually sat down at the computer. I also spent a lot of time reading Fanfiction, which is a great outlet for ideas.
What is your writing style?
I spend a lot of time creating the characters before I sit down to write. I create pretty involved character sketches, and horoscope charts so that I know the characters personality type pretty well before I begin developing the structure of novel. When I get to the point of actually handing chapters to my critique partners, they will know the character’s so well they will call me out when I make mistakes, like “she or he would never do that,” which is helpful. I also prepare a detailed outline before I start the book.
How many novels have you written?
Witch Hunter is my debut novel, but I’ve written many others that are all in the drawer right now. LOL I’m currently working on Book 2 in the series. All the same characters and the town are featured in all three books, but the hero and heroine change in each one and find their HEA.
Who’s your writing idol?
I love, Alice Clayton! She just accepted my friend request on FB and I stared at the computer screen grinning like an idiot for ten minutes. LOL. I do love her! I also adore Christina Lauren. Those two ladies are quite a duo. All of their books are so well written and steamy! I cannot get enough. I also love Kresely Cole. She’s a master at creating a very intricate paranormal world. I’ve read almost every one of her books. I also love Emma Chase!
What is your favorite plot line type?
I love plot lines where the hero and heroine start out disliking each other at first and then grow to become incredibly attracted to one another and then eventually fall in love, despite their differences. Those kinds of books always pull me in the most! I think I stayed up all night reading Beautiful Bastard!
Is there any advice you can offer to anyone who would like to write?
I would say join a critique group, that’s number one. You’re responsible for other peoples work and they are for yours and it forces you to create deadlines. It’s too easy to put your writing on the back burner when you’re not published. Make writing a priority. I would also say enter contests, despite the fact that the judging can be brutal. It’s also very subjective, having said that, it’s still worth the effort. I’ve gotten great feedback and edited and rewrote my novel from the wonderful suggestions I’ve gotten. I also learned to be a better writer from each contest entry, striving and pushing myself to improve. Also, I would recommend going to conferences, network with other writers, and put yourself out there as much as possible. No one understands the writing struggle like other writers. Take classes, online or through your local writing chapter and read, read, and not just fiction, but books on how to write and learn something new every day!
What’s a good villain?
Well I hope readers will like my villain in the sense that they find him scary and his actions quite deplorable. I think the best villains are those that make you feel some type of empathy for them, ones that aren’t all dark. Although my villain appears to have a black soul, there’s still something in him that makes you feel sorry for him. He’s faced trauma like everyone else, which makes him who he is today. And my villain is based on a real crime story
Thank you so much Ink Motions for having me!
Determined MBI (Magickal Bureau of investigations)agent Alex Denopoulos will stop at nothing to catch a killer, including recruit notorious felon, Willow McCray to work for the agency. The lines between duty and passion become blurred the more time he spends with the sultry witch. In the midst of the investigation, they succumb to the dark edges of desire, placing both their lives in danger. Alex will risk more than his badge to keep her alive.
Kick-ass witch Willow must use her powers for good if she wants to stay out of Hellios, a mage prison for those who have broken the Wiccan Rede of ‘Harm ye None.’ Willow never expects to fall so hard for Alex, a mortal with a penchant for justice and a deep seated hatred of witches. Though a future together seems impossible, she doesn’t want to let him go. If only she can vanquish the evil surrounding them and give Alex what he wants, her mind and body-before she loses her heart and maybe her very soul in the process.
Excerpt:
Willow took a sip of her margarita and glanced down at Alex’s big hands, tanned and sprinkled with a smattering of dark hair. Funny, she never found a man’s hands sexy. Suddenly her mind filled with images of Alex trailing those big, masculine hands over her body. She wondered if he fit the stereotype. Big hands, big…
“You never did answer my question. Are you considering taking me up on my offer?” The sound of his voice pulled her from a host of fantasies. Willow dug her nails into her palm to get her head back in the game. She shouldn’t be thinking about this man in such a raw, sexual way.
“Why not? My car’s parked in the back.”She probed through the nearby crowd to check if Alex came here with bodyguards. A virtual cacophony of conversations invaded her thoughts, but nothing about protection for Alex. Once she got him alone, she’d take her chances and pray she wouldn’t be outnumbered. “Then let’s get out of here. Unless of course I’ve got some competition.” He motioned over her shoulder to the incubus whose head now lolled forward over the bar.
“I think you’re flying solo here.” She’d set her trap and let the consequences be damned. She rubbed her finger along the rim of the glass and licked off the salt.
She lifted the glass to her lips, savoring the tangy flavor of margarita mix along with the zing of tequila as it slid down her throat. Headrush. No surprise there, she couldn’t remember the last time she’d slept or eaten in the past forty-eight hours, existing on a combination of raw nerves and pure adrenaline.
“You missed a spot.” He ran his thumb along the seam of her lip. He put it to his mouth and licked. “Mmm, sweet.” Her plan didn’t involve foreplay…but damn he was hot. In another time and another place she would be seriously into this guy. Too bad I might have to kill him.
1 comment:
Thank you so much for having me! :)
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