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Sunday, April 25, 2010

Author Interview & Contest with Nicole Peeler

When I saw the cover for Tempest Rising I thought 'wow! Cool cover!'. When I finally got to read the book I knew from the first chapter that I was going to love it. I was right.

Now I am waiting patiently for book number two but thought it would be nice to get to know the author a little better. Nicole Peeler is new to the Urban Fantasy scene but is already hanging out with the big guys at The League of Reluctant Adults. Tempest Rising was her debut book but there are already two more books due in the Jane True series, Tracking the Tempest and Tempest’s Legacy.

I hope you all enjoy getting to know this amazing new author as much as I have! Nicole is giving away one lucky Amberkatze's Book Blog reader a copy of Tempest Rising so make sure you enter the contest after reading the interview!

-----------------------------

Amber - Welcome to Amberkatze's Book Blog! It is great to have you here as a guest! Could you start things off by telling us a little about your debut book 'Tempest Rising'?

Nicole - Hi Amber! Tempest Rising is about a girl coming to terms with her inner seal, and boinking a dude with fangs. But don't call him a vampire!

Amber - How did you come up with the idea for Tempest Rising? Was it
a long process or did it just come to you?

Nicole - It just came to me. I had the kernel of Jane's character--the kind of woman I wanted to read about--and it just flowed forth from my brain like creative menstruation. And I apologize for that image. I can't help myself, sometimes.

Amber - Are you anything like the main character in Tempest Rising? Are any of your characters based on people in your life?

Nicole - I have Jane's humor, and a lot of her interests (books, food, sex), but she's way nicer and way more rooted than I am. I am a bit of a gypsy.

Amber - What kind of research do you have to do to write a book? Anything interesting or is research boring?

Nicole - I love research. I'm an academic, so it's what I do. And research is inspiring! I didn't know the Old Sow existed till I started researching Maine, and the book is so much stronger because of the Sow. And I would NEVER have made that up, on my own. A whirlpool named after a female pig? Really?

Amber - How many more books will there be in the series? Are you working on any other projects you would like to tell us about?

Nicole - I've got six books planned for Jane, and a trilogy I'd love to write after I've finished Jane's story.

Amber - Tracking the Tempest is due out in June. How many more books would you like to see the series run for. Is it hard to think up titles with the word Tempest in them?

Nicole - It is, actually. A few titles were really obvious to me, but I've really struggled with others. The third book, Tempest's Legacy, went through a number of permutations before I hit on "Legacy."

Amber - How do you pick the names you use in your books? Do they have any special meanings?

Nicole - I just try to find names that fit the characters personality or, it they're a supernatural creature, their mythic origins. I use a lot of online baby name sites and friends have also contributed quite a few names.

Amber - Have you always wanted to be an author? and why did you pick this genre?

Nicole - Yes and no. I always had vague ambitions, but never pursued it. I'm a professor by day, and that was what I was working towards when I wrote TR rather randomly. And I think the genre picked me, actually. The thing I love about UF is you can make it whatever you want. I wouldn't be happy writing straight romance, fantasy, or mystery, but with urban fantasy I could write all three at once.

Amber - What is the easiest and hardest part about being an author?

Nicole - That hard part is it's just a huge amount of work, much of which has nothing to do with writing. It's blogging, or organizing a signing, or whatever. The best part is hearing from fans that they loved the work and why it effected them. I get really choked up sometimes, knowing that my books have really inspired people or helped them through a difficult situation.

Amber - How do you relax? Do you have any hobbies?

Nicole - I get a weekly massage. With my two, very intense jobs I'm pretty much always working so I really need to that hour on the table to be forced to quiet my mind and take stock. It sounds indulgent, but with the life I lead it's pretty necessary. As for hobbies, I cook, work out a lot, read, and my major hobby is travel.

Amber - A lot of authors have 'soundtracks' for their books. Is there any music influenced your books?

Nicole - I blog about music a lot, and there's a soundtrack for TR you can find on my site. Music is a huge influence on me and my writing.

Amber - What books do you enjoy reading? Do you have any favourite authors/series?

Nicole - I love Philip Roth, Iris Murdoch, Robertson Davies, Jean Rhys, and Muriel Spark, among many, many others.

Amber - If you could be any paranormal creature, what would you be and why?

Nicole - Realistically I'd be something completely ridiculous, like a were-hedgehog. But I'd love to be something sleek and powerful and fast . . . in other words, the opposite of what I am in reality. :-)

Amber - Thank you for visiting Amberkatze's Book Blog! I hope you will come back for another visit in the future!

Nicole - Thanks for having me! It was an absolute pleasure and I'd love to come back soon!



------------------------------

Contest Time

Nicole is giving away a copy of Tempest Rising!!!

How to Enter

Answer this question! Where are you going on holiday to this Summer? Or where would you like to go? ;)

No Holiday - No Entry!

Earn more entries for each place you link this contest on the net. You can post on Facebook, Twitter & MySpace but make sure you add links here for me to confirm your entries!

You can also earn extra entries by emailing your friends about the contest. Just make sure you send a copy of your email or receipt to me at Amberkatzes_book_blog at gmx dot net.

Make sure you post your links here so I can confirm your entries.

Keep the contests going by using the Amazon links below and around the site!





The contest will stay open until Sunday 2nd of May 2010 4pm CET and the winner will be picked by a randomizer. Entrants should check back to see if they have won. I do not hunt down winners and will pick new winners for any prizes not claimed within 7 days.

Good Luck!

38 comments:

Katie said...

I don't have any plans for a summer trip right now. But if I could go, I would hitting the UK to visit Cardiff, London, Nottingham, Birmingham...

cait045 said...

My only plans are the Jersey Shore, some of my best friends have houses. I have no big trip planned but I would love to go to Greece. I have seen pictures and movies, it looks beautiful.

Blodeuedd said...

I love the sound of these books, I have heard many great things about them :)

My plans..none existing, well ok go to Turku to visit a friend, perhaps we could go to helsinki for a day too while there.

Would love to go to Ireland

Unknown said...

I'm going to Dragon*Con in September, does that count?

Anonymous said...

I don't have any plans to go anywhere this summer, but I would love to got to Greece.

echs2007@gmail.com

Unknown said...

I'm headed to the Bahamas for a week. Can't wait for blue ocean and bright sun!!

I'm looking forward to reading these books at well. Great interview!

Lisa Richards/alterlisa said...

Myrtle Beach, where else!

tweeted-alterlisa
http://amberkatze.blogspot.com/2010/04/author-interview-contest-with-nicole.html

blogged about contest-http://lisaslovesbooksofcourse.blogspot.com/p/giveaway-memes-51-515.html

alterlisa AT yahoo DOT com
http://lisaslovesbooksofcourse.blogspot.com/

KMichelleC87 said...

Well we usually go to Louisiana every summer to visit my sister and her family. But my little sister is graduating this year so everyone is comming to our house in Oklahoma. Cant wait! Will be lots of fun.

Thanks for the contest.

kmichellec87(at)yahoo(dot)com

Vickie said...

I am so glad that there are six books planned for Jane!

For vacation this summer, second week of June is Spa Week 2010 where my sister and her kids, me and my kid go out to my dad's place in Kansas to work with power tools....yeah buddy! Last year was building wind breaks and this year we are building an arbor. My mom cooks fab food, we hang out and build and play, plant some landscape, just have a good time.
July 4th is up to DH's sister's place in Minnesota. On the way up or back we will go by way of South Dakota to see Mt Rushmore and all sites along that way.

wanda f said...

No plans to go anywhere most likely be working as summer is a busy time .Would love to take a holiday and go to miami for a week I love it there

Llehn said...

I would love to go to the Bahamas!!!

Kimberly B. said...

Oh, I've been meaning to read this one---it sounds great, and I love the cover art, too!
I'd love to go to Turkey, if I could afford to travel this summer. Barring that, my high school is having a multi-year reunion, so I'd love to go home for that!

Dawn M. said...

Sadly, I have no plans to go anywhere for the summer. Would love to go back to Disney World though. :0)

Thanks!
librarygrinch at gmail dot com

Unknown said...

I'd love to go to New York, and I plan to get there somday but not this summer.

chirth7@yahoo.com

I posted on FB
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/profile.php?id=100000641625482&v=wall&story_fbid=116889858335951

I posted on twitter.
http://twitter.com/Romantic73/status/12879725259

I sent an email to you & 6 friends

Unknown said...

For this summer we are planning a family holiday: 1 week at the Croatian beach! The sea and beach look wonderful there, can't wait! (and of course I'll bring tons of reading ;-) )

+1 tweeted here: http://twitter.com/Stella_ExLibris/status/12881423840

+1 spread the word on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000899165880&v=wall&story_fbid=118662254826920

stella.exlibris (at) gmail DOT com

SandyG265 said...

We are planning to go to the PA Dutch country near Lancaster for a long weekend.

Audra said...

No trip except cub scout camp- but would love to take the kids to Orlando FLA

doreen lamoureux said...

This summer, I am taking my boler to a provincial park ...Kettles Lake park. I plan to camp for 2 weeks. That will be so much fun.

dorcontest at gmail dot com

CrystalGB said...

I would love to go to the beach this summer. :)

Pamk said...

I not going anywhere this summer but am going to disney world and universal studios in november.
My son wants to do a cruise so maybe that for next year. love to go someplace different every year.

Pamk said...

I not going anywhere this summer but am going to disney world and universal studios in november.
My son wants to do a cruise so maybe that for next year. love to go someplace different every year.

JenM said...

I'd love to read this book. It's been on my wishlist for awhile. The cover is great.

We are hoping to go on a dive trip to Cozumel, Mexico this summer. At least, that's the current plan. Summer is off season there, so rates are cheaper.

jen@delux.com

cheesygiraffe said...

I'll probably go to Kansas City to visit family as usual. And most definitely go to St. Louis to be with my husband where he is working.
I would love to go on cruise to somewhere tropical instead.

Anonymous said...

I will be taking college classes this summer, but I would love to visit Seattle.



Skk25@aol.com

Anonymous said...

I would love to go to Scotland this summer. I know I can't, I don't travel well, but if I could go anywhere, it would be Scotland.

Rosie said...

I'd love to get to the beach this summer, but probably won't get because of saving for my son's hockey season coming up. :-(

Giada M. said...

I have to stay home to study for my many exams unfortunately...sigh
But I would like to visit Egypt, if I could... *-*

Thank you for this interview and contest!^O^

Giada M.

fabgiada @ gmail.com

Persephone said...

I have a feeling I may not go anywhere. Wah! BUT I may go to NYC for a day trip, or a weekend trip to Cape Cod. I am still thinking about finals right now, so...

I tweeted
http://twitter.com/suan_tian/status/12925175683

patronus89013 at yahoo dot com

Elsi said...

I want to go to Alaska this summer. But my work schedule has already taken the entire months of June and July away from me, so I'm probably just going to do some putzing about in New England the week after the SHARE conference in August. Then, of course, there will be the drive home from Boston to Dallas with sights to see along the way. Can you say "Road Trip!" ?

Roxy said...

I'm going to Jamaica! I'm so excited! I've never been anywhere tropical.

Unknown said...

I thought I already entered this contest but I don't see my entry.

I'd love to go to NYC! I want to see Regis and Kelly Live for like a whole week. I'm a huge fan of theirs and plan to do this one day soon.
I am taking a trip to visit my grandma, it's not out of state but it's a long 3+ hour drive there. I always dread the drive home.

chirth7@yahoo.com

Tweet:
http://twitter.com/Romantic73/status/12995815998

FB:
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/profile.php?id=100000641625482&v=wall&story_fbid=114522681914249&ref=mf

I emailed you and 6 friends

SiNn said...

i love the covers for these books and honestly id love to go to Ireland or spend a week in the mountains with my fiance either would be awesome other then that im home bound as usual for summer lol awesome contest

mariska said...

I would really like to go to DH hometown (somewhere in Southern Sumatra) again this year. after visiting them on last december. the 10days seemed so short ! coz that was the first time i came down to see my MIL :)

i tweeted : http://twitter.com/becunique/status/13054911253

uniquas at ymail dot com

vvb32 reads said...

love the covers of the books and the storyline sounds fun!

this summer i dream of going to paris, france and having a cafe mocha at an outdoor cafe/bakery. so yes, there would be a fabulous croissant too.

Curling up by the Fire said...

We are planning on going to Florida, Georgia and then relax for one week in Myrtle Beach (at our usual place). Three weeks of holiday bliss. Can't wait. It's a lot of driving, but we lot finding new places to visit and see. And I've never been to Walt Disney World so I am excited for that.

k_sunshine1977 said...

me & my fiance are hoping to go up to south carolina this summer so he can meet my family....

k_sunshine1977@yahoo.com

Spav said...

This summer I would love to go to Sweden or Ireland.

Tweet: http://twitter.com/Sparima/status/13241452773

Dana said...

If money was no object, I would love to go to Hawaii. Since money is an object, I'll probably spend the a weekend in Ohio at Cedar Point, an amusement park.