Tuesday is definitely a good day to introduce a new author to you. Wouldn’t you agree?
I would like to help you get to know Nicki Ruth. She is a Paranormal Romance author who loves historical romance, too. She’s fun, chatty, and easy to get along with. I’m sure you guys will love her.
Q1. Could you tell us a bit about yourself?
NICKI: I started writing in 2017 after years of procrastinating. A seed had been planted, and it refused to remain buried. And, after a very trying period in my life (job and relationship issues), I decided to take the plunge and publish my first novel.
Reading romance, as always, has been a huge stress relief for me. I started off reading historical romance (Judith McNault, Kathleen Woodiwess, Julie Garwood, Lisa Kleypas) as a teen but got into paranormal romance a few years ago and have been hooked ever since. I enjoy authors who put a twist on lore and push the limits. The Black Dagger Brotherhood series and the Immortals After Dark series are my favorites.
I’m hoping to cultivate a series that generates just as much excitement and a following like the ones that I love. One day, I hope to go back to historical romance and write a story that really inspires me. Hopefully, readers will join me on my journey.
I practically have to hunt for time to write these days. With a full-time (and demanding) new job and planning a wedding (getting married in November!), 2019 will be a challenge. But I’m looking forward to it!
MAY: Congratulations! I’m getting married in September. Looks like both of us will be newlyweds soon 😊.
It does sound like we are similar in many ways. I started writing to relieve college and exam stress. Eventually, I wound up enjoying writing more than anything else, which is why I published my first novel in October, 2016.
Q2. What’s your favourite pastime?
NICKI: Reading, writing, and, not surprising to folks who know me, learning about ancient cultures and norms. I always wonder whether I had a life 2000 years ago and how I would have lived. How did I survive? Maybe this accounts for my fascination with historical novels and all things history.
MAY: We can learn a lot from history and get lots of inspiration. I mean, Amazon is currently flooded with retellings of old fairy tales. History gives people that connection to reality that they like seeing in stories.
Right now, my favourite pastime is simply painting. Except for the back pain, the process is rather de-stressing.
Q3. In your opinion, what was the most entertaining scene to write in your vampire series?
NICKI: Before I even completed book 1, a scene from book 2 flashed into my mind. It’s a scene taking place in a river of a magically-hidden land where my two protagonists are splashing about and then finally giving in to the chemistry between them. The scene stuck with me strongly, and I couldn’t wait to write it. I giggled afterwards.
MAY: That sounds quite romantic. I find it heart-warming when the characters let their sweet side show. Most of my heroes/heroines have a lot of bad days. They almost never get the chance to do that, for which I am sorry. My only excuse is, “the plot demands it…”
Q4. What inspired you to write Bonds of Damurios series?
NICKI: I dabble in mixing and tweaking paranormal lore and love my stories to be steamy. So, when Alexios, my alpha vampire, came to me to write his story, I knew I wanted to put a spin on vampire romance. My series takes place a few hundred years into the future where Earth is no longer home and where vampires, humans, fae, shifters, and others are trying to get along. I also wanted to do a little time travel, so my heroine wakes up in another time (the future) where she starts her rediscovery of who she is with Alexios’ help.
I can’t take credit—the story started as a dream with a vampire looking off the bridge of his ship and into space. The series is ultimately about family bonds, love, and accepting yourself for who you are (even if the evil in you wants to destroy the world)—all themes I’m exploring in my personal life (maybe not the evil. lol).
MAY: A good paranormal series, in my humble opinion, has to have a good plot, a dash of humour, and characters that make you want to stay. By the sound of it, you have put a lot of thought into your series. Your work definitely sounds intriguing.
Q5. One day you wake up in an insane asylum (unrestrained) with a note that says, ‘YOU KNOW TOO MUCH’ on your pillow. What is your experimental way of getting out of the asylum to find out what’s going on?
NICKI: I’m gonna
assume someone wants me out the picture! So, I’ll probably try to sneak out
with the laundry or delivery after breaking into the office to steal my files
(might have clues). Once out, I’ll need to begin to figure out what I know, or
don’t.
* Crazy twist→ I was in the asylum for my own protection and have to get back
in.*
MAY: Ahaha, I love your twist! Though, I never figured out how people in movies ever sneaked out with the laundry baskets. Wouldn’t the person pushing it notice an extra 180-200 pounds? Maybe that’s just me.
For my escape, I would probably have been one of those people they needed to restrain because I would knock out the orderly who came in to check on me and steal their clothes and ID. You’ve got stealth on your side, and I got a bit of insanity… Once I’ve blended in with the staff, I would get out of there. Screw the files. They would soon notice that I’ve escaped.
How I got there? Why? Pfft, who needs answers? Just kidding. And…that’s probably how I would end up being murdered by the bad guys outside.
Q6. Do you have any writing advice for aspiring paranormal authors?
NICKI:
- Read a lot of books in your genre.
- Start writing today, don’t wait.
MAY: I agree. Writing every day helps when you chip away at a large word count. I mean, just thinking about writing 95,000 words can be daunting to most people. But when you write a few thousand words a day, heck, even a few hundred, over time that number will shrink.
Q7. On the side of your hot apple pie, would you get cream or ice cream?
NICKI: Ice cream. Vanilla.
MAY: YES! You are my kind of person.
Q8. How do you cope with negative feedback?
NICKI: I ignore negative feedback. Not everyone will like your books.
MAY: I end up reading negative reviews every now and then to see if I can find any truth in them or something I can improve on.
I did find that, oftentimes, negative feedback isn’t very helpful, though. Most people just 1* your work on GR with no constructive criticism or the comment is so vague that you’re left there scratching your head. Or they don’t actually READ the book and say stuff that’s explained in it, which could also mean that I didn’t explain it well enough (could be my fault, too).
The best advice I could give is to approach it with a cool head (if possible) and NEVER reply, although it may be super tempting. As Archer would put it, “Because that’s how you get ants.”
Q9. If you could pick one man in the world to ride in the car with for a single afternoon, who would you pick?
NICKI: Just one? 🙂
I’d love to hear childhood stories from Jason Mamoa, because…hello!
Maybe we could go for a swim or hike.
MAY: Jason is definitely a hottie. Loved him in Aquaman.
I’d love to hang out with Robert Downey Jr. for an afternoon. He seems like such a fun guy.
Q10. Do you have any ongoing projects or new releases you’d like to share with the readers?
NICKI: I’m currently working on releasing Book 4 of my vampire series, Bonds of Damurios. I’m not sure how many books this series will contain. New characters keep emerging, and everyone wants their story 🙂 I also hope to write a stand-alone, featuring the centuries-long life of Alexios—the main vampire hero of my series.
At the same time, I’m also working on another demon series I hope to release this year. It will be a mix of MF, MM, and MMF.
I’m trying to become more active on social media, and I can be found on:
Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Website.
The best way to learn about the next release, insider stories, giveaways, and bonus content is to subscribe to my newsletter which goes out once or twice a month. Readers can get the FREE prequel to my series here.
I hope you all enjoyed getting to know Author Nicki Ruth. Don’t forget to check out her work and have a wonderful day!
Author May Freighter 