Happy New Year everyone! I’ve been without internet for the past week as we packed up the last of my things in St. Louis and moved them back to South Bend so this is a little later (and longer) than originally planned. We got back last night in time to rest a little, have pizza and ring in 2024.

The new year certainly started off right! Just after midnight, I found out that America’s Forgotten Suffragists won Gold (the highest level) in the non-fiction category of the Historical Fiction Company Awards! I completely forgot I even entered that contest, so it was a very pleasant surprise! You can read their 5-star review of the book here. (I think this bodes well for it winning the Pulitzer on May 8, don’t you?)

Thinking About 2023

I just looked back at what my word of the year was for 2023 and it was “health.” Yeah, not the way the year went at all. If there was a word that describes 2023 accurately it would be” whirlwind.”

On the book side of things, I released five books this year: Raising our Voices: League of Women Voters of Metro St. Louis 1960-2022; America’s Forgotten Suffragists: Virginia and Francis Minor; a chapter in Ethics in the Arthurian Legend; Fierce Females on Television: A Cultural History; and Catherine’s Mercy. This was the culmination of two years of really hard work and to be honest, I’m tired and a little crispy. But more on that in a bit.

My personal life was even crazier. In January I had my first date with Chris, the younger brother of a girl I’ve been friends with since I was 15. It was terrible. Normally, I would have written Chris off, but for some reason I gave him a second chance. We did the long distance thing until May, when I moved to South Bend, Indiana, to live with him. He proposed to me in September and we’re getting married next October. It sounds like things moved fast—and they did—but we’re both at a point in life (in our 40s) where we know what we want and when you find it, why wait? I can honestly say I didn’t know I could love someone so much. I can’t imagine going back to my previous life, and God willing, I won’t ever have to.

Moving to another state disrupted my whole life—my job (I had a rough go of it but thank God I got to keep it), every single way I live. Balancing that with all the book releases and my personal life was very, very difficult. I will admit to breaking down several times, crying a lot (sometimes just out of stress, sometimes happiness, and sometimes sadness), and having a tough time adjusting. But now things are getting better, mainly because I’m getting used to my new life, I think I have a good handle on my day job again and that I have so much support from Chris.

Given that nothing in 2023 went the way I expected, let’s take a look at my goals for this year and see how I did:

Writing

Edit Catherine’s Mercy – Done
Do additional marketing for Sex and the City – I think I did this, but I’m honestly not sure.
Market and successfully release: – Done
- Raising Our Voices
- America’s Forgotten Suffragists
- Catherine’s Mercy
- The project I haven’t talked about yet (I’m not sure which one this was)
- The Arthurian Ethics book
- Fierce Females in Television
Write – Did not do any of these, but I had a really good excuse named Chris
- Revolutionary War book (started)
- 1920s book (research started)
- Stretch goal: WWII (halfway done)
Attend the Historical Novel Society Conference in June – Did this and loved it!
Speak as a member of the Missouri Speaker’s Bureau – Done
Learn how to better use TikTok – Oddly enough, I stopped using it for a long time
Continue writing poetry – I wrote some, but I don’t think I shared any

Personal

Enjoy life! – Um, does being caught in a whirlwind count? I think so because it was mostly good.
Lose about 70 lbs – nope
Get into a habit exercise and healthy eating – nope
Pay down debt (I promised my Chicago friends I would move there by the end of 2024) – no, but we are working on the debt and I now live only 2 hours from Chicago, so sort of?
Get reaquatinted with my spiritual side – not really
Celebrate 20 years at my day job and keep it until I can write full time – yes, barely, but I did it!
As for fun: go see more concerts (Placebo in April in Chicago!), theatre (Les Mis and Six this month!), dance, get into gaming again (maybe on Twitch?), etc. – all this and so much more!

Hello 2024!
Because of all of this, I was planning on not doing any writing until after the wedding, but I was approached the other day by a publisher who is interested in a certain type of book. We’re going to talk about a few ideas I have. I have no idea how that is going to go, but I’m hopeful.

I also have a non-fiction that I want to work on because it has basically become my entire personality right now (and ties into a future fiction project) and I got a fun idea on the way back from St. Louis the other day. I’m looking at the new idea as something I write just for me and if it gets published someday, fabulous. If not, I don’t care.

Regardless of what happens with those ideas. I’m going to focus more on marketing the books I have, having a work/life balance and enjoying planning my wedding. I’ve worked my butt off for the last two years with my writing and honestly, I’m not seeing nearly enough return on it to keep going that way. Plus, I have better things to do with my time now.

There are several books I definitely still want to write, but I need to allow myself to deal with the continued transitions in my life in a healthy way. (Which, oddly, brings us back full circle to my word of the year for 2023.)

I’m going to try to go light(er) on the goals for 2024:

Enjoy my time with Chris as much as possible.
1. I think this one will happen because Chris is really sweet about helping me to relax.
2. We travel a lot, which forces me to remove myself from my problems.
3. We have our honeymoon to look forward to! (We’re going to England.)
Lose 70 lbs before my wedding in October.
1. I know I’ve said this for many years, but if this doesn’t motivate me to do it, nothing will.
2. This is going to take a lot of willpower, but it is possible.
3. I’m already working on healthier eating; it’s the exercise that I have a hard time prioritizing.
4. I’m working with a health coach through my day job and my doctor has recommended me to a weight loss clinic in town.
5. Chris is very supportive and is willing to help me as much as I want him to. He is very clear this has nothing to do with my looks; he wants me to be healthy so that we can be together for a long time.
Enjoy wedding planning and all events that come with it.
1. I’ve got a good start on this, so I’m hoping I won’t have a lot of stress as the time gets closer.
2. I’m really enjoying doing the flowers, décor and writing the ceremony.
3. The wedding shower will be in June; the bachelorette party in September.
Redesign my house. You know I love DIY projects.
1. I have solid plans for an overall look (you guys will love it!)
2. I know exactly what I want the bedroom to look like. Just waiting on the money to get what I need to.
3. I have a vision for the kitchen and an idea for the living room.
Write because I have stories to tell and because I enjoy it.
1. I hope money comes along with it, but I’m tired of chasing after it.
2. I need to remember why I started writing in the first place, and money wasn’t it.

Normally this is where I pick a word of the year for 2024, but I’m not going to do that this year. I was thinking something like “balance” or “fun,” but for some reason every time I go to select one, I freeze up. Maybe I’m just burned out on this tradition or maybe its because I forgot to pack my anxiety meds and haven’t had one for a week, but I just can’t get myself to do it. Maybe no word is the new tradition.

Thank you all for your support in 2023 (and always). I wish you a bright, happy new year filled with blessings and abundance.

March 1, 2023America's Forgotten Suffragists, Women's History, Women's History Month

America’s Forgotten Suffragists is Here!

Nicole EvelinaAmerica's Forgotten Suffragists, America's Forgotten Suffragists: Virginia and Francis Minor, biographies, biography, Francis Minor, suffrage, Virginia Minor, woman's suffrage, women's history, Women's History Month, women's suffrage

Happy Women’s History Month!!

I can hardly believe this day is here! Today is also the publication of America’s Forgotten Suffragists: Virginia and Francis Minor. It’s not only my first biography, but the first ever written about them.

The book that started with a passing reference in my research for Madame Presidentess and the question of “what else is other there about Virginia?” quickly turned into “why has no one else written about them?” And now it is out in the world!

I’ll be honest with you guys, I’m dreaming big with this book. Some of you have already heard me say that I’ve had a Pulitzer Prize in mind in since I started researching–and I’m holding to that. I’m also nursing a *small* hope I will hit the New York Times bestseller list with this book. (If you want to help out, I’ve got a page with graphics and info on it that you can share. No pressure at all.)

So you want to buy the book? Thank you so much. Here is every buy link that I am aware of:

U.S.

International

If you’re store of choice isn’t here, please check their website and put in my name or the book title. If you are going to a brick and mortar store, if they don’t have it, they will be able to order it for you.

Other things you can do to help:

Share information on social media.
1. If you’re on TikTok, make a brief video using #booktok.
2. If you’re on Instagram, share graphics using #bookstagram
Encourage your friends and family to buy it.
Write an honest review on Amazon. (One sentence is enough!)
Ask for it at your local libraries, schools, and bookstores.
Recommend it to your book club (I do in person and online visits).
Anything else you can think of to persuade people to buy it.

Thank you all so much for all of your support. I’m very excited that Virginia and Francis are finally getting their due more than 120 years after their deaths. This is the most important work I’ve done to date and I hope everyone finds it as fascinating as I did.

PS – Did you know there is a lot of information that didn’t make it into the book? Check it out here.

August 9, 2022America's Forgotten Suffragists, Awards, Guinevere trilogy, Sex and the City, Updates

Updates on Health, Life, Books and Everything

Nicole EvelinaAmerica's Forgotten Suffragists, America's Forgotten Suffragists: Virginia and Francis Minor, blood clot, book announcement, Chanticleer, Chicago, hospital, publication, Sex and the City, Sex and the City: A Cultural History, social media, TikTok, update, Updates 4 Comments

I know, I know, it’s been a minute since I’ve posted anything about writing or life. I’m even late with my August newsletter. But I have reasons.

Health Update
First, some of you may have seen on social that I was in the hospital about a week and a half ago. I went in via ambulance thinking I was having a heart attack (shortness of breath, dull pain in my left arm). My heart was fine, but in the course of testing they found I had three small blot clots in my lungs. I would never have known had I not gone in. (Listen to your body! It could save your life.)

They admitted me and pumped me full of blood thinners and now I’m home, back to work and taking blood thinners at home. (Which I will likely be on for the rest of my life.) They couldn’t find a reason for the clots; all my tests came back normal, so that is really scary. I’m paranoid about making sure I don’t sit in one place for too long at a time now.

As a result, I’m stepping back from some of the volunteer things I’ve been doing. I had a potential book project going on, but that fell through, and as much as I would have loved to have worked on it, I’m kind of glad. This situation forced me to look at the manic pace at which I’ve been working for at least two years now and settle down a bit. That is one weight off my shoulders.

Book Announcement – August 15
I’ve been sitting on this one for about a month and a half, but soon I will finally be able to tell you about a historical fiction book I have under contract! I’m really excited about it and I hope you will be, too. It’s a tight turnaround, but I know I can do it. And we have a cover to reveal at the same time! So please mark your calendars!

I’ve Joined TikTok
I finally gave in and went to the dark side. I’m on TikTok. (Find me here.) I’ve been lurking for a few months and realized its really not that bad when you find people of like mind. I’m going to try to make videos a few times a week. Right now it is just me trying to get used to how it works, but eventually you’ll see more book stuff on there too. So if you’re on, please follow me and feel free to like or comment on my videos. And if you have suggestions for improvement or things you’d like to see, I’m all ears.

Book Updates

We are just about three months out from the release of Sex and the City: A Cultural History! It is at the printer and I should be getting advanced copies within a few weeks. You’ll be seeing more and more about it as we ramp up marketing efforts.
The League of Women Voters book has a title: Raising Our Voices: The League of Women Voters in St. Louis 1690-2022. It is being sent to the publisher as we speak. More to come.
America’s Forgotten Suffragists is still in copy editing, but they say I should get those files back next week sometime. I’ll have a week to go through everything and then in late September I’ll see the book laid out for the first time in page proofs.
The Arthurian non-fiction book I wrote a chapter for is getting closer to publication. I completed edits that the potential publisher wanted a few weeks ago. Now we wait.
And yes, the Fierce Females on Television book is still happening, but it’s on the back burner right now with everything else that is going on. It’s due January 13. Plenty of time, right?

Chanticleer Conference Summary
I was planning on doing a full write up of the Chanticleer Conference but time got away from me and I don’t have the energy. Short version: It was one of the best conferences I’ve ever been to! I made so many amazing new friends and it was great reconnecting with old friends. America’s Forgotten Suffragists and The Guinevere’s Tale Trilogy both won Grand Prizes! And I got to speak something like four times. It was amazing.

T-minus Two Years (or less) to the Windy City
At the Chanticleer Conference, I made a promise to my Chicago friends that I will move there within the next two years. And life, as it usually does to everyone, promptly gave me a leak in my basement, a hospital stay, and car bills, which takes away from paying off debt and being able to move. Whatever. It will still happen.

I think that’s everything outside of the day job. Oh, my birthday is coming up later this month. Maybe I should update my Amazon wishlist!

May 20, 2022America's Forgotten Suffragists, Books, Cover Reveals, Virginia Minor, Women's History

Cover Reveals! Sex and the City & America’s Forgotten Suffragists

Nicole EvelinaAmerica's Forgotten Suffragists, America's Forgotten Suffragists: Virginia and Francis Minor, biographies, biography, cover reveal, cultural history, historical women, pre-order, Sex and the City, Sex and the City: A Cultural History, women's history, women's suffrage

I am so excited to show you the covers of my next two books, which are also my first traditionally published books. You can pre-order both in hardback now; e-book is coming soon and paperback will be out about a year after the initial publication.

Coming November 15!

An insightful look at the cultural impact of the television phenomenon Sex and the City

Back in the late 1990s and early 2000s, one word was on everyone’s lips: sex. Sex and the City had taken the United States, and the world, by storm. Carrie, Miranda, Charlotte, and Samantha influenced how a generation of women think, practice, and talk about sex, allowing them to embrace their sexual desires publicly and unlocking the idea of women as sexual beings on par with men.

In Sex and the City: A Cultural History, Nicole Evelina provides a fascinating, in-depth look at the show’s characters, their relationships, and the issues the show confronted. From sexuality and feminism to friendship and motherhood, Evelina reveals how the series impacted viewers in the 1990s, as well as what still resonates today and what has glaringly not kept up with the times. The world has changed dramatically since the show originally aired, and Evelina examines how recent social movements have served to highlight the show’s lack of diversity and throw some of its storylines into a less than favorable light.

While Sex and the City had problematic issues, it also changed the world’s perception of single women, emphasized the power of female friendship, built brands, and influenced fashion. This book looks at it all, from the pilot episode to the spinoff movies, prequel, and reboot that together have built an enduring legacy for a new generation of women.

Pre-order hardback here:

This book is part of Rowman & Littlefield’s Cultural History of Television series:

Coming March 1, 2023!

Missouri’s Virginia Minor forever changed the direction of Women’s Rights–not Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lucy Stone, Carrie Chapman Catt, or any of the other so-called “marquee names” of the suffrage movement–when she and her husband, Francis, argued Minor v Happersett in 1875. Despite the negative ruling, this landmark case brought the right to vote for women to the U.S. Supreme Court for the first and only time in the seventy-two year fight for women’s suffrage in the United States.

America’s Forgotten Suffragists: Virginia and Francis Minor is the first biography of these activists who had a profound impact on the suffrage movement but have largely been forgotten by history. Virginia and Francis were unique for their time in being jointly dedicated to the cause of female enfranchisement. Unlike the brief profiles available now, this book will paint a full picture of their lives, depicting their youth, married life, and their highly-lauded civilian work during the Civil War. Their early suffrage work and famous Supreme Court case will be covered in depth, along with an exploration of how it actually helped the suffrage movement by giving it a unifying direction, despite the court delivering a negative verdict. This biography will also cover Virginia and Francis’ continued fight for women’s suffrage after the case, including Virginia’s tax revolts, writings, and campaigning for the franchise in Nebraska.

Preorder hardback here:

More information on the Minors and additional insights that didn’t make it into the book are available at the Virginia and Francis Minor Memorial Institute.