Just a quick note that Mistress of Legend has won its first award! It took home first in category in the Chaucer Awards for historical fiction at the Chanticleer Book Awards, the same award Madame Presidentess won in 2016.
They say we should have our official winner’s seal by the end of the month, so for now I’m using the contest image.
One of the ads I will be running December 16-26.
A quick update before we start with a series of blog posts on Christmas traditions tomorrow:
Awards
Mistress of Legend is a semi-finalist in the Chaucer Awards for historical fiction pre-1700. We will find out the final results in April.
There is another award I know about, but can’t announce yet…
Sales
Madame Presidentess got an international BookBub ad for December 21 to celebrate its film option, so it will be on sale all over the world December 17-26 for only $0.99 in ebook. (Don’t forget that it is available in audio and print as well!)
2019 Events
2019 is shaping up to be a busy year. Here is my schedule so far:
Book Signing with Missouri Romance Writers of America
February 9, 7 p.m.
The Novel Neighbor
7905 Big Bend Blvd.
Webster Groves, MO 63119
Presentation: Victoria Woodhull: Forgotten by History
Monday, March 4, 7 p.m.
Eureka Hills Branch Library
156 Eureka Towne Ctr
Eureka, MO 63025
IBPA Publishing University
April 4-6
Chicago, Illinois
Historical Novel Society Conference
June 20-22
National Harbor, Maryland
Nicole will be presenting three times during the Reader’s Festival on June 22:
Novelists Inc. Conference
September 25-29
Tradewinds Resort
St. Petersburg, FL
You read that right! Mistress of Legend doesn’t even come out for 22 more days, and it’s already on its way to its first award! It has been short-listed for the Chaucer Award for historical fiction talking place prior to 1750 by Chanticleer Reviews.
I’m especially honored to be on the list with my friend, the amazing writer Anna Belfrage, who is shortlisted for not one, but two novels! And there’s another Arthurian book on the list. I hope this is the beginning of trend!
I was hoping to write this post a bit sooner than a week after the fact, but with traveling, the day job and other book-related events, I just haven’t had time. (What a wonderful problem to have!)
For those who haven’t heard on social media, my books took home four awards at the Chanticleer Author’s Conference in Bellingham, Washington, last weekend. I knew going in that Daughter of Destiny and Madame Presidentess were both going to get first in category awards, for romance/women’s fiction and historical fiction, respectively.
I had no idea that Daughter of Destiny was going to continue on to take home overall category Grand Prize in the Chatelaine (romance/women’s fiction) Awards. They asked me to speak (which I wasn’t expecting) and I told a short version of how I got here (two years to find an agent, two years with an agent, getting close to traditional publications so many times, then leaving my agent, unsuccessfully trying to get another and finally going indie) with the theme of never giving up, which I almost did many times.
Imagine my shock when it was proclaimed Book of the Year! I will never watch awards shows the same way again. Those reactions you see? They are genuine. I leaned forward, covered my face with my hands and uttered some sort of guttural cry. I think at a time like that, it’s all you can can do. When they asked me to speak again, I felt like the Oscar winner who didn’t prepare an acceptance speech. People told me the next day I was very eloquent, though I have little memory of what I said. I know I thanked my mom, who is always my first reader, and who was there in the room with me. I talked about other things, but I can’t recall them.
Later, when i was trying to hold up all four ribbons at once, i felt like the multi-Grammy winner who can barely hold all her awards. It is so overwhelming and humbling all at once. On top of that, you are in a state of shock.
I can’t even put into words what that night meant to me. I am so thankful to everyone who listened to me complain and be scared and frustrated and reassured me that I would figure it out. All of you who have been with me on this journey (whether from the beginning or just recently) are the reasons why I can now say I have written the Book of the Year.
I still can’t believe it a week later. All I can say is believe with everything in you, put in the hard work and it will happen. Manifestation, or as some of us know it, the Red Feather process, is a real thing and it does work, but you have to put in the work as well.
Thanks to everyone who has read my books or supported me in any way, shape or form.
I just found out that Daughter of Destiny (under its previous title, Guinevere of Northgallis) is a finalist for the 2015 Chaucer Awards for historical fiction. It will be in a separate category from Madame Presidentess, which is also a finalist. Here’s the list showing both books.
What wonderful news less than 48 hours before publication!
Happy holidays, all! I’ve been a little scarce due to being crazy busy getting three books ready for publication, spending an epic 3 days in Chicago saying farewell to my favorite band of 18 years (Kill Hannah) and you know, the holidays. Oh and the day job.
Anyway, I’m thrilled to announce that Madame Presidentess is a finalist in the 2015 Chaucer Awards for Historical Fiction! I entered it as a manuscript since it’s not published yet. I am so honored! There is so much more I still plan to do to that book before it comes out in July, so to be a finalist already is such a mind-blowing thing. Here’s the official announcement.
I also entered Daughter of Destiny (still then called Guinevere of Northgallis), and since they are still processing final scores, there’s a chance that one may final as well.
Audio book update: It may be a week or so after January 1 when the audio book of Daughter of Destiny comes out. It’s done but we’ve had some delays on the back end due to ACX’s odd payment process for SAG actors (which my narrator is) and their long final approval process. I will let you know when I know more, but wanted you to be prepared in case that’s the format you are wanting to purchase.
PS – If you want to go through Audible and haven’t made your first purchase through them, please consider doing so. I get a special reward every time someone makes their first purchase on one of my books.
More updates to come as I know about them over the next week as we count down to publication day. This is going to be interesting. As Kill Hannah says in the song “Paper Dolls”, “Start the countdown…4, 3, 2, 1, 0.”