Saturday, January 5, 2019

Welcome to my blog,




At the start of 2019, I finally decided to do something that I've been saying that I would do for forever. It was one of my resolutions this year. I STARTED A BLOG!!! Which is kind of crazy because I never do any of my resolutions. I just procrastinate until the middle of the year when I either forget what I even wanted to do, or I decide that I don't even want to do it. So me starting this blog is actually pretty huge and I'm hoping that maybe, fulfilling this resolution will help me with my others, at the top of the list being getting a book traditionally published, or in the very least contracted by a traditional publisher. But enough of that, I can't let you in on all of my secret plans ahead of time.

Anyway, now I have a brand new shiny blog and no posts to go with it. So I asked myself, what better way to christen my new blog than to take part in my own cover reveal blog tour*?

*don't answer that, I'm sure that there are a ton of better ways to start off a blog...

Anyway, without further ado, I give you the blog tour for A Winter Grim and Lonely. It's the prequel to Winter Cursed told from the villain's perspective, that's right the wicked queen herself back before she was wicked. She was still totally a queen though. The story could be read as a standalone, I guess, but really you'll be missing out on half the story so I would highly recommend that you read Winter Cursed first (lucky for you it's free grab it here and don't dally because the sale ends tonight!).

Anyway this story is super dark and gritty. Probably my darkest book yet, I'm not going to lie because the really hard part is that I know how it ends for Ismena. *sniffles loudly* I'm definitely not crying... just go look at the cover and leave me to my misery...

...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
Are you ready?
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
If the answer was "yes" then you're probably mistaken
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
I'm not sure how anyone can be ready for this heartrending little backstory
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
....
....
...
...
...
...
...
...
I know that I'm certainly not
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
No, I'm still not crying in case you are wondering
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
I just have... allergies
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
....
...
...
But enough of that, I've made you scroll long enough
...
...
...
...
...
...
I give you...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
THE COVER!





Mirror… Mirror….

Ismena is the queen of Alain and considered by all to be the fairest maiden in the land. She happily looks forward to the day when she will marry the love of her life and unite two of the three kingdoms that make up Illesya. That all changes when King Stephan, her fiance, falls in love with an ice nymph considered more fair than she.

In My Hand…

Scorned by the man she once loved, Ismena is driven by her need for vengeance. She makes a dangerous bargain with King Morren the dark lord who sits on the throne of the third kingdom Mooraven. With his help, she will bring Stephan down. She does not care who she has to double cross in the process, nor how many enemies she will have to make. But her plan for revenge crumbles around her when she finds that she cannot kill a young princess with Stephan’s eyes.

Who is the Fairest…

An eternal winter, a chance at a happy life, and a beautiful stepdaughter. The fate of three kingdoms will be decided.

In the Land?


This is the tale of how an ordinary girl became the wicked queen.





Anyway, isn't the cover beautiful? I'm so excited for this little damaging book to come out even if it is breaking my heart*

*Blame Hannah Shuck for this, it was all her idea...

I don't have a publishing date yet, but I'm hoping somewhere toward the end of the month. Hopefully I'll have a more definite date for you soon.

And as a little bonus I'll now share the top three songs that break my heart right now. Also known as my go-to writing soundtrack for this book:

Wish that you were here
Breath of Life (how could I not add this one to the soundtrack? It is Ismena's theme after all)
Wicked Game

These are all songs from my A Winter Dark and Deadly soundtrack, but they take on a whole different meaning for when I work on this novella.

Well, that's all for now. I'd better go get back to crying writing.

Let's just take one last moment to admire my two books side by side. Don't they look so nice together?


Don't forget to pick up Winter Cursed while it is still free here or add A Winter Grim and Lonely to your to-read shelves here

Other stops in the cover reveal blog tour:

Ivie Writes
The Writer's Song
The Red Hooded Writer
Agency of Books and Spies
Pause For Tales

Anyway, I can't wait to hear from you. What do you think of my new blog? Have you read Winter Cursed before? Do you like reading stories from the villain's perspective? Comment below!

~Nicki

18 comments:

  1. Ooooh! I really like that cover!

    I nabbed a copy of Winter Cursed and can't wait to start reading it! (Apparently Snow White retellings are addictive, because I can't seem to stop reading them... even though I've read 28 of them in the past 18 months) ha!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you! I love it so much *squeals for eternity*

      Cool, hope you enjoy. (I totally get it. Currently I am reading the Five Poisoned Apples collection and I got two other Snow White short stories for Christmas and... yeah, they're really addictive) XD

      Delete
  2. Also, congrats on starting a blog!!!

    (Any interest in joining my February is Fantasy Month blog-tour event? It's totally just for fun and super laid-back. Any post that is at all fantasy-related is welcome! And you can have guest posters come, too if you don't want to come up with a post of your own). If you're interested, here's the link to the sign-up form:
    https://goo.gl/forms/2T3xWRSwtqbPTIm72

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks! It was both harder and easier than I had thought it would be.

      (Yes! I am definitely 100% interested. I love the idea. I signed up :D)

      Delete
  3. AHHHH YOU HAVE A BLOG! <3

    I'm so excited to see what you'll be posting! It's super fun and I hope you enjoy. (also, YOUR COVERS. <3)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I KNOW RIGHT??? I STILL CAN'T BELIEVE THAT IS FINALLY DID IT!

      I'm excited too. I don't have too much planned right now so I guess I'll see what comes :P (<3 I SERIOUSLY LOVE THEM SO MUCH! Can't wait to get AWDaD's cover!)

      Delete
  4. EEEEEEEEEEEEP, I'M SO EXCITED YOU HAVE YOUR OWN BLOG! It's gonna be EPIC!! *screams*

    I can't wait to read this! It's sound so heartrending, and I am DOWN for that. *grabs preparatory box of tissues*

    Lila @ The Red-Hooded Writer

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. EGADS! It's so exciting!!! Now I have to figure out what to put on it *coughs* ;P

      Honestly I can't wait either. It really is. It is breaking my heart and I am so TORN UP over these messed up little characters. *sniffles loudly* Um... could I borrow those tissues? *wails loudly*

      Delete
  5. NICKIIIII YOU HAVE A BLOG AND IT'S SO CUTE AND AWESOME AHHHHH!

    Dude. Who designs your covers? They're absolutely gorgeous. <3 Can't wait to read it!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Eeeep! I'm so glad that you like it :D You have no idea how long I spent designing it... *laughs nervously*

      My covers for A Certain Sort of Madness, Winter Cursed (the newer one) and A Winter Grim and Lonely are designed by the fantastically talented Victoria Cooper. You can find her here: https://thebookcoverdesigner.com/designers/victoria-cooper-art/ I'm so glad that you like them! <3

      Delete
  6. I love your new blog!! Also those covers ARE SO BEAUTIFUL and I want to buy them in print (when a Winter Grim and Lonely comes out, of course). I have a friend whom I think would really, REALLY adore these books... <3 <3 <3

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, I'm glad that you do! AREN'T THEY THOUGH??? I can't wait to get my own copies in print (hopefully we won't have to wait too long ;P). Oh do you? I hope they would! Aww, I'm so glad that you do <3 <3

      Delete
  7. NICKI!!! YOU HAVE A BLOG NOW!?! (A few days late due to power outage, but I just have to say it, congrats and beautiful cover!)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I KNOW RIGHT! WHEN DID THAT HAPPEN??? (ugh, but you got power back now right? Thank you and thank you again! ;P)

      Delete
  8. YAY!! YOU STARTED A BLOG!!!! IT'S SO PRETTY!!! <3 <3 <3

    ~Ivie

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. YAY! I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT I FINALLY DID IT. HOW LONG HAVE I BEEN SAYING THAT I WOULD??? I'M SO GLAD THAT YOU LIKE IT!!! <3 <3 <3

      Delete
  9. MEEEEEPPPPP - I just found your blog and I couldn't be more excited for you, Nicki!!!!!! I love it's name, and I can't wait to read more!!!!

    Catherine

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. MEEEPPP!!! I know, I can't believe that I finally started one! Thank you, Catherine! :D :D <3

      Delete