Interview with Nicola Claire

Nicola has probably the best name ever. (Nicola is my real name so I'm biased.)

Tell us about your latest novel or project:

After taking a wee break from vampires, I’ve dived back into the MIXED BLESSING MYSTERY series. And it is so good to be back with my fanged friends.

What got you started writing?

I’ve been writing since I was a kid, but I got serious about it when I woke up one day with the outline of the first four books in my KINDRED series ready to go. I started writing and didn’t stop until I’d completed books 1-6 of the series. I now have over 40 books in my published catalogue.

What challenges did you face when you first started writing?

Having to go to my “real” job in the middle of writing a really good scene. Eighteen months after publishing my first book, my “real’ job became writing. That was one heck of a happy day.

Do you ever get the opportunity to travel for your writing? Either to market or to research.

Yes, I do. I’ve used several destinations as sources of inspiration for my writing. Singapore features in the CITIZEN SAGA and Florida, USA in the LOST TIME series. I’ve also based my 44 SOUTH series on the Mackenzie Country in the South Island of New Zealand. My alter ego is The Wandering Writer; I have a series of travel videos on my YouTube channel.

Who in your life is your greatest cheerleader or support in your writing?

My husband. He has been from Day 1. When I told him I had a story inside my head and I’d written a whole lot of notes on it while out at a cafe with the kids, he said “Why haven’t you started writing it yet?” I sat down in front of my computer for three months while he looked after everything else around the house for me. He’s the first to read my books and often weighs in on plot suggestions. Michel from KINDRED is based on him. He often jokes that he’s really a 500 year-old vampire.

What is it like writing in New Zealand that would be different if you lived anywhere else?

For me, it would be the scenery. New Zealand is a beautiful place and when I’m out on the boat or fishing up one of the rivers, surrounded my majestic mountains or the bluest of blue waters, my mind wanders and stories form. I’ll often come back from catching some trout for dinner with the next scene in the book I’m writing ready to go.

Where do you get your ideas? Is there anything about New Zealand that has inspired you to write?

I fell in love with my husband the moment I laid eyes on him. We have what can only be described as an epic romance, I think. That romance features greatly in my stories. But I also draw on other aspects of my life in NZ. Namely, my time spent as a paramedic working in Auckland City. It was tough and heartbreaking work, and often I saw the worst of what people go through. Those hardships and dangerous situations often feature in my stories. Fictionalised, of course! But based on reality, too.

Why do you think readers are fascinated by books written about New Zealand?

I think it might be our location. We’re a long way away from most people, and actually visiting here is not a possibility for some. So, visiting through a story and getting to see a glimpse of our stunning land through the written word works. Oh, who am I kidding? It’s the ruggedly handsome NZ men, of course!

Who is your favourite New Zealand author and why?

Nalini Singh. What an inspiration. Not only do I love her stories, but she’s written so many and doing so well. I want to be Nalini when I grow up. :)

What advice would you give for other writers in New Zealand?

To write what feels right and never stop doing it. It’s a lot easier now days to get into this gig, but that doesn’t mean we don’t all feel uncertain about the reception we’ll get. If you’re true to yourself and do the best that you can, then wear that knowledge like a second skin. It helps to make the little things slide right off easily.

Do you get to network or meet up with other New Zealand authors?

There is an annual romance writers’ conference and the RWNZ of course. But as I live in Taupo, which is a fair distance away from everything, I don’t attend the meetings. I know the support is there if I need it, but I find Facebook groups my main source of support and inspiration these days.

Ah, in my neighbourhood. I'm in Taumarunui so not so far away.

What was the first thing you did after your first book was published?

Kept on writing. And writing. And writing. I might have cracked open a bottle of wine in there somewhere, but basically I just kept on writing.

Do you read your book reviews? How do you handle the good and the bad ones?

I don’t read them all, but I do keep an eye on them. They’re a good indication of what you did right and what you did wrong. Ignoring them completely would be head-in-the-sand type behaviour. And sometimes they make you laugh. We all need a good laugh every now and then, right?

It seems like everything has Easter Eggs (surprise reference to your other work) do you have any Easter Eggs in your books?

Well, it’s hard not to when I write several spin-off series. So, you’ll find them in any of the SWEET SEDUCTION or KINDRED world books. But I might have slipped one in one of the others; you’ll have to read them to see. ;)

How long does it take you to write a book? Do you have any secrets to productivity?

I can get the first draft of an 80,000 word book out in about four weeks. As long as I stay focused and write every day. If I take more than a day off, I can lose the tone and that means going back over what you’ve written to find your voice again. It just messes with the story. If I stay on target, and my editor & cover designer play their parts, we can turn a book around in about six-eight weeks. But everything has to go perfectly for that! And life is not always perfect. :(

Where did you get the idea for your first or latest book?

I get ideas when I’m dreaming. Either nighttime dreaming or daydreaming when I’m out on the boat with my family. KINDRED came to me in a dream (my first release). So did book one in the SECTOR FLEET (my latest release). The CITIZEN SAGA was a direct result of holidaying in Singapore one year. H.E.A.T. though is based on my experiences as an EMT. I spend a lot of time inside my head and there just so happens to be a lot of stories in there to keep me company.

Do you have any writing rituals?

Other than ensuring I touch base with the story I’m currently writing daily, I tend to get my writing done in one sitting. I clear my plate each morning over breakfast (answer emails, social media posts etc) and then hit the keyboard and don’t come up until I’ve met my quota for the day. That doesn’t mean I’m not adaptable. Sometimes the story just won’t flow and at other times there’s way more to get out than just that 3000 word quota I set myself daily. My family has to be extremely adaptable too, but we make it work.

What is your best experience meeting a fan?

I have yet to meet one face to face. I can’t wait! Anyone want to visit New Zealand?

If any of your books was to be made into a film, which one would you pick and who would you have play the main characters?

KINDRED. My debut series is still my most popular and I think Zooey Deschanel as Lucinda would be perfect and Henry Cavill as Michel would be swoon worthy. Although I really like Christina Aguilera in her “The Voice Within” video. She’s bang on for Luce, too, and that song…couldn’t be better.

How important do you think marketing is for authors today?

Very. When I started publishing back in 2012, getting your book in front of readers was as easy as approaching groups on Goodreads and offering a few free copies. Word of mouth was phenomenally good for readership reach. Now, there’s so many books out there, you have to think bigger than that. You have to be a little more professional about it too. Good graphics. Good advertising platform. The right audience. And a well presented product, from cover to cover, inside and out.

Do you have any book you have written that won’t ever see the light of day and why?

Why, yes. Yes I do. The one about a cheeky little monkey I wore when I was six. And another about aliens invading earth which I never finished because it was just plain terrible. This was well before I found “my voice”. I still take a peek at that original manuscript (the alines not the monkey) from time to time and cringe. But, hey, we’ve all gotta start somewhere, right?

Many authors have a word or a phrase they automatically use too often. Do you have one?

No. I’m perfect. Lol. I know I made one of my characters cry too much in one book. And I spoke about her dream business a wee bit too often, too. Every author, I think, can fall into a pattern or simply try a little too hard to get a key plot point across, but that’s what good developmental editors are for and I’ve got a great one. Sometimes I don’t even know I’ve repeated myself at all until the editor points it out in big, thick red ink with flashing neon coloured arrows.

What quirk or trope of your genre do you like or dislike?

Indecisive love triangles that got on for way too long. That’s not saying that love triangles don’t work when done right, but if the protagonist flips and flops for book after book, I lose interest. Pick one already! And pick the one I like., damnit! :)

Often writers get to approach some serious subjects. Which serious subject are you most proud to have written about or was the hardest to write about?

Post traumatic stress. In particular, the effects of dealing with life and death situations on a daily basis. For me, it was being an EMT. I was a paramedic for seven years. Five of which I spent in Auckland City. It was busy, stressful, exhausting and heartbreaking work. And it invaded every part of my life like an insidious disease. It wasn’t until I took a step back and looked at where I was and what I was doing that I realised I was suffering from PTSD. Writing about it in a story took courage and even now, H.E.A.T. is one of the hardest series I’ve ever written. It’s also one of the best and most rewarding.