Christine Nolfi's Blog, page 12

As of this writing, I’ve been a South Carolina resident for two years and ten months. In the time since pulling up roots in Ohio, I’ve published four novels (five, if you count my September release), revised 50% of another work, and published a how-to manual for writers, Reviews Sell Books.

You’ve probably guessed that I keep frightfully long hours. Most people dream of self-employment, but here’s a hard truth: it’s difficult to walk away from your professional life when the daily commute take...

Welcome back to Liberty, Ohio. Like the other books in the series, Four Wishes can be read in sequence (with Treasure Me, Second Chance Grill and The Impossible Wish) or as a stand-alone novel. A peek at chapter one:

Whatever tragedies had visited the girl, they didn’t stop her from seeking the refuge of sleep.

After the bursts of tears quieted and she drifted off, a strange energy sizzled in the air. It altered the physics of the servants’ quarters, as if supercharged atoms of sadness and desp...

Recently I encountered the twin tornadoes of wedding prep and book completion. My daughter is now happily married and my next release is at the editor’s—but my books haven’t sat on a bestseller’s list in weeks.

It happens. Novelists can’t promote 24/7 and life will get in the way. Most writers don’t have a PR staff, virtual assistants or unlimited capital to ensure constant visibility. If you’re suffering through a period of dismal book sales and don’t have ready cash for a big promotion, try...

My heartfelt thanks to author and host of Interviewing Authors for last week’s fabulous online chat. If you’re looking for tips on the writing life, or are simply curious about how I bring my novels to life, please listen in here.

The post Listen In! Interviewing Authors appeared first on Christine Nolfi.

Nothing celebrates summer like an outdoor picnic crowned with a mouthwatering slice of your favorite pie. Fruit pies, cream pies, those rich concoctions of custard dotted with chocolate—who can resist?

Do you have a favorite pie recipe? Please share on my Facebook page. On July 31st, I’ll award a $20 gift card for the winning recipe.

Here’s one of my go-to recipes for the lazy days of summer. From start to finish, the pie takes about ten minutes to make.

Lemon Cream Dream

8 ounce carton whipping...

Readers at Noveltunity have selected Treasure Me as a winning selection. My heartfelt thanks.

The post Thank You, Noveltunity Readers appeared first on Christine Nolfi.

Last month I celebrated my third year as a successful indie author. Like most writers, I blundered on countless occasions and succeeded at others. Periodically I reached bestseller lists, making a writing career feasible. Enough positive reviews arrived to lend the courage to carry on.

One of the smartest moves? Two years ago I had the good sense to join ALLi.

Based in London, The Alliance of Independent Authors is a non-profit international coalition that has gathered together some of the best...

During the year marking the end of a lonely childhood and the start of an awkward adolescence, I fell in love with Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women. Chancing upon the novel provided the first confrontation with a character so familiar, the story seemed to reveal my deepest hopes and desires. It mattered little if fictional Jo March lived during the tumultuous years of the mid-1800s when war threatened to tear the U.S. apart, a world unfamiliar to a girl coming of age in the drug-infused, blue...

Recently I enjoyed a delightful conversation with a debut novelist that reminded me of the steps required to succeed in publishing.

If you’re new to the process, take a deep breath. Believe me, many writers publish a first book without a clear understanding of the tasks undertaken to reach visibility. I was among them. A traditional deal didn’t materialize, my critique partners suggested I publish Treasure Meindependently, and I was off to the races.

If you’ve done your homework (and I hope you...

Despite the advice you’ll find in the Help for Writers section of my website on the necessity of blogging, as of late I’ve ignored my oft-repeated injunction. In July, the first of my four children will marry.

Preparing for the nuptials is a tricky business when you’re coordinating the event with an ex living in another state. Add in a maid of honor, my middle daughter, juggling college studies and work in Ohio and the simplest tasks—like purchasing gowns—requires the strategizing talents of a...