A born and bred New Yorker, Nicki Night delights in creating hometown heroes and heroines with an edge. As an avid reader and champion for love, Nicki chose to pen romance novels because she believes that loves rocks and she delights in writing contemporary romances with unforgettable characters and just enough drama to make readers clutch a pearl here and there. Nicki has a penchant for adventure and is currently working on penning her next romantic escapade. Nicki is a member of Romance Writer’s of America (RWA) and the New York City Chapter of Romance Writer’s of America.
BPM: What made you want to become a writer? How long have you been writing?
I’ve been writing for many years. I’m an award-winning journalist, award-nominated author, I’ve written screen plays and engaged in many other forms of writing for more than twenty years now. However, I’ve always been in love with creative writing and have been doing that since I was a kid.
BPM: How do you think you’ve evolved creatively?
Wow! In so many ways. I’ve always been adamant about honing my craft. I’ve taken writing courses, gone back to school to acquire an MFA in Creative writing, completed a certificate program to become a creating writing teaching artist. I teach writing as an adjunct professor and have taught writing in schools to students in grades K-12. Everything I’ve done to hone my skills, invest in the world of writing or learn more about the craft has helped me to evolve as a writer. Teaching keeps the evolution flowing because I’m always entrenched in the technique and craft. I have evolved most as a result of my graduate studies while acquiring my MFA in Creative Writing. During this time I really stretched my writing muscle and began writing in several other genres such as poetry and literary fiction. I’m serious about being the best writer I can be therefore, I’m serious about learning, teaching and investing in my craft constantly.
BPM: How has writing impacted your life?
Writing is like breathing for me. It gives me life. I’m blessed to have the talent, skill and ability to do this because it’s something that I absolutely love. It’s a passion the became a profession. Now I write and teach writing to students and people of all ages.
BPM: What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your books?
What surprised me the most initially and continues to do so is how receptive readers and the industry has been to my work.
BPM: How do you find or make time to write?
I just make it happen. I squeeze writing in at all times of the day and night. I write everywhere–at home, in Starbucks, Panera Bread, parks, vacation, airplanes, trains, automobiles–anywhere!
BPM: Are you a plotter or a pantster?
It depends on the genre. With romance or contemporary fiction, I’m more of a plotter/panster. With poetry, I’m a total panster. I write whatever comes out of me. With literary fiction, I’m a total pantster, because the character totally leads me through the story.
BPM: How did you choose the genre you write in? Have you considered writing in another genre?
I write in several genres, contemporary fiction, romance as Nicki Night, poetry, literary fiction, motivational inspiration and I’m working on a proposal for a YA novel inspired by the youth I’ve worked with over the years. I’m a writer to the core and I have the pleasure and ability to flex my muscle. However, there are genres that I do not and will not touch because they are not my area of expertise and I only write in genres where I believe I can do the storylines justice. I DO NOT write sci-fi, fantasy, or paranormal.
BPM: Tell us about your most recent work? Available on Nook and Kindle?
My most recent work is It Must Be Love by Nicki Night, available anywhere books are sold. It’s a wonderful love story about a woman named Jewel Chandler how has this ‘must have’ list for the man of her dreams. Here comes Mr. Sterling Bishop, representing everything that Jewel insists she doesn’t want in a man. He has Jewel second guessing every standard she’d even set for her love life.
BPM: Give us some insight into your main characters or the speakers. What makes each one so special?
I try to really delve into who my characters are at the heart and make them multi-dimensional. I like for my characters to stand up on the page and be in the reader’s face. I want readers to walk away feeling like they know them as people. I like to play with their wants, desires, fears and goals while making them both larger than life yet completely relatable. Like Jewel, in It Must Be Love. Every woman, at some point had a list of what we wanted in our significant others. And like Jewel, most of the time, we don’t get what we thought we wanted. She ends up learning a lot about herself.
BPM: Share one specific point in your book that resonated with your present situation or journey.
Like Jewel, I had this list of what I wanted in my perfect man. I thought this list would be what would ultimately make me happy. My mother even told me I’d probably need get married because of my list. But I learned that love doesn’t come from a list of words.
BPM: Are there certain characters you would like to go back to, or is there a theme or idea you’d love to work with?
There are several characters that I’d like to revisit and see what they are doing these days. One of those characters includes Lexi from my very first book, Mountain High Valley Low, under my name, Renee Daniel Flagler. It has been at least 14 years since that book came out and I think of Lexi and Brian often, wondering what would be happening in their lives now.
BPM: Is there one subject you would never write about as an author?
I don’t really think any subject is off limits. I’ll try anything that fits into a good story well.
BPM: Have you written any other books that are not published?
Plenty. I have some much coming. My agent is shopping my book called The Second Wives Club. I have a book of poetry that’s being shopped and several fiction novels in the works at various levels of completion.
BPM: What projects are you working on at the present?
I’m always working on more that one project at a time. Right now I’m finishing up a romance book for Harlequin by Nicki Night titled Sealed With a Kiss. I’m in the midst of my first non-fiction called DreamJourney: Seven Principles for Professionalizing Your Passion, and have also outlined several other fiction projects.
BPM: What is your preferred method to have readers get in touch with or follow you?
I’m all over social media and don’t mind being contacted there. Also, email always works for me.
BPM: How can readers discover more about you and your work?
As I said before, I’m all over social media as both Renee Daniel Flagler and Nicki Night. I’m on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and my websites are ReneeDanielFlagler.com and NickiNight.com.
IG: @Iamnickinight
Website: http://www.NickiNight.com
Twitter: twitter.com/nicki_night
FB page: https://www.facebook. com/AuthorNickiNight/
Amazon Page: https://smile.amazon.com/ Nicki-Night/e/B01HZQ3MG0