Sunday, October 19, 2008

Interview with author, Nikita Nichols


Today, I welcome author, Nikita Nichols to Urban Christian Fiction. Nikita is one of my label-mates at Urban Christian Books and a really lovely person to have been fortunate enough to get to know over last few months. I'm pleased to offer her a spot on UC Fiction.

Welcome, Nikita. Tell us about your novel, A Man’s Worth. “A Man’s Worth” tells the story of the friendship between Pastor Cordell Bryson and Randall Loomis. They were childhood buddies and are now grown men who were as close as blood brother’s, until the sultry seductress, Amaryllis Price came on the scene. From the moment Randall set his eyes upon her, all hell broke loose. No one can deny that Amaryllis is beautiful but her heart beats to the devil’s tune. Blinded by her sex appeal, Randall is oblivious to the fact that she’s on a mission, sent from the pits of hell to steal his integrity, kill his relationships with his best friend and mother, but Amaryllis’s ultimate goal is to destroy Randall completely. Not only is he Randall’s best friend but as his pastor, Cordell discerns Amaryllis’s foul spirit the moment he met her and he voices his opinion to Randall every chance he gets.

Sounds very interesting. What inspired you to write this story? I wanted to flip the script. Too often, we hear of women in the church who are taken advantage of by handsome men. I wanted to write a story that shows how men too can easily get caught up, tangled up and twisted up in the arms of evil if they’re not careful.

What do you want readers to take away from this story? The overall message that I’d like for my readers to take away from this story is very simple. I really want men and women to understand that everything that looks good to them may not necessarily be good for them.

A Man's Worth has a sequel that’ll be released in March. Tell us about that. Actually the release date for “Amaryllis” is April 1st, 2009. And it picks up right where “A Man’s Worth” ended. My character, Amaryllis Price, moves to Las Vegas to live with her sister Michelle and wreaks more havoc than she did in “A Man’s Worth”. Michelle is engaged to Minister James Bradley and treats her like the queen she is. Amaryllis becomes jealous of the attention James showers on her sister and she sets a plan in motion to steal him from Michelle and claim him as her own but it is how she does it that blows the minds of readers. Like a thief in the night, Amaryllis comes at James full force and blindsides him when he doesn’t see her coming. She places him in a compromising position and it takes a move of God to get him out of it.


Tell us about your journey to publication. My first novel, “None But The Righteous” was born on the heels of my divorce. I suffered through a nine year loveless marriage and was the poster child for mental and verbal abuse. I felt compelled to share my story with other women who were in my shoes. “Righteous” takes readers on my journey from the very beginning of my marriage ‘til the day God delivered me. I didn’t have a title until I had completed the final chapter because at the end of the novel, the rapture happened and the male character was left behind. He wasn’t righteous, therefore he didn’t see God.


What’s been the most rewarding thing about being published? What’s been the most difficult thing? I’d have to say that the most rewarding thing about being published was being picked up by Black Expressions Book Club. It’s every black authors dream. Also, going into book stores and seeing my novel surrounded by trailblazers such as Maya Angelou, Hill Harper, Barack Obama and Terry McMillan is overwhelming.

Why do you choose to write Christian Fiction? I choose to write Christian fiction because it deals with real issues. People think church folks have no issues but it’s just the opposite. Because we’re struggling to live right, we have more drama, turmoil and difficulties than the average man. We are in a war each and everyday of our lives. Christian fiction tells powerful stories of how church folks deal with the struggles of life but we’re overcomers, our faith in God delivers us each and every time.

I asked Nikita to get personal and she answered the following questions.

Favorite worship song: “Spend My Always”, by Kirk Franklin
Favorite flavor of ice-cream: Baskin and Robbins Chocolate Chip
Favorite scripture: Psalms 37:1
If you could spend an hour with one person, living or deceased, who would it be and why? Harriet Tubman. I’d ask her where she got her strength because I want some.
If you were going to a deserted island for a year and could only take one novel, that you didn’t write, what would it be and why? I’d take “Icy Sparks” by Gwyn Hyman Rubio. It’s an awesome read with a combination of fire and ice. I could read it over and over and over.

Nikita, it’s been a pleasure to have you at Urban Christian Fiction. Please tell my readers how they may learn more about you.

Readers can visit my website at http://www.nikitanichols.com/ and to chat with me they can log on to http://nikitalynnettenichols.blogspot.com/ or simply send me an e-mail at kitawrites@comcast.net

Nikita's books are available at Amazon.com, Barnes and Nobles, Borders, Wal-mart, Books a Million and wherever books are sold.

Thanks for stopping by!

Blessings,

Rhonda

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