Nichole Chase

Minneapolis, here I come!

noreply@blogger.com (Nichole Chase) — Mon, 13 May 2013 20:17:00 +0000

It's almost here! I leave for Minnesota on Friday and I can't wait to see everyone! For those of you that are coming, here is a little more information about the event. I will only have so many books (the majority of what I am bringing is Suddenly Royal), so if there is something that you just *have* to have signed, you might want to order a copy from Amazon.com. (I will also have some goodies. Bookmarks, etc.)

MINNEAPOLIS AUTHOR EVENT FAN FAQ SHEET

DATE & TIME: Saturday, May 18th, 2013 12:00 – 4:00pm
** Please do not line - up before 11:00am**

VENUE: Hotel Ivy Kimball Hall 201 South Eleventh Street Minneapolis, MN 55403 http://bit.ly/1417qa7

WEBSITE: https://www.facebook.com/groups/507611035968805

AUTHORS: Alphabetical by last name, with all titles available for sale on site.
• Willow Aster True Love Story
• Steph Campbell Delicate, Grounding Quinn, Beautiful Things Never Last, My Heart For Yours Lengths, Depths
• Cora Carmack Losing It
• Nichole Chase Suddenly Royal, Flukes, Mortal Obligation, Mortal Defiance, Immortal Grave
• Jillian Dodd That Boy, That Wedding, Stalk Me, Kiss Me, Date Me
• Rebecca Donovan Reason to Breathe, Barely Breathing
• Tarryn Fisher The Opportunist, Dirty Red
• Abbi Glines The Vincent Boys, The Vincent Brothers, Fallen Too Far, Never Too Far
• Colleen Hoover Slammed, Point of Retreat, Hopeless
• Molly McAdams Taking Chances, From Ashes
• K.A. Robinson Torn, Twisted
• Jessica Sorensen The Secret of Ella and Micha
• Angie Stanton Rock & A Hard Place, Snapshot, Dream Chaser, Love ‘Em or Leave ‘Em, Snowed Over

BOOK SALES:
* Supplies will be limited. Please buy ahead if possible. (Barnes & Noble: http://goo.gl/maps/RdD9T )
• Onsite Bookseller – Barnes & Noble will have a table directly at the entrance of the Signing Room where they will be selling books. The B&N sales table will be your first stop before entering the room and everyone will be given time to buy books before entering.
• Onsite Indie Book Sales – The Authors will also be selling their indie titles inside the Signing Room. If you do not see a book at the B&N sales table out front, it will be available for purchase at the Author’s individual table.
• Forms of Payment– Please plan to bring cash and a credit card with you. B&N will accept both forms of payment. All Authors will accept cash, and a few Authors will also accept credit cards.
• Cost – Most books cost between $10-15 (with deals for purchasing multiple books). Supplies will be limited though, so please buy your books ahead if possible.
continued…

HOW IT WORKS:
We can’t express how much we appreciate your help keep ing the line moving through the Room!
• Bringing Books – Fans are encouraged to bring books, as supplies are limited.
• Waiting In Line – We will have everyone form a line outside the Signing Room. This line will then weave past the B&N sales table at the entrance and then into the Signing Room and past each Author’s table. (*Best to make friends with your neighbors in line, they’ll be with you all day!)
• How Long Do I Get With Each Author? – You will have time to meet every Author! We do ask you be mindful of the line behind you and appreciate your help keeping it moving.
• What Can I Have Signed? – We do ask that you please limit yourself to one signed item per Author. The Authors will sign anything you’d like them to –scrapbooks, e-readers, t-shirts –and they will absolutely pose for a photo with you too!
• Cash – Bringing cash? Please help the Authors by bringing small bills so they can make change.
• Social Media – We’d love to hear from you before, during, and after the event! Please post comments and photos to our Facebook Fan Page (link above) and tweet/instagram using the hashtag: #MNAuthorEvent.
• Hungry? Thirsty? – Please plan to bring water and/or snacks with you. The Hotel Ivy also has a restaurant. (There are bathrooms readily accessible on the same level as the Signing Room.)

PARKING:
Recommendations:
• Hotel Ivy Valet Daily Parking Rate: $13 o Overnight Parking Rate: $28
• 11th Street Underground Parking Ramp Pricing subject to change o http://bit.ly/17b5ddl
Other Nearby Options: http://goo.gl/maps/HoMI6

Additional questions? Please ask on the Facebook Fan Page (link above) or email Emily Lalone ( Emily(AT)lalonemarketing.com ).

I can't wait to see you there!

Big and Awesome News

noreply@blogger.com (Nichole Chase) — Thu, 09 May 2013 16:15:00 +0000

I know I've said this already, but the last few weeks? They've been made of some crazy, amazing, awesome things! I have two announcements. Are you ready?

I've signed with Rebecca Friedman of the Hill Nadell Agency. She will now represent my work and handle all inquiries about rights. I'm very excited about working with Rebecca. She's read and loved Suddenly Royal and has the same goals for the books as I do. I can't wait to see where we go together!

In other news... last night I received early news that SUDDENLY ROYAL hit the New York Times Bestseller List (#16 on the efiction list and #22 on efiction and print combined list)... AND the USA Today Bestseller List!

So, my life lately?

I may have done a Dory impressions...

And some screaming on the phone...

And this is what it looked like when I told my sister...

Because, you know, this is a dream come true!

To celebrate all of this awesome I want to do a quick giveaway! So, leave a comment, telling me something that has made you happy this week and I will randomly choose a winner for a signed paperback of Suddenly Royal with some swag! Entries close on Sunday, May 12 @ Midnight PST. (International, too!)

Massive hugs and kisses to everyone that has supported me and Suddenly Royal!

Princess for a Day WINNER!

noreply@blogger.com (Nichole Chase) — Wed, 08 May 2013 16:07:00 +0000

The results are in and the winner is:

Congratulations!

Remember though, that all of the finalists won something! So, please make sure that I have the correct addresses and emails for the winners.

You can email me at nicholechase.contact(at)gmail(dot)com.

A big thank you to all of the people that nominated someone for Princess for a Day. There are so many people out there that deserve to be pampered.

A Royal Thank You!

noreply@blogger.com (Nichole Chase) — Thu, 02 May 2013 16:54:00 +0000

The last two weeks have been some of the most emotional I've experienced. On Sunday, I made it into the top 100 books on Amazon. Then... I made it into the top 50, top 30... and I promised that if Suddenly Royal made it into the top 20 I would have a surprise for everyone. Barnes and Noble quickly followed-- eventually hitting as high as #12!

And guess what? This morning I woke up to find out that Suddenly Royal was #20 on Amazons best seller lists! And now at 18! (Excuse me while I scream incoherently for a moment!) So, for all of those that have been asking, I have a definite answer for you. Surprise, or maybe not so much as a surprise, but a confirmation... I plan on writing another book in the Suddenly Royal series.

I'm not ready to release the blurb, but I can tell you that this book is Cathy's book. Sam and Alex will definitely be in it, as will several other... familiar... faces. ;) I have a good bit of this book plotted out and I can't wait for you guys to get inside of Cathy's head! I know many of you will want to know when this book is going to come out and I can't tell you yet because I don't know. (I can tell you that I'm currently working on The Accidental Assassin and that I really think you're going to enjoy this one!)

I know you guys might be tired of hearing me say this, but I am so very thankful to everyone that has helped spread the word about Suddenly Royal and my other books. Massive hugs for everyone! <3 p="">

Princess for a Day- Time to Vote!

noreply@blogger.com (Nichole Chase) — Wed, 01 May 2013 20:04:00 +0000

Picking out the top five for this contest was incredibly difficult. You guys? So many people deserve to be Princess for a Day. Thank you to all of the entries. I think it's amazing that so many people stepped forward on behalf of their friends and family.

Without further ado, here are the top 5 finalists. All of them will receive a small something for hitting this point, so please contact me at nicholechase.contact (at) gmail so that I can get your addresses.

In no particular order, these are the posts for the finalists:

Cheyenne-
I would have to nominate my sister, Cheyenne. She's a young, single mother who always puts her daughter first. She works part time and is going to school to be a special education teacher! Wow, talk about motivated, fun, beautiful and related to me! She amazes me everyday and I'm so glad I get to be close to her and my niece Quinn. Chey lets me spoil Quinn every chance I get. She deserves to be a princess and be spoiled and taken care of instead of the other way around for once.
Thanks so much for the chance.
Tiffany J.

Mandy I Read Indie-
I nominate Mandy I Read Indie, because not only is she a truly selfless and awesome, honest blogger, but she gave me my first review as I'm sure she has for tons of other Indies. A truly Indie friendly blog that doesn't look at our books and say "They're good DESPITE the fact that their Indie" and instead looks at any book, Indie or Traditional, as what it is. A book. Love it or hate it. So thank you, Mandy, for being awesome in the way of being unbiased and fair. Love ya, Mandy!
Shelly Crane (Mandy was nominated several times!)

Alexandra L.-
I would like to nominate my best friend and older sister Alexandra Louk. She has had a rough 3 years starting when she was diagnosed with SLE Lupus her freshman year at college living 2 ½ hours away from home and had to deal with this with out her family being there in person. She was able make it through the rest of the year and get her grades high enough to transfer to a school closer to home. She had to deal with the first 2 medicines not working. She never gave up and continued to fight and still make sure she was okay to volunteer and coach her special Olympics athletes. She even helped me when live at home was bad. She took me in and fought to protect me. She brought me to a real home where I found a family that loves me. The weekend of thanksgiving 2011 the doctors put her on a new medicine called Methotrexate, which is a low dose form of chemotherapy. She has to give herself injections every week. While some people might see the chemo as a hindrance she uses it to push herself and doesn’t let it get her down. Sometimes she ends up sick but ignores it for as long as she can because she hates letting people down. In less then 18 months we have lost both of our grandparents. She has been strong and helped with our special needs brother as much as she can. But she never gives up and is always there to help or make us laugh when we need it and tell me when I am acting like a brat sometimes. Everyday she fights against her Lupus and is constantly reading and reviewing for authors and blogging when she can. She is an amazing person, big sister, and best friend and I think she is a princess!
-Sarah L.

Michelle-
Hi! I nominate my mum, Michelle. My dad got cancer as well as discovered he has a heart problem last year and she kept the family going, working a full time job and taking care of us kids as well as driving him an hour and a half away to chemo every week (As well as at least one radiation/week). Now that he is technically cured but still not back to full capacity (and never will be because of the heart thing), she is still totally taking care of everything- except herself.She doesn't have time to do "me" (or rather her) things anymore, and i know that somedays she just feels so not capable, but she is, and so i believe that she deserves to be a princess for a day, buy herself some things and see how much we appreciate her. She is my inspiration, she is incredibly strong and loving and wonderful, and she deserves to be a princess for a day. I love my mom. Please make her a princess (I'm sorry for my rambly writing, its just i really believe she should get the prize)
-Caitlin B.

Madison H.-
I would like to nominate my daughter, Madison Headley. She is 16 years old and in my opinion and experience, quite unusual. To give you a few examples, on the first day of school this year, Madi sought out the new kids that didn't know anyone and were sitting alone during lunch. By the end of the 40 minute period she had rounded up several students and they were all feeling better about their first day at a new school. This past Christmas, Madi asked if part of her "Christmas money budget" could be used for one of her close friends whose family isn't as fortunate as ours; as a result, her friend actually came to spend Christmas with our family and it was the first time she had ever had a stocking, among other holiday traditions we always took for granted. When I told Madi how much I appreciated her selflessness and I apologized that she had fewer presents that year she told me it didn't matter, it was the best feeling in the world just to see her friends face on Christmas morning. Madison also volunteers at our church every Sunday. She gets there at 8am and helps with the coffee and tea setup, she is part of the early service worship team, she greets people between services, she works with the 3 year olds during the 2nd service and then in the evening she goes back to help with the children's choir and then participates with the high school youth group. She is truly one of the most kind hearted, sweet, honest, selfless people I know. Her positive attitude and love for God and his children challenge me to be a better mother, wife and friend. I would love to see her recognized for all she does, she truly is a Princess!
-Kristi H.

Tough decision, huh? Now! Go vote!

Let's crown a princess!

Voting will be open until Sunday, May 5th at 12pm PST

Scene from Alex's POV

noreply@blogger.com (Nichole Chase) — Sun, 28 Apr 2013 04:36:00 +0000

Today, I hit a milestone. Suddenly Royal slid into the top 100 books on Amazon. The top 100 out of hundreds of thousands of books. That's pretty damn amazing, no matter who you are. I'm utterly floored, shocked, and grateful. My book couldn't have gotten there without the support of my readers and friends. Thank you all so much!!!

To celebrate my big moment, I'm releasing a scene from Prince Yummys point of view. It's one of my favorite scenes from the book, so I hope you enjoy it.

***WARNING***

This scene contains spoilers if you haven't read the book yet. So, read at your own caution. Also, please remember that this scene is a rough draft that hasn't been edited. It was written purely for my needs as an author, but I'm sharing it with you guys for fun.

I hope you enjoy!

“We don’t have much longer if you want to go ahead and change.” I jerked my head toward the back of the plane.

Her eyes darted toward the curtain and I could see her readying herself as if going to battle instead of changing clothes. I didn’t know whether to laugh or wrap her up and protect her from she was obviously worried about. She disappeared behind the dark fabric and I gathered my own things. I shucked my jacket before going to the bathroom and changing the rest of my clothing. Used to the routine, I was ready quickly, and out looking for my bowtie when the pilots hit a bit of turbulence. There was a loud thump from behind the curtain and I jerked around to see if Samantha needed help. I was just in time to catch a glimpse of lacey black underwear. That’s all it took. I was hard at just the sight of her sweet ass peeking out of the curtain.

“Holy crap!” Her voice filled the cabin.

My feet moved of their own accord, inching me closer to the entry before I realized I was even moving. I ground my teeth and took a deep breath to try to reign in my hormones. She thought she wanted to be friends, even though I knew differently, but I was trying to respect her wishes. It was hard. I snorted. Definitely hard. Trying to not draw attention to myself, I wiggled one leg to try and hide my excitement.

“Samantha?” I asked. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine! What are you paying these pilots?” Her voice made my lips turn up. A few of the people chuckled. Turning my back to the others, I pretended to fix my belt, but really adjusted myself. No reason to broadcast what I was thinking.

“Sarah?” Samantha’s voice carried through the airplane easily, as did her frustration.

“I’ve got it.” I saw Sarah start to say something, but Aunt Rose placed a hand on her assistants arm. Leave it to my aunt to play matchmaker. I made a mental note to send her flowers tomorrow.

I ducked through the curtain and felt like I’d tripped over something. My heart fell into my stomach and I could have sworn the plane had dropped several feet. She was staring at me with large brown eyes while clutching a satin black dress to her chest. It took me a minute to find my voice.

“Zipper?” The word came out husky. How my brain had fixed on that one little word, I didn’t know. I had meant to tell her to drop the dress.

“Um, yeah.” Her small hand fisted in the material she clutched, but she turned around so I could see the problem.

And there was definitely a problem.

Me.

Zipping that dress was the last thing I wanted to do. In fact, if I could, I’d rip it the rest of the way off so I could take her right there in the plane. The dress hung open in the back, exposing her bare skin, barely covered by the delicate material of her lingerie.

Taking a deep breath I moved forward and picked up the little metal clasp. How my willpower managed to overcome my carnal desire, I’ll never know, but I slowly pulled the zipper up her back. I stepped closer once I neared the top and leaned down. I should have kept my distance, but I couldn’t help testing the boundaries. Testing her resolve.

“Lift your hair.”

Goosebumps erupted along her neck and I wanted to kiss the tender skin. Instead, I hooked the tiny button at the top before sliding my hands around her waist and working her belt. She leaned back into me, the heat of her body enhancing my need. Once I was finished she turned in my arms to face me. Her eyes ran over me hungrily and I could tell she liked what she saw.

Gone was the playful, teasing, Samantha. Hot desire pooled in her warm eyes and I had to remind myself that there were others on this plane--that she wanted to be friends. I tilted my head so I could see her better, taking in the way the dress hugged her gentle curves and enhanced her perfect bust. Being friends didn't mean I couldn't enjoy the view.

“You look gorgeous.” I sounded like a love struck fool, but I didn’t care. Maybe I was one.

“Thank you.” Her voice had taken on the husky edge I’d first heard after our kiss.

“This is going to be difficult.” I ran my eyes over her again. “Very difficult.”

“All good things are worth the work.” The way she chewed on her bottom lip told me she had understood exactly what I had meant. And thinking of her teeth on her lips made me want to remind her why being friends would never be enough. I needed Samantha. It was more than a want. It was a deep, essential need. But I could be patient. If she needed time, I’d give it to her. Not that I was going to make it easy.

My inspiration of Prince Yummy--er, I mean Prince Alex.

Princess for a Day

noreply@blogger.com (Nichole Chase) — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 23:34:00 +0000

To celebrate the official release of Suddenly Royal, I wanted to do something special. I could have done another giveaway, but that just didn’t seem like enough. This year, I’ve seen a lot of sad things, but I’ve also seen some amazing, spectacular people step forward to help. In a time of uncertainty and confusion, I feel like it’s important to celebrate those that are doing good and making a difference around them. So, this is what I want to do. I want to treat someone like a princess for a day. Really pamper them and make them feel special and loved.

But how to choose? Instead of doing a random drawing, I want you—my readers—to nominate someone deserving. Leave a comment on this post describing your deserving nominee and I will choose five people. Then you guys get to vote on who is the most worthy. All five of those people will receive a small package from me—but the one person with the most votes will receive the grand prize!

What is the grand prize, you ask? Well, let me tell you. We’re pulling out all the stops!

The grand prize winner will receive:

Signed swag from Suddenly Royal

A signed paperback copy of Suddenly Royal

A $100 Amazon or Barnes and Noble Gift Certificate

A handmade necklace by moi!

A $100 ULTA gift certificate!

And what princess is complete without a crown and wand? Those will be provided for their special day as well!

Let’s give a deserving woman (or man!) the pampering they deserve! Leave a comment with your nominee’s name, why they deserve to be Princess for a Day, and a way for me to contact you. (I may need more information from you for the next round. If I can’t get in touch with you, I may have to move on to one of the other stories.)

Let’s get started! We’ll be accepting entries until 11:59pm on Saturday, April 27^th. KP Simmon of InkSlinger PR and I will be choosing the top 5 stories on Sunday and posting the open voting on Tuesday, April 30^th. We’ll keep voting open until Friday, May 3^rd, at 12:00am and we’ll announce the winner on Sunday, May 5^th! I’m a firm believer in passing things forward and I’ve been very lucky this year. Hopefully we can bring a smile to someone that needs it!

Canada and US residents only.

The Suddenly Royal Blog Tour

noreply@blogger.com (Nichole Chase) — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 16:16:00 +0000

A massive, massive thank-you to my publicist, KP Simmon for arranging this AWESOME blog tour. It's huge and filled with so many awesome blogs and bloggers. I'm honored that they wanted to be part of the tour!

What does this mean for my readers??? It means fun stuff and goodies! We have dream casts, excerpts, a play list, and a GIVEAWAY!

April 21^st

I Read Indie-Dream Cast
Globug and Hootie-Excerpt

April 22^nd

A Life Bound By Books-Guest Post
Dear, Restless Reader-Interview

April 23^rd

RELEASE DAY LAUNCH

April 24^th

Novel Thoughts Blog-Interview
Kate’s Tales of Books & Bands-Interview

April 25^th

Seeing Night Reviews-Guest Post-Sam’s POV
Book Addicted AA-Playlist

April 26^th

I Heart Big Books-Character Interview-Cathy
Kate Tilton-Guest Post

April 27^th

My Not So Vacant Shelf-Excerpt

April 28^th

The Autumn Review-Review
Roxy Kade-Excerpt

April 29^th

Book Bitches Blog-Character Interview-Sam & Alex
Every Free Chance Reader-Review

April 30^th

Parajunkee-Guest PostDefiantly Deviant-Guest Post

May 1^st

A Good Addiction-Interview
Ladybug Storytime-Guest Post

May 2^nd

Magnet 4 Books
The Howling Turtle-Guest Post

May 3^rd

Indie Ignites-Interview
TarHeel Bibliobabe-Interview

May 4^th

Stuck in YA Books-Excerpt
Whirlwind Books-Guest Post

May 5^th

Literati Literature Lovers-Interview
T’s Bookish Moments of Escape-Guest Post

Want to know what you could win?

A Suddenly Royal T-Shirt

A Suddenly Royal Coffee Mug

A Suddenly Royal Keychain

A signed Suddenly Royal bookmark

and

A signed copy of Suddenly Royal!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A Sudden... SURPRISE!

noreply@blogger.com (Nichole Chase) — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 03:31:00 +0000

Suddenly Royal is here!

In an effort to keep from having any issues with the release day, I uploaded Suddenly Royal a little early. And guess what? It's LIVE! Right now! In lots of places. (iTunes and Kobo hopefully, soon!)

So, if you don't want to wait until Tuesday, you don't have to!

Amazon (eBook and paperback)

Amazon UK (eBook, paperback soon!)

Barnes and Noble (eBook and paperback)

Smashwords (eBook)

Books a Million (paperback only)

In case you aren't sure what Suddenly Royal is all about... here's a quick reminder! ;)

Samantha Rousseau is used to getting her hands dirty. Working toward a master’s degree in wildlife biology while helping take care of her sick father, she has no time for celebrity gossip, designer clothes, or lazy vacations. So when a duchess from the small country of Lilaria invites her to dinner, Samantha assumes it’s to discuss a donation for the program. The truth will change the course of her life in ways she never dreamed.

Alex D’Lynsal is trying to keep his name clean. As crown prince of Lilaria, he’s had his share of scandalous headlines, but the latest pictures have sent him packing to America and forced him to swear off women—especially women in the public eye. That is, until he meets Samantha Rousseau. She’s stubborn, feisty, and incredibly sexy. Not to mention heiress to an estate in his country, which makes her everyone’s front-page news.

While Sam tries to navigate the new world of politics and wealth, she will also have to dodge her growing feelings for Alex. Giving in to them means more than just falling in love; it would mean accepting the weight of an entire country on her shoulders.

A massive thank you to everyone that has helped get Suddenly Royal ready for this day! I can't wait for everyone to meet Samantha and Alex. Be sure to stay tuned for the blog tour and all of the goodies that are coming with it!

The Countdown to Suddenly Royal!

noreply@blogger.com (Nichole Chase) — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 15:24:00 +0000

Hold onto your tiara!

There's only FOUR days until Suddenly Royal (and prince Alex) will be in your hands!

Here's a quick teaser to remind you of what you're waiting for:

“Are you expecting anyone else tonight?” His teeth tugged at my lobe.

“No.” The word came out on a groan as he ground against me.

“Good.” He slid his hand between me and the counter to undo my jeans. “Because I don’t think we’re going to make it upstairs.”

And a new BOOKMARK GIVEAWAY!

The first TEN entries will win a signed bookmark. (Only ONE entry per person.)

Two Weeks Until Suddenly Royal!

noreply@blogger.com (Nichole Chase) — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 16:27:00 +0000

Two weeks and Suddenly Royal will finally be out! I'm so excited that I feel the need to do something! SO! The first 5 people to fill out this form will receive a signed Suddenly Royal bookmark!

***The bookmarks have all been awarded!***

Kendall McCubbin, Aseel Naji, Allie Fletcher, Jessica Watterson, and Carole Martin--keep an eye on your mail box.

For everyone else, keep checking back. I will be doing more giveaways in anticipation of the upcoming release soon. :)

And here's another teaser pic for the book. I can't wait to share Prince Yummy with you guys. ;)

There is also a giveaway for a Suddenly Royal paperback on Goodreads! If you want your own physical copy, be sure to check it out here:

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Suddenly Royal

by Nichole Chase

Giveaway ends April 23, 2013.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter to win

Time for a Tuesday Teaser!

noreply@blogger.com (Nichole Chase) — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 02:54:00 +0000

22 Days and counting!

I'm counting down the days to the release of Suddenly Royal and am on the edge of my seat. I can't wait for it to be out there for everyone to read. So, to keep me calm while we ALL wait, here is another teaser!

By the time class was over I couldn’t have been more ready. I had twenty minutes before the next lecture and I was considering putting a note on the door and hiding. As the students got up and left, a few of them came down to try to ask me questions. I did my best to shoo them away, but a few were much more dedicated to finding an answer. Becca had come to stand just to the side of me, her friendly smile replaced with a glower that made me rethink my original assessment of her personality.

“C’mon, Sam. It’s the school paper. Just an interview. I’ll let you decide which questions you want to answer.” The editor for the student paper was leaning against my desk and I was resolutely trying to ignore him.

“I told you, Toby, I have too much going on right now. I’m sorry.” Truth be told, I would always have too much going on when it came to having time for interviews. Especially with Toby. He was a pervert to the tenth degree. “If you don’t mind, I have to finish grading some papers.”

“Samantha—”

“This way, sir.” Duvall appeared beside Toby, a friendly hand placed on his shoulder. “Lady Rousseau has asked for some space.”

“But—”

“Another time, maybe.” Duvall maneuvered Toby away from my desk and off the stage, to my relief. Who would have thought I’d be grateful to see Duvall after all?

“You’re an excellent teacher. You handled the class quite well.” Alex’s voice in my ear made me jump, bumping my head into his chin.

“Youch!” I rubbed the top of my head while he looked down at me with amusement. He rubbed his chin but smiled. “Good grief. Don’t sneak up on me. And I would have handled the class much better if you hadn’t shown up.”

“I’d like to think I encouraged them to try a little harder.” His blue eyes sparkled as he looked at me. “And I wanted to make sure they weren’t giving you too hard of a time.”

“Thanks, I think.” I frowned up at him, trying to not get pulled into his eyes. “But I would have managed just fine. You don’t have to take care of me.”

“You’ve been thrown into a new world… I just wanted to help you get your feet.” Instead of being annoyed with my reluctance to accept his help, he seemed entertained. “How many more classes do you have today?”

“Two more.” I rubbed my forehead. “Then I go to the sanctuary.”

“I see. Do you have time for lunch somewhere in there?” He leaned casually against my desk, his perfect rump perched on the edge. I tried to not think about it and just focused on the conversation.

“I usually eat in the office after the last class. Catch up my paperwork before I head over.” I bit my bottom lip, confused by his presence in my class, by his interest in me. His eyes focused on my mouth briefly before moving back to my eyes. Some flashes from the right side of the hall drew my attention and I realized some of the students were using their phones to take pictures of us talking. Becca jumped down from the edge of the stage where she was standing and headed in their direction.

“Would you mind if I join you? Or is that not allowed?” He cocked his head to the side and I found myself studying the way the bright lights of the stage played in his blond hair.

“Um, no, that’s fine.” My eyes traveled over his face, taking in the slight imperfections that only seemed to make him more handsome. “Uh, I usually just grab a sandwich or something. I guess we could order something in, if you’d like.”

“A sandwich is perfect. Why don’t I bring the food? I’ll meet you there, that way you don’t have to waste any of your time.”

“Why?” The question exited my mouth before I could rethink it.

“Why save you time?” His eyebrows drew together.

“Why do you want to have lunch with me? Surely you have more important things to do.”

“Well, I like your company for one thing.” He leaned a little closer. “And you underestimate your importance. I’m starting to think you’re very important.”

Also, you can now vote for On Christmas Hill for best Indie Romance Novella! It only takes a moment and I'm be awfully grateful! Pretty please?

http://indieromanceconvention.blogspot.com/2013/04/best-indie-romance-novella.html?m=1

On Christmas Hill... in March? And my next book!

noreply@blogger.com (Nichole Chase) — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 16:37:00 +0000

It was brought to my attention that my short story, On Christmas Hill was nominated for an award with the Indie Romance Convention. I'm very excited about this and decided to go ahead and release the new cover for the short story. It matches the series covers (yes, I said series and covers!) that I have planned for Christmas releases.

SO! To celebrate the nomination, I'm going to release the new cover now. In March! Lol.

The new cover will be available in paperback and I will try to have a few with me at all signings.

Voting starts on April 1st and I'd really appreciate it if you guys would take a minute to pop over there and vote for me and my title.

I made these covers myself and a teensy bit proud. ;) I can't wait to show you the next cover for...

Down in Silvertown

I hope to have the next installment out next winter.

Speaking of new books, I have a new title that I'm working on. This will actually come out this summer before Riptide (please don't kill me!) and I'm VERY excited about it.

So, the next book you can look for after Suddenly Royal is...

The Accidental Assassin

TAA will be an adult contemporary romance and I am SO FREAKING IN LOVE with the characters. I'll have a blurb and cover sometime in the near future. I can't wait to share it with you. You guys? Ava is hilarious and Owen? Oh, Owen, is hot and damaged and dangerous and hot. Did I mention hot? Because he is. I also have a theme song for him. Wanna hear it? You have to listen to the lyrics, because it fits him PERFECTLY.

Also? I'm in love with Imagine Dragons. If you haven't listened to them--do it NOW!

Suddenly Royal Excerpt

noreply@blogger.com (Nichole Chase) — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 21:40:00 +0000

Happy Wednesday. To celebrate making it half way through the week, I wanted to share an excerpt from Suddenly Royal. I can't wait to share this book with you guys!

Fueling the plane didn’t take near as long as I thought it would and after a fast meal, we were back in the air. There was a renewed sense of energy in the plane. Sarah was making phone calls and Alex had opened up his laptop. At some point Duvall and Rebecca changed into suits that would blend into the background but still had a formal look. Rose went to the little area in front of the kitchen and pulled a curtain shut. She called for Sarah to help before coming out in a silver dress with a matching jacket. It was simple but elegant.

“We don’t have much longer if you want to go ahead and change.” Alex nodded toward the little curtained area.

I stood up and made my way to the alcove. I pulled the curtain shut and opened the tiny closet that held my garment bag. I quickly undressed and fought the dress out of the bag before remembering that I needed to put on panty hose. Cursing under my breath, I dug into the bottom of the bag. The plane hit a bit of turbulence and I bounced into the wall before almost falling through the curtain in nothing but my underwear.

“Holy crap!” I stood up and prayed I hadn’t knocked the curtain open.

“Samantha?” Alex’s voice was nearby and my eyes grew large. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine! What are you paying these pilots?”

A few people chuckled while I wrestled the panty hose up. Worried about more turbulence, I slid the dress on as fast as possible. Reaching behind me, I tried to grab the zipper but ended up spinning in circles like a puppy.

“Sarah?” I called for Rose’s assistant, giving up.

“I’ve got it.” Alex’s voice made me freeze. I heard the curtain whisper as he stepped into the area. “Zipper?”

“Um, yeah.” I turned my back to him. The zipper started low and I was highly aware of the fact that he could see the lace panties and bra I was wearing. His warm fingers grazed my skin as he unhurriedly pulled the zipper over the top of my butt and up my back.

“Lift your hair.” He leaned down and whispered in my ear.

Slowly I reached up and gathered my hair in my hands. He slid the zipper into place before reaching down and sliding his hands around my waist. He pressed his chest against my back while he looked over my shoulder. Deftly, he pulled the belt through the loops and fastened it in the front. It was painfully erotic to know that he was taking his time dressing me and my breathing was matching the excitement of my thoughts. When he pulled back, I let my hair fall and turned to face him without stepping out of his hold.

He was already wearing a tux, the bowtie hanging open, and no shoes. It was a look that worked for him. He looked down at me with hungry eyes. “You look gorgeous.”

“Thank you.” His hands were still on my waist and I was having flashbacks to our kiss.

“This is going to be difficult.” He leaned back a little so he could run his eyes over my body. “Very difficult.”

Oh, and if you don't follow me on Twitter or Facebook, here's the Teaser Tuesday picture I shared yesterday.

Big News! Suddenly Royal Release Date and an update on the auction!

noreply@blogger.com (Nichole Chase) — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 17:45:00 +0000

First and foremost, I want to thank everyone that participated in the auction. I'm still waiting for a few payments to come in, but you guys blew my hopes out of the water! I'm not going to release the total until everything is finished, but trust me when I say that our book community really pulled together and did something amazing.

For all of you that helped promote, donate to, and bid--Thank you from the very bottom of my heart. I'll never be able to express my appreciation completely, so take it from me when I say what you've done has been amazing.

Now, onto some book news!!! I know many of you have been clamoring for a Suddenly Royal release date. I had a few things I had to wait on before I could tell you, so thank you for being patient with me. I have officially signed with the publicist KP Simmon of InkslingerPR. I'm VERY excited about this, as it means I have someone in my corner that believes in my books. Plus, she read Suddenly Royal and LOVED it! EEEP!

So, what does this mean for me and Suddenly Royal? It means we have an exact release date-- APRIL 23rd. There will be a blog tour and KP will keep me from jumping the gun. ;)

I really can't wait to share this book with all of you. Thankfully we don't have too much longer to wait. Just hang in there with me and you'll be enjoying Prince Alex and Feisty Sam soon.

I also have another signing coming up-- in Minneapolis! I'm pretty excited about this, because part of Suddenly Royal is set in Minnesota. :) If you're in the area on May 18th, come see me!

Time is running out!

noreply@blogger.com (Nichole Chase) — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 23:38:00 +0000

TODAY is the LAST DAY of the Corn Family Auction! Get your bids in before Midnight PST.

www.forthecornfamily.us

Quick Reminder...

noreply@blogger.com (Nichole Chase) — Sat, 09 Mar 2013 04:47:00 +0000

For everyone following the Corn Family Auction, we're down to the LAST WEEK! If you have a lot that you just have to have, keep your eyes on the prize! I'll be out of town next week, but will try to post another reminder.

www.forthecornfamily.us

Also, this Sunday I will be in Woodstock, Georgia for a book signing with several other authors! Come out and see me. I'll have swag, books, and you can preorder a signed paperback of SUDDENLY ROYAL.

(Which has been sent to be edited! YIPPEE!!!)

Teaser Tuesday

noreply@blogger.com (Nichole Chase) — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 16:06:00 +0000

Hi guys! I'm busy getting Suddenly Royal ready for my editor, but do have a teaser picture to share with you all. If you follow me on FB you've probably already seen this, but in case you just check the blog, here it is!

Have I mentioned that Suddenly Royal is all kinds of steamy? Because, you know, it is. ;)

That Alex... he's not shy.

As I told one of my beta readers: Be warned! There be sexy in these pages!

(Yeah, I'm a dork.)

As a side note, Suddenly Royal is my longest novel by far. So, be ready. I know it's taken me longer than I had intended, but the length is indicative to how much time I have spent making sure everything is just right. I can't wait to share Sam--and Alex--with all of you. I hope you'll love them as much as I do.

In case you've forgotten, I will be at the Copper Coin Coffee House on May 10th for an author Meet and Greet with several other YA and NA authors in Woodstock, Ga. There are also going to be some amazing adult romance authors on Saturday! So, check it out! I will have books to purchase and some fun swag. I'm looking into doing presales of Suddenly Royal Paperbacks as well. I will let you know about that for sure soon.

I hope you're all keeping an eye out on the lots you want at the charity auction. Closing time is nearing, so keep your eyes open!!

www.forthecornfamily.us

Please remember that all profits go directly to the Corn Family Fund.

***As of Feb. 27th, we stopped accepting entrants for the Kindle Fire drawing. Paypal informed us that it violated their terms of service. Everyone that donated the minimum of $10 before that date will be added to a drawing that I will host here on my blog. I apologize for the confusion--it was not intended as anything other than a way to thank the people that have donated.***

Thank you to everyone that has donated and participated in the different events to raise money. Once the auction has closed I will be announcing the amount we've raised. You guys have been amazing.

Flukes Series: New Cover

noreply@blogger.com (Nichole Chase) — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 15:58:00 +0000

Well, my secret is out of the bag. FLUKES has a new cover! It's gorgeous and I absolutely love it.

Sarah from Okay Creations has outdone herself!

While I loved the original cover for Flukes, when it came time to think about covers for other books in the series, it just didn't work. And trust me, I think you're all going to love the cover for Riptide! Jacen's book is my next project and I can't wait to dive in to that story. (Did you see what I did there? Dive in?)

For those of you coming to see me in Woodstock, Ga., I will have the new cover available for signing!

For the Corn Family: Signed Book Auction

noreply@blogger.com (Nichole Chase) — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 05:00:00 +0000

On the night of February 10, Matthew Corn left his house for a short motorcycle ride. That was the last time his wife and three children saw him alive. On the morning of February 11, Matt’s body was found a quarter mile from home by friends of the family. That day knocked the breath out of the community, broke the hearts of his friends, and wounded the souls of his family.

Matt was not just a name to me; he was my husbands close friend, my friend. My husband is the god father to Matt’s daughter—who is only a year old. Matt has played with my daughter, chased her around my living room, and admired her toys with her. I knew him as someone that would drop everything to help someone and as a father that would do anything for his family. That dark Monday, the sky poured water over the grieving family, as if to weep along with them. It was such a painful, shocking thing to happen, and for most it seemed utterly unbelievable.

As I watched the family try to digest this horrible reality, I was struck by the need to do something, anything to help. The road ahead of them is going to be difficult and I wanted to help smooth it out. After talking with some of my friends, the idea of raising money was brought up. But how? After brainstorming, we decided to do an auction of signed books.

It is often in the darkest moments that people shine and I have been overwhelmed by the support and generosity of my friends that have offered to help with this auction.

Over 30 authors have donated signed books and/or audio books. New York Times and USA Today Bestsellers, some of the most popular authors of today.

EL James

Tracey Garvis-Graves

Tina Reber

Colleen Hoover

Liz Reinhardt

Samantha Young

Michelle Leighton

Georgia Cates

KA Tucker

Sarah Ross

Tiffany King

Jessica Park

Angie Stanton

Steph Campbell

Elizabeth Hunter

Heather Hildenbrand

Addison Moore

Fisher Amelie

Shelly Crane

Stephanie Nelson

Courtney Cole

Lila Felix

Teresa Mummert

Kendall Grey

Shannon Delany

Rebecca Donovan

Michele Scott

Tammara Webber

Jamie McGuire

Abbi Glines

Elizabeth Reyes

Nichole Chase

Jillian Dodd

Dina Silver

The auction will run online from February 22until March 15.

ALL PROCEEDS GO TO THE CORN FAMILY

If you would like to browse the selections ahead of time, check out the website:

www.forthecornfamily.us

(Everything will be finalized and ready by Friday morning.)

If you would like to donate without going through the auction process, here is the paypal button for the Corn Family Fund.

Happy Valentines Day! my present to you? A teaser from Suddenly Royal.

noreply@blogger.com (Nichole Chase) — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 15:17:00 +0000

I hope you are all having a lovely Valentines day! Whether you're celebrating with someone else, friends, or by your self in your underwear while eating ice cream (I'm looking at you, Hootie.) I hope it's great.

I wanted to give my readers a little somethin', somethin', and I thought you guys might like a quick peek at Naughty Alex. He may be a prince, but he's still a man. ;)

From Suddenly Royal
By Nichole Chase

“I promised I wouldn’t throw you to the wolves.” He leaned his head closer to mine and I took a deep breath, enjoying his sent. “As the crown prince, it’s my job to help you understand your duties. Eventually, I’ll be the one you’re reporting things to, so it only makes sense.”

“I see.” I lowered my voice so no one could hear me. “Alex, I’m a wildlife biologist. I’m in way over my head.”

“You’re a smart woman who will rise to the occasion.” His eyes dipped down to my lips and I fought the urge to lick them.

“I’m sorry about yesterday.”

“You were right.” He frowned. “I should know better. I’ll be good if you are.” His eyes glinted with the dare. “Just know if you feel like changing your mind, I’m right here.”

“I’ll remember that.” I couldn’t help smiling at the challenge in his eyes. “Does this mean we can be friends for now? I have a feeling that I could use someone on my side.”

“I don’t think it will work, but I’ll try for you.” His eyes ran over my body and I shook my head.

“Friends don’t ogle friends.”

“I said I’d try. I didn’t promise anything.” Sitting back in his seat, he chuckled. “I have a feeling our friendship will have a shelf life.”

“A shelf life?”

“You’ll either end up hating me or in my bed.”

Oh, that Alex. He's something else. ;) Can't wait to share Suddenly Royal with all of you!

Suddenly Royal Teaser and more Events!

noreply@blogger.com (Nichole Chase) — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 05:05:00 +0000

Today I'm sharing a quick picture and quote from Suddenly Royal. BUT if you want an exclusive excerpt, check out The Autumn Review. It happens to be one of my favorite scenes from the book and I'm excited to share it with Autumn and everyone else!

Here's another steamy moment with Prince Alex and Samantha. :)

Now go read the excerpt on The Autumn Review! Then come back here and find out what I've got planned in the next few months.

... did you go read it yet?

... What are you waiting for?!?

... go read it! And leave Autumn some comment love!

... read it?

... Eeep!

... I 'eep' when I'm excited. (At least in my head and in blog posts!)

... Are you ready to see more of Alex????

... Good! Because you don't have long to wait. ;)

I'm *hopeful* that Suddenly Royal will be out in March. WOOHOO! I'll let you know a firm date in a few weeks!

Now for the rest of this post!

You might have noticed that there is a new tab at the top of the blog for events that I will be attending. This year has gotten crazy busy, but I'm so excited to be able to go to some of these things. Not only do I get to hang out with some amazing bloggers and authors, but I LOVE getting to meet readers. These events are usually so much fun.

You guys know about the event in Orlando on June 29th. The Book Bash is going to be HUGE! Massive, I tell you! With tons of amazing authors... and little ol' me!

Now, I get to tell you about another event! On March 10th, I will be in Woodstock, Georgia for a signing at the Copper Coin Coffee House from 1-4 pm. It's actually a two day event, with authors that write adult novels on March 9th and several Young Adult and New Adult authors (ME!) on Sunday! For more information, check out Into the Night Book Reviews.

You guys, there are some amazing authors attending this event. On March 9th, you can meet:

Katie Ashley
Michelle Leighton
JB McGee
Jenn Foor
AC Marchman

On March 10th, you can meet:

Sarah Ross
Ella James
Michelle Muto
SR Johannes
and ME! :)

If you're on Facebook, you can keep up with event information here. Let me know if you're coming! I look forward to meeting everyone. (And to seeing some old friends!)

Winner, winner, chicken dinner!

noreply@blogger.com (Nichole Chase) — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 15:05:00 +0000

Okay, so there is no chicken dinner, but there are two winners!

Thank you to Nanette Bradford and Diana for entering the giveaway. Please email your address to nicholechase.contact (AT) gmail (dot) com (Random.org helped pick the winners so that it would be fair. I would post the screen shot, but um, I can't figure out how to do it on my new computer. Yeah, Windows 8 isn't as easy to use as they make it sound. *sigh*)

Thank you to everyone that helped spread the teaser picture. I've gotten a lot of great feedback.

Just a quick update about the BOOK BASH in July-- if you are wanting to come see me and the other authors, you can buy your tickets now! The tickets are $5 and there is a small handling fee of a $1 and some change. Half of the proceeds go to the Make a Wish Foundation.

You can buy your tickets HERE.

If you have any questions about the event, let me know and I will do my best to get them answered.

Book Bash June 29th in Orlando, Florida

noreply@blogger.com (Nichole Chase) — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 01:49:00 +0000

Recently I was invited to do several really great author events. After some confusion, I think we finally have this straightened out. I will not be attending UTopYA. There was a mistake and unfortunately, there is a schedule conflict. What is the conflict?

Well, I'm going to be in Orlando, Florida for the BOOK BASH with some amazing authors.

On June 29th, you can join me and at least 40 other authors for a 4 hour book signing.

Want to know who will be there?

Colleen Hoover
Jamie McGuire
Tammara Webber
Tina Reber
Nicole Williams
Katja Millay
Lacey Weathford
Elizabeth Hunter
Elizabeth Reyes

... and many, many more!

There will be the signing, an author Q&A, and possibly author & fan dinners! I will let you know more details as everything is finalized.

I'm extremely honored to be included in an event with so many amazing authors, many of which are New York Times and USA Today Best Sellers.

If you are on Facebook, check out the Fan Page for the Book Bash!

If you'd like to follow on the Book Bash on Twitter, check here.

Thank you to Maryse for setting everything up! I greatly appreciate all of the hard work she has put into everything!

SO, COME SEE ME!!!!! I want to meet you all! Come say hi, bring your books, or buy copies there. If you have an ereader, bring your case and let all of your favorite authors sign it!

P.S. Suddenly Royal will be out by then, and possibly Riptide! ;)

Tuesday Teaser: Suddenly Royal

noreply@blogger.com (Nichole Chase) — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 04:00:00 +0000

So, you guys have been very patient with me and I wanted to say thank you somehow. I've decided on an excerpt from Suddenly Royal, to tide you over until it's ready for print. Oh, and a giveaway!

First, let me tell you a little about why I've been absent so much lately. In the last three months, I've had pneumonia, Whooping Cough (who knew that was still around?), a broken rib from all of the coughing, surgery, and a few complications. Yes, I'm sharing personal stuff. Why? Well, I want you to know that I wouldn't leave you guys hanging for nothing. I'm doing much better now and trying to catch up on everything. Please bear with me a little longer.

And NOW for your TEASER! (Please keep in mind that this is unedited and may change in the final version.)

I looked at him sharply to see if he was joking, but it brought our faces nose to nose. There was an amused glint in his eyes, but underneath that was something much warmer. We stood there, neither moving, only our breaths tangling in the cold air between our lips. Part of me demanded to move closer, to press my hungry mouth to his, while another part of me screamed to run for the hills. Just being near him sent my hormones into overdrive.

The front door was pulled open in a rush of warm air, and I almost stumbled off of the top step. Alex’s warm fingers closed around my elbow to help steady me. I turned to look into Jess’s wide eyes and smiled weakly.

“Sorry, I thought you were having trouble with your key again.” Jess swung her gaze from Alex to me and back. “I didn’t mean to interrupt.”

“You didn’t. Alex brought me home when my truck wouldn’t start.” I cleared my throat and turned to smile at the Prince standing on my tiny front porch.

“My pleasure.” Alex winked at me before tipping his head to Jess. “You must be Jess.” Holding his hand out, I watched as my roommate looked at it like it was something unreal before slowly leaning out of the front door to shake it.

“Yes. Jess. I am. I mean, I am Jess. Um, nice to meet you.” Jess looked at me and then back and at Alex. She yanked her hand away from him. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to hold your hand like some kind of crazy stalker. Boyfriend! Bert! My boyfriend is in the living room.”

My eyes grew with each word out of Jess’s mouth and I had to fight to not laugh out loud. I looked over Jess’s shoulder to see Bert staring at us with the same look of amusement.

“Right. This is my roommate, the not-stalker and that’s her boyfriend, Bert, back there.” Bert raised his hand in greeting.

“Nice to meet you both.” Alex looked back at me, and I could see the amusement rippling in the blues of his eyes. “I’ll be in touch, Samantha.”

“Right.” I nodded my head, trying to make everything seem very businesslike. “I look forward to it.” My heart stopped. Had I really just added that? What was wrong with me?

“As do I.” With a bow of his head, he backed down the steps and climbed into the limo door the driver was holding open. Turning I shooed Jess back into the house and closed the door behind me. I leaned against the heavy wood and kicked the heels off of my feet.

Jess stood there staring at me, her eyes the size of saucers. I sighed and shrugged out of my coat. “Go ahead and get it out of your system.”

“Prince Yummy brought you home.” Jess pointed a finger at me, like I was in trouble. This was going to be bad.

“His Royal Highness, Prince Alex, brought me home.” I frowned at her. “You have to stop calling him that. It was stuck in my head all night.”

“His Royal Highness, Prince Alex of the Yummy, brought you home. In a limo.” Jess took a deep breath. “And you were about to kiss him. Right there. On our porch!”

“What? No. No I wasn’t.” I shook my head and dropped my coat on the rack before walking to the kitchen.

“I’m not blind, Sam. You were, like, this far apart!” She held her finger and thumb up, so I could see the sliver of space between each. “You were going to kiss him!”

“Don’t be ridiculous. He’s European. They kiss cheeks. That’s all.”

What do you think? Have you interested?

And now for the giveaway! All you have to do, is share this picture and place a link to where you shared it in the comments below. I will close this contest on Friday, Jan. 25th. You can enter up to 3 times a day-- blog, Facebook, or Twitter. If you come up with another location, let me know, and I'll work it in (book clubs, online reader groups, etc.) There will be two winners. One will win a beaded bookmark and the other will win a necklace, both made by moi!

The prizes:

In case you've forgotten what Suddenly Royal is about, here is a refresher. ;)

*** This is a NEW ADULT novel and is not recommended for readers under 17, due to adult content and sexual situations.***