Getting to know Author Nicole Zoltack

Do you work on multiple projects at the same time?

Yes. All the time. I constantly go back and forth between two projects. That way, if I become stuck on one, I can work on the other. Most of the time, one project is a novel and the other is a short story.

What do you hope for your writing career in the next few years? Any goals that you have yet to obtain that you have set for yourself?

I hope to secure an agent and work up the publishing ladder to NYC publishing houses. Working on polishing up some query letters and I’ll start on the query-go-round.

When you're not writing, what do you like to do to just kick back and have fun?

Spend time with my family. I love to take my son to the park or to cuddle with hubby and watch movies. I also try to find some time to read in between too.

Do you ever experience writer's block? If you do, how do you cope with it?

Working on another project or skipping the scene that is giving me difficulty.

Were you an avid reader as a child? What type of books did you enjoy reading?

Oh yes. I read everything I could get my hands on. I enjoy reading just about anything and everything: fantasy, romance, historical, mystery, true crime, horror, YA…

Tell us a bit about your latest book, and what inspired you to write such a story.

My latest full length is Knight of Glory, the sequel to Woman of Honor. Knight of Glory delves more deeply into the fantasy aspect of the world. I wanted to create a world that was both medieval and fantastic and that was my inspiration for the book.

If you could have any vice without repercussions, what would it be?

Bragging. Maybe then I’ll be more likely to speak up to those reading from ereaders and just happen to mention that I’m an ebook writer.

If you could have been the servant to any famous person in history, who would that be and why?

Joan of Arc. Come on, you knew I was going to pick someone from the Middle Ages. J

Which of your characters do you love/hate/fear/pity the most and why?

I love Jenanna, one of the main characters from Knight of Glory. She’s very human and relatable. Even though she has her doubts about her self-worth, she’s also a strong person, and very loyal. She was a character I greatly enjoyed creating.

Do you get along with your muse? What do you do to placate her/him/it when she/it/he refuses to

inspire you?

For the most part. I worked really hard to finish my assassin story so I could pitch the completed

manuscript at the Lori Foster Get Together. Wrote 56K in 6 weeks. Ever since, she’s been on hiatus. Which I can understand the burnout but I’m pregnant and due the beginning of August and wanted to get as much writing done as possible before baby #2 is born so I’m more than a little annoyed with her right now. 

Do you have another book in the works? Would you like to tell readers about your current or future projects?

Champion of Valor, Book III in the Kingdom of Arnhem series. Woman of Honor was more historical inclined with Aislinn and her knightly training. Knight of Glory was fantasy, especially with the introduction of other species (trolls and dwarves and selkies). Champion of Valor will have a slight religious feel to it. For people in the Middle Ages, their religion affected every single aspect of their lives so it’s only fitting to incorporate religion to some degree with the book.

I also have the skeleton of a plot thought up as the sequel to my assassin story.

Have you ever experience weird cravings while you write? If so, what kind?

Not really, unless silence or little to no interruptions count.

Where can readers find you on the web?

Website: http://www.NicoleZoltack.com

Blog: http://NicoleZoltack.blogspot.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Nicole.Zoltack

Facebook fan page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Nicole-Zoltack/93384618347

Twitter: http://twitter.com/NicoleZoltack

Myspace: http://myspace.com/scarlett9284

Excerpt:

Geoffrey slept and woke a short time later. The others still slept, and Jacob paid him no heed. He slowly climbed to his feet and stretched his back. Turning, he spotted a small creature in the near distance. Walking toward it, he realized It looks like a lost pony. Its fur was grey black, and its main dripped constantly. The fur seemed sleek, and Geoffrey reached out to find out if this was the case. The pony was cold, deadly arctic, and Geoffrey's fingers froze to it, he was unable to move his hand away.

"No! Geoffrey, you have to stop touching it!" Jenanna cried out. She gripped his arm and tugged hard.

He tried to turn his head to look at her, but even his neck muscles tightened, frozen. "I can't move!"

Jenanna pulled and yanked some more, but Geoffrey could not be freed.

The Kelpie neighed, a loud sinister sound, and its saliva dripped, turning into ice as it left his foaming mouth. It blew air out its nostrils, the breath turning to fog, giving the land an eerie, unearthly feel.

Jacob and Raulin rushed over. They attacked the creature with their swords, but the horse bucked and kicked, and even with such wild, reckless movements, Geoffrey remained attached.

"Take this, foul creature!" Jenanna shrieked, shoving a flame tree branch into the creature's side.

The Kelpie wailed and neighed. With a sudden rush of heat, Geoffrey collapsed. A loud splash sounded as the three surrounded his fallen form.

"What was that?"

"Not now, Raulin! Now is the time for a larger fire. Build one," Jenanna commanded. "And you, Jacob, the healer, aye? Do you know how to heal freeze burns?"

Jacob's face looked stricken in the pale flickering firelight. "I can try."

"Try isn't good enough. You must succeed." She knelt down and placed Geoffrey's head in her lap. "It will be all right, Geoffrey."

"S-so c-cold." Geoffrey's teeth chattered so loudly he barely heard his own voice. His body shook uncontrollably, the chills spreading from his hand to the rest of his body, lowering his core body temperature and slowly freezing the blood in his body. "God's T-teeth!"

The fire roared to life, greedily licking up the small remnants of grass nearby. "Good, Raulin, now go fetch my blanket." Raulin didn't even pause to nod.

Jenanna grabbed Geoffrey's wounded hand and tried to warm it with her own. Her fingers felt red hot, compared to his iciness, and her fingers kneaded his skin. "Quick, Jacob."

Jacob nodded and began to mutter incantations. He placed his hand above Jenanna's and Geoffrey's, and a bright yellow orange glowed from his hand.

As the cold moved closer to his heart, Geoffrey's shivering worsened. His body buckled from the severe shock cold waves.

Raulin returned and threw the blanket on Geoffrey, but it did nothing to help the nearly frozen knight. Jacob's voice grew louder, and the light responded, turning brighter. Jenanna moved her hand away, and Jacob laid his on Geoffrey's. Immediately, Jacob pulled his own away. "Too cold. My God, he's frozen!"

Link: http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-69/%3Ci%3EKingdom-of-Arnhem-Book/Detail.bok