Angry Bird Brain

Angry Birds by
Rovio Entertainment Ltd

I'm not sure what it is about my brain that makes me need to finish things. Not important things that keep the household running smoothly like doing the laundry or dishes, but more trivial things like a finishing a morning run without stopping, or completing a crossword puzzle, or killing just a few more pigs with Angry Birds.

Whatever this component is in my brain, I believe it is in high gear when I am writing a novel. Right now, I have novel characters that have become so real in my head, that I think about them when I'm not "with them" at my computer. I wonder what they're going to do next, and ruminate on what they've already done. They become as real as the young people I'm watching on American Idol week after week. I remarked to my husband the other night that I've watched these singers so long now I feel as if I know them somehow.

We went to the mountains last week for spring break. I wanted to write on the trip up, but the kids were in the car, so I opted to play games on my new gadget. I read first using my Bible app and made some very cool Biblical discoveries, then completed a whole crossword puzzle, a game of Sudoku, and several rounds of Angry Birds. When I got stuck on a level, I'd play over and over and over, determined to destroy their houses and kill those little pigs. "These are some smart pigs!" my family got used to me exclaiming. Finally, I had to flip that switch and let go of the pigs and the angry birds for a while. It took a minute or two for my heart to settle down and my temperature to cool.

The same thing happens when I'm trying to write a new chapter and crack its code. Sometimes I have to try over and over with different tactics until the chapter works. When it does, it's a feeling of immense satisfaction. It's clear to me, that writing a novel definitely uses that same Angry Bird component--the compulsive, have-to-keep-going-until-I-complete-this-thing part of my brain--and I'm grateful for it. I think it's a blessing.

So how about you? Do you have a teenager in your family who just can't stop playing video games or practicing basketball or doodling...or...fill in the blank? It might be a blessing in disguise. I have learned that God has wired me this way. I love to be fully engaged mentally. Now, I can either use this part of my brain for mind-numbing entertainment that gets me nowhere and helps no one, or I can use it for something worthwhile. My God-given stick-to-it-ness allows me to spend weeks training for a half-marathon or months in a fictitious world writing a novel. At Christmas-time I can complete massive puzzles of cats with a multitude of minuscule pieces...but I doubt that's ever helped anyone.

At any rate, I like this part of my brain. There is something there that produces euphoria, and although there is nothing scientific about this post, I'm guessing many of you understand and can relate to what I'm saying. It feels good to complete something, to work out long, complicated puzzles in novels, to solve the mysteries, to finally reach redemption for the characters who become larger than life. Before God flipped my switch and gave me my first novel, I wonder what I did with that part of my brain. Nothing quite as productive, I assure you. I think I watched a little too much t.v.

I wonder how you're wired. Have you learned to embrace that quirky thing about you and set it free? I bet if used properly, you could make a difference in the world somehow because God wired you that way. As surely as I write this, God is waiting to take your oddities and use them for his glory in a way that only he can do--only through you. All you have to do is ask him to flip your switch.

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Nicole Seitz is the author of six novels, the mother of two adorable kids, and the teacher of about 165 art students. She lives with her family in the Charleston, SC area where she is currently working on her next book. Find her and her work at http://www.nicoleseitz.com/.

I Ran Off with the Circus

by Nicole Seitz
Some of the most unexpected blessings of my entire writing journey have been the people I've met and friendships formed along the way. Not something you'd expect to hear from a girl who, on her kindergarten report card, had "Cannot throw a ball" and "Does not play well with others."

I've come a long way, baby. My husband makes this puppet-moving-mouth movement with his hand when I talk too much...to strangers. I like strangers. They're strange, just like me. And over the past several years, strangers are becoming my fastest, bestest friends. Let me explain.



Ringmaster, Kathy Patrick

 Last weekend, I ran away to the circus. Really. If having the time of your life, dressing up in costumes and laughing the nights away with a bunch of clowns and animal tamers is the circus, then I'm not lying. I am still riding high after an amazing trip to Jefferson, TX, where every year the Pulpwood Queens book clubs congregate to party down at Girlfriend's Weekend. Kathy Patrick, friend to all, is the mastermind and Energizer bunny behind all of this. She was probably the girl in kindergarten that everyone fought to sit next to. She is a magnet for good times and fellowship, and people flock to her and the the quaint historic town of Jefferson.

This was my third straight year of attendance, and for me, it just keeps getting better and better because of the PEOPLE! I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed visiting with friend Shellie Rushing Tomlinson (author of SUE ELLEN AIN'T FAT, SHE JUST WEIGHS HEAVY). We met three years ago at the same Jefferson Convention center--I was dressed as a cicada Barbie with wings and she was a rainbow. We just hit it off. This time, we sat talking in Beje's Diner with Christian karaoke going on in the background dressed in pink prom attire. It was just what we needed.

Me, Shellie, Lisa Wingate, Carla Stewart, Marybeth Whalen



I also got to spend time with other amazing authors and friends, River Jordan, Michael Morris (I bought his wife's painting in the silent auction), Karen Harrington, Kathryn Casey, Marybeth Whalen, Lisa Wingate, Carla Stewart, Judy Christie, Marcia Fine...okay, I'll stop here, because the list is just too long, but you get the point! And I haven't even mentioned the Pulpwood Queens who have touched my heart year after year!



Jimmy Moomaw, author of
SOUTHERN FRIED CHILD, and me



In addition to some old friends I've made along my writing journey, I got to make some new ones. I cannot name them all, but let I'll give you some highlights: driving author Robert Hicks (THE WIDOW OF THE SOUTH) around and around between Shreveport and Jefferson, missing my turns because he's such an amazing storyteller. Being outfitted by the lovely Pulpwood Queens of Eureka (and Woodlands) in a pink prom dress, gloves and silver shoes. Staying at the Benefield House Bed and Breakfast and being spoiled by sweet owner Donna. Visiting last year's bed and breakfast, Steamboat Inn, just to visit with those sweet owners. Meeting Jimmy Moomaw, who turned 75 years old with us and told me to buy her book "Because it's really good. No crap." I liked her frank style and the way she boogied on the dance floor so I bought that book and cannot wait to read it. And how could I forget talking about how I missed my family back home with author William Torgenson (LOVE ON THE BIG SCREEN), and learning he turned sentimental on me and went to call his own family after our chat.



The point is, I never knew playing with others was so much fun. What was I afraid of before? What's amazing to me, is that when it comes to a love of books, people seem to be able to reach a deeper level of intimacy quicker, and therefore, the relationships seem more meaningful. I have become more open to others because of writing my books and I've learned to reach out and truly connect. Of course, I realize there is a divine hand at play because the connections seem so poignant and perfectly timed. All in all, I am blessed with many people I truly care about now, and that is a far cry from the girl who, not so long ago, liked to keep to herself behind a computer screen. I'm fairly sure when I'm too old to remember any of the titles of my books, I'll still have some of these friends around to haunt me with freakish photos from our weekends in Jefferson. Knowing me, I'll just invent my own past and convince myself I really did run away to the circus. And you know, that doesn't seem like such a bad way to go.

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Nicole Seitz's latest novel releases on January 31, BEYOND MOLASSES CREEK. She is the author of five other novels and often paints elements of her book covers. She lives in Charleston, SC, with her sweet family. Visit her web site at http://www.nicoleseitz.com/ or find her on Facebook and Twitter.



Jimmy Moomaw, SOUTHERN FRIED CHILD



Bill Torgensen, LOVE ON THE BIG SCREEN

Pulpwood Queens of Eureka, Pam and Heidi

Cupcakes and Creativity

Dressed as Julie in Julie and Julia with
Kathy Patrick of the Pulpwood Queens!

I'd like to talk about cupcakes for a while. Rather, cupcakes and writing and how the two go together.

See, there's this place in town where all they sell are cupcakes. I was there today. One cupcake cost me more than three dollars. A three dollar cupcake! Do I need to say more? I split it with a knife into three sections and shared it between my two kids and myself. I had a bit less than a dollar's worth. That was one hefty cupcake.

Seeing as that one was three dollars, it was pretty much out of the question to order 20 cupcakes for my daughter's class tomorrow. She's turning 8 years old over spring break next week, so we're celebrating early with cupcakes in her class. Last year as I was traveling with birthday cupcakes to her class, someone rear-ended my car and the cupcakes went flying, so I'm a little nervous about tomorrow, but that's neither here nor there.

So about these cupcakes...and about my daughter. She cares about people. She likes to please people, but she's not so much interested in pleasing the masses, per se. She's more interested in pleasing those whom she cares about. My daughter told me she wanted cupcakes with no eggs in them since a boy in class is allergic to eggs, which is why we were in this three-dollar-cupcake shop in the first place. Apparently, they make some without eggs. However, the cost is prohibitive.

So while the kids were in the dentist's office, I ran over to the grocery store and bought a cake mix, icing, and applesauce. On the Internet, I read that you could replace the eggs with applesauce and a little vinegar, and something else. The something else is what I couldn't remember because the Internet was down tonight. So I made the cupcakes with oil instead of butter and applesauce with a dash of vinegar instead of eggs. Sounds awful, doesn't it? I was worried. My mother, the baker in the family, said, "How are they going to rise without eggs?" I SO don't know. I write books. I paint pictures. But I don't bake much.

I poured the batter into the cupcake thingies and stuck two pans in the oven. Every few minutes, I checked to see if anything was happening. They rose, ever so slightly, barely a blip, but I saw them. I noticed. After twenty minutes, I pulled them out and saw that they were chocolaty and semi-firm. I let them cool. Later my daughter and I piped on whipped white icing out of a plastic bag, and my daughter insisted on not icing one of them so her other friend who doesn't like icing could have one. Great. An eggless cupcake with no icing. Delicious.

I made two dozen, so the four of us at home could each try one tonight and send in the 20 we needed for school tomorrow. I wrote a note to the teacher assuring her I did not put eggs in the cupcakes (as if she wouldn't notice), and then we tasted. I held my breath. And bit.

Scrumptious, melt-in your mouth, chocolaty goodness, rich, heavenly...yum. Almost like molten chocolate cake. I was very pleased and figure I'll be winning mom-of-the-week around my daughter's class tomorrow. What a surprise. Can't wait to tell my own mother.

So what do these cupcakes have to do with writing, you ask? This is a writing blog after all. Well, I'll tell you.

My daughter did not set out to please the entire second grade with these cupcakes, not even the majority. There were one or two people who had special needs, and she simply wanted to please them. This made her happy. This also made her (read me) take a risk. I have never baked a cupcake without eggs, never even heard of it. Even my mother, the baker, doubted it. But my daughter and I tried something new. Everyone knows a cupcake is made from mix, eggs, butter, and water (unless you're a by-scratch person), but we put it together with oil and applesauce and vinegar, and guess what? Maybe it's not a cupcake for the masses, but sometimes baking--or writing--for an audience of one is more important. And more memorable.

I try to write for an audience of one, for my father in heaven, and when I do, there are no set rules about what order to put things in, no set ingredient list, no mass of people clamoring for eggs and rising batter. Writing for an audience of one means sometimes you'll create an unexpected delicacy, an original idea, a decadent combination that a certain audience will find perfectly palatable.

I love taking risks with my writing. I love doing something I've never done before, something that may not even be doable. I like to write for an audience of one. It makes me happy. And if it flops, at least I got to spend time with my father in the kitchen and lick the batter off the wooden spoon.

___________________
Nicole Seitz is the author and cover illustrator of The Inheritance of Beauty, Saving Cicadas, A Hundred Years of Happiness, Trouble the Water, and The Spirit of Sweetgrass. The Inheritance of Beauty is a Books-a-Million Faithpoint Book Club Selection for May 2011. Nicole teaches art at a local private school in the Charleston, SC area, where she lives with her husband and two children. She is currently editing her sixth novel. http://www.nicoleseitz.com/

shhh, pass it on...private thoughts on publicity

By Nicole Seitz

God bless her heart, there's a cute little entertainment reporter who started talking after the Grammy awards last night and right in the middle started speaking gibberish, as if she was having a stroke or speaking in tongues, or one of those pig-latiny languages we used to make up as children.

You can Google it if you need to, but I feel for this woman. She's young. She's got a lot on her mind. She's got a big job, a very public job, and she's trying her hardest to get her words out there just right, and then all of a sudden there's a misfire. My prayers are with her tonight. Part of me knows how she feels. Part of me thinks we're all just one brain misfire from getting our words to come tumbling down around us in a jumbled mess....much like the main character in my latest book, The Inheritance of Beauty. Except Magnolia is almost 90 years old and wheelchair bound and trapped somewhere behind her eyes with thoughts of the past as clear as day and "I love you" on her lips but never making it to her sweet husband's ear.

I love being a writer and getting to be a voice for those who have no voice. It's rewarding--yes, rewarding is a good word--when you care about someone, even a character, and want to help them communicate their messages. Communication is important. It's part of being human. If you have something important to say, you must say it yourself as often and as loudly as you can. If you can.

This is the truth of being an author in this decade.

So speaking of getting the word out... What can I say? There is good publicity and then there is...well, you remember that game you used to play as a kid where you would say into the ear of the person to your right a sentence, and then that person would relay it to the next and then the next until the whole circle of folks had been whispered to, and the last one beside you on the left would stand up proudly and declare what it was you said...only it's NOTHING like what you said in the first place, and everyone just dies laughing?

"I have a new book out called The Inheritance of Beauty."
"I have a new lookout, call the caravans of beauty."
"Why haven't you put out all the caravans of booty?"
"Wipe your shoe poo out, all the bear ants are puny."
"Wipe your shampoo out, all the parents are moody."

Huh? Wipe your shampoo out? The parents are moody? Is that what I said?

YES, the parents ARE moody! Why? They're writing and trying to sell books!

Listen, if you're an author, sometimes you have reason to be moody. Getting the right people to read and talk about your book is not easy! Face it, you've worked so hard not only to write and sell the book but then then to work for a year with your publisher trying to get it out the door and into stores. And then when it's time, you want to take a deep breath and let other people take the reins and relay the message: "There is a NEW book out by an AMAZING author, and it's a GREAT book, and you should read it and tell EVERYONE you know!"

But sometimes, that doesn't happen, does it? Sometimes, you have to pick those reins back up. Sometimes you feel like that initial whisper into the wind got distorted or watered down along the way and if you don't get back out there and tell everyone again, "Hey, I worked really hard to write a great new book! Tell a friend!"-- that your words are lost out there like gibberish falling down around feet, like whispers morphing and changing shape in the wind.

As authors, we depend on our publishers and publicists and marketing people to get the word out, but being an author means you have a message...YOUR words. And sometimes, when all the hoo-hah has died down and the big events are over and publicists (God bless them!) have moved on to a newer book, there's still little old you, holding your microphone, trying to get your story out to another person who might need to or like to hear your message. And you just pray the words come out clearly...one. last. time.

I have a new book out called The Inheritance of Beauty.
I have a new book out called The Inheritance of Beauty.
I have a new book out called The Inheritance of Beauty.
Won't you read it?

shhh. Pass it on...

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Nicole Seitz with Shellie Rushing Tomlinson at the Pulpwood
Queens Girlfriend weekend in Texas last month.

Nicole Seitz is a South Carolina Lowcountry native, mother, wife, art teacher, illustrator and novelist. She is pleased to have just released her fifth novel, The Inheritance of Beauty, if you haven't heard. The book is getting very nice reviews from readers, and Nicole is happy about that. She also feels blessed to have amazing publicists, publishers, readers and a biased but lovely mother who tells people all about her books. Just yesterday she was on the radio show of one of A Good Blog is Hard to Find's best and brightest talents, Shellie Rushing Tomlinson. They had a very nice chat on her porch, and you can listen to it here. You can also visit Nicole's website at http://www.nicoleseitz.com/ and find her on Facebook and Twitter @nicoleseitz, if you're so inclined. Happy reading, friends. Spread the word.

As the River Rages

By Nicole Seitz

If this reads a little like a family letter home during the holidays, bear with me. I'm from the South where family is king. By way of introduction, I’m Nicole Seitz, a novelist based in Charleston, South Carolina. I grew up on a little island called Hilton Head, I paint my book covers and love art just about as much as writing itself. I love ethnic foods, animals, God, my husband and children, and sleeping in on Sundays…not necessarily in that order.



I had one of those “full-circle” moments recently. Three years ago, three authors did a talk at the Charleston County Public Library on “Spirituality in Writing”—Beth Webb Hart, Denise Hildreth and me. My mother came to the event as well as some friends from my writers group. At that time I talked about my debut book, The Spirit of Sweetgrass. Beth Webb read from her second novel, Adelaide Piper, and Denise from her third, The Will of Wisteria.

Denise, me and Beth Webb three years ago.

As I sat there last Saturday in the same room at the library, with the same three authors on the same "Spituality in Writing" panel, I looked out in the audience and saw my mother. Thank goodness she could still be there for me. I also saw empty chairs where my writing friends used to be. Three of them have passed away in as many years. I took stock at that moment, thinking about the journey we three authors have been on since the last time we came together, and my, how that river runs. So much has changed.

For one, my hair is a gazillion inches longer than last time AND I’ve discovered this amazing straightening device that actually works in Southern humid weather, the Chi. Denise’s hair was a bit longer too, while Beth Webb still had her short, cute do. As for grays, we each might have a few more, but thanks to the modern miracle of hair color, none of you will ever know.


This year, talking to guests and signing books.

 Last time we three converged, Beth Webb had just had a little boy. That baby is now up and running around. Back then she was teaching at a local school, now she’s focused on writing and raising family and whatever else strikes her fancy. We’ve flip-flopped. I’m now the one teaching at a local school, still taking care of family, writing, and occasionally doing something that strikes my fancy. But the biggest change might be on Denise’s end. She’s now married to a hunky guy with five, count them, FIVE new children to love. Call her Denise Hildreth JONES now. I call her blessed. And courageous. Or tired. One.

Three years ago, we were all writing for the same publisher, Thomas Nelson. Beth Webb and I are still writing for them, but Denise has a new novel out from Tyndale, Hurricanes in Paradise, and a non-fiction book in the works. Beth Webb has had a book hit bestseller status since then, The Wedding Machine, and her new book just launched, Love, Charleston. In the past three years, I’ve had three new novels release, Trouble the Water, A Hundred Years of Happiness, and Saving Cicadas. On Saturday, I could only hint at my Jan/Feb release, The Inheritance of Beauty, about which I’m truly excited.

Last time we were together, SC Poet Laureate and our lovely publicist, Marjory Wentworth, moderated our panel. This time, the talented and jovial Sean Scapellato (though with a lot less hair) did the honors. It was nice having some testosterone on stage for a change!

So much has evolved in our lives in the last three years--our friendship, for one. We’re in this thing together, sharing this journey together. I know I’m speaking for Beth Webb and Denise now, but I think they would agree with me. No matter which book comes out or what has happened in our lives, we still write from a worldview of hope in any circumstance. We still write our hearts out on our pages. We still write true-to-life Southern characters with real world situations that make you laugh and cry and everything in between. And we still thank God for each and every word we are blessed to put out on paper.

Sometimes full circle moments help us to take stock of our journeys and to see what amazing constants there are in our lives, even as the river rages. Faith is one of them. Family and friendships as well. Thankfully, writing is the other thing we can count on to be there for us--a shoulder to lean on and a legacy after there are no more words.
 ___________________________

Nicole Seitz is the author of The Spirit of Sweetgrass, Trouble the Water, A Hundred Years of Happiness and Saving Cicadas. Her fifth novel, The Inheritance of Beauty will release in February 2011. She teaches art at a local school, paints the covers of her novels, and loves on her family every second she's not writing that next book. Visit her at http://www.nicoleseitz.com/ where you can also purchase her artwork and notecards.

Books I've Sold and Other Elusive Numbers

By Nicole Seitz
http://www.nicoleseitz.com/

My husband's favorite question for me when I walk in the door from a book event is, "How many books did you sell?" I CAN'T STAND this question. Makes me want to pull my hair out. Or his. Don't get me wrong, I understand that he's a number's guy, he likes statistics, figures and things adding up--but honestly, the numbers DON'T add up. Ever. Rarely have a done an event, whether in a book store or book club or speaking to an organization, where the number of books I sold actually made the event worth it, financially speaking.

It's not about how many books you sell. In fact, if you try to keep count, you'll have a hard time getting the gumption up to do it again the next time. Trust me on this.

You never know what you're going to get when you sign books at a bookstore, school, etc. I've sold over 150 books at one event. I've sold zero at another. You just never know. So why do you do it? you might wonder. I'm glad you asked. Here's what I tell my husband:

I do these events, not only because it's part of the job and good to get your name and face out there, but because there are people involved. Real live human beings. I sit all day long behind my computer, writing, researching, imagining fictitious characters and their worlds... It's a solitary existence. Occasionally I get a lovely note from a reader who enjoyed a book, and he/she tells me why. These notes are pure gold. I save them and stare at them when the going gets tough. But the book events take a lot of effort...traveling, packing up, slogging everything along. As such, they require more preparation.

Here's what I do. First, I pray on my way in the car. Yes, my Southern grandmother always told me to "go first class" when I drive, which, to you Northern folks means, "let Jesus take the wheel." Since he's already in the car, I choose to talk to him on my way to book events. I ask him to bless the people I'm going to meet. To give me the words to say. Occasionally, he really gets creative.

Recently, I was describing my four books to a lady and said of one, "This one deals with suicide. It's a book about learning to live again. A book about healing." Mind you, I NEVER mention that word, s-u-i-c-i-d-e, so as not to scare people off, but for some odd reason, that's the lovely way I described Trouble the Water. The woman looked at me, picked up the book and said, "This is the one I want. I've always been suicidal." Gulp. I signed it for her, and she looked at me hard as she walked away. To this day I pray for her healing. To this day I don't understand fully how I was prompted to say that word that resonated so deeply with her.

Another time I was in a bookstore and a woman walked by. I thought I knew her for some reason, so I said hello. She continued on, so I insisted, "Don't I know you?" We talked it over and no, we'd never met. Then she told me her name. It struck a chord with me. I remembered personalizing a book for that same name the year before. How did I remember that? It turns out, this woman had indeed received a book of mine from a friend. She said it had been especially poignant for her since she's a breast cancer survivor and Trouble the Water also deals with that. We'd never met, yet had some connection forged through a book. As if we knew each other. Goodness. Blows me away.

I could go on with the strange coincidences of book events, but I'll just say this: there are real live people involved. You never know about a word of encouragement you may give, the things people will open up about, the tears they'll shed, the laughs you'll share, the characters you'll see before you that may wind up in a future book...you just never know. It's give and take, this beautiful dance between author and readers, and sometimes, they don't even buy the book! Sometimes, they just talk. Or ask where the bathroom is, or tell you about a loved one. Or just touch you in some amazing way.

When my husband asks me how many books I've sold, I still cringe. I can't help it. "It's not about that," I tell him. Being a numbers guy and all, this book-writing business is all about the number of books I sell. It only makes sense to him. But being an author, I can assure you it's not about that at all. Sure, big numbers would be terrific, I won't lie, but if that's why you do it, you will be sorely disappointed in this profession. Being an author is about people, emotion, connections. It's about intangible things no numbers could ever quantify.

How many books will I sell at my next event? Don't know. Could be 1000. Might be zero. I may be able to count on my fingers, possibly my toes. But how many incredible book event experiences have I had since my first novel, The Spirit of Sweetgrass, came out in 2007? I don't know. Too many to believe. I stopped counting long, long ago.

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Nicole Seitz is the author and cover illustrator of four novels. Saving Cicadas was an Indie NEXT List Notable (Jan 2010), a Pulpwood Queens Book Club Bonus Selection (Feb 2010), and a 2010 SIBA Book Award nominee. A Hundred Years of Happiness was a CBN.com Summer Reading Pick and 2009 SIBA Book Award nominee. Trouble the Water was chosen as one of the Best Books of 2008 by Library Journal and went into a second printing two weeks after release.

Nicole lives in the beautiful lowcountry of South Carolina with her sweet (and good with numbers) husband and two children. When traveling, she always goes first class. Find her at http://www.nicoleseitz.com/.

New Release - Saving Cicadas

By Nicole Seitz

I need to tell you about this little girl named Janie. She's eight-and-a-half, smart as a whip and loves her mama, even more now that Daddy's gone away. Her sister, Rainey Dae, is seventeen, has Down syndrome, and likes to Google. They both love bugs, and they're extremely close and protective of one another--sisters can be that way. And Mama works--hard--but Christmas is coming, and it never seems she has enough. And now, well, now, she's just found out she's pregnant again.

This can't be happening. But it is.

And so Janie and her sister Rainey and Grandma Mona and Poppy climb into the car with Mama for the last family vacation they'll ever have. Except that this isn't any normal vacation. And this isn't any normal family. These are the Macys. And there are family secrets to unearth. And difficult choices on the long road ahead.

A moving narrative about family, loss and longing, and the transforming power of truth, SAVING CICADAS is an eloquent reminder that life is a miracle—and even the smallest soul is a gift.

"well-drawn characters" — Southern Living

"will leave you awe-struck." — Beth Webb Hart, author of Grace at Low Tide, Adelaide Piper, and The Wedding Machine

"Seitz has a gift for creating wonderful characters, especially the young girls...this tale's spooky sweet dénouement includes a magical twist...marvelously memorable." — Publishers Weekly

"What a deeply moving novel! I literally could not put it down...I think the issues covered in the book …are so relevant to our society. The choices...seen from a child's perspective, was illuminating." — Valerie Jones, Fireside Books & Gifts, Forest City, NC

"a surprisingly creative tale that will leave readers guessing until the end." — River Jordan, author of Saints in Limbo, The Messenger of Magnolia Street, and The Gin Girl

"Plotted as tightly as a murder mystery--brings tears to a grown man's eyes." — Jim McFarlane, Fiction Addiction, Greenville, SC

"Resounding kudos to Charleston resident Seitz for penning a tale that spans Carolina towns, explores family ties, wrestles heart-heavy fare from abortion to the afterlife, and toys with magical realism." — Charleston Magazine

"do NOT miss this novel." — Fresh Fiction

Watch a short book trailer...with your speakers turned up.





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Nicole Seitz releases her fourth novel, SAVING CICADAS, on December 1. Her daughter was the model for the cover painting. Nicole's other titles include A Hundred Years of Happiness, Trouble the Water, and The Spirit of Sweetgrass. http://www.nicoleseitz.com/

A Recipe for Writing

by Nicole Seitz

The other night, I dreamed I was standing in front of a classroom of teens, telling them about everything I've learned about writing. About being a writer. I've just finished the first draft of my next novel, and I find that I always learn new things while writing a book, or else my old beliefs are reaffirmed. It's all a great learning experience--the struggles, the joys, the pressing forward. After writing my fifth book, I've learned quite a bit more than I knew when I was going into this career. So if I had to give some advice to a writer just starting out, what would it be?

I tried to remember what I was going on and on about in my hazy dream the other night, to no avail. And then last night I was rereading my manuscript, exhausted, and couldn't muster any other thoughts but sleep. Sadly, this morning, I'm all about the coffee and we're out of it. So I was thanking Heaven when I flipped open the food section of the newspaper today and saw that there's a movie coming out about Julia Child and a woman who decides to go through all 524 of her cookbook recipes. There, on the second page of the article, were the words I've been looking for...and Julia was a chef, not a writer. But you see, writing is just like anything else in life...cooking, loving...I think you'll see.

In Julia's words:

"Find something you're passionate about and keep tremendously interested in it."
I will second that. If you are not passionate about writing...if it does not fill that deep pit that continually needs filling within you, you might want to look elsewhere. If you think you're going into writing for any of these reasons: money, status, sex (hee hee, sexy authors), or doing something easy -- you will most likely burn out at some point.

"I was 32 when I started cooking; up until then, I just ate."

I was 32 and pregnant when I got the first inkling to write. I thought writing a novel would be an impossible undertaking. My first basically wrote itself. Up till then, I just read a little and admired writers from afar. Sometimes people fall into that thing they were made to do after they've already done so many other things that just didn't satisfy.

"The secret to a happy marriage is finding the right person. You know they're right if you love to be with them all the time."

Just yesterday I was thinking how writing is like a marriage. You find a man you love, you get skinny, you plan for the wedding, dream about it at night, then you have the big glorious event...and then...and then, you're married. For the rest of your life. No more weddings, just the ups and downs of day to day. So much like writing. I thought when I got that first book published and in hand that I would have "made it" wherever THAT was. Little did I know that it was only the beginning. I had to live day to day with the writing now, the pressing for words, having them flood me at inappropriate times, being frustrated when I didn't know what in the heck they were doing, being scared the writing was taking me away from other important things like exercise, sunshine...and then, every now and again, I get a tiny little wedding moment. Much like marriage. You must love this person you're with forever. Same goes for writing. Find ways to keep the love alive even when it's hard. If you're truly passionate about it, you won't let the small things turn into burnout.

"Being tall is an advantage, especially in business. People will always remember you. And if you're in a crowd, you'll always have some clean air to breathe."

This is inspired, Julia. I am not tall by any means. I'm 5'3" and three-quarters, thank you. But this quote refers to writing as well. Do you want to be tall, original, and stand out? Or do you want to write the same thing someone else is writing? Sure, you can make a living, writing to formula and putting out things you know will sell, stuff just like everything else. Hey, I'm not against money, we all need to make a living. But to feed the SOUL, that deep pit that needs filling over and over, I say rise above. Do something different, original, be true to yourself. It's the only way to have fresh air wherever you're standing. Otherwise, there's hot air and back draft all around. After a while, you'll need to take a bow, step out of the room and breathe again.

For new writers out there, God bless your journey. For others who have been around a while and feel the pounds and wrinkles of a long writing marriage, I wish for you fresh wind in your sails. Always try to remember why you fell in love in the first place.

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Nicole Seitz is the author/cover artist of three novels and lives in Charleston, SC with her husband and two kids. Her latest book, A Hundred Years of Happiness, was inspired by her stepfather's service in Vietnam and the Vietnamese seafood restaurant she once worked in. Her next book, Saving Cicadas, is narrated by an 8-year-old girl whose single mother finds herself pregnant again, and in her dilemma, hauls the whole family into the car for the last family vacation they'll ever have. Through the eyes of innocence, Janie must learn the truth about the people she loves the most and the difficult choices grown-ups make. The book is available for pre-order and hits stores December 1.

Find other Seitz books including The Spirit of Sweetgrass and Trouble the Water (Library Journal's Best Books of 2008) plus her artwork online at http://www.nicoleseitz.com/.

When Characters Come to Life

By Nicole Seitz, author of A Hundred Years of Happiness, Trouble the Water, and The Spirit of Sweetgrass

I'm so happy to be writing right now, I could kiss someone. Now, in one sense, the "writing" I'm talking about is that I'm under contract for more books...in this economy. Trust me, I'm counting my blessings. But (and there's always a but, isn't there?) I have a deadline in a couple of months and honestly, with summer here, the kids at home, work calling, I've no clue how I'm going to get this done. But then again, I have to remind myself that I ALWAYS feel this way about each new book and each new deadline. And, I have to remember I'm not alone.

The "writing" I'm happiest about is the actual sitting-down-at-the-computer, feeling the keys beneath my fingertips, forgetting there's a blank page in front of me, just letting it flow kind of writing--like I experienced yesterday, sitting on the front porch, watching my children play. In those moments, I am consumed by my characters. I'm in their heads. I care what happens to them, what they say to one another, what they did in their pasts, what motivates them. In those moments I am completely oblivious to the fact that I'm under deadline or that writing books is even a business at all. Because I don't know about you, but I didn't get into the book business for the "business" part of that equation. I did it because I love this process of "writing."

Oh, how hard it is to remain in that ephemeral place where I once lived for months through the writing of my first novel. All I felt was love for my main character, Essie Mae Laveau Jenkins. I just wrote what she told me to. I had no thoughts of publication, no thoughts of market, no fears of failure or rejection or 'what if this doesn't sell-out'? Back then, I was just a creative person who had a very different definition of the word "sell-out." Have things changed so much since I began this journey? Well, yes and no. I still love the books. The business I realize, although difficult at times, is necessary and worth it at the end of the day. I'm just finding that with each and every new book I write, I know more about writing and more about the business. Sometimes knowledge is a wonderful thing...it aids in survival. But sometimes, knowledge can turn a passionate faith into a technical, nay saying science. And I'm more of a whole-hearted faith kind of a gal.

When I feel too much knowledge nipping at my brain, the kind that zaps all creative thought, I back away. I back away and ask for Essie Mae and Honor and Alice and John Porter and Ernest and all my other beautiful characters who have carried me courageously and valiantly over the threshold of my deadlines, to pick me up once again. They've done it before. Like that tiny red ant my daughter just showed me in the driveway that is carrying another red ant three times its size--by the grace of God, our characters can carry us anywhere if we'll just erase ourselves, forget all we know, and play dead for a little while. That's when we really see what the little boogers are made of. That's when our characters truly come to life.

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Nicole Seitz is the author and cover artist of three novels. Her second book, TROUBLE THE WATER, was named one of the BEST BOOKS OF 2008 by Library Journal. Her next novel, SAVING CICADAS, will go on sale December 1. Nicole makes her home in the lowcountry of South Carolina with her husband, two children, a cat, a dog, a hamster, and two frogs.

Just Give Me a Good Cup of Coffee

by Nicole Seitz

Is there such a thing as good stress? If so, I think I'm under it. I'm winding down the promotion of my second book in as many years. I've just finished editing my third book and am staring down the barrel of a deadline for my fourth. This is my dream, right? Why is it that my hair is getting grayer and I'm feeling so tired, physically, emotionally?

I wonder if other authors feel overwhelmed a bit at times. Mind you, it's all good. A couple weeks ago, I traveled to Atlanta with fellow author Beth Webb Hart and had an amazing time talking books the whole time. I'm not kidding, two straight days of talking books interspersed with an event here or there. Good, good times.

Then last week, I had the great honor of doing the Baccalaureate address for the College of Charleston graduates. We were in this beautiful AME church in downtown Charleston where "Amens" abounded and fresh faces prepared to enter the world. A lovely time.

And just this past weekend, I spoke at the Conway Library and the next day at a Moveable Feast in Pawleys Island. In fact, my mother, stepfather, brother and sister-in-law were all there, watching, listening. It was a special time for me. I think it all has gone well--the people I've met, the encouragement they've given me. But even so, it is stressful--isn't it?--speaking in front of so many people, sharing your heart, exposing your soul, telling your story, over and over...

I've been annoyed with myself for not being able to remain 100% energetic. I'm still just happy to be here! But I suppose we all need a few days to regroup, even when we're living our dream. Right?

So I'm feeling tired and this morning, horror of horrors, there was no coffee in the house. Well, let's just say there was enough for one cup and my husband, the early bird, got the worm. So, after the kids and hubby were out the door, I donned my flip flops and headed to the nearest Bi-Lo.

There is a coffee station at this particular store where you can get a fresh cup and stroll about. But today, there were boxes everywhere. In fact, yes, it looked as if the coffee station had closed. Panicked and bleary-eyed I approached a girl behind the counter and asked if she could get me a cup of coffee. I'm sure my hair sticking up and puffy eyes tipped her off that this was indeed a coffee emergency.

"I can only do fresh-brewed," she said.
"That's all I want. Black," I answered, grateful that God was granting me this good favor.
The girl said that the coffee station was closing down. Just as long as I got my one cup of coffee, I thought. Lucky me.

Scratching through my wallet for the $1.86 I owed her, I found that I only had $1.72. This didn't faze her, and she reached into her tip cup and found the needed cents. What a nice girl, I thought. She said she didn't drink coffee but she understood how some people (meaning disheveled me) really needed it. This oddity, that she didn't drink coffee forced me to pipe up.

"You mean, you just wake up and go?" I asked. Which led to her sharing this phenomenal story with me.

The young woman who served me coffee, who shared some of her tip money for me, is twenty-three. She suffers from severe osteoporosis. When she was eight years old, she was diagnosed with brain cancer. The doctors gave her a year to live. She underwent sixteen long months of radiation and in that time, one night, two angels came to her and told her to "hang in there. God has good plans for your life." Her mother came in and heard her daughter talking to someone. She also heard someone talking back. Wow. Angels.

To this day, "Jennifer" is on lots of medication because the place where the tumor was on her brain does not make the things it should make. The doctors do not see any more cancer now and are stumped by it. They gave her a year to live. That was nearly fourteen years ago! Jennifer says she focuses on the good things. She's alive. "I'm just happy to be alive," she told me. Just like that. I shook her hand. I praised God for her. I felt like the biggest loser having so much in my life and feeling tired instead of simply happy to be here and happy to be alive.

Yes, I was feeling a bit peaked this morning after all the "good things" I've been involved with lately. I'm so embarrassed by it now. That cup of coffee this morning rejuvenated my soul. In my latest book, TROUBLE THE WATER, a Gullah elder, Blondell, serves another character, Honor, a cup of black coffee at her lowest point in her life. She'd tried to kill herself the day before but smelling that coffee, tasting it out of a chipped cup, makes Honor realize something so simple: she's just happy to be alive so she can drink that cup of coffee.

Just happy to be alive.

I believe in miracles. Our pastor was talking about them last night. Jennifer's mother calls her "her walking miracle." And this morning, meeting Jennifer was exactly what I needed. I suspect, whatever is going on in your life right now, hearing about Jennifer may be just what you needed too. God certainly does have good plans for Jennifer's life. And for mine. And for yours. Now let's get back to work and get busy with those plans. Every day is a gift.

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Nicole Seitz is the author of TROUBLE THE WATER which is featured in this month's Southern Living Magazine and Charleston Magazine. She is also the author of THE SPIRIT OF SWEETGRASS, and her third book, A HUNDRED YEARS OF HAPPINESS, will be released in early 2009. Today, she is drinking lots of coffee and working on her next novel.

Nicole illustrates the covers for her books and is happiest when she is holding one of her two sweet children in her arms or is fully engaged in the act of writing or painting. Visit her at her website: http://www.nicoleseitz.com/.