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Recognitions

Vivian Reed

For years, Joan McNulty Pulver has celebrated the tenacity and ultimate successes of Writers’ Village University members in this column. I hope to continue in her tradition with inspiring stories of shining moments in the lives of hard-working and dedicated writers.

Nikki Leigh
The celebration begins this month with news that print versions of two books by Nikki Leigh will be available this spring. This prolific writer works 60 to 80 hours a week, but she still finds time to savor her success. “It’s a huge rush every time I receive my e-book or print copies of a new book,” Nikki says. “The first was wonderful, but each one since then is just as sweet. My tenth book was recently accepted and I was thrilled about that, just like the first one. The feeling never gets old.”

Lady Lightkeeper, the second book in the author’s “Misty Cove” series, arrives in print this month, and the paper version of Lilah and the Locket will be issued shortly after that. Up-to-date book order information can be found at the author’s website, www.nikkileigh.com/book_4_sale.htm.

The writer known as Nikki Leigh to her friends at WVU, uses her name, Shri Henkel, for her business-oriented non-fiction books and articles. She writes in several genres, particularly historic and contemporary women’s fiction, and all of her fiction has elements of romance. “I have all kinds of favorite authors, in many genres,” she says. “I’m very happy to say I’ve met some wonderful authors and a number of very well known ones in the last several years.”

Nikki joined Writers’ Village University in 2001 and has belonged to Word Slingers, the Misfits and several other study groups. “I think the members helped me to see my work through a reader’s eyes,” she says. Following the advice in one of her groups, Nikki made sweeping changes to a manuscript before sending it to a publisher who’d liked her proposal. The publisher responded to the revised manuscript, “What happened to the tone and voice of the story that I loved?” Based on her experience, Nikki advises, “Listen to constructive criticism, but remain true to yourself, your character and your story.”

When asked to describe her latest work, Nikki replies with a smile, “I’m trying to decide which latest work to mention.” She’s working on two additional novels that will take place in the Outer Banks in the first half of the twentieth century as does Lilah and the Locket. She’s also researching another book in her historic “Misty Cove” series that will take place in Wilmington, North Carolina during the Civil War.

In October, she was hired to write a novel inspired by the true story of an inexperienced horse owner who struggles to compete in the snobbish dressage community. Nikki will also promote Shadow’s Pride (the horse story) for her client.

“I suggest that new writers stick with it and keep writing even when they have doubts,” Nikki says, adding that taking on books, articles and other writing projects “has really opened up a lot of possibilities and helped me spread my writing wings.” Building characters is a key element of Nikki’s writing technique. “My inner critic talks to me less than my characters do.” She admits that the submission process can be scary, but she has had remarkable success. Recently, she sent an excerpt from a work in progress to her editor for a preliminary look. The editor sent it on to the selection committee, and the book was immediately accepted. That excerpt is posted at www.nikkileigh.com/shadows_pride.htm.

Allie Boniface
“I’m always in the mood for adventure!” Allie Boniface declares, and the coming months should bring lots of writing adventure her way. Paradise, USA, her serial romance novella, will soon be released at www.virtualtales.com. Later this year, her full-length contemporary romance novel One Night in Boston will be available through www.samhainpublishing.com.

How does she feel? “Thrilled, of course!” Allie, or Alison as she’s known around WVU, says. “When the first one is actually released, I plan to pop a bottle of champagne and then throw a big party for all my friends.”

When she first joined Writers’ Village University, Alison belonged to Creative Energy Unlimited. Even though many of the original members moved on, she stayed in contact and still gets feedback on her writing from some of them. “The core members of CEU are hugely responsible for my growth as a writer,” she says. About two years ago, she joined Timeless Tales, a study group focused on romance writing. “This group has also been a wonderful resource for me,” Alison says, “since we’re all writing in basically the same genre and can discuss market needs and trends.”

Alison lived in several locations in the Northeast and Midwest before settling down in the lower Hudson Valley, where she currently lives with her husband. She teaches English there and chairs a program that introduces students to college courses and internships while they’re still in high school. She loves to travel and plans to visit Hot Springs, Arkansas this spring and mine for diamonds at nearby Crater Diamond Park. She enjoys writers who can tell a good story. Stephen King, Nora Roberts, Jodie Picoult, Terry MacMillan and William Shakespeare top her list.

She’s currently working on another “One Night” romance novel. Similar to One Night in Boston, all the action takes place over a single day and night in 24 chapters. “The spark for this story actually came from a trip I took to visit a girlfriend in Memphis, Tennessee,” Alison says. “You’ll have to read it and draw your own conclusions about what’s truth and what’s fiction.” She finds the “One Night” novels fun and challenging to craft and hopes to continue the series. “My ultimate goal is to secure print publication in the next few years,” she adds.

Looking back on her own experience, Alison advises new writers to be persistent and believe in themselves. Self-discipline, dedication and a thick skin can help counter the discouragement many writers face early on. She recommends writing almost every day, or as she puts it: “Whether it’s 10 minutes or 1,000 words, set a goal for yourself each day and make it as much a part of your routine as brushing your teeth.”

The author finds joy in her work. “It should be fun and on some level, it should be rewarding,” Alison says. “If you find that all your writing has become drudgery, then take some time away to remind yourself why you began in the first place.”

Alison welcomes questions or comments from writers, whether beginners or professionals. “I’d be happy to share my experiences with others,” she says. “I’ve been through the submission process almost too many times to count. I’ve signed contracts, and I’m in the process of learning a whole lot more about the marketing and publicity end of the business.” Emails can be sent to allieb@allieboniface.com.

Jeanne Vincent
“This may sound strange,” Jeanne Vincent muses, “but getting published after a long hiatus has given me a boost of confidence in my writing. It has helped me to get excited about writing again and to recommit to finishing my novel.” Her interview with best-selling author Vicki Hinze first appeared in the inaugural issue of Novel Writer Magazine in June 2006 and has just been reprinted by Absolute Write in its newsletter and website at www.absolutewrite.com/novels/vicki_hinze.htm. Jeanne, who’s known as Writegirl at WVU, recalls, “It had been quite a few years since I’d done any freelance writing so selling my work in print again was very exciting.”

Jeanne joined Writers’ Village University as a lifetime member in 2002. She belonged to the Hole in the Wall Gang and maintained the study group’s website for several years. Word Slingers, a group that focuses on novel writing under the guidance of Dorice Nelson, is Jeanne’s current study group. “The growth of the active writers in Word Slingers is clearly evident in their work and in the depth of the feedback they provide to each other,” she says. “I think one of the best things a writer can do for him/herself is to be around other writers who are seriously trying to improve their work.”

The writer first got bitten by the journalism “bug” when she worked on her high school newspaper in the mid-1960s. She and two other classmates went to adult book stores and convenience stores and documented whether they could buy adults-only magazines. When they published an article based on their experiences, they caused quite a stir. “I think our work was vindicated, however, because the article won second place in a news writing contest,” Jeanne says with a grin.

Her past publications include poetry and an article on genealogy, but Jeanne focuses primarily on her novel writing. She got the idea from a news story she covered years ago. At first, she tried to stick to the facts. “It was a total disaster. You can’t just change names and places and call it fiction,” Jeanne says, laughing. After she created characters and restructured the plot, Jeanne sees no resemblance between her story and the original news event. Loglines and tentative titles of several of her works-in-progress are posted on Jeanne’s blog at www.jeannevincent.com/blog/so-ms-writer-what-is-your-novel-about/.

Besides writing, Jeanne’s other interests include genealogy, web design and reading. “My list of favorite authors is always growing and changing,” she says. Currently her two favorites are Allison Brennan and Illona Haus, new writers in the mystery/suspense field, and she also reads a lot of Jeffrey Deaver, Nelson DeMille, Lisa Gardner, Tess Garritsen and Suzanne Brockman.

“The best advice I can give any writer is to write,” says Jeanne, who jots down individual scenes as they pop into her head and has kept nearly everything she’s ever written. She also recommends studying the craft of writing. “Put yourself in the company of writers who are working to improve themselves, who challenge you to improve and grow,” she suggests. “Don’t take criticism of your work personally. Be open to suggestions about what works and what doesn’t. And never, never give up.”

Sharon L. Connors
“The important thing to me is accomplishing what I set out to do,” Sharon L. Connors says of the recent publication of her novel Dancing on the Edge,“ sharing my stories with people, sharing a piece of me.” Known as Shar around WVU, the author writes in two genres and has two websites to reflect her different writing styles. Her crime/suspense work is featured at www.sharonlconnors.com and her dark fantasy fiction appears in www.romawolftales.com.

“Callie Rowan is everything I am not but would love to be,” Shar says of the main character of Dancing on the Edge. “She is strong yet sensitive, passionate but afraid to let herself go.” The novel is available at www.epress-online.com and www.lulu.com in print format and www.fictionwise.com in electronic format.

An assignment at F2K, the free writing course offered by Writers’ Village University, inspired Shar to write Dancing on the Edge. “I created Callie and the entire plot of the novel while having a psychiatrist evaluate her after the death of her partner and friend,” Shar recalls. “I liked Callie and eventually built Dancing on the Edge around that one scene.”

Shar says she can’t believe she’s a published author. “When I tell people, I am still shy about it, and when I hand someone a copy of my book I just signed, I feel giddy and embarrassed at the same time.” When she first learned her novel was accepted, Shar says, “I did a ‘happy dance,’ a good old ‘Snoopy happy dance’.”

After the tragic deaths of her father and her Sheltie, Kassie, Shar searched for an outlet to vent her emotions online. Her positive experience at F2K led her to join Writers’ Village University in 2000. With fifteen other writers she’d met at F2K, she formed Hemingway Hall and currently mentors that study group. “I was petrified at the prospect of posting my writing at first,” Shar admits, “but the people in my group were so supportive and nurturing. Hemingway Hall is still my biggest motivational force.” Shar invites anyone interested in joining Hemingway Hall to drop in anytime.

As a child growing up in southern New Jersey, Shar loved to create stories based on her favorite television shows, mainly crime dramas and the gothic soap opera Dark Shadows. “So I guess you can say I write what I like best,” she says, laughing. She has managed stores and trained store managers and then began a new career in orthopedics as an x-ray technician, which she’s continued for 22 years. Shar lives in South Florida with her husband, Jim, her Sheltie, Gypsy Lee, and two large freshwater aquariums.

“I spend a lot of time outdoors gardening and nurturing my many orchids or sitting quietly on my patio lost in my muse,” Shar says. Her favorite authors are Laurell Hamilton, Anne Rice, Kim Harrison and J.R. Ward in the dark fantasy genre and Kathy Reichs, Patricia Cornwell, Janet Evanovich in crime/suspense.

Several future projects keep Shar writing. She has a sequel for Dancing on the Edge outlined and has recently completed a draft of the first novel in her dark fantasy “Roma Wolf Tales” series. Her flash fiction piece titled “Solstice,” which won honorable mention in Whim’s Place Flash Fiction Contest, will be published in an anthology in the near future.

“Keep at it! That is my best advice,” Shar says. Warning new writers to expect rejection, she points out that they can also be their own worst critics, adding, “Know when to leave well enough alone.” An ideal writing day for Shar is when the story just flows out unhindered. She explains, “I am not a write-on-demand person. I just write whenever the mood strikes me or my current character has something to say or do.” WVU plays a big part in her writing life. “I attribute my success in actually completing and publishing Dancing on the Edge to all the wonderful people at the WVU,” Shar says. “They are a bunch of motivated, supportive people, so all you would-be writers, or writers in whatever stage of success, know you are in the right place.”

Congratulations to Nikki, Alison, Jeanne and Shar. Your success inspires us all to get our thoughts together and share them with the world. I apologize if I haven’t included a deserving writer in this month’s column. Please e-mail me at recognitions@wvu.org and let me know of your acceptances, publications, e-launches or awards. Your achievements will appear in the next column.


About the Author
Vivian Reed lives and writes in Long Beach, California. With the patient support of her husband and two sons, she is currently “transitioning” into a full-time writing career. Several of her poems have appeared in literary magazines, and before she became a mother, two of her plays were produced in the Los Angeles area. She is proud to write the Recognitions column for T-Zero: The Writer’s E-Zine.