Nicole Deese Author Interview!

Readers, if you popped in on Thursday of this week, you read a review of Nicole Deese's latest novel, The Promise of Rayne. Today is your chance to learn a bit more about this fabulous writer!

Here's the download on today's guest:

Nicole Deese is a full-time lover of humorous, heartfelt, and hope-filled fiction. She is the author of seven published novels including the Love in Lenox novels, A Cliché Christmas and A Season to Love, and her newest standalone release, The Promise of Rayne. When she’s not writing sweet romances, she can usually be found reading near a window while sipping a LaCroix. She lives in small-town Idaho with her handsome hubby and two sons.

WELCOME NICOLE!

Let's start off with a curious question:  Why do you write romance?

I honestly have many answers to this question, but I think one of the biggest reasons I write romance is because of the many parallels that can be drawn between a love story and the gospel message.

What's your favorite romance of all time and why?

Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers-- This novel is sheer brilliance. I read this book nearly twenty years ago for the first time and it still impacts me when I reflect on the characters and message.

Imagine you could special order a zesty romance from a famous romance writer, written just for you to enjoy on your next vacation. Who would write it? Where would it take place? Give us one sticky situation to include.

I'd choose a romance novel written by one of my favorite authors, Tahereh Mafi. She usually writes in the young adult genre, but goodness, her prose is truly unmatched. She writes fantastic romantic tension and adventure, and honestly, I'd take her characters in any sticky situation she wants to write them into!  

Tell us about your books:

My latest, The Promise of Rayne, is a forbidden love story with many external factors--feuding neighbors, family secrets, forest fires, and the power of forgiveness.

I also have a small-town romance series: Love in Lenox. These stories are laced with hints of humor, family dynamics, and heart-felt romance. They all take place in the charming (and imaginary) town of Lenox, Oregon. I enjoy writing these lovable characters so much! I'm currently working on the third Love in Lenox novel.

FYI everybody, A Cliche Christmas was reviewed on this site a couple years ago (here) and it was a PERFECT read for the Christmas season . . . in case you're looking for something like that soon. 

What was the inspiration for The Promise of Rayne?

About a year ago I was meditating on the love your enemies passage in Luke 6. And while I sat pondering one morning, overlooking our property in north Idaho, the beginnings of The Promise of Rayne started to spark. Just a few weeks later those little sparks ignited into a raging fire of conflict, characters, and a story that seemed to grab ahold of my heart until I'd written those last two words: The End. 

Thanks so much for joining us today, Nicole! To celebrate, Nicole is giving away a copy of A Promise of Rayne this week. Please leave a comment on the blog and we'll notify you if your name comes up WINNER!

What's your all-time favorite romance novel?

The Promise of Rayne

The Promise of Rayne 
by Nicole Deese

There is so much to love about this story, and it's still BRAND. SPANKING. NEW.

First of all, the writing swept me out of my life, my house, my daily routine and raptured me to a whole new place. Idaho. I know, it’s not the first place you might think about sweeping your self away to…but trust me…Idaho is now lodged in my heart! The pacing is fast, and the story just kept twisting and turning and growing, layer upon layer.

Secondly, the characters are D-E-E-P. They go beyond three dimensional, to the point where I fully expect to bump into them next time I go to Idaho. (And now I’m actually thinking about going there). They feel so real, and they act so consistently, it’s a true pleasure to read these people through to their happy ending. Yes, it ends well. I’m giving that away. But HOW it ends well, is the question which will drive you from page to page, chapter to chapter until it’s two in the morning and you remember your alarm is set for 6:30am. Yikes. 

(Yes, that happened).

Thirdly, Ms. Deese knows romance. The yearning, the fighting, the excellent reasons the characters should or should not be together. I rode the turbulence of this relationship like a small plane through a stormy sky, feeling every bump, every dip, and every loop-de-loop of emotion. It’s one of my favorite reading experiences. And that’s truly what this book is: an experience. So much more than a typical novel, this story breathes as it reads.

Lastly, I’m ready to read this book again. I know, that sounds crazy. Especially since I just finished reading it. And I rarely re-read. Unless it’s Pride and Prejudice, but that’s a whole other therapy session.

This book is better than most, truer than most, and I can assure the reader it will stay in your heart longer than most. And you might want to go to Idaho after reading it (fair warning).

If you haven't heard enough about this story, please tune in Saturday for our author interview with none other than the delightful Ms Deese. 

The Promise of Rayne depicts a pair of star-crossed lovers. What is your favorite example of star-crossed love? Leave us your answer in the comments for a chance to win a copy of The Promise of Rayne in our weekly giveaway.

The Promise of Rayne

The Promise of Rayne 
by Nicole Deese

There is so much to love about this story, and it's still BRAND. SPANKING. NEW.

First of all, the writing swept me out of my life, my house, my daily routine and raptured me to a whole new place. Idaho. I know, it’s not the first place you might think about sweeping your self away to…but trust me…Idaho is now lodged in my heart! The pacing is fast, and the story just kept twisting and turning and growing, layer upon layer.

Secondly, the characters are D-E-E-P. They go beyond three dimensional, to the point where I fully expect to bump into them next time I go to Idaho. (And now I’m actually thinking about going there). They feel so real, and they act so consistently, it’s a true pleasure to read these people through to their happy ending. Yes, it ends well. I’m giving that away. But HOW it ends well, is the question which will drive you from page to page, chapter to chapter until it’s two in the morning and you remember your alarm is set for 6:30am. Yikes. 

(Yes, that happened).

Thirdly, Ms. Deese knows romance. The yearning, the fighting, the excellent reasons the characters should or should not be together. I rode the turbulence of this relationship like a small plane through a stormy sky, feeling every bump, every dip, and every loop-de-loop of emotion. It’s one of my favorite reading experiences. And that’s truly what this book is: an experience. So much more than a typical novel, this story breathes as it reads.

Lastly, I’m ready to read this book again. I know, that sounds crazy. Especially since I just finished reading it. And I rarely re-read. Unless it’s Pride and Prejudice, but that’s a whole other therapy session.

This book is better than most, truer than most, and I can assure the reader it will stay in your heart longer than most. And you might want to go to Idaho after reading it (fair warning).

If you haven't heard enough about this story, please tune in Saturday for our author interview with none other than the delightful Ms Deese. 

The Promise of Rayne depicts a pair of star-crossed lovers. What is your favorite example of star-crossed love? Leave us your answer in the comments for a chance to win a copy of The Promise of Rayne in our weekly giveaway.