Author Spotlight: Nicoline Evans

Today I'm pleased to welcome fantasy author Nicoline Evans to the blog.
1. Tell us a little about yourself.
My name is Nicoline and I love to invent new worlds for readers to get lost in. My goal while writing is to create a safe place for people to forget about the heavy things in their own lives, even if it is only for a few hours of the day.

I graduated from Rutgers University - New Brunswick, NJ as a communications major. After taking every creative writing course they offered, I realized writing was my passion.

Random things about me? I am a certified scuba diver, I revel in new adventures, and I believe in all things magical.

2. When did you start writing, and why?
I have been writing since I was in middle school. I have some fun short stories in my archives from those days. In high school, I kept a journal that documented my everyday activities (ridiculous, I know) and I had many notebooks full of poems. I continued writing through college, the daily journal stopped but the poetry continued (improving drastically, in my opinion). Writing down my thoughts in short, poetic prose helped me get through some of the hardest times in my life. At Rutgers University, I took as many of the creative writing courses that I could. After I graduated in 2009, I immediately began writing my first novel. “Haemans”, which is available now, is the second novel I wrote. The first is still in editing but should be available soon :-)

3. What do you write, and why? What do you enjoy about what you write?
I write fantasy novels. I enjoy taking real life issues or ideas and putting a whimsical spin on them. Sometimes it’s light, airy fantasy and sometimes it’s dark, twisted, and creepy. In all cases, I like to have a touch of darkness in them. It keeps the story real. It also is the style that’s most fun for me to write.

4. What is your latest book or series? Any forthcoming books?
“Haemans” is my debut release. It came out on February 3, 2014 and as of right now, it is a stand-alone book. After reading it you will see that there is room for a sequel, but that would come at a later date. I have another novel coming out in the forthcoming months. It is a completely separate story from “Haemans” but it is still a fantasy tale with epic world-building and adventure.

5. "Welcome To My Worlds": Tell us a little about the world of your latest book or series.
Russia has a secret and it is the transformation of their people. Hooked on the newest craze brought to light by the reinstated royals, Russians are now known as haemans; morally unhinged addicts with super strength and speed. The rest of the world is clueless to this new development; it has been kept confined within the borders of Russia. The haemans are wicked, filling the country with depravity as they seize control over the culture. While the new royals reign over their loyal haemans, Russians who escaped this newest fad live hidden in the wilderness, away from the dangerous cities. These escapees live each day carrying the weight of loved ones lost and the mindset to survive.

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6. Introduce us to some of your characters. What do you like about them?
Sevrick Bykovsky – A non-haeman survivor. He will do all he can to save his fiancée, Arinadya, from the grips of haemanism. From his hiding place in the woods, he makes dangerous trips into the city to check-in on his love, hoping to convince her to see the error in her ways.

Arinadya Tarasova – Haeman. Extremely strong female lead who takes pride in her new lifestyle. CEO of Arkline Advertising, Arinadya is a force to be reckoned with.  She is strong and ruthless. Over the years she has forcibly forgotten all about her life as a human.

Mikhail Romanov – Newly titled prince of Russia. One of the three originators of haemanism. He is callous, cruel, and lethal. His manipulative style has coerced naïve and impressionable Russians into following his lead, dragging them down to his level of immorality.

Milena Romanov – Newly titled princess of Russia. Mikhail’s sister, and the only person he truly loves. Gorgeous in how she portrays her life as a royal haeman, Milena made this self-destructive lifestyle seem fashionable. She influenced the opinions of millions, putting a desirable light upon an addiction that would otherwise be deemed deplorable.

7. A fun fact you would like your readers to know about you or your book.
This story is important to me, as the writer, because it is a reminder to everyone reading that anyone can come undone. No one is perfect and we all have moments of weakness. Some of us are still struggling through our darkest times while others may have a past that feels heavy. No matter the case, we all endure difficult moments that make us who we are today. Just because you have gone through a tremendously hard time, or are still going through it, does not mean you cannot rise above and move forward from it.

8. Blog/site link, and where your book is available.
www.nicolineevans.com
Amazon
Barnes & Noble

Haemans
By Nicoline Evans

Unbeknownst to the rest of the world, Russia has undergone drastic changes. When descendants of the lost royals are discovered, they are thrust into the spotlight. They use their power to corrupt the population, turning those who succumb to their addiction into freakishly strong and morally unhinged individuals. These addicts are known as haemans. Those who escape this terrifying new culture must live hidden in the forested outskirts, far away from the danger that now engulfs the cities. HAEMANS follows the tragic love story between one escapee and one haeman.

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