#WriterWednesday Interview with Nicole Asselin
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I’d like to welcome the wonderful Nicole Asselin to the blog for #WriterWednesday!
Hardest thing about being a writer: Finding time to write. Between the day job, being current President of Sisters in Crime New England, and wanting to read all the books on my TBR, it seems there is never enough time!
Easiest thing about being a writer: Having conversations with my characters. With a series, I feel like they’ve become my best friends and I never have a problem chatting with them. The problem comes when putting those conversations on paper.
Things you need for your writing sessions: A CRISPY Diet Coke, my 90s/2000s playlists (sometimes a baseball game if during the correct season). Oh, and Scrivner, which I currently draft in.
Things that hamper your writing: TV. So many shows to watch an oh so distracting.
Favorite music or song: I’m a pop girlie all the way. Britney Spears was my jam for so long, and obvi all the boy bands of a certain time. TSwift, Noah Kahan, Alessia Cara, Brandi Carlile, etc.
Music that drives you crazy: I wouldn’t say ‘crazy’ but current country is not really for me.
The last thing you ordered online: The Booknook LEGO set that just came out Oct. 1.
The last thing you regret buying: I try not to regret buying things, but it was probably something dumb for the cats.
Things you’d walk a mile for: A good book sale. Library book sales, used bookstores, new bookstores, anything books really.
Things that make you want to run screaming from the room: Bugs. Any sort of bugs. I’m out.
Things you always put in your books: Cats. obviously. And a good baseball reference if possible.
Things you never put in your books: Spice. It’s just not my thing, since I know my brother and dad might read the books.
Favorite places you’ve been: Ireland. In heartbeat. I only went for like 10 days and now it’s my dream to purchase a cottage on the west coast and move.
Places you never want to go to again: Okay, this might be controversial, but New Orleans. Love the history, hate the heat. I’m not a foodie, I don’t drink, and I wilt in even the slightest heat. So, one and done for me.
Favorite books (or genre): Obviously mystery. But within mystery (outside of my own genre of cozy), I love a good historical mystery. Especially if that historical mystery features a strong woman, usually in the Victorian or Edwardian time period. In London. Usually.
Books you wouldn’t buy: I’m not usually a ‘not’ buy type of person, but I don’t gravitate towards Essay collections or short stories. I’m amazed at people who can write them, but they aren’t my favorite to pick up.
Besides writing, what’s the most creative thing you’ve done: I’m a big fan of starting crafts. Every winter I do a book wreath that I love so much. I try to do bookish crafts as much as possible.
A project that didn’t quite turn out the way you planned it: That said, I tried making a book clutch purse out of an old book, and it’s now just hiding in a box of failed crafts. It involved sewing. I should’ve known it wasn’t going to work.
Some real-life story that made it to one of your books: In book one, I talk about a minor league team that would offer people a free hot dog if they turned in any foul balls or home runs. I took that directly from a book called THE ONLY RULE IS YOU HAVE TO WIN, which is a book about two numbers people who bought a minor league team. It was a way to save money when you are a small-market team.
Something in your story that readers think is about you, but it’s not: Well, my mom always said that Madeline in my books reminds her of me. I always say, “But mom, we don’t own a baseball team and I’m not dating a hot security guy who looks like Captain America.” I won’t deny there might be traits we share, but it’s not me.
My favorite book as a child: Any and all Nancy Drew books. Wildly obsessed. If we’re going even younger? I have a book of Hawaiian words that I’ve had since the late 80’s when my dad was stationed there.
A book I’ve read more than once: Pride and Prejudice. *sigh* To Kill a Mockingbird. And here is a curve ball, Gene Kelly: A Life of Dance and Dreams By Alvin Yudkoff. I just love Gene Kelly.
About Nicole:
Nicole Asselin graduated from Curry College in Milton Mass with a degree in English/Creative Writing, minoring in Dance in 2004. She also attended George Mason University and received a Master’s in Arts Management. She currently lives on the South Shore of Massachusetts with her three cats Madeline, The Captain, and Cooper Maye
She is the current President of Sisters in Crime New England and on the committee of the NE Crime Bake held every November.
The Minor League Mystery series is her first series. Inspired by her Grandpa and Grandma Asselin, the book combines her two loves, mystery and baseball (Go Red Sox) into a new cozy genre.
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