Welcome to Sugarbeat’s Books – The Home of the Romance Novel
Today we are welcoming Nick Nolan, the author of Black as Snow. Black as Snow sounds like a fascinating read. Sit back and enjoy learning more about this author and this book!
Barb – If someone else wrote a blurb about Black as Snow what would it say?
Nick – I would hope an open-minded, spiritually curious, and sexually liberal person might say, “’Black as Snow’ is the most intriguing, controversial and fast-moving novel I’ve read lately. Nolan takes the story of Snow White and twists it so completely that the fairy tale is almost unrecognizable, and the romance that unfolds genuinely took me by surprise. And although the novel is constructed as a taut page-turner, it also moved me with its characters’ pathos and by the underlying message that ‘love is all that matters’. A captivating, titillating, shocking and thought-provoking tale!” On the other hand, someone with more rigid social and religious beliefs might say, “Disgusting drivel. I had to force myself to finish the book the writing was so atrocious. Don’t bother.” Wait a minute…someone did write pretty much those words on Amazon.
Barb – Tell us a little about yourself.
Nick – I’m of a certain age but still feel like I’m 17; I have a partner whom I still adore after 24 years together; I love dogs and our friends and most children (in that order?); I am a car freak; I believe in reincarnation; I’m socially liberal after having grown up in an almost fascist religious family; I hate bullies (and governments and religions that bully), and someday my partner and dogs and I will live in a cabin by a lake, with a dock and a 1960’s ski boat moored to it. And I love to write.
Barb – What is your favorite character in Black as Snow?
Nick – Sebastian’s mother, Kitty Black, plays the controlling ‘evil queen’; she also created the religion that Sebastian is the ‘messiah’ of. Kitty chain-smokes cigarettes and sips martinis and plots and schemes and impersonates people on-line and wears Christian Louboutin pumps. She is my alter (altar?) ego.
Barb – What do you love about writing? What is your least favorite part of writing?
Nick – I enjoy living my characters’ lives while I’m writing. I love living in their posh homes and driving their Aston Martins and lusting after each other and plotting revenge and having sex with them (did that sound weird?). And I love how they (sometimes) redeem themselves after an especially jarring epiphany. What do I hate about writing? Trashing entire chapters that I’ve slaved over, or second-guessing myself and losing all perspective. But then, that’s part of the fun: taking a gamble on your own work.
Barb – What were the challenges in bringing this book to life?
Nick – Believing in it. My agent didn’t really see the promise it held, so I really had to trust my gut and PUSH forward in spite of her opinion, and I’m so glad I did! I re-wrote and edited the manuscript until it was ready, and then my editor at AmazonEncore said, “Of course I’d love to publish this.” I was ecstatic! Then ‘Black as Snow’ hit #1 in the U.K. and became the #6 most downloaded e-book in the U.K. last month…which I think is pretty amazing for a story that features several gay and lesbian characters (although the central romance that’s featured in the story isn’t a gay or lesbian relationship) and was written by an ‘unknown’ American author. But I guess this shows the potential that a ‘crossover’ novel can have, because almost everyone—regardless of sexual orientation—appreciates a story about the enduring power of love, especially when it’s in the face of catastrophic loss.
Barb – Where can your fans find you ?
Nick – Facebook! Just look for author Nick Nolan. I love hearing from readers, and Facebook is such a great communication tool that I haven’t even updated my website in a while. I guess that’s bad…
Barb – Where is your work available for purchase?
Nick – Amazon, and Barnes & Noble, and Target.com. And of course your local bookstore.
Barb – Anything else you’d like to add?
Nick – Sugarbeat’s Books is amazing! You reviews are tantalizing and extremely well-written. Thanks so much for allowing me and ‘Black as Snow’ to be featured your beautiful website.
I’d like to thank Nick for dropping by and sharing about his book! This book certainly sounds interesting. For those of you looking for Christmas presents – I’ve included the Amazon and Barnes and Noble links below!
Young Sebastian Black is a handsome, likeable religious movement leader living in modern day Los Angeles. With the help of his Kitty, the perfect modern wicked witch, they’ve created the highly successful, Evo-Love movement. Thanks to donations from around the world, Sebastian and Kitty live in opulence, with penthouses, luxury cars, and a plethora of beautiful women, and men, at Sebastian’s disposal. Although Sebastian senses that there is something special about him and that he has a specific destiny to fulfill, he can’t help but feeling their liberal spending is immoral. And when his own words cause an Evo-Love follower to murder his family and commit suicide, his doubts about his preaching become so potent that he must escape his mother’s greedy grasp. Sebastian’s concerns over their religious movement aren’t the only reason he needs to flee; his life is in danger, literally. Not everyone likes what he has to say, and Christian militants are convinced he is the anti-Christ and must be stopped—permanently. Receiving an increasing number of death threats every day, Sebastian retreats up the California coast. But as things intensify, Sebastian is placed in grave danger and it seems the web of lies, secrets, risk, and greed that has been spun around Sebastian may be too dense for him to escape.
Black as Snow can be found at Amazon by going to this link: http://www.amazon.com/Black-as-Snow-Nick-Nolan/dp/1612180051/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1321382248&sr=8-1
Black as Snow can be found at Barnes and Noble by going to this link: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/black-as-snow-nick-nolan/1101003158