Deadly Designs: An interview with novelist Nike Chillemi

By Mark Young

Crime fiction author Nike Chillemi’s spunky private investigator, “Ronnie” Ingels, just can’t stay out of trouble. As the name implies, Deadly Designs, picks up where Nike’s serial-debut novel, Harmful Intent leaves off—Ingels finding trouble in all the wrong places.

A geeky radio commentator’s conspiracy views and pro-Israeli stance may have led to the disappearance of his wife and young daughter. He hires Ingels and her partner, Texan deputy Dawson Hughes, to find his family and return them safely home.

Nike’s historical suspense Santuary Point series, set in the 1940s, and her Veronica “Ronnie” Ingels/Dawson Hughes novels series have a few things in common—plenty of bad guys, crime and romance. Dubbed a Crime Fictionista, Nike has a passion for writing and reading crime fiction. She has just released the second Ronnie Engels novel, Deadly Designs.

MARK: Nike, thanks for joining us to discuss your latest novel and to get an update on your writing career. Let’s start with what kind of trouble Ronnie Ingels has gotten into in Deadly Designs and a little about her background. Can you give us a brief overview?

NIKE: Ronnie grew up in Brooklyn, NY. She works for a small private investigation firm there. In addition to being a Texas deputy, hero Dawson Hughes is also a former Army Ranger who now moonlights for a clandestine government organization many senators don't even know exists. Because of the terrorism angle, this organization becomes involved in the search for the missing model and her seven year old daughter. Along the way, they run into despicable villains.

 

MARK: Tells us about your two main characters—Ronnie Ingels and Dawson Hughes. How did they meet? How has their relationship developed? Will their differences strengthen or weaken their feelings for each other?

NIKE: Ronnie and Dawson met in book one when Dawson nearly accused Ronnie of having murdered her cheating newlywed husband. Of course, he soon realized she didn't commit the crime and found he had to protect her from the real killer. Since Ronnie takes a lot of chances, this was no easy task. Ronnie is looking forward to seeing Dawson again, but when she learns the police have not yet been called in on this missing persons case, their relationship looks like it's in trouble. As they hunt heinous villains, they sort through their feelings.

MARK: Are you taking a break or working on something new now that you have released DeadlyDesigns, the second book in the Veronica “Ronnie” Ingels/Dawson Hughes series?

NIKE: I'm working on book three Blood Speaks, in which Ronnie and Dawson are engaged to be married. In chapter one Ronnie thinks her life is perfect. Of course I have to mess that up with a murder, which involves conspiracy theories and throws way back to the JFK assassination for clues as to the murderer's true motivation. I make Ronnie and Dawson work at finding this wanton killer.

MARK: Where can readers find you online? Are you still involved in writing conferences and other writing organizations?

NIKE: My blog is Nike N. Chillemi ~ Crime Fictionista. I'm on Twitter as @NikeNChillemi and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/nike.chillemi. I'm still very much involved in the Grace Award, a Christian readers' choice award. I'm its founder, Chair, and a judge in the Action-Adventure/Western/Epic Fiction category.

MARK: As I recall, you drifted away from the traditional publisher path to venture into the indie, self-publish world. Where are you on this journey?

NIKE: I'm still publishing indie. I want to write it the way I feel it and not have a publisher's editor's changing things for PC reasons. That said, I write Christian fiction, but the series is one of contemporary detective stories and it can get a tad gritty. I do have professionals I trust giving me input and I also highly value the feedback of Christian BETA readers. In my 1940s mystery series and in my contemporary series, I've tried to be authentic in handling crime scenes and investigations. I tackle sophisticated themes in a tasteful way, I think. I've never had a single complaint in a book review. In fact, I've had all five and four star reviews.

MARK: What have you liked most about this new direction you have taken? What have you liked least?

NIKE: I like the freedom I have. I like setting my own publishing schedule. I have to do all of my own marketing and publicity, but then I really had to do that even when I had a publisher.

MARK: On your website, Nike N. Chillemi ~ Crime Fictionista, I read where you obtained back you rights to your Sanctuary Point series, a historical murder-mystery placed in the 1940s. Will you be able to re-publish them through your Crime Fictionista Press in the future?

NIKE: Yes, I'm planning to republish the 1940s Sanctuary Point mystery series.

MARK: What advice can you give new authors just starting out on this writing journey?

NIKE: Keep writing and then write some more. Get involved in a critique group to get valuable feedback from other serious writers. Read the best authors in your genre. Don't copy them, but note how they handle words, phrasing, dialog, and the like. And when you discover your voice, don't allow anyone to talk you out of it.

MARK: Nike, Thanks for taking time out of your busy schedule to give us an insight into you writing life and to give readers a better understanding of your latest novel.

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Bio: Nike Chillemi has been called a crime fictionista due to her passion for crime fiction. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW). She is the founding board member of the Grace Awards, a reader's choice awards for excellence in Christian fiction.

She's an Inspy Awards 2010 judge in the Suspense/Thriller/Mystery category and a judge in the 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 Carol Awards in the suspense, mystery, and romantic suspense categories. She wrote monthly book reviews for The Christian Pulse online magazine.

Her recent contemporary detective story Harmful Intent won the Grace Award 2014 in the Mystery/Romantic Suspense/Thriller/Historical Suspense category and has been called: sassy, witty, gritty, and uplifting. Her historical suspense Sanctuary Point series brought on a crime wave that swept the south shore of Long Island during the 1940s (Burning Hearts, Goodbye Noel, Perilous Shadows, and Darkest Hour) won acclaim and awards. You can find out more about Nike at her website: Nike Chillemi~Crime Fictionista.

A Novelist With HARMFUL INTENT: Interview with Nike Chillemi

“A rolling stone gathers no moss” is an old proverb attributed to a Latin writer of maxims in the 1st Century. These words would aptly describe our guest today—bestselling novelist Nike Chillemi. She is a writer with boundless energy. 

Since Nike last visited us over a year ago, she has released a new novel, Harmful Intent (A Veronica “Ronnie” Ingles/Dawson Hughs Novel) as an indie author, jumping from classic historical murder/romance novels to a story of contemporary mayhem and romance. She started her own publishing entity, Crime Fictionista Press, which just released Harmful Intent in May. Never slowing down, this writer is also a member of the Christian Indie Novelist (CHIN) network; involved with the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) organization; and founded and co-chaired the Grace Awards book contest each year.

MARK: Wow! Nike, the first question that comes to mind is when do you find time to write? You seem to be involved with more organizations that there are letters in the alphabet. What is the key to getting your writing done?

NIKE: Most of the time I write every day, or do research. I spend a lot of time researching. I like to get details right. If real life interferes and I can't write for a day or two, or more, I make sure I get in a writing marathon. I'm not a writer who can crank out two-to-three books a year. As an indie author, I'm trying to release a novel every ten months or so. That way I can keep all the other balls in the air.

MARK: Above everything else, one of the most driving forces for an author are the latest novel they just released or the one they are working on. Your latest novel, Harmful Intent came out last May. I know there exciting things to share surround this novel. First, tell us about the story. What is Harmful Intent about?

NIKE: Harmful Intent is the first in the Veronica "Ronnie" Ingels and Dawson Hughes novels. Ronnie is a Brooklyn private investigator who thinks her marriage of one year is nearly perfect, except her motivational speaker hubby travels too much. She finds him in Abilene, TX, in the arms of her college BFF, then he's found dead. Deputy Sergeant Dawson Hughes has the feisty, armed to the teeth PI as one of his prime suspects, until be begins to think she is in danger and he finds he wants to protect her. As in all my novels there are quirky secondary characters, but this novel is far more zany than historicals I've written. But don't let that fool you. The story goes from a hilarious scene to a chilling one.

MARK: Most of the story takes place in Texas. How did you—a New York writer—prepare to write ‘Texan’? How did you capture those nuances in dialogue that gave readers that sense that they are in the company of characters from Texas?

NIKE: I think I have a facility for dialect. I can hear the Texas drawl in my head. But I didn't leave it to my innate ability. Research, research, research. I listened to hours of Kenneth Copeland's teaching tapes which can be found online. He uses certain expressions and drops tidbits about Texas…and a few of those found their way into the novel.

MARK: I loved your sassy character, Veronica “Ronnie” Ingels as she tried to come to terms with events shaking her life. Is this a character you created from a compilation of several real people, or is Ronnie a total figment of your active imagination?

NIKE: There are a few ugly things lurking in Ronnie's childhood. She's fully aware that her dad blatantly and repeatedly cheated on her mom, then abandoned the family. There are other memories she can't quite bring to the foreground that haunt her. She even dreams about them, but can't quite put her finger on them. That will be further developed in later books in the series. Ronnie is a character created from my imagination. I know a few young women who had ugly childhoods and who were nearly crippled by the abuse. They struggle to survive. Ronnie has a career and can take care of herself, but these girls prompted me to write a character like Ronnie. 

MARK: Up until the release of Harmful Intent, historical murder and romance novels had been your cup of tea. Four previous novels under the Sanctuary Point series—Burning Hearts, Goodbye Noel, Perilous Shadows, and Darkest Hour—have all been set in the post WWII era. Tells us what led you to write this latest contemporary murder series.

NIKE: I love the 1940s. It was an elegant time in American history. Ordinary Americans had style and a can-do attitude. It was an exciting time and I loved writing about it. But after four novels, I thought it was time for a change. I wanted to write gripping mystery stories, but also deal with relevant issues that face people today. Although, to be honest, I think people in the 1940s grappled with the same issues we do today. However, there was a national feeling of dignity as they walked the walk. I pray America can get that sense of worth back.

MARK: Let’s switch gears. Your previous novels have been published by Desert Breeze Publishing, Inc., but your latest novel is an indie-release through your own publishing entity, Crime Fictionista Press. Can you tell us a little about your reasons behind this major change in your publishing journey?

NIKE: I wanted to write this novel in double first person. Ronnie's point of view, then Dawson's, both in first person. I couldn't find a publisher who wanted to do that. Also, I wanted to write it my way. I sound like Frank Sinatra here. But seriously, Ronnie and Dawson are not together at the end, nor do they get saved. I didn't want to have to follow any formula. I just wanted to write the story.

MARK: What are you learning as an indie author and publisher that you did not expect going into this latest venture?

NIKE: I didn't know how exhilarating it would be when Harmful Intent was released as an indie effort. I also didn't know how easy it would be to work with Amazon.

MARK: Would you share with us about the kind of novels we can expect from you in the near future? Will you be using Crime Fictionista Press?

NIKE: Deadly Designs is next in the Ronnie/Dawson series. This second novel kicks off with the disappearance of a young mother and daughter. This novel ventures into the world of high fashion with the possibility that terrorists are pulling all the strings. The novel will be published by Crime Fictionista Press.

MARK: Not that you don’t have enough to do, but are you still involved with the American Christian Fiction Writers organization? Tell our readers a little about this organization and how you are involved.

NIKE: Yes, I'm still involved. I have led an ACFW critique group for serious writers (many already published) for a number of years. In 2013, I wrote a mini-class on building suspense in a story for their at-home-conference (for those who couldn't make it to the annual conference). I try to participate in their email LOOP when I can.

MARK: Another project I recently learned about through you is the unique Grace Awards literary contest of which you are founder and co-chair. What is the purpose of this awards? How does it work?

NIKE: The Grace Awards is a reader generated literary awards. It's staffed entirely by volunteers. We're sort of the little engine that could of literary awards. There is no fee the author has to pay to get his/her book entered. Readers nominate all the entries. In fact many finalists don't even know they've been nominated until we contact them. I'll bet you were surprised when your Broken Allegiance was a finalist in the Mystery/Thriller/Romantic Suspense category. We allow readers to choose the finalists. In that way no group or clique can control the outcome. Readers have to submit a 35-word reason why they chose the novel. This is how we determine they've read the book. Some of our readers give a NY Times book review. We do have talented judges pick the winners. That gives a good balance in the selection process. Our judges always write a review of the novel for the winner and finalists in each category. They bring out the many good things in the story, and also point out where it could be strengthened. Part of the mission of the Grace Awards is to help improve the quality and scope of Christian fiction.

MARK: Yes, I was blown away that someone anonymously recommended my novel. And you are right, I recieved a review that gave me good suggestions to make the next novel better. In looking through your biography, I noticed that you belong to the Christian Indie Novelist (CHIN) network. Frankly, this is the first time I heard of it. Can you tell us a little about this group, when it was formed, and what its objective might be?

NIKE: I'm not a founder or administrator of this group, only a lowly member. CHIN is a Yahoo Loop. We help each other with marketing, give support to each other, share technological knowledge, industry news, and much more. Any Christian indie author, Christian world-view author, inspirational author can become a member. You simply have to ask. One way is to join the CHIN group on Facebook and then ask to be a member of the Yahoo Loop.

MARK: There is a lot of controversy waging in the publishing industry. The current negotiations between Amazon and Hachette is just one of many issues that writers must face as they try to get their books sold. What do you see as the short-term future in publishing? How will this affect writers, publishers, and the cottage-industry of editors, designers, and formatters?

NIKE: I'm often surprised that I'm doing as well as I'm doing in this industry. Though, I have honed my craft and paid my dues. Amazon has been very good to me. They are author friendly and I pray they remain so. I hate to admit, there's an impish (maybe even childish) part of me that enjoys seeing Hachette get its clock cleaned by Amazon. The big publishers had a death grip on the industry. They determined who would get published and who would not. Sometimes a little guy with a great book got through. Most of the time the fiction authors who were best sellers were all in the in-crowd. They were married to an exec in the publishing company, or went to college with them. Or were married to someone in media. I once looked at biographies of the most popular authors and did a study on who they were married to and what their spouse did for a living. It's an eye opener. New York City is the epicenter of the publishing world and there's been a lot of elitist back scratching. However, Amazon is a game changer. Because of Amazon, Mark, you and I were given a chance.

MARK: Yes we were very fortunate to be given this opportunity to publish on our own terms. I am very appreciative. From a writer’s perspective, what do you see as the role of an agent in this evolving industry? Are they needed?

NIKE: I have no need for an agent at this point in my career. I do everything through Amazon. If one of my novels were to be optioned for a movie (please God), then I would definitely need an agent.

MARK: Enough with the heavy questions. Here is a light one. How do you let off steam when you’re not writing?

NIKE: I let off steam by reading a good murder mystery or thriller. I like to walk my dog. Walking is very good for the body and mind. In the summer I putter in my garden. I grow tomatoes, strawberries, peppers, basil, and mint. I also have roses. When my rose bushes first bloom, I like to sit out on my deck with a cup of tea and look at them. This is very relaxing.

MARK: Thanks for joining us, Nike. We have seen a glimpse of your busy schedule. Any last pearls of wisdom for writers just starting out on this road of writing and publishing?

NIKE: Be true to yourself. If you're a newbie and come across a free or inexpensive writing course, take it. But don't get married to it. Use it as a tool, one of many you will find helpful on your writing journey. Read the top writers in your genre, not to copy them, but to study them. Find your own unique voice and style and don't let anyone talk you out of it. If you're a Christian writer, check in with the Holy Spirit and see what He's got to say about what you're writing.

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Bio: Nike Chillemi has been called a crime fictionista due to her passion for crime fiction. She is a member of Christian Indie Novelists (CHIN), and the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW). She is the founding board member of the Grace Awards, a reader's choice awards for excellence in Christian fiction.

She's an Inspy Awards 2010 judge in the Suspense/Thriller/Mystery category and a judge in the 2011, 2012, 2013 Carol Awards in the suspense, mystery, and romantic suspense categories. She writes monthly book reviews for The Christian Pulse online magazine.

Her recent contemporary detective story Harmful Intent has garnered acclaim and has been called: sassy, witty, gritty, charming, and yummy. Her historical suspense Sanctuary Point series brought on a crime wave that swept the south shore of Long Island during the 1940s (Burning Hearts, Goodbye Noel, Perilous Shadows, and Darkest Hour) won acclaim and awards. You can find out more about Nike at her website: Nike Chillemi~Crime Fictionista.

BURNING HEARTS: A Historical Murder Mystery with Romance

MARK: Author Nike Chillemi's latest release, DARKEST HOUR is now available. Welecome, Nike! Give us a brief glimpse into your writing world and your latest novel.

NIKI: Mark, thank you for having me. Life has been a whirlwind recently and quite exciting. As you might suppose, as the chair and founder of the Grace Awards, I've been pretty busy with this year's literary contest. We announced the winners this week. I am thrilled with the quality of the winners. In fact, a few of the judging teams felt the finalists were so good they had a difficult time selecting a novel for top honors, but of course, they did. This should be the biggest problem facing Christian publishing today.

The other thing I want to brag about is my publisher's decision to go from ebook format to print. I'm thrilled my Sanctuary Point classic murder mystery series with romance was chosen by Desert Breeze Publishing to be among the first books to come out in paperback. Thanks for giving me the opportunity to share a bit about BURNING HEARTS, the first novel in this series, now out in paperback.

BURNING HEARTS:
Historical Murder Mystery with Romance, mid-1940s
---arson/murder, action, and romance
---Sweet romance, sophisticated themes presented tastefully

Can a sheltered young seamstress, disillusioned by the horrors of WWII, escape an

arsonist/murderer who has killed her employer and mentor, while trying to decide if she can trust the dashing war hero who’s ridden into town on his Harley—who some say is the murderer?

Erica Brogna’s parents doted on her and taught her to think for herself. Many boys she grew up with had fallen in the WWII, shaking her childhood faith. In rides a handsome stranger, at the hour of her most desperate need. A woman who is her close friend and mentor is trapped in a burning house. After making an unsuccessful rescue attempt, Erica stands by as this man rushes into the inferno and carries her friend’s lifeless body out.

Lorne Kincade can’t out run his past on his Harley Davidson WLA, the civilian model of the motorcycle he rode in the war. He’s tried. He’s been a vagabond biker in the year since the war ended. His Uncle Ivar bequeathed him a ramshackle cottage in Sanctuary Point, on the Great South Bay of Long Island, NY and now he’d like to hope for a future again, repair the miniscule place, and settle down. The only problem is, a young woman with hair the color of mink is starting to get under his skin and that’s the last thing he needs.

EXCERPT:

Chapter One

Long Island, New York
September 1946

Erica Brogna hurried down Hill Street, eager to sketch her new design, a forest green taffeta dress with a swirling skirt for a twenty-fifth wedding anniversary -- her first significant assignment. She paused to inhale the salt scent on the ocean breeze, and her gaze lingered on a copse of red, rust, and gold maples near Ada's house and dress shop.

She smiled, pulling her cardigan tight around her, and dropped the newspaper Poppa asked her to bring to her mentor and employer. She retrieved the paper and saw Bess Truman smiling as she entered Walter Reed Army Hospital. With the war over, the First Lady visited broken soldiers in long-term care. Erica slapped the paper closed before rage and depression overtook her. So many boys had not come home.

Chin jutted out, she smoothed the pleats of her skirt and marched toward Ada's house.

She'd think on pleasant things and hand the paper over without a fuss as she did every morning.

Nothing would ruin this day.

She climbed Ada's wooden front steps and opened the door.

Smoke filled the living room Ada had turned into a fabric shop. Erica waved a hand in front of tearing eyes. Gray vapors, like swirling fog, partially obscured bolts of fabric stacked against the opposite wall.

"Ada! Ada, answer me please." Dropping the newspaper, Erica rushed toward the stairs, trampling Bess Truman's image. "Ada can you hear me?"

Coughing, she grabbed on to the cutting table in the middle of the room, steadied herself, and reached for the phone -- no dial tone. Perhaps the fire melted the line.
She yanked the collar of her blouse over her nose and mouth against the smoke. The stairs loomed before her, seeming as impossible to scale as Mount Everest. She lunged forward, gripping the baluster, and thrust herself up two steps. Since Ada wasn't outside, she had to be upstairs.

As Erica climbed, the smoke thickened and swirled around her. It was darker with each step.

One hand clasped the rail and pulled, and she advanced a few more steps. Heat blasted against her skin from above, and soft crackling sounds drew her gaze to the upstairs landing.

Squinting into the smoke, she lost her grip on the banister, missed the next step, and fell backward tumbling to the bottom.

The back of her head smacked against the baluster, and wooziness followed sharp pain.

She tried to stand but couldn't get her bearings.

Will triumphed over ability. She hoisted herself, ignoring the dull throb at the back of her skull. Her palms stung, the skin scraped off during her fall. She took a deep breath, and a coughing fit seized her. Shallow breaths were the better alternative.
Planting her penny loafer on the bottom step, Erica began her climb again, shaken but with new resolve. If she could reach the top of the stairs, she could also make it to Ada's bedroom.

Halfway up, the scratches on her palms pulsated as the temperature rose. So did her knees -- must've scraped those, too. The pungent smoke shrouding her darkened, and grit clung to her skin. She couldn't see the banister or the top of the stairs and each breath took effort.

Poppa's lectures on fire drills flashed into mind -- stay low in a fire to get fresh air. She dropped to her knees and crawled, ignoring her pain. A sickening smell made her stomach lurch.

Inch by inch she crept, now three quarters of the way up. Hot, putrid air assaulted her windpipe, and she doubled over, her insides trembling.

Heaving herself forward, she maneuvered up one more step, but the smoke pushed back, choking her. She sobbed, knowing she couldn't make it to Ada, and scrambled down, hoping she could find help.

AUTHOR BIO:

Like so many writers, Nike Chillemi started writing at a very young age. She still has the Crayola, fully illustrated book she penned (penciled might be more accurate) as a little girl about her then off-the-chart love of horses. Today, you might call her a crime fictionista. Her passion is crime fiction. She likes her bad guys really bad and her good guys smarter and better.

She is the founding board member of the Grace Awards and is its Chairman, a reader's choice awards for excellence in Christian fiction. She writes book reviews for The Christian Pulse online magazine. She was an Inspy Awards 2010 judge in the Suspense/Thriller/Mystery category and a judge in the 2011 and 2012 Carol Awards in the suspense, mystery, and romantic suspense categories. BURNING HEARTS, the first book in the crime wave that is sweeping the south shore of Long Island in The Sanctuary Point series, finaled in the Grace Awards 2011 in the Romance/Historical Romance category. GOODBYE NOEL, the second book in the series released in December, 2011 won the Grace Award 2011 in the Mystery/Romantic Suspense/Thriller category. PERILOUS SHADOWS, third in the series released July, 2012, and DARKEST HOUR, the fourth in the series released in February, 2013.  She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and the Edgy Christian Fiction Lovers (Ning). http://nikechillemi.wordpress.com/

PURCHASE LINKS:
Amazon. http://tiny.cc/wfl6ww
Barnes and Noble.  http://tiny.cc/oil6ww

Interview: Author Nike Chillemi

Sanctuary Point Book One: Burning Hearts

Historical, Romance and Murder/Mystery

 By Mark Young

Burning Hearts is much more than what the title implies—romance. It is an arson murder story set in fictional Sanctuary Point, a village on Long Island, New York, during the post World War II era. Readers are swept into this 1940s period by well-researched descriptive prose as debut novelist Nike Chillemi weaves language, foods, businesses, clothes and vehicles to create a vivid step back into the past. This inspirational novel is a guaranteed page-turner, even for readers like myself who normally flee from stories with more than a hint of romance.

Nike loves a good crime mystery as her blog title clearly suggests: Nike Chillemi ~Crime Fictonista. She writes about her purpose on the blog: “Reading, writing, and shooting the breeze about Christian crime fiction, murder mysteries, thrillers, police procedurals, detective stories, and life.” Her current novel reflects this passion.

Erica Brogna, a young clothing designer, finds her friend’s dress shop in flames. Erica vainly tries to rescue her friend and mentor, but is forced outside by heat and flames, finally collapsing across the path of a stranger riding a motorcycle. Lorne Kincade, a troubled war veteran, nearly crashes his bike to avoid hitting Erica. In answer to her pleas for help, he rushes into the burning building to pull out the dying victim, Ada Pinter. Later, police determine an arsonist started the fire. Erica and Lorne are drawn into the investigation—Erica, because of her love for Ada; Lorne, because of his growing attraction for Erica. The search for truth becomes elusive as they find out more than they ever wanted to know about themselves and their community. This suspense-filled story captivates readers until the last page.

Nike has done a good job of creating a vivid 1940s community peopled by believable characters. Erica and her family, a part of the smaller Czechoslovakian community, offer readers a glimpse of traditional ethnic dishes, language and customs which broadens the flavor of the story. Aficionados of history, mystery or romance novels will discover something in this novel to piqué their interest and keep them reading.

MARK: Thanks for joining us, Nike. I tried to give a brief synopsis of Burning Hearts. What else would you like readers to know about this novel?

NIKE: I want to show how ordinary people can rise to great heights in standing for what is right and against evil. I hope my readers can see the "natural nobility" unpretentious people can display when against all odds they do the right thing. I hope my main characters Erica and Lorne come off in this manner. There is great ugliness in the world. I don't want to deny that ugliness, but want to show there is greater beauty. Dignity and hope can live in the human heart. I want my readers to come away knowing the greatest, most powerful force on earth is love. It can't be defeated. 

MARK: I understand that the fictional town of Sanctuary Point, located somewhere on Long Island, New York, might not be far from where you live. How much of your own hometown experiences wound up in this novel?

NIKE: There is a great deal of me in the book. I love the seaside and was compelled to write a novel in a setting where the salt sea air tantalizes the nostrils, so to speak. Erica is a bit like me. She wants to be a dress designer and I graduated from the Fashion Institute of Technology and worked in the bridal industry. She's independent and stubborn and it gets her into trouble. I'm independent and stubborn but it never got me into any trouble at all. Yeah, right. Something I didn't realize until the book was in edits is that Erica's mother is very similar to my Czechoslovak grandmother. Mrs. B excels in the kitchen and has a great sense of humor. So did my grandmother. Mrs. B teases her children and is teased by them. I recall my grandmother swatting my dad with a kitchen towel. He'd laugh and hug her.

MARK: You have created a memorable community of characters in this post WWII story. How did you go about gathering historical research? What became your best sources of information?

NIKE: I did a lot of dogged, grunt type research. I looked up the make and models of cars in use then. Found out that auto manufacturers stopped making civilian model cars during WWII and only made vehicles for the military war effort. I spent hours finding what types of products, gadgets, and appliances were in use in homes then. I researched hairstyles, clothing, slang terminology, and much more. There was a certain type of cadence and rhythm to the speech of that period. I listened to a number of classic movies made then to get that down. I studied the partition of Czechoslovakia and even read the nonfiction book, "RAID, the untold story of Patton's secret mission." My hero's backstory is that he was an undercover operative working for Patton in France during the war. I wanted to really know what that was like.

MARK: One of your characters, Lorne Kincade, owns what many men only dream about—a Harley Davidson. Are you a Harley lover, living vicariously as a biker, or was the motorcycle just a prop for one of your characters?

NIKE: I don't ride a bike. But Harley's are kind of iconic and bigger than life. I wanted that symbol for Lorne. I guess, in a way, I wanted a type of James Dean feel to Lorne. The difference is, he's a loner rather than a rebel, and he has a cause. He wants to see wrong righted.

MARK: Your novel was released as an eBook through Desert Breeze Publishing. Tell us about your publisher, and how you connected with them.

NIKE: I wasn't put off by the fact that Desert Breeze was an Ebook publisher. I embraced it. Several people I respect mentioned Desert Breeze to me as a good possibility for my writing. So, I submitted and the rest is history. Desert Breeze is a romance publishing house, but they offer great diversity in what they put out. One novel might have a huge science fiction element to it, another might be sheer fantasy. Mine are clearly classic murder mysteries with a huge action element to them.

MARK: Much has been written over the last year about the changes going on in the publishing industry? A few years ago, publishing opportunities offered by houses like Desert Breeze were not even available. Any thoughts about what might be in store for authors in the near future?

Nike: The world of Christian publishing is expanding rapidly. In fact publishing in general (Christian fiction, general market, and nonfiction as well) is in great flux. One thing early on that helped me understand I had done the right thing was the wave of Kindle ads, week after week, on American Idol last season. It seems Ebooks are going to be the way of the future when the younger generation choses to read. And I hope they do read. I'm a huge advocate for increased literacy in America. In addition, there are numerous small independent Christian and general market print publishers springing up. In Christian fiction, these smaller houses are giving authors who push the envelope a chance. What they publish might be gritty, or steamy, or have a darker edge to it than what traditional Christian publishers would go for.

MARK: Now that you have been through the fire as a debut author, what suggestions would you have for other writers who have not yet run this gauntlet?

Nike: I feel reading within the writer's genre is very important. And newbie Christian authors should not be afraid to read a few general market authors. There is some terrific writing out there in gen market fiction. Read the best of it. If there are any affordable or free online writing courses available, take them. To help me in crime fiction I took a course offered by Romance Writers of America entitled "What the Kickass Heroine Knows That the Writer Should Know." It was designed to help write about feisty heroines in fight scenes and entailed martial arts, knife fighting, and gun battles. Since I'm writing a historical suspense series, I took an online course on the history of forensics. That course caused me to change quite a few facts about my medical examiner in book two of the series.

MARK: Since Burning Hearts is now on the digital shelf, should we be looking for Sanctuary Point Book Two in the future or are you working on other writing projects?

NIKE: I just sent the manuscript for Goodbye Noel, which is book two, to my publisher. It's a Christmas themed, action packed romantic suspense with lots of period police procedure and will come out in mid-December 2011. Without getting on a soapbox of any kind, one of my side objectives is to show how pervasive the celebration of Christmas was in America in 1946.

MARK: If you created a character like yourself as an author, what words and phrases might you use to paint a vivid and accurate image for the reader?

Nike: This character would appear hardnosed but would be a lot more ditzy than most people think. She'd love animals. Most domesticated pets would feel comfortable around her. She's not a push over, though she's also not afraid to love. Her ideal spot would be in the tropics under a cabana with a good murder mystery to read as the surf goes in and out.

MARK: Lastly, Nike, if you wandered into a large bookstore, which shelf would you gravitate toward first? Mystery? Historical? Romance? Other? Any particular authors?

NIKE: Oh, brother, I don't like bookstores. I can never find anything I want to read there, even in the larger chain stores. I'd try the mystery shelves first. But they never have the authors I read, not even in general market novels. They might carry Michael Connelly now that The Lincoln Lawyer has been made into a successful movie. I'd have a hard time finding Robert Crais and Barbara Parker. Then I'd try the religious fiction shelves and look for Steven James, J. Mark Bertrand or Sibella Giorello. I wouldn't find them, so I'd go to the coffee bar and get an iced tea. Then I'd go home and order from Amazon.

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More information about author Nike Chillemi can be found at her blog site Nike Chillemi ~Crime Fictonista. She writes book reviews for The Christian Pulse; sat as a 2010 Inspy Awards judge in the Suspense/Thriller/Mystery category; and was a 2011 Carol Awards judge in the suspense, mystery, and romantic suspense categories. She is the founding board member of the Grace Awards, a reader’s choice awards for excellence in Christian fiction, and a member of several writers’ organizations.