Charis | Nicole Y. Walters

Lessons Learned On My Back

Jan 26, 2013 by admin

First, get your minds out of the gutter people. Okay? M’kay … On Sunday, January 6th, I stood up from my couch and was promptly pulled backwards and down, the result of a tweaked back muscle. I had been FaceTiming with my best friend and leaning close to the computer to see her pretty face. I got up to remove some potatoes from the oven and that small gesture was the beginning of a severe back injury that continues to challenge me even as I write this post … standing up, sitting down, standing up, sitting down. (FYI, I almost wrote ” that continues to plague me” but that sounded too defeatist for an optimistic girl like me.) From that small moment, a trip to the ER was born. Speaking of “born”, not even...

Under Review

Jan 16, 2013 by admin

I’m new to the Twitter game. As a new author, I’ve been told by everyone, how important it is to develop a Twitter following, follow others relevant to your profession, and live even more extensively online. (Seemingly impossible for an extroverted personality like me who already has such an inept and cowardly filter.) “Show your personality, Nicole. Just be you … in 140 characters.” Sigh. Since the past two weeks have found me on bed rest, nursing an angry back, I figured I’d use the time to tweet, read tweets, retweet, search other authors who tweet and follow them, and hang out with celebrities I’d never hang out with in real life. Suddenly I find my twitter feed full of other authors, book agents, publishing personalities, and —scariest of all— book reviewers. Admittedly, the...

Beyond the Boundaries

Jan 12, 2013 by admin

I was walking downtown the other day and came across this: By “came across” I mean nearly tripped over. There, in the middle of the sidewalk, protruded the robust roots of a very tall, very confident tree. Its age was betrayed by the cement buckling on top of it. Clearly, when this tree was first planted, it must have been more agreeable with its surroundings. I imagine that at one point in its life it behaved and lived peacefully within the 4×6 plot of land it had been given. But then, it just kept growing—spreading wider, reaching higher, living freer—until its boundaries became more of a suggestion than a rule. Its pursuits undoubtedly spurred on by Seattle’s abundant rain and occasional sunshine. I’m feeling a little bit like that tree these days. I’m growing...

What Say You, People?

Jan 10, 2013 by admin

Hey friends! In need your help. Don’t worry, it’s not painful. Promise. I’ve narrowed the picture I’ll use for the book cover of my debut novel, Charis: Journey to Pandora’s Jar (published soon by Booktrope), down to two favorite possibilities. Can you weigh in and help me choose which one to use? Here we go. Option 1: Option...