Writer Nike N. Chillemi On Reading

Nike, welcome to Writers On Reading. You’ve got quite a few novels to your name, but one theme seems to remain consistent. As a mystery writer, when you’re browsing for a book, do you find yourself most often drawn to that genre? Or do you need something in a lighter vein just to relax? What speaks to you as you pick your next reading experience?

By and large, I read crime fiction. It satisfies me when there is justice at the end of the story and those who stand for good are able to overcome evil. That’s what I’ve always favored when browsing for something curl up with. I love a good detective story and/or police procedural. I truly enjoy an author who knows the ins-and-outs of law enforcement. Lately, I’ve been drawn to espionage-thrillers. For me, a novel pulled right from newspaper headlines makes a terrific read.

Sounds good! So now that we know what you'd ready...If the protagonist(s) in your new release Deadly Designs were to pick a book from today’s shelves, what do you think it would be?

My hero, Deputy Lieutenant Dawson Hughes (on leave from his sheriff’s department to take a clandestine “special assignment” hunting terrorists who have kidnapped a little girl) has a book

with him while on the case. The Gold Of Exodus by Howard Blum was loaned to Dawson by his former Army drill sergeant. If I were to imagine what book was laying on his bedside table at home, it would have to be the latest thriller by David Baldacci. My tough and sassy heroine, private investigator Veronica “Ronnie” Ingels also has a book with her while on the case: The Reversal by Michael Connelly. She’s read all of his detective novels except that one and means to remedy that during those rare moments of down-time.

How perfect! Great fun in that answer. So...what was the last book you absolutely couldn’t put down? Why?

I stayed up late into the night reading One Night In Tehran by Luana Ehrlich. I couldn’t help wondering if the author had worked for the CIA at any time in her life. I’ve come to understand that Luana, who is a minister’s wife and former missionary, is a tireless researcher.

Sounds like she’s done great work to get that reaction from you. Do you find time to read during the months you spend writing a book? If so, what did you read while working on your last book?

During the writing of Deadly Designs I found it very difficult to read anything at all. The novel took much longer to write than expected. There was technical research (full-body bullet-proof shields, voice activated communications devices, and such) that took time and caused eye strain. Then I had this little thing called “real life” intruding. I’m packing up the house and will be moving to Florida in the next few months. Anyone who has moved from a home they’ve lived in for many years knows what an exhausting chore that is.

Yes, indeed. So we'll backtrack to less exhaustion with the next question: Were you the kind of kid/teen who loved reading? Which novel do you first remember reading?

I’ve always loved reading. As a child, my dad read to me and my brother before we went to bed. My fav book then was about a little boy, down south in the backwoods, who tries to save a wily coon from an ill-tempered and determined hunter. That long-ago middle grade novel was entitled Hie To The Hunter. There is another middle grade book out now with a similar name, but quite a different story. As a teen, I took on a reading challenge that I came to love. I read Tolstoy’s War And Peace, all 1020+ pages of it. I’m of a Slavic background, so the story left quite an impression on my young mind.

That’s very special, Nike! Thank you for sharing and good luck with your move. It was a delight to get to know more about you as a reader. Folks, you can continue to connect with Nike and find out more about her books at the links below.

Bio:

Like so many writers, Nike Chillemi started writing at a very young age. She still has the Crayola, fully illustrated book she penned (colored 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.

Nike is the founding board member of the Grace Awards and is its Chair, a reader’s choice awards for excellence in Christian fiction. She has been a judge in the 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2014 Carol Awards in the suspense, mystery, and romantic suspense categories; and an Inspy Awards 2010 judge in the Suspense/Thriller/Mystery category. Her four novel Sanctuary Point series, set in the mid-1940s has finaled, won an award, and garnered critical acclaim. HARMFUL INTENT released under the auspices of her own publishing company, Crime Fictionista Press, won in the Grace Awards 2014 Mystery/Thriller/Romantic Suspense/Historic Suspense category. Her new release is DEADLY DESIGNS. She has written book reviews for The Christian Pulse online magazine. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and John 3:16 Marketing Network. http://nikechillemi.wordpress.com/

Purchase Link Deadly Designs (ebook Amazon) http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0166HQUAE