My Interview on Vision Australia Radio's Emerging Writers Programme

This month I was interviewed for the Emerging Writers Programme on Vision Australia Radio (Adelaide). You can here the two parts of my interview below:

Part 1 - 14 December 2024

Part 2 - 21 December 2024

NJM Book Challenge 2021

Morning, one and all.

After completing my personal reading challenges for 2019 and 2020, I decided to set up a new one for 2021, and I'm inviting all of you to join me!

As with the 2019 & 2020 challenges, there are 25 items to tick off by year's end, and with some books likely to satisfy more than one category, it shouldn't be too difficult for most readers to accomplish.

If any of you decide to take part, do remember to use the hashtag #NJMBookChallenge2021 in any posts, and I look forward to following your progress throughout the year.

Got any questions? Pop them in the comments below, or DM me on Twitter (@NickiJMarkus), and I'll be happy to answer them.

Happy Reading! 

New Release: Pirates of Romance by Asta Idonea (MM/Contemporary/Short Story)

Today I am super excited to announce the release of my first self-published MM title!

Pirates of Romance is a contemporary MM romance short story and I hope you will enjoy it.

Pirates of Romance
Asta Idonea
7 April 2020
10,500 words
MM/Contemporary/Short Story

Cover Art & Formatting by Alina Popescu

Universal Buy Link

Audio Excerpt / YouTube Excerpt

Xander joins his local am-dram group in order to make friends. He certainly doesn't expect to fall for the group's playboy star.

Graeme is confident and easygoing. He believes in fun without commitment. However, all that changes when Xander gets under his skin.

Writer Update - December 2019

Release Day - A Stitch in Time by Asta Idonea (MM Seasonal Contemporary Short Story)

It's finally time to share with you my holiday short story release! 

A Stitch in Time
Asta Idonea
Dreamspinner Press
1 December 2019
6822 words/ 24 pages
MM/Holiday/Contemporary

SoundCloud Excerpt / YouTube Excerpt

When Connor’s friend signs him up for a crochet course, the last thing he expects is to find love. However, at the community center, he meets hunky Finn. There’s only one problem: Finn assumes Connor’s there for the boxing class, and Connor lets him believe it, worried Finn will ditch him if he knows Connor prefers crafting to upper cuts. Can they salvage the situation when the truth comes out?

Dreamspinner Press / B&N / Kobo / Amazon / Amazon UK

Writing Update - September 2019

Welcome to my third writing update for 2019.

Nicki's New Watches - TV & Film Seen in June 2019

Time to share my thoughts on the TV shows and films I have watched during June.

Writing Update - June 2019

Welcome to my second writing update for 2019.

Blood Is Forever is out! My latest MM PNR novel released from NineStar Press last week, and you can find out more and hear me read a short excerpt on my YouTube channel HERE.

I continue to roll out fortnightly new chapters of For the Devil a Crown on Tablo (find it HERE). We have now reached the halfway point in this free-read novel-length tale, so what better time to catch up if you've not yet begun reading it? You can learn more about this story in my launch blog post.

In addition, I have just signed a contract with Dreamspinner Press for my MM contemporary short story, A Stitch in Time, to be included in this year's Advent Calendar.

Other than that, I have no submissions in and no other LGBT stories on the horizon at present, though I have several in first-draft stage on which I will continue working as we head into the second half of this year.

In the meantime, I am re-editing several of my previous MF works with the view to rereleasing them (all self-published) later this year/early 2020. My friend Alina is helping me with that and I hope to have more news for you in my next update. See you then!

New Release: Blood Is Forever by Asta Idonea (MM/PNR/Murder Mystery)

Today I am thrilled to announce the release of my latest novel, Blood Is Forever!

Blood Is Forever
Asta Idonea
Ninestar Press
3 June 2019 
74k words
MM/PNR/Murder Mystery
Heat Rating: 4

Ninestar Press / Amazon / Kobo / B&N

YouTube Excerpt / Soundcloud Excerpt

Download Media Sheet

Blood is Forever Extras

My MM PNR novel Blood is Forever is releasing from NineStar Press is late May. I will have more to share with you (including blurb, cover, and buy links) soon, but for today I just wanted to reveal a few extras associated with the book.

Twitter
Transmedia storytelling is something that has long interested me, so I decided to experiment with it a little in Blood is Forever by giving Holden his own Twitter account. He will be tweeting roughly once a week between January 2019 and February 2020, and certain tweets will tie in with events taking place on and around those dates in the novel. So do check out his comments HERE to get some added insight into his thoughts and feelings.

Writing Update: March 2019

Welcome to my first writing update for 2019.

I actually don't have a lot to report as I am still trying to get back into things after 2018's writing slump. I talk a little more about that in this morning's short Writing Update Vlog if you wish to have a listen.

At present I am working on a short story for DSP's 2019 Advent Calendar call, so I hope to get that finished in time for the submission deadline. After that I will try to get going again with one of my four WIPs.

In the meantime, my MM PNR novel, Blood is Forever, is currently slated for release on 27 May. We are just starting edits, and I am really looking forward to sharing the story with you. I will have more news on that soon, so keep your eyes on my social media accounts to stay abreast of all the latest developments.

Finally, I am releasing a free-read novel! Chapter One of For the Devil a Crown is up now on Tablo (find it HERE), and I will be posting a new chapter every fortnight between now and the end of September. You can read more about this story in my launch blog post.

Writing Update - December 2018

Welcome to the last of my bimonthly writing updates for 2018.

Nicki J. Markus
I have zero to report on this pen name. Still debating what to do with a few finished pieces. I'm not keen to self-pub again, and I don't have a suitable publisher in mind, so I'm considering doing a few as freebies, perhaps in a serialised form. Watch this space as I will plan more on this in 2019!

Asta Idonea
I had a few releases in 2018, all of which did reasonably well review-wise. At present I have only one work contracted for release in 2019: a MM PNR novel coming from NineStar Press. Keep posted for more news on that as we head into 2019. I have four works currently in progress, so I hope to get at least a couple of those to submission stage during next year. I will also keep an eye on any anthology calls and maybe write some more shorts.

That's all for me for 2018, but I wish you all happy holidays and much joy and success in 2019.

New Release: Barbies and Beaches by Asta Idonea (MM/Cont./Holiday/Short Story)

It's finally time to share with you my holiday short story release!

Barbies and Beaches
Asta Idonea
Dreamspinner Press
1 December 2018
5,800 words/ 20 pages
MM/Holiday/Contemporary

SoundCloud Excerpt / YouTube Excerpt

For the first time ever, Shane is not looking forward to the annual Boxing Day barbeque at Matty's house. He recently divorced, none of his friends know what to say to him now, and Shane is tired of the pity and awkwardness. Things take a turn, however, when he meets Matty's English cousin. Neil is struggling with the Australian heat, having left the UK after a bad breakup. When Shane suggests the two of them head to a secluded beach to cool off, the growing intimacy between them might make both reassess their current situation.

Dreamspinner Press / Amazon US / Amazon UK / B&N / Kobo

Writing Update - October 2018

Welcome to the fifth of my bimonthly writing updates for 2018.

Nicki J. Markus
I still have nothing to report for this pen name. I am having some communication difficulties with one of my publishers (who hasn't sent me a royalty report since January), so I am skittish about submitting anything new to them at present. I think I will wait out this year and decide how to move forward in 2019.

Asta Idonea
I've been slack on the writing front over the last few months. I kind of lost my mojo there for a while. Luckily, I can sense the writing urge returning, so I hope to get back into it between now and year's end. I have four stories all in early stages, so I will press on with those as we head into 2019. In the meantime, I have a holiday short story out from Dreamspinner Press in December, and I signed with NineStar Press for my MM paranormal romance novel Blood is Forever. Publication of the latter will be in 2019. I will let you know when I have a firm date for release.

New and Forthcoming Publications

• Barbies and Beaches (MM Holiday Short Story) - Dreamspinner Press - 1 December
• Blood is Forever (Sanguis Est In Aeternum) (MM PNR novel) - NineStar Press - 2019

Vlog: Ask An Author - Hollywood Author Tag

In today's Ask An Author vlog I complete the Hollywood Author Tag!

Writing Update - August 2018

Welcome to the fourth of my bimonthly writing updates for 2018.

Nicki J. Markus

My short story 'A Handmaid's Purpose' just released in the Beneath Yggdrasil's Shadow anthology, but I have no further news for this pen name at present.

Asta Idonea

Super for You, Bad for Me released this week! Exciting!! I am still waiting to hear back from the publisher regarding a MM PNR novel I submitted, but I have signed a contract with Dreamspinner Press for my holiday short 'Barbies and Beaches', so I will have more news on that later in the year.

New Release! Super for You, Bad for Me by Asta Idonea (MM/Fantasy)

It's release day, and I am thrilled to finally be able to share Super for You, Bad for Me!

Super for You, Bad for Me
Asta Idonea
Dreamspinner Press
14 August 2018
60k/200 pages
MM/Fantasy/Superheroes

SoundCloud Excerpt / YouTube Excerpt / Media Sheet
DSP / Amazon US / Book Depository / B&N / Kobo

Struggling actor Oswell Outterridge thinks he’s hit the jackpot when he’s chosen to play a scene opposite his idol, Kane Teague, in a superhero movie. However, things take an unexpected turn when the slime he accidentally ingests gives him telekinetic powers. Then Kane asks him out, against all expectation, and it seems that life couldn't get any better—aside from the little matter of keeping his identity secret from his celebrity boyfriend. Oswell goes from a nobody with little social life and few prospects for the future to dating the man of his dreams and using his superhuman abilities to defend innocents. Everything is perfect, and it seems he’s finally achieved a happily ever after worthy of the silver screen. But when a supervillain arrives, determined to defeat Oswell and win Kane's affections, everything falls apart. In the ensuing conflict, Kane gets caught in the crossfire, and Oswell faces his toughest fight yet. Can he remain the hero he’s always imagined himself, or will a dark desire for vengeance change him forever?

Release Day: Beastly Businessmen & Guitar Gods by Asta Idonea (MM Cont. Anthology)

Today I am excited to announce the release of my new MM contemporary short story collection Beastly Businessmen and Guitar Gods.

SoundCloud Excerpt / YouTube Excerpt

NineStar Press / Amazon US / Kobo / B&N

Writing Update - June 2018

Welcome to the third of my bimonthly writing updates for 2018.

Nicki J. Markus
I only have the one, small forthcoming publication as Nicki J. Markus at present. However, before the year's end, I do hope to finalise a couple of practically finished works and see if I can find a home for them.

Asta Idonea
At present I am getting ready to promote my July and August releases, waiting to hear back on two submissions, and starting first drafts of two MM PNR novels, one contemporary with witches and one historical with vampires.

Hear More On My Vlog!

New and Forthcoming Publications

• A Handmaid's Tale (Fantasy/Myth Short Story) - Fantasia Divinity - June (TBC)

• Beastly Businessmen & Guitar Gods (MM contemporary short story collection) - NineStar Press - 23 Jul

• Super for You, Bad For Me (MM fantasy/superhero novel) - Dreamspinner Press - 14 Aug

Vlog: Ask An Author - BuJo for Writers

Following on from yesterday's vlog, I discuss in more depth how I use my bullet journal to organise my writing.