Fearless Friday - Nike Chillemi and her newest book Darkest Hour

Meet Nike Chillemi

Website: Nike Chillemi ~ Crime Fictionista  http://nikechillemi.wordpress.com/

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/ 

 

 

DARKEST HOUR

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---Murder Mystery w/Romance, late-1940s

---a widow is framed by powerful people/the medical examiners knows she didn't pull the trigger

---Sweet romance, warm intimacy, sophisticated themes presented tastefully 

A petite widow, secretary and sole support of her son and grandparents, is framed for the murder of her boss. Wealthy village residents conspire with the DA to indicte her and stop further investigation. The medical examiner thinks the shooter was a tall individual and when his report is shoved aside, starts snooping trying to clear her and in the process falls in love with her.

 

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Your unique talent:   I'm a foodie. I watch the Food Network on TV and love the show Hell's Kitchen. I love to cook and feed people. Food, eating, cooking, restaurants show up in my novels. I guess, at least to some extent, I write foodie fiction.

 

Share something not many people know about you:    I'm a graduate of the Fashion Institute of Technology and worked in the bridal industry for years before writing. I attended bridal shows and fairs in Atlanta, Dallas, Chicago, Las Vegas, and my hometown of New York. It's quite noticeable in any story of mine where there is a bridal gown, I give a highly detailed description.

 Are you a “pet person” or prefer no pets?  I'm a pet person and in fact was a pet rescuer in my early days. I've rescued about 50 dogs and cats. Even squirrels that were released back into the wilds of NYC.

 

Would you rather travel or stay at home?  Both. I love being at home. But there's nothing like travelling. I'm in love with the ocean, mostly the Atlantic Ocean. I love it's history and lore and love to visit cities and villages on the American's eastern seaboard. I'm in love with Key Largo and St. Augustine, Florida. However, two summers ago our family visited the left coast and the Pacific Ocean was truly magnificent. That wasn't the first time I'd seen the Pacific. My husband and I honeymooned in Acapulco, Mexico and that, of course, is right on the Pacific.

 

Do you read more or write more?      Unfortunately, I find I market the most. I think I even dream about marketing...nightmares, actually. That was a small joke. However, between reading and writing I write more. In fact, my reading was truly nil for a while, but I'm making time for reading again. I missed it so and there were so many books on my to read list it was ridiculous.

 

Prefer cake or pie?   Pie. Lemon meringue, warm apple with vanilla ice cream on the side, and coconut custard. 

 

Would, or do, ride a motorcycle or prefer to ride/drive a car?   My all time fav vehicle is a Jeep. I like to drive along coastal highways and also up windy mountain roads. I live in a city, a huge one, but don't enjoy city driving.

 

How about taking the bus or walking?   Neither. I do like to ride a bicycle. And I like walking my dog and walking on a boardwalk as the ocean waves come in. 

 

Are you part of a big church congregation or a small church? A very small church.

 

Would you describe yourself as happy or joyful?  I can be either. But I think more joyful. The more I stay in the Bible, the more joyful I am. However, to be honest, I can be a total grumblecrunch too. I have to repent of that a lot.

 

Do you like to telephone people or prefer to use e-mail?  Email. Don't have time to talk on the phone. Of course, now I'm finding keeping up with my email in-box is overwhelming. I think there's too much information coming at everyone these days. 

 

Do you eat at home or eat out?   I like everything about eating except over eating. I like to cook, feed people. I love cooking, for holidays, setting a holiday table, and eating with family and friends at holidays. I like well-made traditional recipes. I'm not so much into the new cuisine. I love going to a good restaurant. It could be rustic, family style, or five star. I've learned a lot about food and have gotten into healthy eating. I buy quite a bit of organic food and try to get produce locally and in season.  As much as I love the fun of cooking and eating, I see the health and healing aspect of food as part of my Christian walk. I don't think it's either/or. I think it's both and a balance has to be found. 

 

Listen to music or prefer quiet?  I vastly prefer quiet. I don't have a musical ear at all. Although, there are times when I must listen to music...absolutely must. But that's not often. Mostly I like the stillness of early morning or very late at night.

 

Prefer sunrises or sunsets?  I love both, especially when I'm on the beach.