Lets talk about in the midst of darkness by Nicole Bailey. After my review read further to enter the giveaway for a chance to win a signed paperback and one of Nicole’s pretty bookmarks, and I have a BONUS for you. Nicole is stopping by for an interview. So keep reading and get to know the author behind this story.
For the giveaway details, just look for the BOOKWORM at the bottom of the post.
Waverly grew up in Yachats, Oregon. A small town. A really small town, Population: 617. As soon as she graduated high school she got out of there and landed in Portstewart, Ireland, close to the university she would be attending.
One day, while following her usual routine of heading to the beach for a walk, she quite literally bumped into Finn O’neill. They both felt the rush of electricity between them upon contact.
They quickly became inseparable, feeling as if they had known each other for a long time.
But Finn is hiding a secret, a secret that if revealed could put both of their lives in danger.
To complicate things, Waverly’s best friend Jess comes to visit and is caught up in the deadly game of cat and mouse between Finn and his cousin Kieran.
Will they risk all to be together and can they survive what is coming?
You’ll have to read the book to find out:)
I found this book to be fun and quick to read. There is no love triangle here but there is some instant love. I found it to be believable as we all experienced this “puppy love” as young adults. For some, it lasted, for others, it faded with time. The attraction between Waverly and Finn goes beyond this, is almost spiritual and meant to be. It brought back a rush of tenderness.
As for Jess. She is the friend we all had that we called complicated. She is young and brash, diving headlong into whatever interests her at the moment. Sometimes she behaves selfishly, but didn’t we all when we were younger? She is also very loyal and steps up when needed.
Kieran is just plain bad. Selfish and cruel, he is always about self-gratification and doesn’t care who he crushes in that pursuit. There is not one redeeming quality in him. His character is well written.
in the midst of darkness is what I would call a YA Fantasy or YA Paranormal Romance. I feel it is written for mature teens to adults and would recommend this to the young ladies out there.
The only thing that put me off was the use of the word Love. It was used as a term of endearment by Finn, and it was used often. But that is a small detail and maybe in Ireland, that is the norm. It did not take away from an enjoyable reading experience.
The story is a little slow in the beginning but once the characters and plot are established it gets rolling and builds to some interesting predicaments and the author wraps it up nicely, with an ending that leaves you wondering what comes next.
This is Nicole’s debut novel and she is hard at work writing the sequel. We will be hearing (and reading) more from this author. I look forward to the next chapter in the lives of Waverly and Finn.
I really liked it and recommend it.
REceived this book from the author for my honest review. Thanks so much Nicole.
Please welcome Nicole Bailey
Hi Nicole. Thank you for stopping by. Lets get right to it!
What genre do you classify in the midst of darkness as, and is there another genre you would like to write?
I would consider it to be Young Adult Paranormal Romance. I don’t really think it’s for younger teens though, although it is pretty clean compared to a lot of the other stuff out there in my genre. I don’t know if I could ever write another genre. This genre has always been my favorite, so it’s what I’m most familiar with. My friends and family have told me I should write a book about the adventures of living with all boys after reading our family blog. Maybe one day.
Could you explain your writing process? Do you start with a character or does the plot come first?
This book actually started by itself one night. A friend on facebook posted, “So there I was…” That’s it. For some reason, that sparked an idea and within a few minutes, the prologue came to be. I wrote a couple of chapters within the next couple of weeks, and then it just sat there. I never really dreamed that it would turn into a book, though. After the prologue, I had to figure out some names. I have always loved the name Finn, and I researched names for Waverly. I wanted a three syllable name because when he’s calling to her in the prologue, that’s the way I imagined it. In the beginning, I had no plot. It literally came as I was writing. I had a few ideas of what I wanted to happen, but not a set plot. Last summer, I decided that I wanted to work on it, and I ended up writing the entire book during summer break.
I always want to ask this and keep forgetting. How do you choose the names for your characters?
As far as the other characters go, I wanted authentic Irish names, so I went online and looked up some names that sounded cool. Kieran’s name actually means “dark one,” so I thought that fit his character well. Jessie just popped in my head while I was writing. I’ve always liked those boy names that can be girl names also.
Where do you like to write, and do you use pencil and paper or write on the computer?
I wrote the book in my kitchen at our computer desk. The night I wrote the prologue, I grabbed a pen and paper quickly to write it down before I forgot and then put it on the computer.
What do you do for fun when you are not writing?
When I’m not writing, I enjoy hanging out with my family. I love to watch my boys play baseball and football. I like to scrapbook, but haven’t done any in forever. I enjoy watching movies with my husband as well.
I know you are very busy writing the sequel to in the midst of darkness. Is there anything you can share with us, perhaps a tease about what’s coming up?
I’m planning on posting the prologue to Return to Darkness on my blog soon. I will let you know that Jessie meets someone and there is a trip back to Ireland. We haven’t heard the last of Kieran or his father, Darcy either.
Now I am going to throw in some fun questions.
What is your dream vacation?
My dream vacation is Ireland of course! I always wanted to go to Paris. I dreamed of it for years. But then I started writing this book and fell in love with Portstewart. I would love to make enough money from the book sales to travel there with my husband someday.
What scares you?
I’m terrified of sharks. I grew up in California going to the beach. I saw “Jaws” as a young girl and have been afraid of them ever since.
Do you prefer watching movies or TV shows?
I love to watch both movies and TV. But if I had to choose, I would probably pick movies. My favorites are 80’s movies and Romantic Comedies.
Do you like swimming at the beach or a pool?
I love the beach. Waverly has a lot of my characteristics, including a love of the beach. I actually grew up going to Newport Beach all summer long. I loved to swim in the ocean and just got back this summer for a day during our vacation. It’s never long enough for me to get my fix.
What’s you favorite holiday?
Favorite holiday has always been Halloween. I love to dress up and who doesn’t love candy. But the last couple of years, I have decided I love Thanksgiving more. I love my husband’s fried turkey!
Thank you for stopping in Nicole. I know you are busy writing and I appreciate you taking time out from your schedule to share with us.
Thanks again Laura! I enjoy talking about the book and how it came to be. And I appreciate all of your help and interest.
And now for the giveaway!
Nicole has offered one Signed Paperback and one lovely bookmark of in the midst of darkness.
Isn’t that awesome!
As always it is easy to enter. Just leave your email and a comment for Nicole, or say something about the interview or this post.
Contest ends September 8th.
While it is not required, it is much appreciated if you would follow my blog.
Also you can follow Nicole here:
http://www.inthemidstofdarkness.blogspot.com
https://twitter.com/MidstofDarkness
Contact: Nicole Bailey penquilla@gmail.com
Get to know Nicole
Nicole is a stay-at-home mother of four busy boys. When she isn’t at sporting events and chauffering the boys, she finds time to write. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature from Boise State University, and she recently rediscovered her passion for writing. In The Midst of Darkness is Nicole’s first novel and she is currently working on the sequel.
To purchase her book, just click on the cover image. 
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