Chewing the Pencil

Home is where the writing materials are

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Los Angeles: Interview by Alex Kent:

Niki Chanel writes from her life; you guessed it - neurotic family. Artists, doctors and scientists dealing with unexplained phenomena seem to play right into her literary hands.

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Born in the United States to an Air Force test pilot, Niki Chanel spent her formative years in Europe. One of three girls, she moved frequently - often not finishing a school year where she started.

"What was it like?" I asked her.

"Oh, sometimes, they would tap me on the shoulder and say, 'Come with me if you want to live.' Well, 'come with me…', anyway." She smiles at me coyly. "Then they would take me to the police car parked outside. The vehicle was labeled AP's for Air Police, but we all called them apes. They, in turn, drove me to the flight-line where I was reunited with my family, but not before I had wondered seriously about what I might have done to warrant an arrest. The school kept information from me about what was going on... they also kept my favourite lunchbox - and my lunch!"

Quiet parental conversations that involved the details of job assignments and upcoming transfers were withheld from the girls, so it was always a surprise to Niki when the moving trucks came to pack things. It was even more of a surprise when her stuff was missing when they reached their final destination. "Kids don't get respect." She looks at me as if to also say, "You know?"

Later in life, Niki was to learn that her sister's suffered similarly, though dverse, confusing lives. "I always thought it was just me."

Each daughter found a different way to cope: One escaped into comedy, one into fantasy and Niki into ancient history and mystery. All three of them write.

Niki Chanel now lives in Los Angeles. She studied for her BFA (bachelor of fine arts) from California Institute of the Arts, a G.G. (Graduate Gemmologist degree) from the Gemological Institute of America and has studied ancient Egyptian history since the 6th grade. "Thank you Mrs. Vescovi!"

Tongue Twister Titles

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It has been said that dyslexia is a gift. Upon first hearing this I thought it was a joke - an awkward one. For me, dyslexia can be vexing. You see, I am dislexic and can have great difficulty reading or finding the right word. I sometimes switch parts of sentences with others causing the original meaning to be lost. The up side of this practice is that the warped meaning is often quite funny, and everybody can all use a laugh.

In time I came to learn what was meant by the gift idea. In order for a dislexic mind to make its way in this world, it must adapt: find quick solutions and use tricks to cope. The most common technique is to have far more words at one's disposal so if the best one is illusive, an appropriate substitute can be utilzed.

Once the brain has this procedure down, it can be used in other arenas; problem solving, for example. If you want something done that can't be done - ask a dyslexic. Dyslexia is home of the out-of-the-box thinkers. This brings me to my point: some of my fondest inspirations have come from dyslexic snafus. If my sister blircles the sock (circles the block) my next mental visual might be a spirally patterned pair of socka or stocking feet that spin... etc. Each of these thoughts gives rise to another and another internal picture and eventually I have an ah-ha for my next character or chapter.

Recently, I found a book of tongue twisters and thinking 'this aught to be what dysexics should avoid', I bought the book. I was surprised I could say each one outloud - flawlessly. But how is that possible? Eureka! I'm cured! But then I notice I was still applying the repair tactics of visualising the silly thing I was reading. Curses.

'Normal' people have trouble saying these little peter-pipers but I, who ordinarally had a dreadful time of it and made tongue twisters out of daily jargon, was at home in this land of tangled terms. I found myself thinking that if I could gently introduce this form of prose to others, they could experience this world of the gift, could learn to think out of the box; outsiders could get a feel for dyslexia with these tongue twisters! I could be all: 'Welcome to my world' and be lonely no longer. Then it hit me: a world of snarles and kinks could be fun! 'That's it! ' I could even title some of my books with tongue twisters to get my readers in the mood. Turn about really could be fair play!

So if you are not one of us that see letters rotated, misplaced or up-side down, you may enjoy yourself on my turf of twisted terms.

Dyslexia can be a powerfully creative tool.

What Made Me Do It?

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When I was in high school, I had an accident that caused me to be bed ridden for months. To ensure that I would gradiate, my teachers prepared work for me to do at home. All of the assignments were easy - straight forward... except English.

I was to write in a journal every day, read novels and write papers. Journal? Check. Read? Check. Write? "What Should I write about?" I asked my instructor. He sent me a series of articles he had picked up from various sources and told me to choose one and comment on my opinions rearding the subject matter or talk about how it made me feel. One of the pieces was about fire walking in Ceylon.

Wow! Everything about the story was new to me. Where was Ceylon? What is fire walking? Why do people do it? Who had the idea to do it in the first place? What kind of magic was this? This was totally new to me and exploded my complacent world to smithereens.

My questions continued and I began to do research on these new subjects. For example, Ceylon turned out to be Sri Lanka, a large island nation about 20 miles south of India. I was intrigued that a country would find it important to change its name while keeping its

Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success.

Albert Schweitzer

Chanel writes from Wrongs

Lifetime of living with nutty people kinda makes you crazy

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Los Angeles : "I used to think that I wrote 'Neurotica' - about neurotic characters - they say, you're supposed to write what you know. But now I see we are all living a life of suspense; nobody knows what's going to happen next." N.C.

A multi genre author, Niki Chanel comes to us from an artistic background of paint, film and ancient history. So it is no mystery that she should write stories of artists, celebrities and kings. But what does surprise are the local werewolves, evil twins and ghosts of nuns that have 'everyman' personalities, quirks and neurotic tendencies.

Niki Chanel in Barcelona, Spain (Catalonia)

"One of my sisters and I are dyslexic and the other sister is left handed. We were told that these anomalies are two sides of the same coin. I guess that makes us Leftists"

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Foreign Bodies : romantic science-based intrigue

American college students vie for the love of foreign exchange students, a grand prize contest for a 'killer' job and money... but first they have to save the world.

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The Third Cake : romantic comedy

A love affair erupts from a grudge between an art gallery owner and a critic.

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Tomfoolery : intrigue

An investigative reporter from Florida gets lost in Toronto, Canada, endangers the lives of half a dozen people and falls in love with a neurotic flirt when he goes off his assignment in pursuit of a deadly hunch.

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Black Bug's Blood* : romantic paranormal

Fred is on a quest: he must help the townspeople locate a missing person, try to save a damsel in distress and he is so close to solving a crime he can smell it... and why not? Fred is a dog!

Excerpt ~

Click. Buzzz. Click. It was over. The ensuing silence caused Bernie to lapse into a minor panic attack. She killed Fred! She fried him like a meatball sandwich in a microwave!

He rose from his seat in the hall, anxiety stiffening his stance.

"I think he's coming 'round. It would be best for you to be with him when he wakes. Why don't you go be with…Fred. Is that his name?" Bernie nodded and entered the X-ray room. "I've got to write up the procedures and get an antibiotic injection for him. Don't move him, yet. Just keep him calm. I'll be back shortly."

Bernie wrapped his arms around the half-sized mummy that was Fred - or what was left of him. Leaning on elbows, he searched for the sign of life that Darlene had witnessed. After what seemed like an eternity Fred's eye rolled under a blood stained eyelid and Bernie yelled in a hysterical whisper "He's alive! Oh, thank God! Thank you, God. No… wait! Why am I thanking God? Would God let this happen? Fred hasn't done anything to deserve this!" Bernie's anger mounting, he found himself fighting off the internal beast again, complete with twitching.

A small sound from Fred, brought Bernie back and he realized he had squeezed a wound. "Oh, shit, buddy, I'm sorry. You're awake. I know it hurts. The doc's gonna give you something for the pain and probably something to help you sleep. I'm so sorry this happened to you." Dr. Darlene Hutchinson had appeared in the doorway with a syringe and a manila file folder. Respecting the moment, she stood in silence until Bernie noticed her. "Doc can you do anything for the pain?"

"Right here." She raised the hypodermic cocktail. Eyes fixed on Fred, she announced, "I have some medical advice for you."

"Whatever you say, doc; you're the best and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for everything you've done. I'll do anything you suggest."

"Like I said… my medical advice…" She peered at him in shrewd evaluation.

"Yes…?"

"I think you need a drink."

*Originally titled Fingernail Moon

Revenge Court : horror

The future of criminal law has been irrepairably changed by a heinous deed. Now the guilty are no longer encarserated - they are hunted.

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Taking It Personally : gay comedy

A young man, terrified to admit he might be gay, stresses his way through life in a series of hilarious and sometimes introspective experiences where we can all see a bit of ourselves in an underworld of glamour, creativity and alcohol. A bit more unexpected is an exhortation of a gendre-confused male photographer's "coming-out", learning to live with a new lifestyle befriending Howard.

Pistacio : sweet romance

A young mother has been hurt in love and it takes her small child to break the spell of sadness so she can love again.

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Latch-key Lover : erotic romance

Audry was never that interested in boys so when her best friend finds out she has a lover, she wants to meet him. However this is not possible because Audry, herself, doesn't know him.

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Revamped : paranormal

An elderly spinster has befriended some younger women. Everything is chummy until one of them disappears and all that remains is a bit of blood..

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Trinket : historical mystery & intrigue

An epic tale of future sight and a race against an ultimate evil to save humankind from eternal slavery.

Reviews of Others

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'Tis the Season. . .

Snow flake can be the symbol of a celebratory time of year

Los Angeles : However, for many it means hardship. Traffic snags, digging out cars and firewood, power outages leaving people and pets in the cold etc. So my wish for the new year is not just for comfort and joy, but also for safety and health, peaceful relations and stresses eased. Hope your 2009 was better than expected & that your 2010 will be "Wow!"

LARA Annual Book Fair

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Los Angeles : Fifteen authors from Los Angeles will gather at the Encino Barnes & Noble book store for the annual LARA fund raising book fair. Immediately following the regular meeting, which runs from 10:00am to 12:00 noon, these authors will sign their newest works for you. This is a fantastic opportunity to do some early Christmas shopping and to have fun while you're at it! Edible treats will help hold off the lunch time hungries 'til 2:00pm. This event is free to attend, but bring cash, checkbook or credit card as you will certainly want to acquire several of these published works. See you there!

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Post Script : Niki Chanel is a member on the board of Los Angeles Romance Authors and heads the Ways & Means Committee for Fund Raising - the very same that organized and arranged the book fair!

RWA Nationals 2009 in

Washington DC

30 June - 3 Aug, 2008

COMMENTARY

Washington DC: This year at Nationals I felt exhausted; don't know if it was jet lag, lack of sleep before my departure or the intensity of the program. That aside, this was yet another well organized and full scheduled affair. Each of the keynote speakers were fabulous and inspiring.

Eloisa James, New York Times best selling auther, is the sort of person you think you will never measure up to, with all her Ivy League diplomas and her tall, this physique and way too cute personality and face, but in the end she is really one of us fighting for the right to her own creativity. Delightful!

Janet Evanovich was humbling while she spoke of how humble she feels in our presence! A bit of bad luck has blown her way & she was on stage with a broken foot and a cold yet so funny and gracious. She left us with a book of her wisdom: "How I Write"

The food was tasty and efficiently served (thank you Mariott). We wanted for nothing, except maybe a bit more wine. Apparently, alcohol laws are different this side of the continent and us French / Californian's felt the lack.

The weather was uncharacteristically pleasant and we were thankful for it. Back in LA a friend texted that it was 101 degrees.

EPICon 2009 in Las Vegas

30 June - 3 Aug, 2008

COMMENTARY

Las Vegas, NV: Montelago Village at Lake Las Vegas is beautiful, serene and elegant in a Mediterranean sort of way.

No flashing lights, no huge crowds 24/7, no trash, no noise. Idealic for a week in the desert with fellow electronic published writer's and cover designers. Elite. The Village hoists the hotel and the hotel supplies the Village with its population of eager patrons.

EPICon is only open to electronically published authors and published digital cover artists so there is a feeling of being elite among peers. Classes are lively and full of insider information. One gets a chance to meet the faces behind the e-mails and websites and ask that question that's been lurking about just how dark is that person that writes the horror you love.

I did meet several fascinating individuals that I will remain in touch with regarding horror and sensual genres. Take, for example, Wrath James White. Second day into workshops, this black baeuty sits down next to me. By lunchtime I know all about his newest pet project - KillCon, a new convention for horror writer's. Only one rule: you must have killed at least one character. This guy is way too nice to be a horror writer, though apparently is good at it. I don't as yet have the nerve to venture into the world of blood and evi, buthis tale about a nonhuman that falls for the girl next door, is intriguing because he wants to have the pleasure of killing her! But wait! He brings her back to life...and kills her again. Repeat. Too creepy. Wrath, however, is so not creepy - handsome, intelligent engaging, creative...he's a keeper; simply excellent cool.

Romantic Times 2008

12 - 20 March, 2008

COMMENTARY

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania : Arriving on Tuesday, the 15th, my good friend (and a published writer) Christine London, her husband and I were turned away from the entrance of our hotel by a police barracade. Thinking RT was for romance writers and not for intrigue and suspense tale-spinners, this rebuff only made it all the more rewarding when we finally 'snow-angeled' into the down comforters of our freshly made beds of our room. Turns out, Barack Obama had been staying at the Hilton and was leaving just as we drove up. Ah, yes - the presidential campaign was in Pittsburgh this week.

Moving right along, and being RT virgins (woo-woo!), the welcoming wagon of Jade Lee and Anne Elizabeth gave us an eyefull of what it means to brand yourself! While Chinese-American Jade Lee writes about Chinese lore mixed with erotic historical leanings, dressed in wide sleeved asian jackets embroidered with dragons, Anne Elizabeth portrayed her sensual anime characters by allowing her voluptuous breasts to spill over a tight, black corsett all week - "live boldly" being her motto.

From there I fell headlong into vampires and ghouls attending a class that covers cross-genre techniques in order to revitalize 'biting' character sketches. [I, myself, have such a manuscript, "Revamped", but more on that in the books section.]

Further workshops included 1) Accomplished authors explaining how they got where they are and giving advice and telling tales. 2) Workshops of agents and publishers telling us they could not survive without un-solicited material, so send it in! 3) Editors explianing what they want, what trends are growing and which rules can be broken. 4) Science Fiction, supernatural, futuristic fantasy were all joined by the Mind-bending Psychic Sunday, a feast of inner findings presented by professionals in the fields of Reiki, Numerology, Runes, Tarot, metaphysical philosophy and Hands-on-Energy. All invaluable and fascinating!

Then there were the parties... Wow. First we have the Old Hollywood. That was grand! Long gowns and tuxes except for the cover models.

Niki Chanel with male cover model, Brian Webb at RT, 2008