Book Signing Season / Gardening Season

 Book Signing Season is Here!

I have come to adore book signing season. It's a time to meet people, talk books, and hang out with my author friends, The Wandering Wordsmiths (You can join The Wandering Wordsmiths Readers Group here to stay on top of all the news!).

My first signing of the season will be at Books End Bookshop in Syracuse, NY. I hope you'll come see me and chat about writing and your favorite reads...and maybe pick up a gift for Mom, since Mother's Day is the next day! (Last-minute shopper? I got you covered. 😁)

If you're interested in checking me out at any of the scheduled events this year, you can see the whole list at https://www.nickigreenwood.com/news/index.html#events.

Gardening Season!

I'm also just as excited about gardening season, and have been patiently placating myself with a bevy of house plants, some of which you can see at https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.421398597896313&type=3.

I've already visited my favorite local greenhouse and picked out some plants, but it's still too chilly at night to keep them outside. While I wait (not so patiently), I will put them out during the day, then bring them in at night to protect them from the chill.

The USDA adjusts the map of its growing zones every ten years or so. What's a growing zone? Simply a map of the average climate conditions in your area, which helps you predict what plants will thrive where you live. The higher the zone number, the hotter your zone and the longer your growing season, so plants that thrive in Zone 8, for example, will do very poorly if kept outside year-round (and probably die) in Zone 3.

The growing zone in my neck of the woods was changed last year from 5B to 6A. That doesn't seem like much of a difference, but our conditions have warmed just enough to make it more habitable for certain plants. For example, I have finally managed to grow lavender with some reliability! I have used it for cooking and scented sachets, and because I love the scent so much it makes me extra happy.

The rule of thumb is not to plant outside until around Mother's Day, when nighttime temperatures are reliably above freezing. So...we wait. Not quite patiently.

If you live in the Northern Hemisphere, Happy Spring!

To Resolve or Not to Resolve?

Happy New Year!

 

How is it possible that it's 2024 already? The holidays have gone by in what seems like a rush, and Greenwood House has settled in for winter. Normally, I want to hibernate with the rest of the world here in NY, but it's also a time for planning and preparing. The Wandering Wordsmiths will soon be gearing up for this year's book signing season, so watch for new places where you can meet us.

 

 

I'll be winter sowing some plants soon for gardening in the spring. Here in NY, anything you can do to get a jump on the growing season is a good thing! Our growing zone was recently changed when the USDA redid their maps, which happens every ten years or so. We went from 5B to 6A, which isn't much, but my rosemary and sage are still going in the raised bed, if you can believe it. For now, I have cuttings taken from most of my herbs, as well as some grocery store parsley and scallions, that are awaiting the return of spring.

Making Your Plan

A lot of people make New Year's resolutions: quit smoking, start exercising, do that thing you've been putting off. Mine is, as always, to get a book out the door. THE GINGERBREAD SHRED made it out in time for Christmas, so it's time to turn my attention to other projects. I'm taking this month to rest, but come February, I'll be working on the sequel to FREAK FRAT and hoping to get it nailed down.

The truth is, you don't need to wait for January 1st to make a resolution. You can do it any year, month, week, day, or hour you want. And if you slip and have a cheeseburger on a gym day, that's okay. Just keep resolving. You don't even need to call it a resolution. Sometimes naming it as a resolution or promise puts the idea in your mind that once it's broken, you've lost. Maybe just call it a change or process. The occasional slip won't break you. It's just a step in the process.

The sequel to FREAK FRAT has been a years-long undertaking, and that's okay, too. Sometimes stories need time to marinate. I need to trust the steps in the process, too. Whatever you decide to do with your new year, I hope it's a good one. Happy New Year, and happy reading!

Announcing HOLIDAY HEARTS: An Ice Cream Novellas Anthology!

 

HOLIDAY HEARTS: An Ice Cream Novellas Anthology!

It's going to be a wonderful holiday season! Now that THE GINGERBREAD SHRED is available for preorder, I've collected it in an anthology for print with its companion story, THE PEPPERMINT BARK PROPOSAL! It's on sale now at Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Click here to get your copy!

Do you love signed books? How about finding the perfect holiday gift for the book lover in your life? You can also get a custom-signed copy of HOLIDAY HEARTS or any of my other books available in print. Click here to go to my website and order an autographed book! Order soon for holiday delivery.

About HOLIDAY HEARTS: An Ice Cream Novellas Anthology

What's sweeter than holiday romance? HOLIDAY HEARTS is an anthology containing two heartwarming stories with all the Christmas feels.

THE PEPPERMINT BARK PROPOSAL

Desperate to thwart her meddling mother, Becca Barnes convinces handsome Jake Bannister to pose as her boyfriend during the Christmas holidays, only to find herself falling for him in earnest.

THE GINGERBREAD SHRED

Entertainment blogger Maura Barnes is determined to interview the ungettable get: elusive Hollywood heartthrob Pax Campbell. When she catches him at a Colorado ski resort over the Christmas holiday, will the sparks between them be the year's biggest scoop, or will they lead to a disastrous wipeout?

Coming October 13th: THE GINGERBREAD SHRED!

New Book Alert!

The holiday season is almost here, and as promised, I'll be releasing my brand-new sweet holiday romance, THE GINGERBREAD SHRED! It's been such a busy year between writing and book signings. I'm looking forward to a little rest and relaxation, but you can enjoy all the holiday feels when THE GINGERBREAD SHRED comes out on October 13th. Look for the latest news here, or catch me at a book signing to get in in print in HOLIDAY HEARTS: An Ice Cream Novellas Anthology with its companion story, THE PEPPERMINT BARK PROPOSAL!

About THE GINGERBREAD SHRED

Catch Me If You Can

Entertainment blogger Maura Barnes is a go-getter determined to interview the ungettable: elusive Hollywood heartthrob Pax Campbell. Problem is, she’s no daredevil, and the only way to catch Pax is on the slopes.

Pax escapes to a Colorado resort intending to snowboard away his Christmas in solitude. Maura’s arrival throws an ice hazard into his anticipated smooth ride. She’s beautiful, too observant, and a complete noob on the powder. All good reasons why he shouldn’t teach her, but he can’t resist.

Maura’s as determined to get a story out of him as he is to avoid her looking too deeply at his secret heart. Will the sparks between them be the year’s biggest scoop, or will they lead to a disastrous wipeout?

Goodie Haul: Beaver Lake Nature Center's 45th Annual Golden Harvest Festival

Goodies!

There's nothing like autumn in Central New York. While the trees haven't dressed out in their fall colors yet in Baldwinsville, NY, Beaver Lake Nature Center's seasonal spirit was in full swing last weekend at the 45th Annual Golden Harvest Festival.

I can't seem to attend a book signing at a craft fair or festival without finding a treasure (or several) to take home. This festival was no exception.

My first stop was Link's Stained Glass Creations, where I picked up this gorgeous autumn-toned piece for a window in my living room and a sweet bookmark-sized piece featuring pine trees, which now has a home in my office.

Next, I visited Woodpecker Turnings, where I scored a tiny Russian olivewood bowl, and a larger one of spalted maple. As a graduate from a forestry and agricultural college (and an all-around fan of nature, if my name wasn't any indication), I have a deep love of trees and woodworking.

 

Finally, I nabbed the cutest, tiniest little rattan basket for an empty hook in my living room, where it will now display seasonal flowers. Bouquet of Baskets offered hand-woven baskets of all sizes and in different shades. Anyone who's seen the inside of my house cannot deny my love of baskets and lanterns.

 
Buy Local, Buy Small

It's important to buy from local artisans and small businesses when possible. Not only are you supporting your local economy and human creativity, but you're also getting handcrafted, one-of-a-kind goods that you'll never find in those big-box stores. Your purchases also act as reminders of memories made with friends and family, as I have over my years of traveling to shows with The Wandering Wordsmiths. I love looking around my house and finding little reminders of good times. Who doesn't want more of those?

Hope to see you at a future event, readers! Until then, Happy Autumn from NY!

October Signings and Appearances

 
October Signings and Appearances

My autumn appearances are underway, with Beaver Lake Nature Center's 45th Annual Golden Harvest Festival just past (Photos of my purchases to come!) and the CNY Pagan Pride's Autumn Equinox Festival coming up this weekend on September 16th!

Autumn is a beautiful time here in Central New York, and the cooling temperatures are perfect for enjoying a day out. If you're looking for things to do, you can't go wrong attending one of these festivals.

The fun continues into October, too! I'm giving a workshop to a Baldwinsville, NY Girl Scout Troop, and then attending the 7th Annual Authors' Meet & Greet at Baldwinsville Public Library with fifteen other authors writing in a wide variety of genres. Books make terrific holiday gifts, and with so many authors in attendance, you're sure to find a personalized, signed gift for that hard-to-shop-for bibliophile in your life.

• October 15, 2023: 2:00PM-3:00PM
  WORKSHOP: “Kissing the Frog: A Crash Course in Editing” for Girl Scout Troop #10210 in Baldswinsville, NY. Click here for details on Nicki’s workshops!
• October 28, 2023: 12:00PM-3:00PM
  Book signing at Baldwinsville Public Library's 7th Annual Authors' Meet & Greet, Baldwinsville, New York. Click here for directions. Check out the PAC-B television spot!

Work in Progress

In the meantime, I'm nearing the end of my forthcoming Christmas novella, and I can't wait to share it with you. It'll be released in print as an anthology with THE PEPPERMINT BARK PROPOSAL, so you can cozy up this holiday season with two sweet romances to warm your heart.

Fans of FREAK FRAT will be happy to know that my next project will be returning to Book Two in that series! The sequel needs some work, but it's getting there. If you haven't heard it yet, click the linked book title to learn where you can sample the FREAK FRAT audiobook! Narrator Derek Urichich does an amazing job bringing Joe and his friends to life.

Happy Autumn to all of you in the Northern Hemisphere (while our southern friends settle in for spring), and Happy Reading!