Blog Tour: THE NICK BEFORE CHRISTMAS by K.L. Brady

 

The Nick Before Christmas

by K.L. Brady

 

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GENRE:   Romance

 

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BLURB:

 

Will an angel's dire warning, a quest to discover a second act by Christmas Eve, and a touch of Christmas Magic lead Nickie Wright back to the one that got away?

Nickie Wright is ready to celebrate the big 5-0 for Christmas in July, but a hot flash leads her to a sobering revelation: her life has hit rock bottom. Her successes--the home and the car--feel empty. Her vision board has been a waste of time, her job is unfulfilling, and she's mulling over a proposal from Smith, who she's not sure she likes. The best day of her life spirals into the worst. During a near-death experience, a meeting with her guardian angel presents Nickie with an ultimatum - either go to heaven or return to Earth and find her second act by Christmas Eve. If she fails, her future's bleak -- her life will be filled with days no better than her worst.

Her second act sets her on a collision path with Evan Goodman, the man who makes her content, and Jordan Devlin, the first love who drives her crazy. She's torn between two worlds--contentment and safety, passion and excitement.

Time is running out for Nickie.

She only has from Christmas in July until Christmas Eve to find her calling, follow her dreams, and figure out which romantic interest will help Nickie embrace the best of herself.

The Nick Before Christmas is the perfect romantic comedy to help you find your calling and renew your faith. It delivers unforgettable moments of self-discovery and romance. It's an enchanting story to fill your heart with joy this Christmas.

 

 

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Excerpt One:

 

The voice and the name paralyzed her.

 

One person (in this world or any other) referred to her by that name.

 

It couldn’t be her.

 

“Nickie Boo?”

 

Her body stiffened. She was more shocked than afraid. Uncontrollable streams of tears flushed from her eyes. She glanced from side to side. No one. Nothing, but the faint hope of seeing her mother again after fate stole her only chance for goodbye. Nickie found out about her mother’s illness only six weeks before her death and thought she had more time.

 

“Mommy?”

 

Almost as soon as she called out to Nickie Boo once more, an angelic form descended from the sky in a dramatic drop; her arms were folded across her chest. Upon first look Nickie couldn’t discern the face, but her voice was exactly the same as she remembered.

 

The more the form came into view, the more visible the feathery wings appeared. But the face, she knew the face like her own. Same auburn skin, same bright eyes, same natural thick hair. Her mother’s eyes smiled but her lips didn’t, at least not at first.

 

“It’s me, Cupcake. Merry Birthday.”

 

An inexplicable calm washed over her…on the outside. Inside she was scared crapless. Nickie reached for the angel’s arm and pinched her, gently. “Are you real, or am I crazy?”

 

“Yes,” her mother replied, “and yes.”

 

Mom angel?

 

Nickie laughed. No one else could make her chuckle in the middle of paralyzing panic and fear.

 

 

 

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Topic:  What makes your book different from any other holiday book?

 

What makes THE NICK BEFORE CHRISTMAS different from other holiday books is that a few actual events inspired it. It explores Christmas magic and characters in the middle of life (their 50s) reaching their second primes, leading to three core stories – and many life lessons. 

 

I don't know many people who would claim they've felt the power of Christmas magic while in the middle of a miracle. The perspective you get afterward usually makes you realize how blessed you were. That is the truth of my life. The holiday angle of this story deals with the magic of Christmas at a crossroads with fate—the idea that even the most faith-filled people have doubts, get discouraged and want to give up. But sometimes, that disappointment is meant to force you to a new level, a better one. When discouraged and ready to give up, the magic of Christmas, fate, and the heavens (whatever you want to call the force in your life) helps you overcome the obstacles – you don't always avoid the fire, but you make it through relatively unscathed. Over time, you look back on what you survived and realize what you needed to survive was in place long before you gave up. You never had to worry or stress because help was in place long before you needed it. C

 

As she reaches her 50th birthday, the main character, Nickie, is ultimately threatened by her "guardian angel" to pursue her second act, the life that will make her truly happy. Generation X'ers may relate to the quest for a second act. Personally, as a Gen X'er, I've spent my life trying to reach a level of success and comfort- the house, the car, the kids, the dog, and taking care of Boomer parents as they age. Many of my generation look at our professional lives and realize that professional and financial success doesn't always mean we're "happy." A paraphrased saying suggests that if you love what you do, you'll never work a day in your life. Many people don't want to retire – they want to stop working. When I hit 40, I started writing novels—and I've known no greater joy. Nickie reaches that point in her life after a professional disappointment. She grappled with the question: Is it worth taking steps backward after you've spent most of your life setting a foundation to move forward? I've explored the idea of this, for sure.  

 

Nickie's quest for the second act puts her on a crash course with Jordan, "the one who got away," which drives the romantic element in the story. She ends up being forced to face the fact that she's made a lot of assumptions and drawn a few wrong conclusions about Jordan. Sometimes, the hardest part of the downfall of any relationship is admitting your role in the demise. Nickie is faced with a truth moment that forces her to see Jordan for who he is – the good, the bad, and the beautiful -- and her ability to see that in him, perhaps, will help him see and believe the good qualities in himself. This romantic element, of course, is fiction. My philosophy is—if I let him get away, he was supposed to go. But there is always a "what if" in my mind. And this may be true of Nick's readers when they think about Jordan. 

 

 

 

 

 

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

USA Today Bestselling author K. L. Brady is a D.C. native and award-winning author of 20 novels. She self-published her first book, THE BUM MAGNET, after an Oprah "live your best life" moment, which was picked up by Simon & Schuster in a two-book deal. She’s been publishing romantic comedies ever since.

K.L. is a Washington football fan and professed nerd-girl who loves all things Star Trek, Star Wars, and Big Bang Theory. She lives to write stories involving hilarious quirky characters looking for love. She's hard at work on her next several projects, including Sincerely, Santa, a heartfelt romantic comedy that also celebrates the special friendship between her late mother and grandmother.

Sign up for her newsletter at: http://klbradyauthor.com/sign-up/

 

Author Links: 

Website: www.klbradyauthor.com

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/KLBRADY

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/klbrady_author/

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/k-l-brady

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/K.-L.-Brady/author/B002O15D78?

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2975069.K_L_Brady

 

The book will be on sale for $0.99.

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GIVEAWAY :

K.L. Brady will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC o a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. a Rafflecopter giveaway