Being published with Leap of Faith was a dream come true. Then, LOF began signing new authors and I met some new people. Natalie Nicole Bates is one of those new people. When the opportunity came to introduce her to you, I was very excited.
Readers, meet Natalie Nicole Bates. Natalie, meet my readers.
Tell us a little bit about yourself:
I was first a book reviewer for several years before deciding to give writing a try. I first wrote contemporary romance, my first sale being in the summer of 2011, which was Change of Address. I always had a keen interest in the paranormal, but wasn’t sure I could develop a character that was new and interesting. As a reviewer, I have seen it all—vamps, zombies, shifters, weres…finding something new would be a challenge.
I then turned to my own personal interest—Victorian photographs. This is where the inspiration for my first published story, Antique Charming, came from. Sometimes just looking into what you already know can get you half-way to your goal.
I walked that same route, Natalie, from reader to reviewer to author.
Tell us about your new book, See Me.
Blurb- Carly Anders is hearing voices in her head. Another one of her kind is trying to contact her. She knows of the malevolent freaks—others who are eternal like her and seek out the weak to inflict pain upon. For years, Carly has held up huge protective walls to keep herself and her secrets safe. Now, physically and mentally exhausted, Carly needs protection and rest.
She accepts the invitation to visit an internet friend who needs help appraising a collection of antique photographs. The situation is not ideal, but Carly hopes a male presence in her life will deter the determined suitor who haunts her thoughts and dreams.
Daniel Tremont is not what Carly is expecting.
The former funeral director has a secret of his own. Not only is he eternal like Carly, he is her creation from all those years before—her abomination she thought she killed.
Daniel has been searching for Carly for years. He knows she is the piece of his life that he has been missing for so long. Now that he has found her, he has no intentions of letting her go.
EXCERPT- He waved a hand in front of her face, but she didn’t blink. The lights are on, but no one’s home.
“Carly, my angel,” he whispered and cupped her cheek into his palm. He revealed in the silkiness and warmth of her skin. Still, she didn’t react. She was almost…a zombie.
His own body jerked in reaction to the fear she was emanating. She was clearly sleepwalking and in the throes of one hell of a nightmare, yet she didn’t cry out any longer. It was all now playing out inside her mind.
“Charlotte, see me,” he implored.
Her lips twitched at the mention of her real name.
“See me,” he repeated.
Suddenly, her body gave way and she collapsed. Catching her, he lifted her into his arms and carried her to the bed. As he laid her down, her breathing became ragged. He placed a hand over her heart as it raced, and passed healing calmness through his hand, feeling the energy pulsate against her skin. Beneath his hand, he would feel her heartbeat slow to a normal rhythm.
“Daniel?” Her voice was mere caress.
“I’m here, my angel. You’re having a nightmare. You’re frightened. It’s okay now, I’m here, and I will never leave you,” he promised.
“Everyone leaves, Daniel. You can’t understand, you can’t…” Her body started to tremble.
He climbed onto the bed and straddled her body. Leaning close to her face, he said, “Carly, let go of your fear. I can take it. Let go and see me,” he commanded.
Her breath came out in a whoosh, and a wall of fear and resistance hit him like a blow from above. It wasn’t exactly painful, more startling than anything else.
His vision flip-flopped, and he could see an image from inside her mind of two souls forever entwined as the result of one act. It made perfect sense. She was reliving the day their souls became one. The day of the fire.
He then saw black, suffocating water. She was reliving her own death, as well.
As the visions left him, he was consumed with the mishmash of fear, loneliness, and resistance within her.
He had to make her understand that it was over. “I will never leave you, Carly. That is my promise to you,” he insisted.
A flicker of life ignited in her eyes. Her hands came up to his face, and to Daniel’s surprise, tears bubbled from his own eyes. He was releasing the pain and fear he had absorbed from his beloved.
“I’m so sorry, Daniel, so sorry,” she murmured.
“There’s nothing to be sorry for, my love. It’s over. It’s time to move forward now.”
“You don’t understand what I am, Daniel.”
“I do understand, Carly. I am what you are. See me for what I am.”
In his mind, he could see the moving clockwork gears of her thoughts once again as she tried to process what he was telling her to be true.
“Just accept it, and let’s move forward.”
She drew his face to hers and her lips parted beneath his. Time blurred and he drank in the essence of his Carly. Her soft, barely covered curves molded themselves against his the hard planes of his body. Her hands were under his t-shirt, her fingers stroking him.
If he pressed on, he knew she wouldn’t refuse him. But in her vulnerable state, he wouldn’t let anything progress further that night. Carly needed time to process everything that happened. There was plenty of time to pursue a physical relationship. They weren’t going any where…he hoped.
As someone who love old photographs, I'm not sure I'll ever look at them the same again. What a GREAT idea for a story!
Available here: Leap of Faith, Amazon, Barnes and Noble
Now for some fun:
Ten Tantalizing Teasers-
Plotter or Pantser? Plotter—I plot, plot again, and then plot some more
Which Goddess best defines you? Hecate-she is most associated with crossroads, entrance-ways, fire, light, the Moon, magic, witchcraft, knowledge of herbs and poisonous plants, necromancy, and sorcery.
Favorite Dessert? Vanilla cupcakes
Chocolate or Vanilla? Vanilla
Favorite scent? Rose
Coffee, tea, soda, or water? Blackberry tea
Do you have to set the mood to write? If so, how? Not necessarily a mood, but I need to be totally alone to write, I don’t like distraction or noise.
Do you have a favorite character? Why?
When I’m writing, my favorite character is who I’m writing about at that moment. Although I’ve used a few repetitive characters such as Caleb Smith, the detective who turns up in both Change of Address and Back To You, I’ve learned not to dwell on my past characters. I simply love them at the time and then let them go when I am finished with the story.
Morning, afternoon, evening, or late night writer? Afternoon.
If you weren’t writing, what would be your occupation? A lawyer. I’m currently in law school.
Want to know more about Natalie Nicole Bates?
Natalie-Nicole Bates is a book reviewer and author.
Her passions in life include books and hockey along with Victorian and Edwardian era photography and antique poison bottles. Natalie contributes her uncharacteristic love of hockey to being born in Russia.
She currently resides in the UK where she is working on her next book and adding to her collection of 19th century post-mortem photos.
Visit Natalie online at www.natalienicolebates.com
I want to thank Natalie Nicole for stopping by share See Me with us! It has been a pleasure having her here. I hope you all enjoyed her visit as much as I did.
You can find Natalie online here:
Twitter: BatesNatalie
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