The above comment pretty much sums up the feedback I've received from my latest release: Worth the Trouble. Of course, many of the comments sent to me were followed with demands that this author 'hurry up and finish / release' the next book. I mean, the Simply Trouble Series will be a total of 4 books, but c'mon, give a girl at least a week to relish in her accomplishments. 

*This just in: Friends and fans are refusing this excuse and will continue to demand more stories. STAT.

Well, here we are friends. July. 

June was a blur of edits and book signings and a book release. (Don't try to pinch me or wake me up if I'm dreaming. I don't want to know.)

However, this past week I did manage not one, but TWO naps and had several nights where I got the doctor recommended amount of sleep. 

Still, July has snuck up on me. And now it seems the month is packed with visits and travel. Which I truly don't mind at all. I mean, think of the random story ideas that are going to appear and the reaction of my editor when I tell her how many books I'm writing on the sly as she exhaustedly, wide-eyed shakes her head and declares, "We don't have time for that!"  

(Um, I think you'll find the growing fan base will agree to disagree with us and demand we MAKE time! haha)

But these heat soaked summer days and balmy evenings will produce memories of Italy for me. As the past few days have brought about the first wave of heat in my little corner of the world, I am reminded of writing about summers in Italy.

"The sweat pooled in the dip in my lower back and I absently ran my hand over the spot. My attention wasn’t on the heat rising with the early morning sun or the sweat that spotted my forehead; it was on the majestic scene laid before me. A feast of History. Time stood still and I couldn’t catch my breath as I attempted to take in the whole gleaming Colosseum. The grand symbol of Rome rested at the end of an ancient road. I let my neck strain backwards so my eyes could take in as much of this ancient structure as they could, and it still wasn’t enough." -Read more HERE.

I was recently interviewed by fellow author and TIRAA member, AJ (Lili Grouse) for her newsletter: Here's the result!

Hi Nicole! Thank you for agreeing to do this little interview. In the age of AI, I am going to have to ask you some questions to make sure you’re not a robot:

How many Carlos do you personally (or fictionally) know?
I don't know any Carlo's except the one I wrote. Oh wait, I do know another Carlo. Not well. I mean, he was a waiter I had once in a small town in Italy. And apparently the fact that I remember his name was Carlo must mean that he made an impact. But I don't recall him looking anything like the Carlo from my book.

How many bushes do you see where you are?
None. All trees.
Oh wait, there are two bushes behind that tree over there.

Excellent. There's always a bush to find when you need to prove you're not a robot.

How many roads lead to Rome?
All of them! All the roads lead to Rome.
Unless you're in the states, then no roads lead to rome.
wait...I take that back. ALL road lead to ROME.
(Because in the states we have
Rome, New York
Rome, Georgia
Rome, Illinois
Rome, Indiana
Rome, Iowa
Rome, Kentucky)

Hmm… that sounds like something an AI would know… but okay, you pass

Okay, now that I’m sure I’m talking to the real Nicole Sharp, let’s hear more about your new release: Worth the Trouble. What gave you the idea for this story?
A hundred years ago, when I finally finished the third or fourth version of Big Trouble in Little Italy, it was time for NaNoWriMo. I had no ideas for that year, but a little tickle in the back of my brain said, what about writing Alessandra's story. So I did. And it was awful and lame, that first version. But after publishing Big Trouble and Simply Protocol, (and getting to know Carlo🥵) I knew exactly how his story needed to go!

What can readers expect from Worth the Trouble?
Chaos. Angst. The Italian version of the CIA. Rome. Feeling like you're catching up with old friends.
I mean, here's what the books about:
Carlo Moretti, an Italian intelligence officer, is asked to look after Doctor Alessandra Salvatore, a co-worker’s sister. It’s a simple babysitting job. A job that turned out to be a hell of a lot more complicated than he ever imagined.

I love your writing style and your sense of humor. Were you born with it?
Yes. 😅

My whole family is funny. And loud. And natural entertainers.
If you wanted attention in my family, it helped if you could make everyone laugh. I loved the feeling of making my friends laugh in school and after. There were a lot of folks who even said I should become a comedian. But I wanted to write. So it only seemed natural that the humor spilled over.

Idaho Potatoes or Italian Pasta?
Italian pasta 💯

Cappuccino or Espresso?
CAPPUCCINO ☕

Nature hikes or city vacations?
Nature hikes

Traditional or indie publishing?
I used to dream of traditional publishing (so I didn't have to do all the work) but now, I'm indie all the way! ( I like driving this bus.)

Print or ebook (as a reader)?
I'm trying to be better (green) and read more ebooks, but I love the feel of a physical book in my hands and I always feel like I enjoy a physical copy more. (I'm tactile).

Final and most important question: Where can readers find your books?
Amazon. I'm on Kindle unlimited. (However, this fall I'm going wide so I'll be in more places.)

Thank you so much for doing this WhatsApp interview with me! Can't wait to read your new release

Thank you! This was awesome! ☕

Check out AJ (Lili Grouse) and her website, her newsletter, her socials and her sweet small town. contemporary romance books HERE!

And today is the last day to snag her book Suits and Sunscreen for FREE on Kindle. 

The Simply Trouble Series