Any writer will tell you that the
first rule of writing is “Write what you know.” Orlando writer Susan Koone ( S.K.)
Nicholls has had enough unusual experiences to fill a book – in fact, enough to
fill two books so far. And she’s just getting started.
A native of Pine Mountain,
Georgia, Nicholls always loved writing. After her mother’s death, she spent
time in foster care and a children’s group home. In high school, her teachers
discovered and encouraged her writing talent, and she was awarded a scholarship.
She planned to attend college and major in English, but an unplanned pregnancy
put an end to that dream. After spending some time in New York, she returned to
Georgia and went to work in a hospital. When the hospital offered to pay for
her nursing degree, Nicholls decided to change career paths. She waited tables
to support herself until her nursing license came through and then began her
new profession. But her desire to become a writer never disappeared.
In 1992, the discovery of a
mysterious ledger in the walls of her aunt’s house refueled her urge to write. It
contained information about women who had undergone illegal abortions given by
a town doctor in the 1950s and 60s. “I wanted to write a book based on it, but
my father disagreed because so many of the people were still alive,” she says. So
she put the idea on hold.
In 2007, Nicholls’ life took
another unexpected turn. “I went through some life changes and ended up
divorced and homeless,” she says. “My cousin had a cottage near a resort his
family owned in Kissimmee, so I packed the car and hauled everything there.”
The resort just happened to be Cypress Cove, one of the oldest and largest
nudist resorts in the country. “People have a misconception about nudist
resorts,” she says. “It’s not about sex. It’s about uninhibited relaxation,
with freedom from the status associated with clothing.” Her experiences in Cypress Cove would come in
handy later.
After retiring from nursing,
Nicholls had the time to pursue her dream of becoming a writer. Encouraged by her
cousin, an octogenarian in Georgia, she finally wrote a novel inspired by the
ledger she’d discovered so many years ago. Red
Clay and Roses, published in 2013, is a historical novel that chronicles
the trials and tribulations of characters grappling with inequality and
injustice in the Jim Crow south. Writing the novel left Nicholls depressed, so
her “wonderfully supportive” husband, Greg, (a rocket scientist who also serves
as her alpha reader and frequent contributor to her works) suggested she write
something lighter. This provided the impetus for her next book, Naked Alliances.
Nicholls describes Naked Alliances as character-driven Florida
Regional Crime in the tradition of Tim Dorsey or Elmore Leonard. It’s the story
of Richard Noggin, a private investigator in Orlando who becomes an unwilling
participant in a tangled web of sex trafficking, political intrigue and
murder. “I wanted to expose the sex
trafficking that’s so rampant in Florida,” Nicholls explains, “and I wanted to
integrate a nudist resort as a safe haven to correct the misconceptions people
have about that lifestyle.” Peopled with unforgettably quirky characters, Naked Alliances will keep readers amused
and engaged until the final page.
Nicholls is already working on a
sequel that will become the second book in the Naked Eye Series. This one will
have Richard Noggin investigating the disappearance of seniors. “All my books
involve social issues,” Nicholls says. “This one will look at Alzheimer’s and
how it affects families.” Nicholls hopes her books will entertain readers but
will also make them think seriously about societal problems they might not have
given much attention.
When Nicholls is not writing, she
enjoys fishing, boating, playing Pokemon Go, and spending time in city parks
with the homeless. This should provide her with a wealth of experiences that
will help her to continue writing what she knows.
For more information, visit the
author’s website at www.sknicholls.com.
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