Meet Barbara Nickless

Today we’d like to introduce you to Barbara Nickless.

Barbara, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I started writing stories when I was three years old and in the hospital for eye surgery. Of course, I couldn’t really write. But I could imitate my mother’s handwriting and make up stories to go with my scribbles. I majored in literature in college (as well as studying physics, paleontology, and educational technology–color me indecisive), then went to work for corporate America while spending nights and weekends working as the director of education for the country’s largest public astronomical observatory. Writing got sidelined for a time. But I eventually made my way back and ultimately wrote the novel that launched my career, Blood on the Tracks. Now, in addition to writing, I teach creative writing to veterans at UCCS, which is one of the most rewarding things I’ve ever done. These classes are a result of a collaboration between the National Endowment for the Arts and the Department of Defense to bring healing arts to veterans.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Writing is hard. Getting published is harder. When the novel of my heart got me a great agent but was ultimately rejected by the major publishing houses, it was hard to pick myself back up.

We’d love to hear more about your business.
I write dark, gritty mystery novels about a former Marine turned railroad cop who lives in Denver and works with her K9 partner, a former Military Working Dog. The series has done well, and the fourth book will be published by Thomas & Mercer in June 2020.

One of the best parts of this writing gig is the people I meet, including librarians, book club members, and fellow authors. When it comes to writers, Colorado has a tremendous amount of talent!

What were you like growing up?
Total nerd. I played Dungeons and Dragons, preferred the Mills Brothers to the Top Twenty, and was always the last picked for the baseball team. I was a sword fighter and falconer in the Society for Creative Anachronism and at one point knew every lyric for every song written by Rogers and Hammerstein. It didn’t help that I was tall, skinny, and blind as a bat. Character builder, right?

Contact Info:

• Website: www.barbaranickless.com
• Email: Barbara@BarbaraNickles.com
• Facebook: facebook.com/barbaranickless
• Twitter: @barbaranickless

Image Credit:
The two close-up portraits of me are credited to Trystan Photography.

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