Nicole ODell, Scenarios for Girls Nicole

"It's evident that Nicole is a rare author. She has a tender heart for teenage girls and has poured that care into her stories. May her tribe increase! And may her books lead many readers to make wise choices." ...Robin Jones Gunn, best-selling author of the Christy Miller Series and the Katie Weldon Series

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Nicole O'Dell

When I was in elementary school, I wrote a children's book for a literary contest which I won. My book, The Girl on the Runaway Pogo Stick, was published and put in the school libraries throughout my district. Wow! I knew even then that something really cool had happened and I was hooked!I actually remember my thought process while writing that book. I remember the white pages and the markers I used to draw the pictures of the girl hopping through town on her run-away stick. I remember the moment it dawned on me that as she hopped through each store, past the townspeople, she'd have to hop the exact same path in reverse order to get home. I realized at that moment that nothing was an accident in a story. The author had crafted it precisely the way she wanted it for a reason. I decided that I wanted to have that kind of impact on stories and on people.After that contest, I still wrote for myself, but I spent most of my time reading--devouring--books. I read so much and so fast that I would run out of books and read the same ones over and over. It wasn't even about what I was reading, just that I was reading--sometimes a full-length novel in one sitting.I remember fashioning crazy devices that could hold my books open so I could read while I did other things like cook, clean, exercise, etc. I love the scene in Disney's The Beauty & The Beast where Belle is walking through town with a book in her hands, completely oblivious to the things going on around her and is even unaware of some dangerous near misses that she encounters. That was me.Along the way, life weaved itself in and out of my books. Somewhere between the teen mysteries, the young-adult romances, adult literary fiction, historical fiction, non-fiction study books, Bible study books and parenting books, my life unfolded. I married, had six children (including TRIPLETS born in 2008), moved across country and then back to the Midwest a couple of times, had health scares, said goodbye to loved ones, etc. All of those experiences and many others too countless to mention, worked together to fill me up with words. I wanted to write; so I did. I started writing Bible studies and devotionals. I also began several fiction and non-fiction projects over the years. Some of them are closer to completion than others; some will never be touched again. But that's okay. That's the process of fleshing out an idea to see if it has legs.Over time, I decided that I didn't just want to write, I wanted to be an author. But, I had no idea how to go about doing that. The publishing industry was such a huge unknown to me. So, as a lark, I bought The Complete Idiot's Guide to Getting Published. I figured that no one who actually needed to read that book had a prayer of getting published, but I read it cover to cover and followed it's advice to the letter--well, most of it. And, I got published. Through a series of very fortunate events (blessings, all) I was asked to contribute to six devotional books for Barbour Publishing and was proud to release my first two books, Truth or Dare and All that Glitters (Barbour; August, 2009). The next two, Magna and Making Waves, release April 1, 2010, and High Stakes and Essence of Lilly in Spring, 2011.I don't write any of this to toot my own horn, because I don't believe this was my doing at all. I believe with my whole heart that God made a way for me. I believe that He had His hand in this process every step of the way and I give Him the credit for making it happen. I hope you conintue on this journey with me. Please pray for this ministry as we work to publish books and materials to reach teens, moms and the whole family. God bless,Nicole ODell EmailTwitterFacebookTruth or Dare, 8/1/09All that Glitters, 8/1/09Magna, 4/1/10Making Waves, 4/1/10High Stakes, 4/1/11Essence of Lilly, 4/1/11Dare to Be Different: 2 Interactive Stories in 1, 4/1/11Risky Business: 2 Interactive Stories in 1, 4/1/11Swept Away: 2 Interactive Stories in 1, 4/1/11Girl Talk, Barbour Publishing, 2011Contributed a total of 165 devotional writings to:To Love and To Cherish, (Barbour, 2009)Whispers of Wisdom for Busy Moms , (Barbour, 2008)Whispers of Wisdom for Single Moms, (Barbour, 2008)Whispers of Wisdom for Mothers of Preschoolers , (Barbour,08)Whispers of Wisdom for Young Women, (Barbour, 2008)Whispers of Wisdom for Girls, (Barbour, 2008)A short story for susiemagazine.com, appearing December, 2009A parenting column for Focus on the Family Magazine, March, 2010.Choices! NewsletterChoices! Teen Talk Radio HomeUpcoming Events & InterviewsCalvary ChurchNaperville, ILNXT, Jr. HighOctober 20, 7:00-8:30WCIA-3 The Morning ShowApril 18th, 7amLife and Faith TourAtlanta, Ga, July 24See info to leftFamily Christi an StoreCambridge Court4204 Mineral Point RoadMadison, WI Friday, April 30th, 201012PM-2PMRantoul Public LibraryLocal Author Fair106 West FlessnerRantoul, ILApril 16th--7PM, meet and greetApril 17th--9AM-2PM book signingBorders 802 West Town Center BoulevardChampaign, IL 61822Sunday, April 11, 201012PM-3PMOpen Q&A, Book SigningKankakee Public LibraryAuthor Fair201 East MerchantKankakee, IL10Am-2PMFamily Christian Store1006 North CunnighamUrbana, ILFriday, April 9th1PM-4PMAscension ConventionApril 1-3Hyatt Regency, ChicagoRelease of Magna and Making WavesApril 1st, 2010Waldenbooks2272 Fox Valley Ctr Aurora, IL 60504November 27, 2009, 9AM-12PMBook SigningParable Christian Bookstore5866 E State StRockford, IL November 7, 200911AM - 1PM, Book SigningThe Write Way ClubGibson City Bible Church309 N State Route 47 Gibson City, IL(217) 784-5702October 19, 2009, 7:00PMPresentation to group, open to guestsWaldenbooks2272 Fox Valley Ctr Aurora, IL 60504September 26, 20091PM - 4PMLocal Author Book SigningMultiple Local AuthorsThe Write Way ClubGibson City Bible Church309 N State Route 47 Gibson City, IL217) 784-5702September 21, 2009, 7:00PMPresentation to group, open to guestsFamily Christian Bookstore3555 St. Rd. 38 E Ste D Lafayette, IN 47905September 8, 20094PM-6PMMeet & Greet and Book SigningFamily Christian Bookstore15892 LaGrange Road Orland Park, IL 60462August 15, 20092PM-4PMQuestion & Answer, and Book SigningFamily Christian BookstoreLiberty Plaza4559 Lincoln HwyMatteson, IL 60443-2318August 15, 200911AM-1PMQuestion & Answer, and Book SigningBorders 802 West Town Center BoulevardChampaign, IL 61822August 9, 200912PM-2PMOpen Q&A, Book SigningFamily Christian Bookstore936 S State Rte 59Naperville, IL 60540August 8, 20094PM-7PMOpen Q&A, Book SigningPaxton Carnegie Library254 S. Market StPaxton, IL 60957August 8, 20094AM-7PMMeet & Greet and Book SigningFamily Christian Bookstore1006 N Cunningham AvenueUrbana, IL 61802August 4, 200911-1PMMeet & Greet and Book SigningBorders200A North Greenbriar DriveNormal, IL 61761August 2, 20091-3PMMeet & Greet and Book Signing Family Christian Bookstore1006 N Cunningham Avenue,Urbana, IL 61802August 1, 20093PM-5PMBook Launch! Borders 802 West Town Center BoulevardChampaign, IL 61822August 1, 200912PM-2PMBook Launch!

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