What made you decide
to be an author? The decision was more fulfilling a desire. Creative writing started on a Friday evening
eleven years ago and the words, feelings and emotions have been pouring freely
from me ever since.
What do you like best about being a writer?
What do you like the least? I love discovering my literary creativity. I feel a sense of accomplishment and
satisfaction as I create characters. I
enjoy learning about my characters as they reveal themselves to me. With the completion of each manuscript I feel
like I’ve created something lasting; something that will transcend my mortal
limitations. What I like least has nothing to do with writing. I am a senior business executive, speaker and
advocate for equality. I regret there
aren’t more hours in the day to write. I
am writing 3,000 words a day spread over manuscripts, blogs, tweets and speaker
presentations.
How do you think your life experiences have prepared you for writing? I
was a voracious reader and read eclectic works spanning dramas, love stories,
horror stories, dramas, biographies and comedy.
This gave me the privilege of absorbing various writing styles on the
journey to creating mine. Relating to my New
Boundaries series, I’m transgender and struggled with gender dysphoria for more
than four decades. I have been able to
marshal memories, thoughts and feelings and weave them into my characters. My writing reflects life’s realities without
connecting my characters to real people.
Have you ever felt as if you were being dictated to while you wrote a
book--as if the words came of their own accord? If yes, which book did that
happen with? I create the characters and they lead me. I would not call that “being dictated
to”. I would label it openmindedness,
release and conjoining with my characters.
This occurs naturally and in every book.
All I need is an idea, a pen and paper or a computer and a novel will be
born.
Are you a plotter or a pantser, i.e., do you outline your books ahead
of time or are you an “organic” writer? I am an organic writer. I create the characters and they guide the
plot.
If you had one take away
piece of advice for authors, what would it be? Write something every
day. It doesn’t matter how much you
write. Writing every day develops discipline
and it might reveal the joy and satisfaction of contemplating and memorializing
thoughts. Not everyone is destined to be a writer. As you write you will know whether it
delivers joy or is a burden.
Did music help you find your muse with this book? If yes, which song
did you find yourself going back to over and over again as you wrote? Music
touches me at different times. I was
moved by “One Flight Down” by Nora Jones.
The depth of my plots and subplots were only “One Flight Down” in my
consciousness awaiting my descending the stairs and immersing myself in their
revelations.
Excerpt
DIVORCE. THE WORD RATTLED around in his brain like a steel ball in an old-fashioned pinball machine. The papers had arrived at his office that morning by courier; he was officially divorced. Russell Radcliffe pulled his cherry-red Mercedes Benz convertible into the garage of his modest rancher and slid the transmission lever into park. Stung by the events of the day, he sat quietly, struggling with the dramatic change in his lifestyle. The five thousand square foot McMansion, the pool with elaborate cabana complete with wet bar and massage table, the Mercedes and the Range Rover, the country club membership, the well-earned upscale lifestyle—gone. The dream life with his children and the woman he promised to love for better or for worse were now a memory.
When days were rosy and nights sultry, the couple fell for the trappings of opulence. To support their lifestyle Russell and his wife mortgaged themselves right to the edge, not close enough that a fall from grace was eminent, but close enough that Russell could feel the spray from the waves pounding on the financial rocks below. The last brick in the wall crumbled; the mansion—her dream home—had a for sale sign with a picture of a 40-something big-haired, big nailed, real estate goddess in the front yard. The real estate market had softened putting a large portion of their nest egg in harm’s way. His wife got to remain in the house with the two teenagers, forcing him to relocate. She wanted everything before she would cede his car to him. He wanted that car; he needed that car. He equated the car with his identity even more than the house.
Russell replayed those last days of their marriage. In one fell swoop, Mandy revealed she was having an affair and had the divorce papers served to his office the next day. Not only was he not getting any, an interloper had been planting in his garden. He told Mandy that he was willing to forgive her, that she would regret leaving him, that she couldn’t stand on her own two feet.
***
“Come to your senses Mandy. Quit this foolishness and think it through.”
She had laughed. “Do you think I haven’t thought this through? Do you think I’m doing this because I want to get your attention?”
“I don’t understand why you’re doing this to me. I just want you to stop. Adultery is against the law.” His voice was strained; he wanted desperately to get through to her. His wife stood arms akimbo, her long sleek legs ran from her blue skirt, through nude pantyhose, and slid perfectly into navy blue patent leather pumps. She was attractive, even after two hard pregnancies. Her auburn hair wafted in sultry waves across her soft shoulders ending elegantly just short of the middle of her back. Large hazel eyes were framed by high cheekbones, thin nose and highly sculptured eyebrows. Her complexion hinted at regular trips to the tanning salon.
“When you started wearing my clothes I knew it was over. You were the one who turned our marriage into a farce, not me. ” Her tone was accusatory. “And don’t think threats will work with me, kiddo. I can ruin you if you put me in that position.” Her gaze was cold steel.
Russell looked her over; he would have begged her to stay if his pride wasn’t so strong. He loved her; she was his female role model; everything he wanted to be in a woman he saw in his wife. But he couldn’t condone her desire to find pleasure in another’s bed. Looking away he calculated his options; they were bleak. Losing his job wasn’t an option. He had worked long and hard to parlay the master’s degree in finance into a high profile position with an investment banking firm. He figured he would be summarily dismissed if his superiors knew he was transgender.
After the divorce he licked his wounds and decided to buy down-market. The shock of a smaller place on a postage stamp lot made him wish he hadn't been so critical when his wife unceremoniously disclosed her extramarital affair. He lost that struggle and was losing others. He would never give up his femininity even though it had meant losing his wife, who realized she wasn’t the only woman in his life. This had cut her deeply and she had made him bleed.
As he sat in the car with the engine running he considered pressing the activator button to bring the garage door down and seal off the garage. Just one click and he would fade slowly into eternal sleep.
When not creating fascinating characters and sensual scenes, Nikki writes inspirational essays which she posts regularly on her website, www.NikkiDiCaro.com. A proponent of parity, equality, and unconditional acceptance she is a frequent speaker and presenter on gender sensitivity and workplace equality.
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Twitter handle: @NikkiOliviaDi1
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