By… well…. the author.

When I started this website, I had small expectations. Would it succeed? Would it do what I needed it to, which at the end of the day is advertise my books? The truth of the matter is that I am my own worst enemy; constantly getting in my own way through negative thoughts and self doubt. But what good does that do when there are things to get done and a finite amount of days to do it? So at some point I said screw it, and we got to work.

But as a writer, an avid reader, and a compulsive story teller, I find that the greatest stories come from the people you know on an intimate level.

So, here it is:

I was born in 2001, in Orlando Fl. Not the best state I know, but the people were nice and the taxes were low so it was a nice few first years. I learned to talk, walk, and advocate for myself to the degree a toddler can- until 2004 when my family moved up north to Hamden, Connecticut. I spent the rest of my upbringing there, becoming an avid athlete, and Eagle Scout, before eventually discovering my passion for creating worlds other than ours.

I always knew I had a knack for creativity, but I never thought it would bring me to the places I have been. In the fifth grade I was diagnosed with ADD, and believe me it showed. My teacher back then spoke to my parents on multiple occasions about how “Nick is in Nick-land.” But the truth of the matter is that I was in a place that stimulated the fantastical, childlike wonder I believe all children have.

So for a while I struggled with discovering just how to scratch that itch. How can I create that feeling again- the one where I can transport myself back to Nick land?

The answer? By putting it down on paper.

So, I began work. I started with writing down the character of Arthur Regalia; a hero of multiple worlds who does battle against the forces of Black Haven led by the Fallen Angel, Fear. I noted the intricacies- down to his height, and before I knew it, I had created a character outline complete with an entire character arc, family history, and relationship status (for my inner hopeless romantic). Then, I did it again. And again…. And again.

Then one day I took a look at the tattered composition notebook, and realized that without even meaning to, I had created an entire world full of these heroes created by my inner child. So out of fear, I decided to digitize it- just so I wouldn’t have to worry about losing my progress or notes. It was this that made me see that my “notes” were just a convoluted outline for a series of books that would later be called The 8 Realms. After cleaning up the specifics with my father, I finally went to work on my first book.

But life has a way of kicking you in the teeth when you least expect it. One after another, my family faced tragedy and tragedy- all of it much too heavy for the atmosphere I’m trying to create- the point is that my writing suffered as a result. That is, until I began the meat of my undergraduate degree. As I worked, I found that writing became therapeutic, which reignited my passion for storytelling. My story became my escape, my own world to do with as I pleased, but soon my love turned back into an obsession. An obsession with the lore of the world, and an obsession with creating more like it. My obsession helped for me to escape the harsh realities I was witnessing on a daily basis as an EMT in New Haven, Connecticut- a lot of which found their way into my story telling as either particularly gruesome scenes, or horrendous descriptions of both evil itself and those that commit. Before long, I found myself longing to be back in my story, writing the fates of the characters that I’d grown to love.

Eventually, I graduated college with two bachelors degrees. I found that I had accidentally taken so many english classes I accidentally qualified for a second major. And it was through my work with my english classes- specifically in my capstone, that I was able to finalize what would become the prologue to my first full length novel. Because of this, and the feedback I received from my professor and peers, I was able to finally clear up the vision, and find the direction I wished to take.

But life once more has a way of getting in the way. Slowly, I found myself writing less and less due to more mental fatigue brought on by my job in charge of a men’s rehab in Rhode Island. This was a crucial moment in my life where I learned the importance of work-life balance, which upon figuring out how to make it work, I slowly came to and found motivation again. While I lived in Rhode Island, I finished my book, started the sequel, and began work on a separate project, I entitled the King of Monsters.

Which brings me to the present day.

Once again, I moved back home to Connecticut where I currently pursue a Masters Degree in secondary education (with a focus on English of course) as well as my first publishing deal. I took one look at some of my competition and decided that I needed to do everything I could to stand out… and my answer was a blog.