After achieving a B.A. in English and Marketing, with a minor in creative writing and a graduate degree in international relations, Nikki who has been a bookworm from way back decided she wanted to learn more about the publishing industry.
She interned in the industry while working in marketing communications and then established Holloway Literary in 2011. You can find her @AWomanReading.
Watch Nikki on a Sisters In Crime webinar
Quick LInks
A Few Career Highlights
RITA Nominated Titles
- The Smuggler Wore Silk, Alyssa Alexander, Berkley
RT Book Reviews Top Picks
- The Smuggler Wore Silk, Alyssa Alexander, Berkley
- In Bed With A Spy, Alyssa Alexander, Berkley
- The Happy Hour Choir, Sally Kilpatrick, Kensington
Starred Publishers Weekly Review
- The Smuggler Wore Silk, Alyssa Alexander, Berkley
- In Bed With A Spy, Alyssa Alexander, Berkley
Goodreads Choice Awards Nominee 2017 – Best Mystery/Thriller
- The Marriage Lie, Kimberly Belle, MIRA/HarperCollins
International Thriller Writers Nominee 2023 – Best Audiobook
- Young Rich Widows, Kimberley Belle, Audible
Mystery Writers of America’s Edgar Award 2025 – Best Paperback Original
The Paris Widow, Kimberly Belle
Bestsellers
- Penne Dreadful, Catherine Bruns, Sourcebooks
- The Marriage Lie, Kimberly Belle
- Prada And Prejudice, Katie Oliver, HQ Digital/HarperCollins UK
- The Happy Hour Choir, Sally Kilpatrick, Kensington
Submissions
Nikki is currently closed to submissions.
Learn more about what Nikki likes and is looking for in submissions below.
Favorite TV Shows (and nice comps for submissions I’d like to see)
Fantasy
- The Good Witch
- The Way Home
MG Fantasy
- Secrets Of Sulpher Springs
- Just Add Magic
Science Fiction
- Eureka
- SG1 series (and spin-offs)
- Orphan Black
- Star Trek (the original!)
- The Travelers
- Colony
- Night Fall
- The Perpheal
Thrillers
- The Americans
- The Night Agent
- The Night Manager
- The Bodyguard
- Diplomat
- Turn
- Anything by Robert Ludlum, Tom Clancy or Vince Flynn
- Thriller/suspense plots with historical inciting incidents
- Technothrillers
Random Interests
- Small-town settings
- Beach settings
- Mountain settings
- Ireland
- Scotland
- Edgar Allan Poe
- The Gilded Age
- North Carolina (always)
- Virginia
- Gun Smoke/ Tales Of Wells Fargo
- Floral/Herbal/Tea-based magic
- Wine country/vineyards, craft beer, whisky/whiskey, moonshine
- Cottage-core-based fantasy or magic
- Ghost ships (James River, VA specifically)
- Near future/grounded scifi
- Technology/biotechnology: AI, nanorobotics, robotics, Deepfakes, clones, etc.
Favorite Books (That aren’t clients, and comps for submissions I’d like to receive)
Romance
Looking for excellent writing and voice, relatable, likable heroines, dashing Alpha rakes, old tropes, fresh spins.
- Aphrodite And The Duke by JJ McAvoy
- Tying The Scot by Jennifer Tretheway
- Royally Screwed by Emma Chase (with a lower heat level)
YA/YA Speculative
Beautiful atmospheric settings, princess-core, interesting world-building, high stakes.
- Within These Wicked Walls by Lauren Blackwood
- Dread Nation by Justina Ireland
- The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton
- The Selection by Kiera Cass
- Interview With The Robot by Lee Bacon
Speculative Fiction
Dark, spooky, propulsive fiction.
- Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
- My Soul To Keep by Tananarive Due
- Midnight Is A Lonely Place by Barbara Erskine
Women’s Fiction
Family relationships, small towns, emotional, secrets.
- Big Lies In A Small Town by Diane Chamberlain
- The Favorite Daughter by Patti Callahan Henry
- The Recipe Box by Viola Shipman
- Island Of Sweet Pies And Soldiers by Sara Ackerman
- The Marriage Of Opposites by Alice Hoffman
Domestic Thrillers
Scary, psychological, page-turners.
- Behind Closed Doors by BA Paris
Science Fiction/Alternate Realities
Looking for super-grounded fiction with speculative elements, often within a government, military or research-based context.
- Underground Airlines by Ben Winters
- The Rise And Fall Of D.O.D.O by Neal Stephenson
- Version Control by Dexter Palmer
Thrillers
ISO espionage and military thrillers by BTDT authors with threats beyond the usual suspects.
- The Expats by Chris Pavone
- Red Widow by Alma Katsu
- One Second After by William R. Forstchen
Southern Non-fiction
Would love to find interesting, alternative, controversial ideas, and voice-driven Southern history.
- The Best Cook In The World by Rick Bragg
- The Secret Life Of Bacon Tait
Not Looking For
- Plots that focus on the Mafia
- Mysteries featuring professional detectives/investigators
- Grief/Trauma/Loss-based plots or themes
- Cozy mysteries
- Plots that focus on murder/serial killers/death
- WWI/WW2/Vietnam-war era historical settings
- Crimes against children
- Assaults of any kind
- Legal thrillers/courtroom dramas
- Hot mess heroines
Looking For
- Romance
- Women’s Fiction
- Southern Gothic
- Alternate Histories
- Grounded SciFi and Fantasy
- Speculative Thrillers
- Westerns (traditional and fresh takes in contemporary, historical, mystery, romance)
- Multi-generational women’s fiction (standalone or series) about an African-American family (showing Black joy, family dynamics/relationships, etc. not racism, discrimination and oppression as part of their experience)
- MG, YA, Women’s fiction and romance with cottage-core elements and or floral/plant/herbal-based magic (!!!) (doesn’t have to be all together)
- A YA thriller in the world of Youtube and Reality Shifting, or Sublimimals
- Non-fiction on the craft of writing or screenwriting, NC history, culinary, hobbies, arts and crafts, plants/herbs
Please read our submission guidelines before querying.
Nikki is available for speaking engagements on topics related to writing, screenwriting, book-to-film adaptations and publishing. Contact us for more information.
Additionally, Nikki is on Stage32.com for career consultations and on WritersRoadmap.com for small-group novel writing mentorships.
Click the links below for more information.
Holloway Literary 