Cassandra Has a Secret

Cassandra Annabelle Whitmer, Sandy as she's called by most, has a secret. The dreams that haunt her sleep aren't like most people's. They are of another time. Lives she's lived, dating back to the middle ages.

"I don't care if it's normal!' I yelled through dry tears. I spoke harshly, hoping my words would penetrate his thick skull, 'I know it's real."

But none of that matches the secrets that have been kept from her by those closest to her. Her past lives were filled with danger, and deception. And her visions of them point her to the truth about her past, her present, and her future.

They also point her to Eric, the gorgeous guy she's been trying to forget. Her dreams refuse to let her. He's more than just her best friend's boyfriend, more than the man she secretly loves. He stands at the center of it all.

The Envious Series is on sale for a limited time:
Envious (Book 1) will be free from October 15-19 on amazon.com
Click here!
Envious Obsession (Book 2) will be on Kindle Countdown from October 15-22
Click here!
Envious Existence (Book 3) will be released in 2016!!!

Summer of Free Reading!

Cue the trumpets, I have an announcement to make!
I love summer. Summer is a time for reading poolside, ocean-side, lakeside, riverside, and yes, even grass, pavement and carpet-side. In celebration of my love of summer and all things book, ENVIOUS will be FREE, (yes, free!) from July 15-19!

And as an added bonus, ENVIOUS OBSESSION will be on Kindle Countdown July 15-22! It will start out at only 99 cents, and gradually work it way back up to full price.

That'll give new readers a little time to read ENVIOUS, fall in love with he story and characters, and still catch a great deal on the sequel! And for fans of ENVIOUS, now's your change to catch the latest in the series!

Go ahead, get ENVIOUS this summer! Here: AMAZON
And get obsessed, with ENVIOUS OBSESSION! Here: AMAZON
Be sure to tell your friends, family, and (heck, why not) even strangers if you want to! Help me spread the word and I will be eternally grateful! I will repay your kindness in more awesome deals and books!

For those of you who don't know, here's a little about the story-line:

Sandy is in love with her best friend's guy, and if her vivid, waking dreams are real, she's been in love with him for centuries. 

Eric isn't anything like Sandy expected her sweet, though sometimes cruel friend Aurora to seek out in a guy. Her past lovers had been arrogant. Cocky. And without a care in the world for Sandy. But Eric sees her. And Sandy realizes that there's something different about him. Something that Aurora works hard to change. And that something is slowly winning, only to reveal just how dark and twisted a friendship and relationship can be.

What readers are saying about ENVIOUS:

"This novel twists around the characters and situations like vines creeping around a tree." 
-The Kindle Book Review 

"This is a book with vivid narration, a relatable and deep heroine and a great cast of secondary characters...this is no story of simple schoolgirl crushes and jealousies."
-Kelly Smith Reviews

"The author writes beautifully and with amazing detail. The story had me biting my nails and wondering what the next page held."
-Avid Reader

Of ENVIOUS OBSESSION:
"This book and its predecessor could very well be some of the best novels of this generation.Katie Keller-Neiman's writing is addictive. You won't be able to get enough!"
-Kelly Smith Reviews

Light and Dark, Lost and Found, Life in the In-between

Light and dark, we all have it, in vibrant varying shades.Even the happiest, smiling people experience the darker emotions.

Looking back on recent posts, I realize I may have been a bit depressing. I apologize for that. My mood tends to be a few shades darker in the winter. But is that something that should be apologized for? How should I be? How should I act? When is it socially acceptable to have a rough day or week? Light and dark, we all have it, in vibrant varying shades.

Even the happiest, smiling people experience the darker emotions. The range of human feelings is incredible. Why should it be socially acceptable to only be a single one? It isn't natural to hide them away. We were given these emotions to be felt.

We all seek happiness, but to be eternally happy is impossible. Highs and lows come with life. In my writing, I choose to show it. The full range of emotions. They are all beautiful storms in their own right. Passion. Rage. Love. My characters feel very deeply, and aren't afraid to show it to the reader. I don't believe in glazing over the difficult emotions to tell the story. The emotions are the story. They are the building blocks, the foundations that build the characters whose actions build the story.

For some time, the darker side is all you see of my characters. They are swallowed by the lows of life, whether petty or severe. It is not in my nature, or my right to judge, or demand validation from those experiencing difficult times. We are each our own person, handling our lives as best as we can. What may be the breaking point for one, could be daily life for another. It does not make them weak or strong, but simply themselves. Unique from every other person in the world. No one should be expected to manage life in a particular way. We each have our own path, our own obstacles, our own help along the way.

ENVIOUS is a story of growth, and for that change to occur, there must be a starting point. I know many people may not agree with Sandy's or Todd's foul attitudes, but all will be told in time. All will be revealed. What you may not understand or agree with now, could become your reasons to love them, and the part within yourself that shares those same insecurities and worries. And that is what makes them and their story so real. Like us, they are imperfect. They are learning, growing and changing. And with them, I will change, and I hope some who read will learn from them and grow too. That is the goal of my writing. Understanding. Acceptance. And embracing the imperfections that make us all human.

"You've made that brutally obvious these past few weeks. You're not perfect. No one expects you to be. But that doesn't mean that you can't be a good person anyway." -Envious

"Now I was too proud? Who cares, I have a right to be proud, to stand up for myself." -Envious Obsession

"He was lost. Metaphor for his life. One big map with no road signs, just drive and drive. Drive? He looked at his gas gauge. He was running on fumes. Another fitting metaphor." -Envious Obsession

"Maybe it was best to let the water take him." -Envious Obsession

Envious and Envious Obsession
By Katie Keller-Nieman
Available in e-book and paperback.

Video Series: About Envious

Character driven stories are my favorite, when it's not so much about the plot, but about what the characters do and how the plot affects them. The characters in Envious have strong personalities and tangled back-stories. Check out this video for some more information about Sandy, Aurora and Eric's story.

Like music? Sandy may not be crazy about it, but I am! So I put together a playlist on youtube of a few songs to get you in the mood for reading Envious.
ENVIOUS Playlist

Thanks! Happy reading and listening!

p.s. Envious will be only 99 cents for kindle until April 17th 2015!
Buy ENVIOUS

It's Promo Time!

I wanted to give you all a heads-up. I love a good deal and I bet you do too, so the time has come for a 99 cent deal!

Starting this Friday, April 10, Envious, Book 1 in the Envious Series, will be on sale! It's only for five days, a kindle countdown deal, and the price will remain the same low, low 99 cents for the entire five days.

I'll be posting videos, images and excerpts all week, starting now, with this steamy scene from Envious:

“Come on, sit down. We can watch infomercials,” he laughed.

I looked for a chair. The stool by his desk was buried in clothes and notebooks. Eric’s hand patted the bed beside him. I cautiously sat down next to his reclining body. It felt strange to be so alone with him. In his room. On his bed.

Eric clicked on the TV, then hopped off the bed, nearly kicking me in the process. He pulled off his t-shirt, revealing his bare back to me. I almost had a heart attack. He wasn’t slim like I had always thought. His clothing had deceived me. He was muscular. His back was all rippling muscles and when he turned, his abs formed a perfect six-pack. He stretched his back out as usual, but it was much more sexual without the shirt. I had seen him stretch many times. I never imagined it could be more amazing, yet it was.

I turned my eyes away, hoping he hadn’t seen me gawking. The next thing I knew, he was resuming his position on his bed. I stole a glance at him and found he was now wearing a black muscle tank. He caught my gaze. I had to say something. “You changed.” Great choice of words, moron.

“Yeah, the AC here is whack. Too hot or too cold always. See anything you like?”

“What?” Oh no…

“The TV. It’s always boring of this time for night.” His slip of speech reminded me that he was drunk. I had almost forgotten. He lay back and rested his head on his pillow. Some stupid old show was droning on from the television. I could still hear the party’s music lightly thumping from down the corridor. Eric sighed and I dared not face him.

“Did you like the party?” he asked.

“Um…yeah.” Not. Actually I couldn’t be sure. It needed time to sink in. Maybe I would know tomorrow.

“Yeah, it was fun,” he said.

“Oh, really?” As a last ditch effort to change the awkward feeling I had, I decided to tease him. “I thought you said parties were stupid?”

“I didn’t mean it. Aworwa doesn’t let me go. Says I got no control.” Aurora… “I like parties.”

He sounded so cute, even through his drunken slur. “Me too.”

Eric sat up and turned the TV channel to “I Love Lucy,” then smiled at me. “I Love Lucy. Good stuff. Hey, relax, me su casa. Put your feet up, chill.”

I did. It was easier than trying to tell him I was too nervous to sit cross-legged on his bed.

“Yur funny,” he laughed, then bit his lip, as if he was nervous, or something else… “I don’t think you know that. You got good qualities.”

Suddenly I was so embarrassed. I felt like I could cry, though I didn’t know exactly why. “No, I don’t.”

Why did I just say that? Why did I tell him what I was so afraid that he might find out? Now he knew that I thought I wasn’t worthy. Now, I had helped him realize that I wasn’t. I wasn’t worthy of much of anything.

Eric shifted his body weight and looked intently at me. I dared not glance at him, just stared at the TV, but I could feel his eyes watching me.

“You have lots of good. You’re smart. You’re funny… and beautiful.” Did he really just say that? Was I dreaming? Was it real? “So beautiful…” he said as I felt his fingers brush against my face, causing my heart to skip a beat.

I glanced over at him, just as the bridge of his nose brushed against my cheek, ever so gently. I felt a harsh fluttering in my stomach. My body went hot all over. My fingers numbed as I wondered what was happening between us.

Eric’s lips swept over mine, sending a tingling sensation all the way down my spine, spreading through my body. Then he pulled his perfect mouth back and leaned his forehead into mine. His short bangs tickled my forehead. I could feel the heat of that kiss through my entire body. I didn’t know what to do. My body had ceased to function, and my heart pounded in my chest. My mind had turned to pudding and still he stayed. I looked helplessly into his eyes. They seemed so soft, so inviting. He swept his hand from my jaw, to the back of my neck. This time, when our lips met, my body came to life. My hand brushed against his waist, feeling the soft cotton of his shirt, feeling the warmth of his body radiating through its fibers. His other hand left the mattress and met my back, pressing my body closer to his. I felt myself melting at his touch. Butterflies rushed from my stomach to my heart, and then through my arms to the tips of each of my fingers. I wanted more, but…

This wasn’t right. I pulled back slowly from his tender kiss. Blood rushed to my brain. I felt dizzy, as though I was balancing on a cloud in a storm. I fisted the cloth of his shirt in my hand and focused on the dark weave.

Now I could think more clearly. I had brought Eric to the party to break up Aurora and his relationship, but I had never meant to hurt her. She didn’t deserve Eric, but I hadn’t meant to…

She didn’t deserve to be hurt by a friend. Especially not this friend, her lifelong friend, her best friend.

“Eric, I have to go. This was wrong.” I cast down my eyes as I left his room, feeling utterly ashamed. I had put my trust in silly visions and not in reality.

Aurora and I have our differences, but this can only lead to ruin.

Envious Book 1 Quotes

Envious is the story of a frustrated college girl, reincarnated, and suffering from past life visions. She's finished living in her best friend's shadow. She's tired of being alone. And she wants to be with the guy she's been dreaming about, even if it destroys her.

Quotes from Envious, book one in the fantasy romance series, The Envious Series:

"No matter how I felt about her, one thing never changed. She didn't deserve Eric. Not now, not ever."

"Sandy, when are you going to grow up? You're eighteen years old."

"'You've made that brutally obvious these past few weeks. You're not perfect. No one expects you to be. But that doesn't mean that you can't be a good person anyway.'"


"'I don't care if it's normal!' I yelled through dry tears. I spoke harshly, hoping my words would penetrate his thick skull, 'I know it's real.'"

"Lies and secrets are going to be absolutely necessary."

"I was no longer human. I was pure fire."

"There was no way I was letting go, no way I was leaving without him, no way I was letting him get 'screwed all night.' Especially not by that guy."

"It was dark and somehow the darkness drew us near. I felt dangerously close to him, and alone with him. I saw the look pass his eyes. He felt it too...This was a place we should not be. Together. Alone."

Read the novel series: Envious Series, by Katie Keller-Nieman to learn more about Sandy's peculiar situation. Paranormal psychological mystery romance.

The Peculiar Relationship between Writer and Character: To Todd and Sandy of Envious

It's a peculiar thing, the relationship between writer and character. I've found that each of them carries a piece of me inside them. I can relate to them. I know them. They are my family, my friends, and me. I love and depend on my family and friends. They are my support. But when something goes wrong in my life, when I'm hurting, I don't always go straight to them. I go to my writing; to my characters Sandy and Todd.



There is a part of me that is Sandy, and a pretty fat chunk that is Todd. Through my writing, I make them suffer so that I won't be alone. But they persevere. They withstand and grow. And I do with them. They are my closest friends. They cry with me. They laugh with me. Maybe that's not the most sane thing to admit. Maybe it's a problem. But without them, I don't know where I'd be.

I love to write, but there are times when my self-doubt and self-hate focus on what I hold most dear. My books. They are my mind, open and on display. To trash my writing is to cut my wrists. I know I'm not the best writer. No matter how I strive to be, I'll never be good enough. I'll never feel smart enough or pretty enough. I'll never be the artist I wish I could be, nor the writer I strive to become. I'll never sell enough, never be as eloquent as I feel that I should be. I give in to my doubts and despair. I fall into the pit and wait for the dirt to shower over my grave. But there is Sandy. There is Todd. Their story exists somewhere in the ether, and they beg me to tell it. I may not be good enough for me, but I'm all they have. And they won't let me give up.

So, despite the struggles I experience in publishing, I will not stop. If I were to stop publishing, I would not stop writing. Sandy and Todd would never allow that. Only, if I stopped publishing, I would have failed myself, and would continue to fail myself each time I sat down to write. I have a few fans, some whom I have never met. I am eternally thankful for them, because in those gray days between unending starless nights, they remind me that I am my own worst enemy. That I am Sandy. I am Todd. And like them, I will continue on.

Sometimes you can make your own heroes. I certainly did.

The Healing in Writing

There is something healing about writing. Maybe that's what made diary writing so prevalent. Words on paper are more easily sorted than emotions raging in the mind. In my life, writing has come to my rescue many times. Never much of a diary writer, I turned to my characters instead, pouring my insecurities and fear into them, and helping them to sort it all out for me.

Writing has a deep importance to my life. It keeps me going, and subsequently, my characters do too. They are as real to me as anything. They are my friends, and my strengths. I look at myself in times of despair, when I wallow so deep in my own self-loathing, and I think about my characters in Envious. Todd. Sandy. If they can rise against, why cant I? Why can't all of us rise? We can.

2014: The year that started it all!

A wild, exciting, scary and fulfilling year. 

2014 was a year of firsts for me. It was a year of opening up, of putting my heart on display, asking for judgment. And it was the year I learned that the only one judging me, was me.

February. A month dedicated to love. This was the month my secret love affair was broadcast to the world. My book, Envious, a story very close and dear to my heart, my secret passion, was published. I took my future into my hands and placed my book in it. Self-publishing was the only way I could see. Envious was through languishing, waiting for some agent to take notice. Envious wanted to be set free, out into the world, to fly or fall. My career began.

2014 brought many nerve-wracking firsts. The first time my writing was read by anyone except my editor and family. I had my first interview. I got my first review. 4 stars. I got my first five star review. I survived my first 1 star rating. I held 3 paperback giveaways. I fell victim to despair in summer. I overcame it by September, and hosted my first free eBook giveaway in October. Hope was renewed! Hope and excitement was bursting from my every pore. My book, though unknown, was finding its way. And in December, I published the sequel.

Yes 2014 was a very difficult, beautiful year. And it’s one I will always cherish and never forget.

Thank you to my family, friends, fans, and anyone who mentioned my books to another person. It is through all of you that word is spreading and interest growing in my novel series. I couldn't do it without you! Thank you so much!!!!!!!