Nicki Chapelway

Hi there! I'm Nicki Chapelway, and I write romantic fantasy that walks the line between swoony and sinister. (Usually teetering more toward the sinister side, if I'm being honest...)

Growing up buried in books in small-town Pennsylvania, I always knew I wanted to create worlds of my own. But it wasn't until I discovered the delicious gray area between heroes and villains that I truly found my voice as a writer. There's something intoxicating about characters who blur the lines between right and wrong – especially when they're falling in love.

I'll let you in on a secret: I have an unhealthy obsession with morally ambiguous characters. The kind that make you question whether you should be rooting for them... right before they do something that has you completely falling for them anyway. Oops? When I started writing 'To Sway a Rogue,' I knew I wanted to create the type of story I always craved as a reader – where the romance is as complex as the characters themselves.

Speaking of 'To Sway a Rogue' (coming in 2025!), it's my love letter to every fantasy trope I adore, twisted into something darker and more dangerous. Think Six of Crows meets Once Upon a Time, but with undead rogues and a thief queen who's definitely not your typical innkeeper. The story practically wrote itself once I figured out how to combine my favorite elements: morally gray characters, forbidden romance, and enough plot twists to give you whiplash. (In the best way possible, I promise!)

When I'm not writing about thieves and undeath (which, let's face it, is most of the time), you can find me experimenting with new tea blends, attempting to convince my cat she's not actually in charge of my writing schedule (spoiler alert: I'm losing that battle), and adding way too many books to my TBR pile. I also spend an embarrassing amount of time creating aesthetics for my characters instead of, you know, actually writing them.

My writing philosophy is pretty simple: give me all the complex characters, make the romance burn slow enough to scorch, and never shy away from the darker side of fantasy. I believe the best stories are the ones that make you feel everything – the triumph, the heartbreak, and all the deliciously messy moments in between.

What can you expect from my books? Morally questionable decisions made for all the right reasons. Romance that develops in the shadows of greater conflicts. Characters who aren't afraid to get their hands dirty for the ones they love. And endings that might not be traditionally "happy," but are always exactly what the story needs.

I'm still at the beginning of my publishing journey, and I couldn't be more excited to share these stories with you. Fair warning though – my characters tend to take over once they get inside your head. (Trust me, I know from experience. They've been living rent-free in mine for years.)

Want to join me on this adventure? I love connecting with readers on Instagram and through my newsletter, where I share behind-the-scenes peeks at my writing process, character aesthetics that probably took way too long to perfect, and occasional updates about my cat's ongoing attempts to become my co-author.

Just remember: in my stories, the line between hero and villain is about as straight as my handwriting after five cups of tea. And I wouldn't have it any other way.

Here's to the rogues, the thieves, and all the characters who make us question our moral compass! ✨