FEATURED AUTHOR: NICOLE ASSELIN

Thirty-two-year-old Madeline Boucher’s Grandfather instilled a love in the Boston Red Sox into her from an early age and increased that love by purchasing a local Independent League Baseball team, the Abington Armadillos.



After losing her corporate job in Boston, Madeline realizes her best option is to join the family baseball business. As the new “Social Media Director” for the team, Madeline attends her first business function and witnesses an argument between her brother Ben, and a strange man.



A few days later when walking the ballpark during her early morning hours, she finds the body of a man beaten to death with a baseball bat in the Visitor’s Dugout. It was the man her brother was arguing with at the party. Madeline is concerned that her brother would be considered a suspect. Through the local detectives and Davis—the head of security for the ballpark—she learns the victim is Christopher Dailey, a local baseball scout and prior felon.



When her brother is arrested and taken to the police station, she realizes she needs to figure out who the real culprit is, so her brother doesn’t take the fall for something she knows he didn’t do.

Book Details:


Title: Murder at First Pitch


Author’s name: Nicole Asselin   


Genre: cozy mystery    


Publisher: Pandamoon Publishing (September 4, 2019)


Print length:188 pages

On tour with: Great Escapes Book Tours




Things you need in order to write: my trusty laptop. This summer I have been listening to Red Sox games whilst I write. Sometimes I just get out of the house and head to Dunks or Starbucks (or Barnes and Noble).
Things that hamper your writing:  social media! I always find myself checking Facebook and Twitter too many times during a writing session.


Easiest thing about being a writer: inspiration! Everything is a story, and I find that sometimes I have too many ideas to write down.

Hardest thing about being a writer:  finding time to write!


Things you love about where you live: seasons. Living in New England is amazing, especially in the Fall. The leaves are changing, and the weather is chillier.  Which means sweaters and boots.
Things that make you want to move: I grew up moving a lot with my Navy father, and every few years I get the itch to just move. That, and it’s crazy expensive living up here.


Things you never want to run out of: BOOKSSSSSSSSS!!!!
Things you wish you’d never bought: Um, books? Cause now I’m poor and have books all over my floor.  BUT I WILL NEVER STOP!  *maniacal laugh*


Favorite beverage: iced tea lemonade unsweetened from Starbucks *Yum*

Something that gives you a pickle face: coffee. I’ve tried, and I just can’t do it.

People you consider as heroes: my parents are personal heroes in life. My mom has gone through a whole bunch and is still kicking butt. She might not think it sometimes, but she is the coolest. My father has been successful in both the Navy and private career, so he’s given me my work ethic that I follow today.

People with a big L on their foreheads: what I want to say will probably offend half the country . . . but, you know. Also everyone who agrees with the racist, misogynistic, homophobic people who try to tear people down instead of realizing that we are all special and unique!

Things you always put in your books: cats. I have three of them, and I love them.

Things you never put in your books: super bloody gory deaths. Not my jam. Plus, I write cozies, so those don’t show particularly violent deaths.

Things to say to an author:  “I loved your book!”

Things to say to an author if you want to be fictionally killed off in their next book: “If it were me, I would’ve done this different in your book . . . ”

Favorite places you’ve been: I took my Mom to Ireland in 2017. It was both our first times, and she is an O’Loughlin by birth. It was AMAZING. The west coast of Ireland is my new favorite place. My dream in life is to retire to the countryside and have a sheep farm somewhere out there.

Places you never want to go to again:  okay, so this might be a hot take, but I HATED New Orleans. I loved all the history of the city and the old cemeteries . . . but man, it was just way too hot. Even when I went to get beignets at like 4 in the morning it was already melting weather. So, I’m good.

Proudest moment: this book getting published! I’m so excited to be able to share this book in the world, and I hope people enjoy it!


Most embarrassing moment: way back in HS, I traveled to Europe as part of a group known as American Music Abroad in their choir. There was a super cute kid named Will (I think it was Will) that I had crush on as soon as the trip started. So, in Heidleburg Germany, we had the night off, and we all went around the town exploring.  I ended up with him on a stoop eating ice cream just talking. I was so happy. And then, he dropped the bomb. “What’s your name again?  Is your roommate available?” No joke. My roommate, Martha, was the worst . . . she always snuck out in the middle of the night and would get us both in trouble. So, after that, I just stayed with my friends and enjoyed the rest of my time, not telling anyone what had happened. Mortifying.





Nicole Asselin grew up a Navy Brat, and spent her formative high school years in the middle of Pennsylvania but always identified with her New England roots.


Nicole graduated from Curry College in Milton Mass with a degree in English/Creative Writing, minoring in Dance in 2004. She also attended George Mason University and received a Master’s in Arts Management. Now working just outside of Boston as a Technical Writer, she lives on the South Shore of Massachusetts with her three cats Julia, Jacques, and Madeline (no relation to the main character of her book).


Nicole is a current member of Sisters in Crime (National and New England) and the Mystery Writers of America. She sits on the Board of Directors for the NE branches of both groups as Social Media Liaison. She’s attended several conferences in the past few years to study the craft including Malice Domestic, Bouchercon, and the NE Crime Bake. Her short story, “Mile High Murder” can be found as part of Z Publishing’s “America’s Emerging Suspense Writers: East Region” published in early 2019.




Connect with Nicole:
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Amazon


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