Nicole Wilder – författare

It's not about the destination... What’s your favorite story? Does it have a hero who slays a dragon and saves a princess? Or a child of prophecy destined for greatness? Well, my favorite story is a little different. It’s the tale of a witch who travels the world, seeking nothing in particular. With no quest of her own, she’s free to wander wherever the wind takes her, adding a few pages to the story of whomever she meets before setting off on her next adventure. At the end of her travels, the witch takes on an apprentice who will one day begin her own journey. And so the cycle continues, or so the story goes. Now, the witch who starts the story anew...who could she be?

The Angel Next Door Spoils Me Rotten is a sweet light novel story about the budding relationship between a boy and the most beautiful girl in school.

After a fantastic birthday, Amane realizes how much his life has changed for the better thanks to Mahiru. To return the favor, he gets started on preparations to make Mahiru’s birthday her happiest yet, and enlists the help of friends, coworkers, and complete strangers alike. In the meantime, impending parent-teacher conferences send waves of anxiety throughout the school. With exam season following shortly after, Amane and Mahiru vow to dedicate themselves to their studies to ensure their future together. Chiefly on Amane’s mind, however, is Mahiru’s birthday, and the all-important day finally arrives. He has plenty of surprises in store to thrill his girlfriend, but how will she react when he reveals the pièce de résistance?

Mahiru s birthday comes and goes, which means Christmas is right around the corner! On Christmas Eve, Amane hosts everyone for a night of friendship and laughter, and he can t help but notice that something seems amiss between Itsuki and Chitose. Could trouble be brewing for the lovebirds? Meanwhile, the holiday train doesn t stop chugging. Amane and Mahiru make plans for New Year s and Valentine s Day, and the pair has plenty of time to deepen their love. Just when everything looks perfect, a classmate comes to Amane with a stunning confession!

No two adventures are alike, and our young witch understands this better than most. She knows that for every happy ending, there is always a sad one—and some stories have no ending at all. But with experiences as varied as dream-demon encounters, magical wars, and stomping grapes, the life of a traveler promises one thing if nothing else—the journey is (almost) always worth it!

It’s a wonder how one witch can see so many fantastic places yet never settle down. Then again, when your average encounter involves biting into a poisonous apple, meeting a clumsy spy, rendezvousing with a flying dragon, finding a sunken city, explor­ing a frozen town, and more...you might find yourself reluctant to stay in one place, too. Be that as it may, this isn’t the case for everyone. In fact, there’s nothing Amnesia wants more than to go home, if only she could piece her memories back together...

IT'S NOT ABOUT THE DESTINATION... Just when you thought their travels were slowing down, Elaina and friends dive headfirst into a slew of new adventures! On this leg of her journey, the ashen witch encounters the seldom-seen dark elves, bumps into a bizarre photographer, attempts to recover a little girl’s long-lost smile, and continues her never-ending quest to fill both her pockets and stomach while an exorcist endeavors to free her from the clutches of avarice. Meanwhile, the sisters Amnesia and Avelia explore a new city, and Saya runs into the last person she expected to see...

IT'S NOT ABOUT THE DESTINATION... It’s impossible to predict who Elaina will meet on each leg of her journey, but one thing is always certain: With every new encounter, adventure is never far behind! She’ll cross paths with a money-hungry beauty, a man who smiles in the face of death, a troubled slaver and his ex-girlfriend, an undercover detective, a very fluffy witch, and another witch with horrible communication skills. Perhaps one day our Wandering Witch will even happen upon someone who doesn’t have a problem for her to solve!

In a certain place, there was a witch. Her name was Elaina. Due to the influence of a certain story, she embarks on a journey and travels around the world. Along her adventure, she’ll encounter…gossip-loving adults who gather at the “traveler’s restaurant,” a young “stardust witch” and her teacher, a resident of the “country of performers,” a “condemned” woman from a recovering country who protects public order, a timid staff member of “Hoankyoku” chasing a vicious serial killer, and the “Witch of the Lake Shore,” a genius inventor who made the country that never sleeps.

Wandering Witch: The Journey of Elaina is a slice-of-life light novel series that chronicles the travels of a mysterious witch.

IT'S NOT ABOUT THE DESTINATION... Fresh encounters and warm reunions abound on the next leg of Elaina’s journey. A witch in a birdcage. A distant princess and a phantom thief. A pinch of stardust. Hair the color of midnight. Sisters from the Country of Truth Tellers. A traveler’s path intersects with others’ only for fleeting moments, you see. Sometimes, the hardest lesson to learn is that every hello leads to a good-bye...and the journey never ends.

IT'S NOT ABOUT THE DESTINATION... The life of a traveler is one of unparalleled freedom, and Elaina is determined to live hers to the fullest! Even if that means enduring the occasional misadventure. On this leg of her journey, she encounters a puppet detective, a pair of witches living in a suspicious manor, a theater troupe made the talk of the town by unsavory rumors, a country that practices a strict veggie–only diet, a highly intelligent magical beast at odds with a band of forest nomads, and a vampire who wanders from nation to nation in search of the blood of beautiful women. Will wonders ever cease for this Wandering Witch?

During her journey to find herself, Elaina encounters a host of interesting people: A brand-new adventurer chasing a legend, the charcoal witch spurred on by righteous indignation, a close pair of sisters dressed like knights, a phantom serial killer, a broom desperate to save an abandoned umbrella, and a witch who battles ghosts in order to protect her country. But as Elaina continues her travels, she will say as many goodbyes as hellos.

A HEAVENLY ENCOUNTER! Mahiru is a beautiful girl whose classmates all call her an “angel.” Not only is she a star athlete with perfect grades-she’s also drop-dead gorgeous. Amane‚ an average guy and self-admitted slob‚ has never thought much of the divine beauty‚ despite attending the same school. Everything changes‚ however‚ when he happens to see Mahiru sitting alone in a park during a rainstorm. Thus begins the strange relationship between this incredibly unlikely pair!

HEAVEN IS WHERE THE HEART IS Amane and Mahiru never imagined their chance encounter in the rain would lead them to share so many warm meals and quiet moments. But as they gradually grow closer, Amane spots an unspoken loneliness hanging over her. Clumsy and awkward as he is, Amane is unsure what the cause is or how he can help. Complicating matters, his rowdy mother and gentle father announce a surprise visit over New Year’s, which can only mean trouble! Then again, maybe this is just the thing to start melting his beautiful neighbor’s icy heart.

With the untimely death of third-generation bookseller Emon Koumoto, a small Tohoku town loses its last bookstore. On the eve of its closing sale, however, high schooler Musubu Enoki shows up out of nowhere claiming that the late owner had entrusted him with all the texts in the shop! As patrons come from far and wide to say their goodbyes to the store during its last week of operation, Musubu uses his ability to converse with books to reunite people with their most treasured tomes. But can these nostalgic, interconnected encounters lead him to the truth behind Emon’s demise?

A BOOK’S LOVE FOR ITS READER IS BOUNDLESS... Musubu Enoki is an ordinary high schooler with an extraordinary ability-he can hear the voices of books. When he happens to notice one lost and crying, the young man sets out to reunite a children’s classic with its original owner. Musubu leaves no page unturned in his quest to assist tomes of all sorts, including “The Surgery Room” by classic Japanese author Kyoka Izumi. But can this advocate for books really make their dreams come true...? Find out in this bibliomystery you won’t want to put down!

HEAVEN ON EARTH IS A SECRET! The second year of high school has only just started, and Amane is already in a bind. His new class includes everyone’s angel, Mahiru, as well as their friends Itsuki and Chitose. Of course, no one can know how close he and Mahiru have gotten so long as they pretend to be strangers. This arrangement may not last long, though, given that a certain someone is clearly unhappy she can’t spend time with Amane. While he tries to figure out what to do next, some old wounds resurface...

IT HAS BEEN THREE YEARS since the “calamity” of 1998 that claimed the lives of many students in Yomiyama North Middle’s Class 3. After Sou Hiratsuka, an acquaintance of 1998 survivor Mei Misaki, discovers that he’s being placed into the cursed class, he and his peers develop a series of countermeasures to avert a new tragedy. But when Sou’s classmates and their family members begin dying in a series of horrific “accidents,” he and Mei realize that the calamity has taken hold of their town once again. To stem the tides of death, the pair will be forced to reckon with Yomiyama’s deepest mysteries…

IT’S TIME FOR CHANGES IN HEAVEN! To take his relationship with Mahiru to the next level, Amane works hard to improve himself so he can stand confidently beside her. However, Amane’s slow-and-steady approach may not be enough, as Mahiru takes bold measures to convey her feelings that Amane can’t afford to ignore… How will Amane respond to the devious actions of the sweet and beautiful angel?

After a long period of unrequited love, Mahiru and Amane finally begin dating, and the inexperienced pair stumbles through their new relationship while steadily growing closer. When they openly show their love at school, everyone is shocked. However, that isn’t the only change—Amane slowly becomes more confident and easier to approach. Watching him, Mahiru can’t help feeling slightly uneasy...but it’s the start of summer vacation, and unforgettable memories await!

RUSH TO THE ROYAL CANDY FAIR! Anne Halford is a candy crafter determined to follow in her mother’s footsteps and become a Silver Sugar Master—a title bestowed only by royalty—by winning first place in the Royal Candy Fair. The journey to the capital will be dangerous, however, so she purchases Challe, a handsome but foulmouthed fairy, to be her bodyguard. Anne wishes to befriend her new companion, but in this kingdom where fairies are treated as property, Challe wants nothing to do with humans. Will this journey with her change his mind? And will Anne arrive safely at the fair?

SAVE THE PAIGE WORKSHOP! Anne has finally attained the title of Silver Sugar Master, but not without paying a price-Challe has sold his freedom to Bridget Paige, the daughter of the Paige Workshop maestro. Determined to get him back, Anne travels to the Paige Workshop and learns they’ll return him if she agrees to work for them. But then she’s assigned the difficult task of reviving the debt-ridden business, which is close to shutting down! Set on rescuing Challe, Anne doesn’t shy away from the challenge, but with only five candy crafters, and their faction’s long history of set traditions restricting her actions, how will she save the Paige Workshop…?

FAILURE IS NOT AN OPTION. The Paige Workshop has successfully won the right to provide sugar candy for the First Holy Festival, but the real challenge has only just begun—making all the candy before time runs out. In a stroke of luck, Anne secures a castle with suitable room to serve as their workspace, only to discover upon arrival that it is in ruins and plagued by ghosts! Meanwhile, Bridget turns up on the arm of a beautiful and mysterious fairy, who Challe believes is more than he appears. As problems arise left and right, will Anne and the other candy crafters meet their increasingly impossible deadline…?

DISASTER STRIKES AT THE WORST POSSIBLE TIME! As Anne and the other candy crafters race to finish their sugar candy in time for the First Holy Festival, the unthinkable happens. Lafalle, a beautiful but dangerous fairy with a strange attachment to Challe, attacks the Paige Workshop and kidnaps Anne and her fairy companion. But even now, when she’s being held prisoner, all Anne can think about is the approaching deadline…

In a world where fairies are caught and sold to the highest bidder, humans aren’t exactly on friendly terms with the fae folk. But friendship is exactly what Anne Halford seeks with Challe, her new fairy bodyguard, though he’s not so keen on the idea. As his master, Anne tasks him with escorting her through a particularly dangerous area, but with a reluctant fairy bodyguard eager to escape a life of servitude, she’ll have to deal with a lot more than she bargained for…

It isn t often that our Wandering Witch extends her stay in one place. But when she does, you can bet there ll be a host of quirky new encounters to bring the story to life! Within the walls of this enigmatic city, we ll meet a socially awkward girl, obsessed with the occult; an ethereal beauty said to stalk the halls of a haunted house; the owner of an upscale restaurant, and his eccentric customers; a refined young lady fresh off her musical debut; a malicious Mist Witch who steals people s memories; and a headstrong, hyperactive magical girl. But who will be friend, and who will be foe as Elaina unravels the mysteries?

A PEEK INTO PARADISE… Amane Fujimiya is a high schooler who lives alone and spends his days loafing around. Mahiru Shiina is the most beautiful girl in school, nicknamed “Angel” by those around her. These two neighbors, who initially have little in common, eventually begin sharing meals and much more. This collection of short stories reveals precious moments from their sweet, impatient love story, which continues to grow as Amane and Mahiru learn new things about themselves and each other.

HER SMILE IS HEAVENBack in his hometown, and with Mahiru’s support, Amane is finally able to confront his bitter past head-on. He’s so lucky to have a girl like her by his side, and as he watches her cheerfully accept his parents’ affection, he becomes all the more confident that he wants to stay with her forever. A couple at last, the pair share plenty of sweet, touching moments until, as their vacation draws to a close, it’s time to make memories at the summer festival! But amid so much joy, someone from Mahiru’s past makes an unlikely appearance…