nicole d. collier, ph.d.
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essentialcoco.bsky.social
nicole d. collier, ph.d.
@essentialcoco.bsky.social
880 followers 320 following 370 posts
✨ professional daydreamer. ✍🏽 novelist for kids 🍑 ATLien in St. Pete. 💡 critical thinker ☀️ Former teacher and teacher educator 🐍 FAMUAN 🔺 DST1913
www.nicoledcollier.com
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essentialcoco.bsky.social
Loved receiving this snap today. Three Minnesota readers checking out copies of JUST RIGHT JILLIAN from the school library 💛
Three young Black girls holding paperback copies of Just Right Jillian in front of the check out counter of a school library. Their faces are covered with hearts for privacy.
September 12, 2025 at 10:24 PM
essentialcoco.bsky.social
So fun to discover little Jillian is a Midwest Indie Bestseller last week. Have you or your loved ones read it yet? 🐣 Thanks @erindowning.bsky.social for the eagle eyes, lol
September 7, 2025 at 4:54 PM
essentialcoco.bsky.social
So thrilled to learn that my debut, Just Right Jillian, has been nominated for a Sakura Medal. Students in international schools in Japan will select their fave from 20 books 🌸
The heading reads Sakura Medal Nominee. Underneath is a 3D image of Just Right Jillian beside the text: The mission of the Sakura medal award program is to create a community of lifelong readers in international schools in Japan.
August 20, 2025 at 1:38 PM
essentialcoco.bsky.social
Hi it’s me, Nicole.

I write warm-hearted stories about learning to be true to yourself. I have three trad published novels thus far. My work to date centers smart, creative girls who discover the power of courage, compassion and inner wisdom.
July 19, 2025 at 7:48 PM
essentialcoco.bsky.social
Spotted today while #running. Several folks were at the bayshore, watching sunrise this morning. #templebuilding
Picture of a neon yellow sign with black block letters stating CIRCADIAN RESET EVENT. A blurry background shows water from Tampa Bay.
April 20, 2025 at 9:28 PM
essentialcoco.bsky.social
I don't post much over here, but I'm going down to zero for the next few weeks at least. Will be cozy drafting two projects, blogging, and just listening to (and developing) my own thoughts. I'm pretty easy to find if you need me, but it won't be in the DMs, lol.

See y'all on the flip side. 🩵
Black woman facing away from the camera. Her dark hair is in high ponytail and a white shawl is draped across her shoulders. She's looking off into a line of palm trees against a cloudy nighttime sky.
March 5, 2025 at 11:24 AM
essentialcoco.bsky.social
51 today.
Here’s me 49 years ago (wow) and maybe 48 years ago and perhaps 43 years ago?
💛 Birthday cake (duh).
💛 Reading with Daddy.
💛 Getting ready for ma’s graduate degree in library science.

Always been about that book life. (And cake. Duh).
February 26, 2025 at 2:16 PM
essentialcoco.bsky.social
Nice running weather this morning. 40s. I know it’s the last cold front for us for awhile. #running #templebuilding
Sculpture of an airplane in front of the bay shore. Crescent moon in the early morning sky.
February 22, 2025 at 12:51 PM
essentialcoco.bsky.social
Felt stronger today. Cool breeze. Normalcy and enjoyment feel strange these days. #running #templebuilding
February 20, 2025 at 2:36 PM
essentialcoco.bsky.social
Slow and steady today. Tired these past couple of days 😴 #running #templebuilding
Sunrise with a cloudy sky. Palm trees in front of calm waters
February 18, 2025 at 12:40 PM
essentialcoco.bsky.social
Happy birthday to Just Right Jillian. Today my debut is three years old. I honestly find it hard to believe it’s only been three years. A lot of life happened since then. #writers #amwriting #authors #TLSky
Cover of Just Right Jillian. Featuring a Black girl with deep brown skin, brown Afro puffs, a purple dress, holding a hatching chick. Black woman smiling with a smiling young Black girl, who is holding a copy of Just Right Jillian. Typed and bound draft of a document covered with purple handwriting and arrows. Extended front cover of Just Right Jillian, which includes out of focus text from the front flap.
February 15, 2025 at 3:45 PM
essentialcoco.bsky.social
Changed plans mid run. Fewer miles and more walking. My legs were not having it today. Temps 15° warmer than average so not sure what that means for the summer. #running #fullmoon #templebuilding
Predawn sky, with full moon hidden in the clouds. Palm trees in the foreground, lit apartment building in the back.
February 13, 2025 at 12:36 PM
essentialcoco.bsky.social
Full moon setting in early morn. #running #templebuilding
Picture taken at dawn of the moon setting in a downtown city across the bag. Lit park in the foreground, buildings in the background.
February 11, 2025 at 12:39 PM
essentialcoco.bsky.social
Lots of people out today. The usual volleyball but also vendors for a festival today, swimmers for a meet, a fitness club and the usual walkers/runners.
Sunrise at the bay shoreline. Sand spotted with seaweed.
February 8, 2025 at 1:12 PM
essentialcoco.bsky.social
Another day, another run 🏃🏾‍♀️. Saw a message for you at the finish:
Dance Here 🕺🏽
#running #templebuilding #dancing
Sidewalk chalk picture - a colorful circle with Dance Here in the middle of it.
February 6, 2025 at 3:27 PM
essentialcoco.bsky.social
This is Sloane. 💛

She’s one of the young readers I am privileged to meet in my virtual and in person journeys as an author. This picture is on my phone’s lock screen, reminding me and inspiring me about the work.
Black woman with long locs and red lipstick smiling alongside a young Black girl with a light brown ‘fro who is also smiling. ☺️
February 5, 2025 at 3:43 PM
essentialcoco.bsky.social
Hazy miles. Shoes ok. #running #templebuilding
Hazy park at dawn. Geometric art sculpture in a field of grass surrounded by a sidewalk.
February 4, 2025 at 12:48 PM
essentialcoco.bsky.social
This paragraph expresses exactly what I think.
It takes a lot of time to produce great books, and trying to get blurbs is not a good use of anyone’s time. Instead, authors who are soliciting them could be writing their next book; agents could be trying to find new books; editors could be improving books through revisions; and the solicited authors could be reading books they actually want to read that will benefit their work—rather than reading books they feel they have to read as a courtesy to their editor, their agent, a writer friend or a former student. What’s worse, this kind of favor trading creates an incestuous and unmeritocratic literary ecosystem that often rewards connections over talent.
January 30, 2025 at 4:27 PM
essentialcoco.bsky.social
Legs were tired today but we made it. #running #templebuilding #florida
Sunrise over a sandy shoreline with a short pier nearby. Running stats = 4.07 miles 50:08 minutes 12:18 pace.
January 28, 2025 at 12:58 PM
essentialcoco.bsky.social
It was a lovely run. Some of my characters even talked to me. #running #amwriting
Sunrise facing a shoreline.
January 25, 2025 at 2:17 PM
essentialcoco.bsky.social
Two years ago today my second novel came into the world. Kids always ask which book is my favorite, and I'm never really sure. But when I think of all the things in it - family dynamics, deep down secrets, saying no to things to say yes to yourself - it's my favorite. #Kidlit
Cover of The Many Fortunes of Maya on a pink background, surrounded by arrows and phrases describing the book. Mother-daughter tensions, deep down secrets, swimming lessons, flute playing, parental separation, misunderstandings, fortune cookies, soccer matches, daddy's girl, grill-offs, BFFs.
January 24, 2025 at 1:35 PM
essentialcoco.bsky.social
Limited rain 🌧️. Maybe about a mile or so. Finished my 4. Blue has double today so he’s almost done. #running #templebuilding
Man running on a sidewalk in a tree-lined park. The trees are lit with white lights and the man is wearing black running tights and a blue long sleeved top.
January 23, 2025 at 12:28 PM
essentialcoco.bsky.social
So it rained a couple of minutes during mile 2 and drizzled a tiny bit at mile 3, but all in all a nice 4 miler this morning. #running #templebuilding
Shadow of a woman running. Running stats are 4.11 for distance, 50 minutes time and 12:10 pace.
January 21, 2025 at 12:44 PM
essentialcoco.bsky.social
A community cat visits our yard from time to time.
January 14, 2025 at 6:03 PM
essentialcoco.bsky.social
This was my favorite picture book this year:
I'm Sorry You Got Mad
By Kyle Lukoff
Illustrated by Julie Kwon

What were yours? I want to read more of them next year.
Cover of I'm Sorry You Got Mad By Kyle Lukoff Illustrated by Julie Kwon. A pouting boy surrounded by discarded drafts of apology notes.
December 18, 2024 at 4:00 PM