About Nicole
As a journalist, Nicole spent 20 years in Australian television working as a reporter, producer and presenter. A key player at 24-hour news channel Sky News for a decade, Nicole covered stories spanning tragedy to triumph. She was also executive producer for many of Sky’s programs, including Australian Agenda, Eco Report, Health News, The Book Show and talkback-TV show, Willesee Across Australia.
In 2010, she moved to Hong Kong with her hotelier husband and bump, where the trio lived for four years before moving to Xi’an, North West China in 2014. Nicole continued her work in all things media across the Asia-Pacific as well as starting her critically acclaimed blog Mint Mocha Musings. In China she began her memoir and when the trio moved back to Sydney in 2017, Nicole published China Blonde. She is now working on a novel set in Singapore.
Nicole's current work includes hosting premier events, on-camera presenting, media training, and more recently book publicity. After successfully executing a media campaign for her own book, Nicole’s passion, coupled with 30 years experience in media has seen her excel as a publicist for a range of authors and genres.
In the spirit of adventure, Nicole and her family moved to Singapore in 2023.
The longer version …
It was 2010, when heavily pregnant, I decided to step outside the box (literally) and after a decade at the Sky News desk, swapped the microphone and high octane hairspray for a change table and nappy bag — all in the sparkling, energetic and slightly wild and unpredictable city of Hong Kong. It was a shock to the system for this career-driven Aussie girl, but I managed to muddle through ‘expat 101' and settle into what they like to describe as ‘the best of both worlds,’ striving for that ever so fashionable word ‘balance!’ (Is there such a thing?!)
You can click on my post Not for all the tea in China for the beginning of that exhilarating journey.
As I continued to navigate the ever-changing pace of motherhood with a hyped-up blondie, I also juggled my laptop to work as a freelance Journalist, Writer, Speaker, Presenter, Media Trainer and Master of Ceremonies.
Two years into our expat adventure, I started my blog, Mint Mocha Musings: The Hotelier’s Wife, an Expat Affair in Hong Kong.
Having survived and thrived in the land of chopsticks, dim sum and very tall buildings, in 2014 we found ourselves in Xi’an, one of China’s oldest and most revered cities. A land with a history stretching as far back as you can imagine and a city of 9-million teetering on the edge of progression, it was truly a fascinating time to be there.
Two and half years later, the journey that I couldn’t have imagined in my wildest dreams was coming to a close. I hope I regaled many of you with our interesting, amusing and most definitely hair-raising tales along the way.
My memoir ‘China Blonde’ reveals even more, all of those things I couldn’t say from China and I’m thrilled to say it was published with the expertise and support of Broadcast Books and Brio Books in October 2020. If you’d like a copy, you can order one right here on this website.
My hope with both my book and my blog has always been to be ‘educationally entertaining’ as well as offering tips on everything from expat life to living and travelling in Asia-Pacific and around the globe, motherhood moments and media matters, as well as a few hotel secrets (husband permitting)!
Arriving back in Sydney in 2017, the blog has been on a bit of a hiatus while we adjusted to life Down Under as a family of three. I have been lucky enough to continue my work in all things media, including writing, media training and presenting (you may even see me on a few TV commericals, here and there)! I have also discovered my passion and talent for ‘author publicity’ which seems to be a job tailor-made for me! I get to read incredible books, liaise with journalists, presenters and producers across the media landscape and revel in the joy of having the rest of the world see the work of these brilliant authors.
I have also just started my second book - women’s contemporary fiction, set in Hong Kong. It’s my hope this book will be fun, easy escapism for the reader based on real women and real issues and that glue that binds us all together - friendship - in a setting that is vibrant and intoxicating.
And now… the adventure levels are about to ramp up once more! with a move to Singapore in 2023. The hotelier will start his role as General Manager of a glorious hotel, while I will continue my work in media and Ava will start high school. Let the journey begin.
I’d love to hear from you and I’m always up for a chat, so please leave a comment, so I know you stopped by, or follow me on social media.
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Cheers,
Nicole x