Welcome Nina Pierce!

This morning our guest is fabulous author, Nina Pierce. Welcome Nina!

How long have you been writing and who are your publishers?
I sat down to write my first novel in 2005. But it wasn't the first time I had written, I've been writing plays, short stories and poetry since grade school. In fourth grade I wrote a 20-page book report (both sides) and cried when the teacher told me I had to edit most of it out. (I mean, come on, I'd written a better version of the story than the author *vbg*) In college my writing turned to research papers which I absolutely loved. Writing novels just seemed a natural progression for my love of words. I am currently published with Liquid Silver Books and Ellora's Cave.

What led you to writing?
I've had multiple sclerosis for a very long time. In the fall of 2004 I could see the disease was progressing and I wouldn't be able to continue teaching Environmental Science the following year. I took a university class on "Writing Fiction" and made the decision to turn my love of reading romance into a love of creating romance stories. I dropped the chalk and picked up a pen and the rest, as they say, is history.

What do you enjoy most? Any writing hurdles that you were surprised by?
I write suspense stories, so figuring out a really good twist to the suspense part of the story is such a thrill for me. Hurdles? Gosh, isn't all of writing a hurdle? *g* I had NO idea that the wonderful stories I read had taken so much sweat and angst to write! Wow, now there's conflicts and goals and motivations and all the other little things an author has to worry about to make a story a page turner. I didn't know there was so much to think about before I began writing.

What are you reading now?
Breaking Dawn the fourth book in Stephanie Meyer's Twilight series. I've read several books in between each book, but I just needed to read to the end to see how she finishes this series. I am both amazed by and in awe of her imagination.

What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?
Oh, I'd love to be a detective or FBI agent. Those careers totally fascinate me. But that's why I write suspense. I can live vicariously through my sexy characters.

Tell us a bit about your new release.
My latest release is a vampire/firefighter novella Shadows of Fire in the Hearts Afire-May anthology with Liquid Silver Books. I absolutely fell in love with these vampires. They're sexy, smart and alpha...what more can you fantasize over? And of course there's a suspense thread to this story and it was one of my favorite to write.

Do any of your characters from previous books appear in your latest?
Not in Shadows of Fire, but Cole and Jayda my shifters in Blue Moon Rising in the Furry, Fluffy & Wild anthology from Liquid Silver Books are kicking off a new series that I'm hoping will be available in 2009. But I don't have more information than that right now.

Have you written a series?
I did. It's not a paranormal series, but I absolutely loved writing the Tilling Passions erotic suspense series. It involves three sisters and their search for love. Each book stands alone, but there is a mystery that runs through the series that isn't solved until the last book. My new book Shifting Bonds which has recently been contracted with Ellora's Cave is the beginning of a three book series involving wolf and cougar shifters. I'm very excited with this series. It's always such a challenge to write three stand alone stories that are all related.

Do you have a favorite book or author that has influenced your writing?
Anne McCaffrey is a science fiction author who is known for her Pern series, but it's her Freedom series about a group of humans and aliens that are kidnapped and brought to a new world that captured my attention. She has such a gift for world building and creating character driven plots that suck you right into the story.

Which book did you spend the most time researching and why?
LOL! I absolutely LOVE doing research. A better question is "what book did you NOT do research for?" For instance, my newest story Shifting Bonds has a scene with necrospsy of a cougar. I contacted a former veterinarian assistant that had actually done a cougar necropsy just to get the correct procedure and terminology. I've done that kind of research for all my books.

Anything else that you'd like readers to know about you?
I'm a dare-devil at heart. I've innertubed white water, been skydiving, hot air ballooning, and helicoptered into the Grand Canyon. And even my disease isn't going to slow me down. I still have tandem skydiving and white water rafting on my life list. Of course it'll all be research for my books;-)

I'd like to thank Nina for dropping by today and letting us know what's been happening! If you'd like to find out more about Nina check out her locations! Nina, honey, I should have asked you when you had time to sleep!

website: http://www.ninapierce.com
blog: http://www.ninapierce.com/romanceblog
YouTube(with book trailers) http://www.youtube.com/romanceauthor62
My Space: http://www.myspace.com/ninapierceauthor
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ninapierce

Buy links for books mentioned:

Furry, Fluffy & Wild: http://www.liquidsilverbooks.com/books/furryfluffyandwild.htm
Hearts Afire-May: http:www.liquidsilverbooks.com/books/heartsafiremay.htm