We are so excited to have Nina Pierce here with us today for an interview. Nina Pierce sent in a review request to Mandy and I here at R&R for The Healer's Garden, and from there, we now have a wonderful interview! I hope that this gives you, the reader some insight on what a fabulous author and person Nina Pierce is!
R and R: Every author has a certain writing style, how they develop their characters, stories, and where they start. What’s your “writing style?”
Nina Pierce: First I start with the “what if”. What if a virus killed most of the male population? (The Healer’s Garden) What if drugs were running up the Maine coast? (Love’s Bounty) What if someone believed their best friend was murdered? (Blind Love)
Then I work out from there. How would the species continue? What would life look like 100 years down the road? How would women cope with the shrinking population? How would the government intervene? (The Healer’s Garden)
Once I have a basic idea of the story from these questions I sit down to write. No outline other than what’s in my head. And I type. And type some more. The characters begin to flesh themselves out. More questions pop up. Why can’t they just inseminate women? How would the government work to control men?
And I write some more.
Usually the villain shows up and their personality starts to emerge. Why do they act the way they do? Did something in their past cause this behavior?
Now, my character’s motivations emerge.
And all the while I write. And the story begins to take shape.
Since I write suspense, sometimes a really good idea comes to me in later chapters and I have to go back and layer in red herrings or other details. But usually I have the whole convoluted plot in my head and write the scenes to flesh out the details so when I finally reveal the twist it’s surprising but not unbelievable.
I say I don’t plot, but the reality is… it’s in my head. I just don’t write it down. It’s what works for me. The whole process of letting the characters tell the story.
R and R: On your website, you have two titles listed: Tilling Passions and The Healer’s Garden. It seems that most authors would stick to similar themes in their stories, but Tilling Passions is about three sisters and their individual steamy love stories. Whereas, The Healer’s Garden is more futuristic set in a lesbian society. Why did you take what seems to be two very different routes?
Nina: Umm… because. No, just kidding.
In actuality I wrote two books under my real name, Kara Dunn. One is a straight romance that I’m still reworking and the other is a romantic suspense involving the FBI and a stalker. The market for those is really tough. So instead of spinning my wheels just marketing, I did some research and found erotica was a booming market.
I’ve always loved heat in my romances so turning it up a notch in my stories seemed like a reasonable progression of my writing. I’d always fantasized about having men at my disposal (what woman doesn’t) and started out creating The Healer’s Garden. It’s set in the future because the story, the way it is written, couldn’t happen today. There is a real suspense to this story with the villainess, Gabriella Bresilee. The woman is just a little “off” throughout the novel. But the reader doesn’t find out until the very end what she is up to.
The Tilling Passions series is more how I write. Contemporary romantic suspense. I love the mystery part. Making the reader wonder what is up, taking them down the wrong path and then throwing in a twist at the end.
This series is about three sisters who own and operate a floral shop and landscaping business. Each story stands on its own, but there is the common thread of their sick father throughout the books. In the last story the whole mystery of his illness is resolved.
Though The Healer’s Garden and Tilling Passions series don’t seem related, all my books have a twist at the end that I hope the reader doesn’t see coming.
R and R: Onto The Healer’s Garden, specially! What was the most difficult part for you while writing The Healer’s Garden, and for that matter, what was the most exciting?
Nina: The most difficult thing by far was the world building. I had to keep reminding myself it was the year 2172. Not too far in the future, but far enough that some advances would have been made. Mostly I focused on the toll to the human population and their need to survive.
The most exciting? The whole process of writing a novel is exciting for me. I love to keep finding new ways to twist the story. Again, I’d like to think I do the unexpected and surprise readers with revelations. Sometimes I make jokes and hope the reader sees the humor. At one point in The Healer’s Garden, the hero, Brenimyn, is reading reverently from “The Book of Ancients”. The scene is very deep. Later when the reader finds out what book he’s actually reading… I hope they giggle. And no, I’m not going to tell you. Like I said, I like to surprise my readers.
R and R: What gave you the idea to create a female dominated society in The Healer’s Garden? What about Jahara’s character made her break away from that?
Nina: Actually, it wasn’t the society that came first it was the initial “What if” about the men dying off. From there it seemed natural that women would seek each other out. Humans are not solitary beings. They have the need to be in groups and procreate. So the female dominated society was just a natural progression of a dying civilization.
And our history shows that when there is a minority, in this case, males, we tend to suppress them. This is what the government did. They castrated the unacceptable breeders and enslaved the males chosen for breeding. This creates an interesting class system.
What made Jahara break from this? The government’s insistence that she take up residence at the procreation facility, the Garden of Serenity. It is here that she forms her first relationship with a man.
Jahara loves her partner, Merenith. But she acknowledges there is something missing in their relationship. She wants to be happy with this woman and plans on marrying her, but after she meets Brenimyn she realizes not all women were meant to be partnered with another woman. There is a fulfillment she experiences with Bren that she didn’t have with Merenith. This opens the door for Jahara’s change of heart. Her relationship with Merenith is more like sisters than lovers, but never having met a man prior to Bren, Jahara didn’t know this.
As it turns out, there are many woman who also find happiness and lasting relationships with men.
R and R: Lastly, when you’re not reading, writing, or doing laundry (from your website, what do you enjoy?
Nina: There’s life outside writing? My husband thinks my fingers are permanently attached to my keyboard! LOL!
No, actually I do enjoy time with my family and being outside.
We have a lot of snow in northern Maine. I enjoy going out on snowmobiles with my husband. The trail system where I live is like a highway through the woods. It’s just beautiful.
In the summer I spend a lot of time traveling to visit with family.
Other than that… I sleep!
Blind Love: Book one of the Tilling Passions Series, coming soon to Liquid Silver Books.
Again, Thanks so much for being at Rogues and Romance today Nina Pierce.
For all of our readers out there, be sure to check out my review for The Healers Garden!
Happy Reading!
*Dee*
We are so excited to have Sandra Cox here with us today for an interview. I know firsthand what a sweet, caring person- and a fabulous writer she is, and I am so happy to get to share with you more about her and her fantastic books! Be sure and visit her website for book blurbs, excerpts, and more- and her blog, where she dishes about her books, as well as features books and author interviews!
R&R: Sandra, you recently released your first novel, The Crystal, in January of 2007, and your second novel, Boji Stones came out in September. Both have received fantastic reviews. SilverHills (your historical romance) and Shardai, your young adult fantasy novel, were already released this month, Rose Quartz (the sequel to Boji Stones) will soon follow, and four more of your books have received contracts. Sounds like the past year has been a real whirlwind for you! Can you tell us a little bit of your experience making the leap from aspiring writer to published author?
Sandra: It was a huge, take-your-breath-away, rush. I have written and gotten rejects for more years than I care to mention. And then things just fell into place. I owe a big thanks to Helen Woodall, my editor at Cerridwen, for making that first offer.
Now my concentration is continuing to improve my writing and getting my name out there so people know who Sandra Cox is. Thank you for your help with this. I appreciate the interview. You’ve come up with some great questions.
R&R: Thank you so much! Now, both of your published novels and your next two upcoming romances are with Cerridwen Press, one of the most popular and respected mainstream romance ePublishers. We want to know your secret for successful writing! Can you give us a couple of tips for developing a story? For instance, do you use outlines and character mapping, or do you just sit down at the keyboard and let loose?
Sandra: I make a determined effort to outline. This doesn’t mean I follow it. Grin. But it does give me direction and focus. I develop my main characters before I start and to an extent my secondary characters.
I would also like to recommend SCENE & STRUCTURE by Jack M. Bickham for aspiring writers. I found it to be very helpful.
R&R: Besides your historical romance Silver Hills (released Jan. 10th), all of your romance novels are paranormal. What drew you to writing paranormal romance?
Sandra: I'm drawn to enchantment. I loved fairy tales as a child. Still do. Grin. I always find myself thinking 'what if...' What if you really could see that dark, handsome stranger in the crystal ball? What if there really were amulets with magic powers? How would an average person deal with these kinds of situations in modern society? I guess I just never grew up. Grin.
R&R: Shardai, your YA fantasy novel came out January 1st, and its sequel, Akasha will be out sometime in July. Can you tell us a little bit about the concept of the books, as well as your inspiration?
Sandra: Shardai is the book of my heart and if any new reader was to pick a book of mine to read, I would wish it to be Shardai. I lost my twelve year old cat to cancer and his loss inspired Shardai. The folks that read this and are animal lovers will understand. Those that aren’t will probably roll their eyes. Grin.
I also hoped to make people think about the responsibilities that pet ownership entails. And the horrendous hardships that animals on their own are faced with every day just to survive.
Shardai is built on the premise that there is an afterlife for cats and that they can choose to stay in ‘Catarau’ where they are ruled by the Council of Nine and are forever young and healthy. Or they can use one of their remaining lives to return to earth. This is a risk because there is no guarantee what kind of life they will have once they come back. Shardai chooses to come back and try to find his mistress so she will finally stop grieving for his loss.
R&R: Sandra, you have a Non-Fiction book coming out with the Lotus Circle (TBA) called Power Stones to Go. Also, in your paranormal romance novels Boji Stones and Rose Quartz, power stones play a big part in the story. Can you tell us a little bit about your interest and experience with power stones? Also, do you have any recommendations for stones to help deal with holiday stress?
Sandra: Like most of us, I find gems/crystals fascinating. They’re beautiful and hold us enthrall. Everything is made up of energy and stones are no exception. Look at our watches, they’re powered by crystals. So if you put all that energy and the wonders of a human mind together it seems like there are all kinds of marvelous possibilities.
My choice for dealing with the holiday stress would be an Amethyst, Lapis Lazuli or a Smoky Quartz.
R&R: Your love for animals really shines through, both in your books and on your websites. What two animal causes do you think are really important for people to be aware of and support?
Sandra: I’m sorry to say that we have way too many to choose from. I’ve got to list three :) Spay/neuter programs, adoption centers and ending horse slaughter.
R&R: Your bio says that you are an Administrative Assistant by day and an author by night. When you aren’t working or writing, what are you found doing for fun or relaxation?
Sandra: I love to shop. I’m a bottom feeder, err, power shopper. Grin. I love hunting down a good sale. I also like to read a wonderful story, see an exceptionally good movie, and I enjoy hiking in the mountains or walking along the seashore.
R&R: Is there anything else you would like to say, or that you think us readers would like to know about you or your books?
Sandra: I would just like to say, I appreciate each and every one of you who has taken the time to read my stories. Thank you.
And a huge thanks to Mandy and Denise for having me. It’s been fun. I’m looking forward to having these two wonderful women on my blog.
R&R: Thank you so much, Sandra! We loved reading your answers, and we REALLY love reading your books!! This is usually where we ask the author if there is anything they would like to ask me and Dee. But instead, I have some news we’re really excited about. Sandra Cox has asked us to do an interview on her blog! She has come up with some really fantastic questions for us, so check back soon and we’ll let you know when the tables are turned and Sandra interviews US!
Don't forget to check out my review of Boji Stones!
Happy Reading!
Mandy
Hello everyone! I have had the great pleasure of reviewing Bitter Harvest for Aurora Black, and now here's her interview with Rogues and Romance! She is our first Featured Author for our Halloween Feature, and we are SO excited! She has been an absolute pleasure to deal with, especially since Mandy and I are new at all of this. On behalf of both of us Aurora, thanks so much! Enjoy the interview everyone!
R&R: You have a total of six books with Phaze. I Heart You, Melting the Ice Queen, An Erotic Bouquet, and Touch Me, Baby are all available for purchase now, Bitter Harvest releases October 8th, and Potent Spirits is coming out this December. All of these titles are erotic romance; what drew you to write erotic romance as opposed to say, sensual romance?
Aurora: Before anything else, I need to point out that An Erotic Bouquet and Touch Me, Baby are free downloads for the public, not books for sale. They are my gifts to readers and part of the Phaze Flare line, which is free erotic fiction written by the best authors that Phaze has to offer.
As for erotic romance and how I came to write it, I just followed my instinct. Love and sex have always fascinated me, and I write from my soul whenever I feel the need to tell a story that expresses my deepest emotions and yearnings. I try to make my stories both erotic and sensual while writing them, but I guess erotic always wins out because that's what I relate to. I enjoy reading stories with plenty of detail, both in and out of the bedroom, and that comes out naturally when I write. Earthy (I refuse to call it "dirty") language is more real to me than the flowery kind, and "fade-to-black" love scenes disappoint me most of the time. So when I decided to write professionally, I promised myself that I wouldn't take those steps unless they were required for the story.
R&R: In your bio, it says you spent six years in Greece. Has this influenced your writing in any way, and if so, how?
Aurora: My time overseas was a HUGE influence on my writing, without a doubt. Living in a foreign country showed me that there is literally an entire world outside of the US, and I'm very thankful for that experience because I know that many spend their whole lives without ever leaving the country. I went to Greece fresh out of college and rather naive, and over time I was exposed to beautiful sights, cultural marvels and sensual delights that I wouldn't have found anywhere else. Europeans are a lot more comfortable with the human body and sexuality in general, and from them I quickly adopted the way of thinking that has allowed me to write the way I do today. Those six lovely and challenging years in paradise made the pleasantly plump Midwestern girl wake up, mature and become a sensual woman & erotica author, and I have no regrets.
R&R In Bitter Harvest, Claire brings Jack back from the dead. Where did you get this idea, for a twist like that, as it is not seen too often in Paranormal literature?
Aurora: For me, the twist was the driving force that made me write the entire novella in five days, which was an insane writing rate for me at the time (I wrote Bitter Harvest in July 2006). The idea first came to me while I was listening to the song "Even In Death," by Evanescence:
Give me a reason to believe that you're gone
I see your shadow so I know they're all wrong
Moonlight on the soft brown earth
It leads me to where you lay
They took you away from me
But now I'm taking you home...
The moment I heard the beginning lyrics, my heart almost burst from excitement and I knew I had to write something spectacular that would do justice to the feelings of love and melancholy I felt in that moment. Soon afterward, the initial spark of creativity became a wild bonfire when fate stepped in and my boyfriend at the time and I were separated because he was drafted into the military. I began work on Bitter Harvest the day he left. I poured my anguish into each word, each syllable. I became Claire, a woman who desperately clung to her love at all costs, and my Halloween novella was born.
R&R: What was one of the best, and one of the worst parts for you while writing Bitter Harvest?
Aurora: The best part was the entire creative process. It was a wonderful feeling of being "in the zone" while writing, and that's when I'm at my absolute happiest as a writer and as a person. The worst part of it was the editing process, but not for the reason some may think: someone else looking over my work and pointing out my mistakes. To prepare Bitter Harvest for release through Phaze, I returned to the novella a year after I originally wrote it and added several scenes. Neither was the time gap the reason it was so tough for me, although it was no picnic. I dreaded the editing and revisions because I had just ended a seven-year relationship with the man I wrote the novella for, my inspiration for Jack and the passionate, all-consuming love that my characters shared. And I thought that working on Bitter Harvest was rough the first time around... *laughs* Anyway, the split was amicable but the timing really sucked where the editing was concerned.
R&R: I saw that you are also a Jazz singer by night. Besides writing and Jazz, what else do you like to do in your spare time?
Aurora: Uh-oh, I really need to update my bio now! *grins* I retired from the nightclub circuit in June, shortly after I decided to return to the States.
Whenever I have time to catch my breath (which isn't often these days), I love to immerse myself in a book or a very good movie. Strangely enough, I don't read a lot of romances anymore, not since I started writing them. Instead, I read books on Psychology (a passion of mine) and the Classics. When it comes to movies, I gravitate toward dramas and foreign films, and the occasional action flick. I adore nature walks, and when I'm not writing or doing the day job thing, I'm outside.
R&R: Now, if you could ask Mandy and I a question, what would it be?
Aurora: Dee & Mandy, what are the qualities that you feel make the perfect romantic hero?
Dee: First, the hero has to have a connection, mental, emotional, and physical with the heroine, and vice versa. He has to be strong, and be willing to “get the job done,” so to speak, no matter if it’s business or pleasure. He also has to be physically appealing and physically strong. My perfect romantic hero needs to be strong on the outside, but soft and tender on the inside. I think for many (as well as myself), he needs to be that “dream guy,” but also someone who is realistic to the reader. I need to see just how perfectly romantic a man can be, while still knowing that perfect romanticism really does exist! He has to be just that, perfect! :-)
Mandy: First, the most important thing is that the hero must be completely enamored by the heroine. As soon as he meets her, he should be irrevocably an unequivocally lost to her, and no other woman exists. Second, he must be mentally and physically strong. I like for the hero to be dominate over the heroine, but not to domi-NATE her; without changing and still appreciating who she is. Third, there has to be a mental connection, and he has to show an interest in knowing her mind as well as he does her body. He should see things in her that while are there, no one else sees- as in her tenderness towards animals or her keen intelligence.
Thank you Aurora! I really enjoyed this question- I had never thought about it before, and it was fun. I can't tell you how thrilled we are to have you interviewed on our site!
Win a copy of Bitter Harvest by Aurora Black!
If you would like to be entered to win an ebook copy of Bitter Harvest,
just leave your name and working e-mail addy!
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More info about the contest: This will be in conjunction with Aurora Black's Bitter Harvest giveaway over at her blog. The winners will be announced on Halloween, and we will keep you all posted! Don't worry though! She has told us that of the 10 winners she will be choosing, one or two will definately be from Rogues and Romance!
You can also comment and not enter the drawing-
just leave out your email addy from your comment and we'll
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Winners will be announced on Halloween!
Good Luck!
*Dee*
R&R
