Serious About Series with Guest Blogger: Nina Pierce

Meet author Nina Pierce today at the Book Boost!

Here's what she had to say about the advantages of writing a series...


Okay, I’m going to admit it … I’m a sloooow writer. Stories don’t just fly from my fingertips. Characters don’t scream their dialogue in my head. I rip every word from my brain, painstakingly getting the scenes on paper. I bribe my muse to stay focused while we wrangle another elusive plot point into submission. To top it off, I’m a pantzer. I’ve tried plotting books, but it just doesn’t work for me. This means it can take a couple of false starts before I understand where my characters intend to go and can interpret exactly what they expect to do when they get there.


From the very first action scene to the final “happy-ever-after” my characters have kept me up late, caused me to burn dinner and they always, without any exception, ruin a relaxing shower. But in the months it takes me to write a story we’ve spent so much intimate time together I just can’t seem to let them go. I’ve fallen in love with them even as they’ve fallen in love with each other.


I sit down at the beginning of every book and explain to my new characters that they get only one story. They are not, under any circumstances, allowed to drag me into something that requires more than one book. *sigh* But I’ve never been any good at the tough love thing. Every book I’ve written, with the exception of one novella has prodded me to find the forever loves for the secondary characters and voila! A series is born.


Which is fortunate for me because it seems more and more publishers are looking for authors to create series that will pull the readers in and keep them begging for more. Once the world is built and the rules established, some of the work for the next books is already done. And please don’t misunderstand that to mean that I think series are easy to write. On the contrary, keeping the characters and stories fresh and knowing when to end a series are difficult tasks. But the reward for both the author and the publisher can be phenomenal. I’m completely enthralled with series from Virna DePaul, Nalini Singh, and Larissa Ione. They’ve captured me and I suspect I will read every book they put out in their series’.


My latest release, Blind Love is the first story in an erotic suspense series about three sisters and their journeys to find their soulmates.


A Note from the Book Boost: Nina, thanks for sharing your insider tips about writing a series with us. I've had several books that were intended to be series but I've yet to follow through with them. I admire that you've been able to see yours through to completion. Please tell us more about your latest.


Blurb:


He’s a shock jock looking to reform. She’s an accountant hoping to cut loose. Can love open their eyes to forever?


Uptight CPA and oldest sister, Julie Tilling, is the glue that binds her family. Everyone depends on her to do the right thing. When her friend from high school dies and Julie is the only one who believes he didn’t commit suicide, she takes it upon herself to investigate his death.


Damon Corey didn’t come to Maine to become a shock jock. But when his dream career of becoming a concert pianist seems unobtainable, the radio station’s offer is too good to pass up. When mysterious brunette Jewel, hooks up with him at the night club run by a college frat brother, their one night fling wraps around his heart and makes him believe in love at first sight.


But can Damon expose his inner soul without pushing Julie away or will his enigmatic shock jock persona become Julie’s sexual undoing and reveal him as the missing piece that solves the puzzling questions surrounding her friend’s death?


Excerpt:

“You ever ride a motorcycle, Julie?”

She pulled off the helmet and fluffed her hair. The corkscrew curls of copper fit her cute features much better than the black wig that had overpowered them.

“Not one this fast,”

He bit back a smile. “No, I meant any motorcycle.”

“Was it that obvious?” Color rose from her chest and deepened her already flushed cheeks.

“I like to be a woman’s first.” Shit. Even clean shaven and wearing his glasses, Demon’s persona had a bad habit of popping up at inopportune moments.

Julie stopped contemplating her toes and stared straight at him. Emotions moved over her face and clouded her eyes, but he didn’t know her well enough to read between the lines. He’d just met this wonderful woman. He hadn’t intended to scare her off.

“Julie, I—”

“No, Damon. You don’t have to apologize. I get it.”

He hadn’t thought her cheeks could become redder, but he was wrong.

“You have a lot of women available to you,” she said, quietly. “I’m sure they’re much more experienced than me.” She shrugged and fiddled with the strap of the helmet. “I’m sure you realize I don’t usually let go the way I did last night. And I know you weren’t really expecting the person you found at the family homestead?” She emphasized the last two words as if they were obscenities. “The Jewel of last night was more your speed. I get that.”

Oh, hell no. “No, Julie, I—”

Her hand flew up between them. “No, Damon, seriously, you don’t owe me anything. Obviously my father dragged you into an uncomfortable situation. Well, you’ve done your social obligation. I’m home safe and sound. I didn’t mean to disappoint, but I have a hard time living up to everyone’s expectations of who I should be. So, thanks. I get it. Good night.” The helmet landed in his lap.

“No, Julie, really, you don’t understand.” He yelled at her retreating back. “Julie, wait.” Damon attempted to jump from the bike, but the stand wasn’t down, and he had to juggle the extra helmet. “Damn it all to hell. Julie…” He finally managed to extricate himself from the bike and the helmets and caught her just as she pushed open the front door. “Please. I think you’ve misunderstood. Just give me a minute to explain. Then I’ll leave.”

Her arms knotted across her chest for protection. A wounded heart? He’d have to tread carefully. The emerald eyes shimmering in the waning light telegraphed her pain and embarrassment, but her lips were pursed thin with determination. The woman was a walking enigma. Damon suspected she had no idea how damn sexy she looked standing there, inviting him to explain himself—daring him to breach her defenses.

Want More Nina?

Award-winning erotic romance author, Nina Pierce, grew up in a house full of readers. So becoming enamored with books was only natural. She discovered romance stories in her early teens, falling hopelessly in love with knights in shining armor and the damsels who saved them. Eventually, reading about alpha males and the journey to find their happy-ever-after endings wasn’t enough. She needed to pen her own stories of fated loves and soul mates.

Nina’s discovered the passionate side of romance with her sexy stories. For her, it’s all about the sweet scent of seduction mixed with the heartwarming aroma of romance. Nina resides in the northeast with her high school sweetheart and soul mate of twenty-seven years, their three grown children and several very spoiled cats who consider her “staff”.

Visit her website here: http://www.NinaPierce.com

Follow her on Twitter here:
http://www.twitter.com/NinaPierce

Pick up your copy of her book today! Click here.