Please welcome author and blogger, Nina Soden to my Interview an Author Segment.  Nina has some exciting news to share in her interview today.

It is so nice to meet you, Nina. Thank you for visiting today.

“Thank you for having me. It’s great to meet you too, and to share my story with your readers.”

1. Please tell us a little about yourself and why you write.

I have enjoyed the writing process so much that now I am getting ready to publish the third book in that series. The series is the Blood Angel Series, and the books are: Awaken, Beginnings, and Revenge.

I grew up in Michigan, went to college at Eastern Michigan University with the hopes of becoming an actress. After college I moved out to Los Angeles, and although I had some success, becoming a full-time actor wasn’t in the cards for me. After meeting and marrying my wonderful husband, we moved down South. I had written poetry for years, and even dabbled in writing screenplays while in L.A. So, after we moved I published my first book Private Words Unspoken, a collection of my poetry. Then I moved onto short stories. One day, one of my short stories just didn’t end. After a few months it was 50,000 words and still going. I was enjoying the story so much that I decided to share it with some friends and family members. The feedback I got was great, and I decided to turn it into a novel.

2. When did you know that you wanted to be a writer/author? 

Like I said, I have written poetry for years. I think I started in High School – poetry was just another art form to me. I loved painting, drawing, acting, and writing. It wasn’t until after I moved down South and had kids that I actually thought that being an author was something I could really do and be good at it.

3. When did you write your first book? Publish it?

The first book in my Blood Angel series, Awaken, was published in November of 2012

http://amzn.com/B008Q8ZPE4

My first book, which was the collection of poetry was published in November of 2008.

http://www.blurb.com/b/421786-private-words-unspoken

4. Please share your books with us today and your exciting news and a synopsis of each. 

AWAKEN (book 1)  

Well, my exciting news is that the third, and final, installment of the Blood Angel series is set to be released at the end of this month (August 2014). It will be available on Amazon.com in paperback and eBook. It will also be available via my website http://www.ninasoden.wordpress.com for anyone interested in an autographed paperback.

Awaken is set in a world very much like our own, yet Atlanta, Michigan isn’t just an ordinary city and Alee Moyer isn’t just an ordinary girl. Having barely survived her childhood it will take the death of her father for the truth of her true bloodline to come out. Even if it means losing her life, or at least her identity she won’t be able to escape her true destiny as the first surviving Dhampir in history. Surrounded by a new world where the horror films she grew up watching have become reality and the most unlikely characters have become her lifeline, Alee will struggle to find herself and her purpose.

Part horror thriller – part tender romance, Awaken will leave readers eagerly wanting more!

BEGINNINGS (book 2) 

Having lost her family, Alee has been thrown into a new life and new world. Camouflaged by the mundane happenings of a high school existence she would never have guessed what was happening below the surface in, “The Underground.” If she thought hunting in the wild and drinking blood was bad, what will she think when she becomes the hunted? Newly armed with the knowledge of being half witch and half vampire Alee, the only surviving Dhampir in history, is forced to learn to control a lifetime of magic and vampire powers if she wants to survive. Filled with magic and paranormal delights, Beginnings will leave readers wanting more!

REVENGE (book 3)

Having died in her father’s arms only to awaken in a pool of blood surrounded by the corpses of the mutilated, her true love among them, who could blame her for what she did next? Wouldn’t you seek REVENGE?

5. What is your favorite genre? 

I read a lot of different genres, but right now my favorite has to be YA Supernatural. I guess maybe because I am so engrossed in my own books right now, I tend to read others in the same genre. However, I love science fiction, dystopian, murder mysteries, horror, and autobiographies.

6. Do you plan on writing in other genres? 

I do actually. I have a story I have been working on that is more of a psychological thriller. I’m not sure when that one will come out, I have just recently starting outlining it.

7. What do you want to accomplish with your books? 

Two things; the first being to just share the stories in my head. I’m enjoying them so I thought others might too. The second thing I want to accomplish, and the most important to me, is that I want my kids to learn that you can do anything you set your mind to. I want them to see that even if something is hard, you can reach your goals if you don’t give up.

8. Do you have a favorite place in which to write? 

I can write anywhere, I use a laptop, but I guess if I had to pick a favorite place I would say either at my desk in my home office, cuddled up in blankets and pillows on my bed, or sitting drinking coffee at the local Starbucks.

9. Do you listen to music or do you need silence to create? 

Both. I like to type in quiet so I can listen to the characters in my mind. I know that sounds crazy, but it works for me. However, when I am writing an intense or high energy scene I like to have music. I listen to just about everything, country, dance music, alternative, etc.

10. How do you come up with your ideas for your stories? 

Awaken started with a short story I wrote after a dream I had. The other two books in the series just followed along.

11. If you could travel anywhere in the world where would that be? 

Well, earlier this year I went to Paris, France for the first time in my life. That was at the top of my travel wish list. So, I guess now I would say Greece. My mother is 100% Greek, and I love the food, so Greece is definitely in my top five places at this point. The others are: London, Italy, Spain, and Australia. I am sure there are a thousand other places I would love to visit, but those are the ones I can think of off the top of my head.

12. What is your next favorite thing to do besides writing? 

Writing takes second seat to spending time with my kids, but other than writing I love acting (I do a lot of community theatre and used to do a good deal of film when I lived in Los Angeles), and just relaxing with a good book and a cup of Starbucks.

13. Where do you see yourself in ten years? 

Hopefully writing full-time, but if not, then at least enjoying my family and writing when I can. I’m pretty happy with a simple life.

14. Do you have any helpful suggestions or advice for new writers? 

Don’t give up, don’t do it for money, and don’t expect to please everyone. You’re going to get bad review—ignore them and focus on the good ones because you will get those too. Writing isn’t easy, but it is so much fun and extremely rewarding.

15. You have an interesting blog. Can you share what you showcase and write about there?   

Finally, my blog is a place for me to just be me. Sometimes I go way off topic and just write about what I’m feeling that day. It may have nothing to do with writing, YA, vampires, or anything else. I once wrote a post about using a power washer—weird I know, but it brought me to such a calm relaxing state that I just had to share it. Why shouldn’t my readers hear about that?!

I also use the blog to market my books. People can purchase autographed copies directly from my website.

My blog is http://ninasoden.wordpress.com. It started out as a place to record my journey as I wrote and published the Blood Angel Series, but it has become so much more. Yes, I do talk about the journey and my writing process, but I also publish short stories there. I call them my “Behind Locked Doors” collection, which I actually plan to publish in paperback one of these days. They can be as short as one paragraph or much longer, but they are stories inspired by photos.

16. Please share your links for my readers to connect with you and places to purchase your books?

• Blog: http://ninasoden.wordpress.com
• Facebook: http://www.Facebook.com/BloodAngelSeries
• Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/Nina_Soden
• Twitter: @Nina_Soden
• Amazon Author Page: http://amzn.com/e/B00ITHSXC8
• Awaken: http://amzn.com/B008Q8ZPE4 | http://wp.me/P1Ft9W-4K
• Beginnings: http://amzn.com/B00D3G7RWM | http://wp.me/P1Ft9W-7J
• Revenge: http://wp.me/P1Ft9W-bR (Pre-Order your copy today)

Thank you, Nina, for stopping by today.  It was a sincere pleasure getting to know you and learning more about your fascinating books.  I wish you much success with your new book and the series.

Please stop by again and let us know if you have anything else to share and how you are doing.

Thank you, readers, for stopping by to read about this fascinating author. Please check out her wonderful blog and her books.

Thank you for your support!

REMEMBER: READING GIVES YOU WINGS TO FLY!

– Janice –