Give a warm welcome to author Nina Croft today.CONTEST INFORMATION: Nina is giving away an ecopy of her latest release, Blackmailed by the Billionaire, to one lucky reader. All you need to do is comment on the post to be entered. Contest is open to everyone and ends on April 7th. Please leave an email address in with your comment in order to contact you in case you win.
How long did it take to write the story? From theday you came up with the idea to the very last day of writing.
Wow, that’s a hardquestion to start with. I actually wrote this book a while ago, and then set itaside while I got sidetracked by a few vampires. So I’m actually going to haveto take a guess. I usually write fast first drafts so this would have taken mearound a month to write, then editing, probably a month more.
Tell us about your latest release/Upcoming release.
My latest release is a contemporary romance, Blackmailed by theItalian Billionaire. It takes the reader from Londonstrip clubs, to sophisticated parties, and finally a fantasy Italian hideaway.Add to that, a wounded hero and the one woman with the power to heal the scarsfrom his past, and I think readers will adore joining Luc and Lia on theirjourney to love
What made you want to write?
I’ve always beenan avid reader, and in my twenties, I found myself in a situation where therewas a severe shortage of books. I was working as a volunteer in Zambia, living in a village on the edge of Lake Kariba, with noelectricity, no TV, no internet, and very few books. I actually started writingas a means to entertain myself.
What authors do enjoy reading in your downtime?
I’ll read mostgenres but probably more speculative fiction than anything else. I love LaurellK Hamilton, Patricia Briggs, Karen Marie Moning and loads more. At the moment,I’m working my way through A Song of Fire and Ice by G.R. Martin, and lovingit.
How important is the beginning chapter -the opening - the first few lines?
Very important,especially when you consider that it’s so easy to download samples these days.You only have a short time to grab the reader, make them want to read on rightfrom the start.
In what order do you write? For example startingbeginning to end, combining parts, in random order orin development cycle?
I usually write inorder, beginning to end, though I will occasionally miss out a scene if I’m notin the mood—usually they’re either love scenes or fights scenes.
You are called upon, at a school, to tell those interestedin becoming an author, all the ins and outs of good writing skills andgetting published. What are the three important elements in writing,publishing and promoting that you would give them?
In writing—writewhat you love—it’s the only thing that will sustain you when the going getstough (which it will!)
Inpublishing—persevere and don’t give up. It’s a combination of hard work andgood luck. The hard work is down to you, the good luck; you just have to hopecomes sooner rather than later or not at all.
Promoting—lol—don’tlet it get you down!
Do you plot out each chapter? Or are you a seat of the pantswriter?
I’m a totalplotter. I like to have each scene worked out before I start. I find plottinggives me time to get to know the characters, so when I do begin writing, I canwrite without worrying what’s going to happen next. I find it flows much betterthat way.
Do you listen to music while you write? If so what are yourfavorites Artists and or albums?
I hardly everlisten to music when I write. Not because I find it a distraction, but becausein the end, I just don’t notice it.
Out of all your characters which one do you identify themost with and why?
Probably Lia, theheroine from Blackmailed by the Italian Billionaire. Lia is horse mad (have Imentioned I have a gorgeous horse called Gencianna). Lia also has a tendency toact first and think later, a habit that has gotten me in trouble a few times.
Out of all your books, do you have a favoritebook/character(s)? What is it about that particular book/character that youenjoy so much?
Probably myfavorite character is Rico, the hero from Break Out, book one in my BloodHunter series. Mainly because I’ve written three books in the series now andgot to know him so well, and he was really easy to write—a complete characterright from the start. Blood Hunter is sci-fi with a paranormal twist, and Ricois a vampire and the pilot of a space ship. Rico’s lived a long, long time, he’slearned how to accept what he is, have a good time, and he gets to explore theuniverse. He’s also Spanish (have I mentioned I have a thing aboutMediterranean men), stunningly gorgeous and sexy as hell.
What are your writing goals for the future?
I’ve promised myeditor at Entangled, a fun, snarky contemporary so I’m plotting that right now.In the meantime, I’ve recently signed a contract for books 4, 5 and 6 in theBlood Hunter series, so I’m going to be working hard on those.
Now a few fun questions:
How would youdescribe yourself using only five words?
Manic, obsessive,animal-loving, romance writer.
If you could write a warninglabel for yourself as a person or an author, what would it say?
Approach with caution, butenjoy yourself once you’re there.
Do you have any guiltypleasures?
Long bubbly baths, with agreat romance novel and a bottle of Cava
Name one thingreaders would be surprised to know about you.
I’m only five foot one, I liketo think I come across as much taller (or maybe that’s wishful thinking).
If you could go anyplace in the world and to any time period, what place or time period would youchoose to visit?
London a thousand yearsfrom now. I’d love to see what the future holds for us.
What is yourfavorite super power and why do you want it?
I’m not surewhether it’s a super-power, but I’d love to time-travel, just like Dr. Who.
Blurb: Blackmailed by the ItalianBillionaire
Seductionby any means necessary…
OliviaBrent is happy with her quiet life in the country, until the imminent loss ofher home forces her to embark on a search for her estranged father. Catapultedinto a world of criminals and totally out of her depth, Olivia is rescued bythe stunningly gorgeous and enigmatic billionaire Luc Severino.
Luc has never considered himself a knight in shining armor, and if he had been,then Jimmy Brent’s daughter was the last person he would choose to rescue. ButOlivia is the key to finding her father, and Luc is willing to use any methodsavailable, including blackmail, to persuade Olivia to help him find Jimmy andfinally put the past behind him.
And if blackmail doesn’t gain her total cooperation, then perhaps a littleseduction will…
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Bio:
NinaCroft grew up in the north of England. After training as an accountant,she spent four years working as a volunteer in Zambia which left her with a love of thesun and a dislike of 9-5 work. She then spent a number of years mixing travel(whenever possible) with work (whenever necessary) but has now settled down toa life of writing and picking almonds on a remote farm in the mountains ofsouthern Spain.
Ninawrites all types of romance often mixed with elements of the paranormal andscience fiction.
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