@ninapierce and her new release Touch of Lily!

About Nina: 

USA Today Bestselling author, Nina Pierce, grew up in a house full of readers. 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 New England with her high school sweetheart and soul mate of twenty-eight years and several very spoiled cats who consider her "staff". When she’s not writing she enjoys spending time with her three grown children, one love-sick son-in-law and a heart-melting grandson.

You can keep up with her new books at her website or by following her on Facebook or Twitter.

Nina will be awarding A print copy of HEALER’S GARDEN and author swag (Shipping to US winner only. International winner will receive a $25 Amazon OR BN Gift Card in lieu of print book and swag) to a random commenter during the tour, and a $10 Amazon OR BN Gift Card to a randomly drawn host (US ONLY).

What is your story's heat level? How do you approach the sex scenes?

A TOUCH OF LILLY is an erotic romance. A couple of murders. A bit of mystery. And some hot sexual encounters between two sexy FBI types and a kick-@$$ female bounty hunter. But the sex isn’t just there for the titillation (though I do hope those pages leave you searching out your significant other ;~) ). I try to make sure the sexual encounters are motivated by the characters and their needs. In this book the menage just grew organically. It’s about the fulfillment of emotional needs and physical needs and I hope that comes across in my writing.

How do you maintain activity as a writer when sitting at a desk all day?

Oh, this is a hard question to answer. Not all of my readers know I have multiple sclerosis. This makes activity that much more difficult to fit into my day. I’ve solved this by always having coffee or water at my elbow. The more I drink, the more activity is required … if you get my drift.

What is it that you loved about the main characters in your story?

Lilly, the heroine, is strong and independent. She’s had a hard life and is now traveling the stars seeking revenge against an alien who nearly took everything from her. I love that she can take care of herself, but is still hoping to find a man who will stand by her side without trying to overpower her independence.

I’m not very good at writing true alpha heroes because I don’t really understand them. Both Dallas and Thaegan are strong males who work for the space version of the FBI. Though they’re used to taking charge and being in control of situations, both of them are gentle and compassionate lovers. *sigh* It was that side of them that made me fall in love with them as I was writing. 

What do you feel is your strongest type of writing?

I LOVE writing the action part of my stories. I want to pull the reader into the scene and make them feel the danger and worry whether the characters are going to survive the ordeal. And then there are the emotional moments … those scenes that, no matter how many times I read them, bring a lump to my throat. That visceral reaction is always what I’m hoping to share with my readers. Of course there’s nothing like breaking the tension with a great line that makes my readers chuckle.

Are you social media savvy? If so what do you suggest for others?

Wow! Tough question! I am savvy about social media. Why? Because I LOVE to talk. And not your polite “What do you think of the weather?” kind of chat. Ohhhh, no, I’m an industrial-sized social butterfly! (My favorite saying … “For your own safety—step away from the moving mouth!”) Not so many years ago, I reached my readers through the blogosphere. Now, it’s mostly through Facebook where I spend the most time. I tweet now and again, but I find when I go there, I get pulled into so many great conversations that hours will pass having fun and not working. I’ve learned it’s better for me to steer clear of both Twitter and Pinterest if I have any intention of being productive.

What do I suggest to others? Choose a couple of social media venues that fit your personality and don’t worry that there are 10 other platforms where you’re not active. If you try to cover everything you’ll end up being simply a fly-by without being truly social on any of them.

What are some things from your life or things you have observed that you've infused into your stories?

People. I really enjoy watching people. I listen in on conversations at the grocery store. Surreptitiously watch young couples at restaurants. I’ve even been known to follow a mom and daughter through Wal-Mart, just to get snippets of real-life interactions. I know, it’s creepy and stalkerish, but hey, there’s a lot of fodder out there for the taking!! LOL!

But seriously, I think the more I watch different people, the more unique I can make the characters in my stories. And yep, there are pieces of real-life infused in all my stories.

If you had an unlimited budget, where would you like to visit for story-related research?

Okay, if the budget is unlimited (and I get only one place to visit) … I’d love to travel the world in a big sailboat. Yeah, I know, the world doesn’t narrow it down that much, but the truth is, I used to teach science in another life and there is a lot of flora and fauna I’d love to see. The rainforests of South America, the Great Barrier Reef of Australia, and the polar ice caps of Antarctica offer such diversity. Then there is the Mediterranean with its rich history and the coast of England for its folklore. Yeah, I think a trip around the world would cover my research needs. *vbg*

Any fun facts about the research for your book?

Lilly’s character is based on a succubus, a demon-like creature who steals men’s souls in the night. Of course I didn’t want my heroine to be evil or do harm, so I created an alien race whose genetics give them the ability to elevate male sex hormones. (And the wonderful conflict that Lilly finds her talent to be a curse—not a blessing.) It was a wonderful challenge fusing the science of sexual attraction with the myths of succubi. It made for many hours of interesting Internet surfing!

Finally, tell us a little about your newest release!

A TOUCH OF LILLY is a sexy romantic suspense set in deep space.

Ex-Chicago detective LILLY D’ANGELO has a secret she doesn’t share with anyone. A master of the one night stand, she’s given up ever finding a soul mate and thrown herself head first into her career. That is, until she captures the wrong alien. Kidnapped and sold into the sex slave trade, she’s shipped into deep space. Barely escaping with her life, Lilly now travels the galaxy working as a bounty hunter using her secret talents to bring down criminals and seeking revenge on the one male who ruined her life. 

Agent DALLAS SAWYER works for deep space’s version of the FBI. After a disastrous mission that left several of his team members murdered, a president executed, and Dallas near death, he’s determined to take down the assassin targeting government officials. When a sexy human female gets between him and his goal, Dallas and his alien partner find themselves on the receiving end of a passionate night they won’t soon forget and a proposition that may very well blow up in their faces.

Because in deep space … true love can happen with just a touch.

Excerpt:

Lilly D’Angelo wasn’t expecting a trip down memory lane when she sauntered into the dingy tavern, but the acrid stench and gruff hum of the Friday night crowd carried her back to one of the seedier establishments on Chicago’s south side nonetheless. Except for the clientele, the owner had managed to replicate nearly every detail right down to the blue haze of cigarette smoke and the soft crooning of a jazz band on the corner stage.

Pushing the sour thoughts of home from her mind and focusing on the job at hand, Lilly morphed her features into her sexiest vixen pout and moved gracefully toward the long bar on the other side of the room. Her voluptuous breasts, spilling temptingly from her silk blouse, led the way. The eyes watching her leather-clad ass sashay around the battered tables were clustered on various life forms—none of them human.

Yeah, definitely not Chicago. Hell, this wasn’t even Earth for goodness sake.

“Regent’s ale, straight up, hold the brenic.” Lilly ordered the local brew in English, hoping the two-headed alien behind the bar had a cochlear translator in one of those eight holes that passed for ears. Satisfied when one head nodded, she settled on a stool, making sure her fur jacket and blouse parted just enough to offer a seductive view of her cleavage. She shifted, allowing the black leather skirt to ride up her thigh and expose a little more silky real estate. The reflection she saw in the mirror behind the liquor bottles was every inch a working woman on the prowl. She wasn’t trying to attract anyone in particular, just hoping to mislead the locals into thinking she was some female making a living with her body—which was true—just not as the human streetwalker she impersonated.