We're delighted to have with us today award-winning romance author Nina Pierce. Nina writes erotic tales of love, lust, and sex about men with a chink in their sexy armor, and the women who want to love and save them...
How Hard Can It Be?
Over the years I’ve had numerous jobs. And when I say numerous … I mean like over 50. Really. I’m the female version of George Plimpton. (Only he was into sports. And a writer. And he made TONS of money … but you know… kinda like him.)
Anyway, I started working when I was 15 at the local Micky D’s. This was the beginning of drive-throughs and when we used to make shakes the old-fashioned way, with a mixer. A squirt of flavoring and ice cream, then blend. That stupid machine and I didn’t get along. I can’t tell you how many times it exploded all over me. But my most memorable moment was when a container of strawberry topping slipped from my hand to the floor. It hit the tiles flat on it’s bottom which caused the most interesting eruption of strawberry sauce, easily 5 feet in the air. How do I know this? When it was done, it was dripping off my face and the brim of my hat, and down the front of my uniform. And all of this happened in slow motion in front of a lobby filled with the lunch crowd. FULL! Oh, yeah, that was a fun job.
Let’s see, I’ve worked at a jean store, a mortgage company, an aquarium, a frame store, a processing plant, an overnight summer camp, and a daycare. I’ve been a waitress, a “gofer” for a game warden, a science teacher, a lab assistant, a janitor, an ed tech, a tutor, a resident assistant, a substitute teacher, and a secretary at a job recruiter and a real estate office.
Some of those jobs I didn’t really like. Being a janitor in a girls’ dormitory wasn’t really something I enjoyed. I’m not even going into the whole bathroom situation. Nor the job working second shift at a processing plant for computer components. I spent the summer straightening wire leads with pliers and boiling components in oil to watch for bubbles. *shudders* Those were long days. But the summer I worked on an island off the coast of Maine at an overnight camp was awesome. Working as a lab assistant, teaching physics labs in college was pretty cool as well. And I didn’t really suffer when I worked as a waitress. All those people to visit with … yeah, it was fun.
But I have to say this current job … this writing career I’ve chosen. Man, this is hard. Three and a half years ago when I sat down without any idea about the publishing world I was in absolute bliss pounding out my first novel. Which, at the time, I believed was an absolute masterpiece … ummm, not so much! (I can confess now it’s hidden waaaay under my bed… never to see the light of day.)
I looooove stretching my imagination and creating plots. It’s a hoot when it all comes together. But sometimes it’s just work. Don’t laugh. Of course it’s work. I just didn’t expect it to be. And working for myself? Well, that requires more discipline than I have some days. It’s too easy to find something other than weaving new stories to fill my days. Like shopping on the internet, playing on twitter, visiting forums, or … blogging.
Writing is a difficult journey. It is so easy to let things just slow me down or completely block up the works. To help me over this hump and support my career, I’ve joined a goal group through my local writing chapter of RWA. We’ve agreed to support each other in our writing journeys. It’s the habit of writing every day that successful authors develop.
It’s baby-steps that get a book written. 100 words in a paragraph, paragraphs adding up to pages, pages to chapters and chapters to a complete manuscript. Then voila … I’m sending a finished story to an editor! And I tell you there’s nothing more thrilling in this business than a publisher offering you a contract for your story.
So this may be a really hard profession, but it’s worth all the work. Especially when people ask what I’m doing now and I can say “I’m a multi-published author.”
You can learn more about Nina and her smoking hot books by visiting her at:
website: http://www.ninapierce.com
blog: http://www.ninapierce.com/romanceblog
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/ninapierceauthor
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ninapierce
Hi Nina, I saw your name on another loop, the Pond I think. Right? Welcome to the PFS. It was fun reading about your multiple jobs but I thing the last one as author will be permanent.
Nina, great to have you on the blog. I, too, have worked many jobs and can honestly say this job of writing is the hardest. As I've said before where else do you work so hard to create something so people can tell you what's wrong with it, (so it can become better). An up and down ride...
I worked many jobs too. Even the ones that were okay, I hated after time had passed. It's not that I'm against work, but I get itchy doing the same thing day after day, week after week, year after ... well, you get it. I'm good at marriage, just not so good at jobs. If I get itchy, I want it to be because there's a story waiting to be written.
Mona - I am one of those tadpoles over at the pond. I'm not sure I'll ever lose my "newbie" status. And this last profession is definitely a keeper!
Judy - I love it! So true. We kill ourselves just so we can hand it over to let people tear it apart!
Edie - That's a good itch. The one that drives us to the keyboard.
Hey Nina. I love hearing about people's jobs. There's always some good stories in it. One of my jobs (volunteer, in college) was as a wildlife center volunteer and I remember giving physical therapy to ducks. Who were NOT happy about it. : )
Liz
Liz - I think I would have loved that! Even if those silly animals didn't like it. Thanks for having me.
Between Nina's jobs and Liz's, I am speechless. I think you might beat Rebecca York's list.
You reminded me of my "dime store" and K-Mart days. I opened a K-Mart in Macon,Ga, the first one there, around 1963. I was in college for both jobs.
I love that you are persistent and I can't wait to learn more about your writing. I love sexy books! Ask my critique partners and friends.
Hi Nina, thanks for being with us on PFS. You have had a multitude of interesting professions. Thanks for reminding me of that first white hot bliss of creation on the first novel!
Hi Nina,
I've been looking for you and here's where I found you. lol Just wanted to say hi and good luck with the writing. I think my first book is hiding with yours.
Carly Carson
Hi Nina,
Thanks for visiting us on the Pink Fuzzies. I love your advice about writing a book. Taking baby steps will accomplish more than anything.
What an amazing variety of things you have done.
Every experience makes you what you are.
I'll bet you can make a mean milkshake at home now.
But writing is so much more rewarding.
Nina,
Thanks for visiting with the pink fuzzies! We're glad you took time to stop by and tell us about yourself. Loved the reminded of all the past lives we go through on the way to "being" a writer!
Scarlet
Hi Nina. So good to have you here.
Writing is indeed one of the greatest challenges. I always enjoy hearing the story behind the stories.
The person behind the books.
Great post.
Hi Nina! Thanks for joining us. Sorry about the rotten jobs, but I'm glad you lived to tell about it. Gives me hope. I wasn't even a week into my new job as being the world's worst accountant when the toilet threw up on me. Seriously. It went everywhere. I now am known as the girl who decimated the bathroom. Sigh. It's all grist for the writing mill though, right?