EJ: When did you begin writing?
Nina: I began writing when I was seven, when I wrote little stories (probably about ghosts and monsters) for my parents. By the time I was fourteen, I had decided that I wanted to be a writer, but sometimes these things get away from us. I didn't really focus on writing until 2011, which was when I started The Last Condo Board of the Apocalypse. My husband encouraged me to submit it, and it turned out that several publishers were interested. I encourage any writer to prioritize their writing and focus on it. Determine what's important to you, ignore any external influences that try to discourage you, and work on it consistently.
EJ: What brought you to the paranormal genre?
Nina: I've always loved books and movies in that genre, and was especially influenced by movies like Ghostbusters in writing my debut novel, The Last Condo Board of the Apocalypse. At the time, I lived in a frequently odd high-rise condo tower, filled with residents and employees who were by turns annoying, grotesque, or endearing. I imagined this setting with fallen angels bound to the building and monsters who got sucked into the city through the building's unusual HVAC system.
EJ: If you could be any paranormal or have any one supernatural talent, what would it be? Why?
Nina: Invisibility, like Rex in 'Ghost'! To be sneaky and gather information.
EJ: Tell us why readers will enjoy your new release.
Nina: My second published book, One Ghost Per Serving, is a fun story about a self-doubting father who embarks on a quest to win a seemingly impossible contest, and discovers he's the only one who can stop a supernatural pathogen from spreading throughout the food supply.
I think that readers will enjoy reading about Eric struggling to overcome his flaw of not believing in himself, to regain the respect of his wife and his acerbic twelve-year-old daughter, and to win this yogurt contest despite the best efforts of a pathologically self-absorbed rich guy. I think they'll also like Eric's daughter, Taffy -- an aspiring scientist who does not suffer fools and is obsessed with zoonotic diseases and foodborne pathogens. And I hope they like my spirit support group, inspired by Japanese yokai.
I think readers will also enjoy it because even though there are paranormal elements, you'll also be asking yourself, could this happen? How far away from reality is this, really?
EJ: If your book(s) were being made into a movie, who would you cast for the leading roles? Why?
Nina: I would want to cast Ian Somerhalder as Eric Snackerge, because he quickly came to mind when I began fleshing out the character. And I would cast Amy Sedaris as Willa, because she's amazing and physically similar to the petite, bellicose HVAC professor in my book.
One Ghost Per Serving by Nina Post.
Eric Snackerge has had a rough time lately. After being possessed by a mischievous spirit, he lost his scholarship and got blamed for a scandal that left him blacklisted from the legal profession. Now he’s working two minimum wage jobs and is desperate to show his wife and daughter that he can put his life back together — before his best-friend-turned-enemy swoops in and steals his family away.
When Eric learns about an unusual contest, he realizes that winning the grand prize will help him make his daughter’s dreams come true. But he’ll have to overcome his own self-doubt — not to mention the seemingly impossible odds — in order to achieve that goal.
However, this isn’t your run-of-the-mill sweepstakes. Everyone who eats the product develops an insatiable craving for more. Plus, the people behind the contest are dispatching everything from spy cameras to attack helicopters to make sure that Eric doesn’t get any further.
As Eric soon learns, the contest was only the first phase of a much larger plan. If the villains are successful, they will spread a dangerous supernatural pathogen throughout the food supply. But with distribution of the tainted products already underway, does Eric have what it takes to stop their plan and protect his family from being the next victims?
Thank you Nina for joining us here today at From the Shadows!
To learn more about Nina Post and her books, please visit her website.
Amazing interview guys. I am also on board when Somerhalder is involved. I love him! Invisibility is a great choice. I love the premise of your book. It sounds like something people could relate to, I love that in my paranormal reads. It makes the characters feel more real. Thank you guys so much for the great interview. It was a fun read :)
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