What kind of hobbies do you have?
That’s a tough question. Perhaps two – I love traveling and visiting zoos. But usually I’m just a boring workaholic, speechlessly living in my own little corner. Sometimes people say I’m lucky that I don’t work out of the home. Maybe, but occasionally a twenty-four hour-day isn’t enough for me, especially when I burn up the keys on my computer developing a new manuscript, or experimenting with designing one of my book covers.

What is your typical day?
Routine…as quiet as a swamp which sucks me in, motivating me to work and not to sink. I think I’m glad I have a dog to keep me entertained. Troy was a sickly little guy when I adopted him two years ago. Now, he’s all grown up and a big strong fellow. He’s smart and can clearly say ‘momma’ if he’s begging for my food. Walking with him gives me a time to relax and get away from writing, but the plot is still in my mind. I have to constantly carry a notebook with me in case an idea suddenly pops into my head. But actually, when my brain is exhausted I think any physical activity helps me rejuvenate it. I hear the question, why exhausted? When I start writing, I’m out of reality, inside that story, about ten hours a day in front of a monitor. So, I like my buddy Troy being with me.

Do you have other pets?

I have a great love for animals and for many years I had an exotic pet, a Sugar Glider. I designed my business logo in his image as a memory of him. Recently though, I’ve been babying my sweetest pet of all, a Prairie Dog named, Bini. And, I can tell you, a Prairie Dog makes a great pet, especially if you don’t have a sensitive nose.

What kind of movies do you like?

I like “smart” movies. You know the kind that keep you spellbound and make you think, and also high-tech movies like Avatar. It fascinated me! When it first aired, I was taking some graphic designer classes, and seeing the movie made me feel more professional because I understood how it was made using a technique called, “layers”. I also loved Gladiator (or maybe it was just Russell Crow, what a dream he is).  Oh, and Pirates of the Caribbean was unbelievably great (or maybe it was that awfully talented Johnny Depp). And, I can’t leave out Wedding Crashers. What a movie! It just reeked with talent!  So very funny and loaded with meaning! If you count TV shows, Everyone Loves Raymond makes me laugh and feel like I’m part of their family. I love that entire brilliant crew.

Nina, what part of Russia are you from?

Russia is a very large country with a diverse culture and I can relate to all of it. I’ve lived and experienced almost all of Russia; from south to north, west to east, and in-between. But, believe me, people are the same everywhere, only governments and their laws are different.

Do you miss your motherland, and how often do you visit Russia?

Sometime it’s necessary to keep distance for clear vision. I spent a big chunk of my life there, and the experiences haunt me a lot.  But, they also provide an excellent point of comparison. While living in Russia, I did everything humanly possible and won some battles to build a decent life for me and my family; but, I still lost the ‘war’ so to speak. Nonetheless, being a loser in that regard helps me avoid being homesick.

Nina, do you love the United States?

I sure do! For all the problems she has faced, for all her trials and tribulations, America is still the best country in the world for emigration and business. And, I love the idea of equality and how persistently the Law works to maintain it. However, at the same time it scares the heck out of me to think how far people push it to the limit… total equality inhibits motivation. I’ve been there. I know.