Donna G. Pierce by Liz Cross


Meet Donna G. Pierce. Her novel, A Secret of Color has been published by Books On Screen, a division of Page Free Publishing. She is currently working on two other novels.

Donna has also worked as a reporter at several small daily newspapers in Alabama where she focused on the police and court beats. She's also been the Fiction Editor for EWG Presents, and has also written and produced plays in her hometown too. Recently, she gave me the opportunity to ask her a few questions about her mystery and writing.


LIZ: How did you get started writing mystery and suspense novels?


DONNA: I grew up reading mystery novels and can remember reading every Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys book that came out. I'm fascinated with mystery programs such as Muder, She Wrote and Ellery Queen. As an adult I started reading suspense novels. I think my writing gravitated toward mystery and suspense because that's where my interest is when I read.


LIZ: Tell me about Books on Line?


DONNA:The books are published electronically by Books on Screen through Page Free Publishing. Some of the books have sound throughout but mine doesn't. As the chapters open, music plays and the reader can hear the pages turn as they progress throughout the novel. It's a new medium but is catching on. The disks travel easy. The book can also be printed out if the reader doesn't care to read it on the computer.



LIZ: What is your favorite thing about writing a mystery?


DONNA:My novel is character driven. I think most readers remember them and second remember the plot. I like creating the plot but creating vivd characters are what I like most.


LIZ: What kind of characters do you like to see in suspense?


DONNA:I like the male characters to be rough with a human edge and the females to be adventureous but keep their femanine edge. I love James Patterson's character Detective Alex Cross because it shows the humanity of a father and police detective in one character. Alex is believeable and when I read those novels I feel like he's someone I'd be friends with.



LIZ: How do you decide on the plot of your myteries?


DONNA:The plot of my novel came to me over a period of years. I grew up during desegregation in the south and experienced many situations these girls did. I wanted to show that friendship extends beyond color. I drew a simple plot really and used the racial factor.


LIZ: What was the hardest thing to write while putting your first mystery together?


DONNA:The dialogue was the hardest to write. It's hard to keep the characters separate and give them each their own voice.


LIZ: How do you feel about editors?


DONNA:It depends. Editors can be useful if you take their suggestions at face value and don't get defensive. I'm more used to it than some authors because my paying job is writing for a magazine. I'm edited everyday at work so I've learned to take criticism well. I try to learn from it.



LIZ: What sort of writing have you done in the past?


DONNA:I was a newspaper journalist in Alabama for four years and currently write for a trucking magazine. I also free lance for a diabetes magazine.



LIZ: Would you like to see your work in the movies?


DONNA:I think that would be the ultimate high but it would be difficult too because I know much of it could be changed. But I'd like to experience that regardless of changes made. Also, if I had the opportunity, writing the screenplay for the movie would be a wonderful experience.



LIZ: Who would you want to star if "A Secret of Color" was made into a movie?


DONNA:Good question since I've thought of this before for my main characters. My character Tish is dear to me and when I wrote her Whoopie Goldberg often came to mind. I can see Julia Roberts as Maggie and maybe Jodi Foster as Kat. I believe in aiming high. LOL



LIZ: What are some of the writing projects you are working on now?


DONNA:I'm writing a suspense novel that is set in the south and is about a gang that infiltrates Birmingham, Ala.



LIZ: What do you like to do when you aren't writing?


DONNA: I read often and spend time with my boyfriend.



Favorites:

TV show: Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Boston Public



Food: Mexican fajitas and Chinese are my favorites


Band: I don't have a favorite band but do listen to oldies a lot. I guess my oldies band would be Bad Company or Foreigner.


Movie: To Kill A Mockingbird

Cause: The American Diabetes Association.


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