Photo Credit: Mikel Healy

Nina Soden was born in Detroit Michigan in 1975, the second daughter of William and Clara Tapaninen. She has always been creative, be it art, theatre, film – anything but singing – she says that is the one thing no one wants to hear! She earned her bachelor’s degree in Theatre and Military Science from Eastern Michigan University, where she spent most of her time either on stage, rappelling down buildings, or working one of three jobs. After college she moved to Los Angeles, like so many other want-to-be actors, in pursuit of her dreams. She worked to pay the bills, but her real love was acting. She had some minor success as an actress, mostly in commercials and independent films, but she looks back on those days with joy, having had a great time and making some wonderful memories.

In 2008, after some major life changes, she self-published her first book PRIVATE WORDS UNSPOKEN, a compilation of poetry. Since then, her dreams have gotten bigger and her storytelling ability has gotten better. She has done everything from secretarial work to business development to being the Director of a private preschool. She has fired a M16, jumped out of a C130, and given birth – TWICE – but she always returns to her art.

Though she’ll forever be a Michigan girl at heart, she now lives in the South with her husband and two beautiful children. Although she is still working full-time to pay the bills, she spends her evenings and weekends writing, and hopes one day her passion will be more than just a hobby. If she isn’t working on her latest story, she can be found playing with her kids, lounging with a good book, or indulging in her unhealthy addiction to Starbucks coffee.