Personal: Nina Gordon, born Nov. 14, 1967, in Washington, D.C., is one of the founding members of rock band Veruca Salt. The band hit the charts with singles "Seether" and "Volcano Girls."
Gordon left Veruca Salt in 1998 to pursue a solo career. Her debut solo album, "Tonight and the Rest of My Life," was released last July. The title-track single is currently climbing the charts on Billboard's Adult Top 40.
Gordon didn't enjoy reading until she was in her teens.
Youth entertainment: "I didn't read a lot when I was child because I didn't like to be alone," Gordon said. "And when my mom told me I should go read a book, that meant there would be time when I'd have to be alone."
Together time: Though Gordon has no children of her own, she remembers being read to as a child. "My mother read to me a lot when I was very young. And I liked that because she spent a lot of time with me."
Grown-up selections: "My favorite author is Iris Murdoch. One of her most popular books is 'The Message to the Planet,' " about the links between people and destinies, she said. "I read a lot now. I'm reading things all the time. There are a lot of times when I'll read something and it will spark a thought in my head that I have to write down. I have so many songs that come from the inspiration of something I have read."
E-MAIL: scott@desnews.com