Interview With Diane Craver, and Win a Copy of Her Book!

Diane has guest blogged here before, but she has a new book that's just released with Desert Breeze Publishing, so I thought it would be a good time to catch up with her and let her tell us about this new book, herself, and writing in general.

Shawna: Diane, will you please share a short bio with us?

Diane: Shawna, thank you so much for having me here today. I grew up on a farm outside of Findlay, Ohio. I often acted out characters from my own stories in the backyard. Before I got started on my writing career, I taught school and directed school plays. I started writing nonfiction after our first daughter was born. Later I switched to fiction. It kept me sane after having six children. LOL I've been married to the love of my life for thirty-four years. We live in southwestern Ohio. My novels are published by Desert Breeze Publishing and Samhain Publishing.

Shawna: What type of stories do you like to write?

Diane: I write inspirational romance, chick-lit mystery, contemporary romance, and women's fiction.

Shawna: When do you write? Daytime, nighttime, on your lunch hour, before the kids get up, after everyone is asleep? In large chunks of time or stolen snippets?

Diane: I'm an early riser so I write a little before I get our two daughters with special needs up in the morning. After I get them to their programs, I'll do a few loads of laundry and etc., then I get busy again on my writing. On some days I might only have short periods to write, but other days I might have longer chunks of time.

Shawna: Tell us about latest release with link and where it's available.

Diane: Marrying Mallory is my latest release. Mallory isn't happy with herself because she's divorced. She feels strong guilt that she couldn't forgive her cheating ex-husband. As a Christian, she doesn't feel that she has the right to get married again. Also she is unhappy about her outward appearance. She loses fifteen pounds but that isn't enough. She decides to do something for herself and goes to see a plastic surgeon, Dr. Seth Whitman, to have rhinoplasty. Immediately, her life becomes complicated because she's attracted to the doctor. Seth feels the same way about her, and he has trouble maintaining a doctor-patient relationship.

Marrying Mallory can be purchased from Amazon Kindle or the publisher's site, http://www.desertbreezepublishing.com/. I have a trailer for Marrying Mallory. Here's the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xx47eTrY8M0


Shawna: How did you come up with the main character’s names?

Diane: I chose the main characters' names by first checking to see what names were popular in the year the characters were born. There's an online search under social security for the most popular names in each decade. I also looked at baby name books, and tried different names out before I chose Mallory, Toby and Seth. Then I had to make sure the first names sounded right with the last names.

Shawna: Is there a point when your characters begin to come alive and you can see and hear them?

Diane: My characters become real to me quickly. My books are character-driven so I’m constantly thinking about the characters as I start a new book and what big scenes I want them to have in the book. I don't start writing until I know my characters well. They inject dialogue and ideas to me while I’m in the shower, driving, cooking, or right before I fall asleep. I jot down their thoughts and dialogue on paper so I have my notes when I get time to type on my computer. I’ve learned I can’t rely on my memory to remember everything.

Also when I write it’s neat how the characters take over and the story line I have in mind changes. In my Whitney book, a new character unexpectedly popped in to become a main romantic interest for the one sister.

Shawna: Why do you write?

Diane: I can't imagine not writing. I love reading and writing. I'm constantly thinking of future story lines. When something happens in my real life or if I hear something on the news, I think about putting a different outcome or spin on it. I ask myself, would that be a good story? I also love developing my characters into warm and vulnerable people.

Shawna: Where can you be found on the web?

Diane: I have a website, http://www.dianecraver.com/and
blog, http://www.dianecraver.com/blog.I'm also on Facebook.

Thank you, Diane for this wonderful interview. I've already read Marrying Mallory, and it's delightful! I especially love the way your style of writing makes me feel like one of the gals. I'd also like to add that Diane's books are available at Books on Board and Allromance Ebooks too.

I hope everyone is off to a great start for 2010!

How about this! Reply to this post and enter a drawing for a copy of Marrying Mallory. I'll announce the winner on Friday!