Hi, Diana! Welcome to The Borrowed Book. For those readers who aren’t familiar with you or your work, let’s start by telling them a little about yourself. How long did you write before you sold your first book?
Hi everyone! So glad to be here. I love making new friends. My first book, A Time to Dance sold in 2000 but I had been writing for quite some time. I started with articles for a local magazine, and then added a newsletter for a Christian radio station. There was a long span in between that book and the next one because I took time off to make sure my teenage sons would grow up to be good men. So far so good. It’s all God folks, not me.
I know that you’ve done some work with e-publishing. What was that like, and would you recommend it as an alternative to traditional publishing houses?
E-pubbing is a great experience—now. Things have changed so much since I had my first book published that way. No one knew what an e-book was or what a reader was for. A lot of education had to be done along with marketing. I have writer friends who are putting out their own work and doing well. Just know you must have a good book and a good editor along with time to market. If it’s not a good story it won’t sell.
Many of the people who follow our blog are aspiring writers themselves. Can you share your favorite writing tip with them?
Take classes. Margie Lawson offers great ones, get involved with My Book Therapy and get Suzy Warren’s books. Those two things alone will grow your writing skills.
Tell us a little about your latest release:
Here’s the back cover copy:
Heaven’s Stolen His Heart
After witnessing the ravages of the Civil War, Travis Logan vowed to give up doctoring. But when fellow steamboat passenger Caleb Wharton collapses at his feet, Travis knows he must lend his aid. As the old man lies dying, he makes Travis promise to take care of his land and find Heaven. Travis can’t help but wonder what Heaven has to do with a real place, so he heads to Caleb’s farm to fulfill his promise.
Weeks of facing marauders and caring for her father’s home have finally taken their toll on Heaven Wharton. When an unknown young man charges the house, Heaven attempts to fire a warning shot but ends up shooting the man instead. Shocked, she and her sister, Angel, drag a semi-conscious Travis into the house and nurse him back to health.
As Travis and Heaven both struggle to control their destinies, will they learn that only a heart that follows God can ever find peace on earth?
If you could only share one line from A Bride’s Dilemma in Friendship, Tennessee, which one would you choose and why?
Sometimes Heaven wanted to treat her sister like a turkey and wring the common sense right out of her.
I love it because how many times have you had a wonderful idea only to have someone say, “Are you serious? Don’t you know you could die from that?”
This book is a historical romance, but it has a strong faith message. Can you share what that message is, and what led you to include it in the book?
It seems to be a message that shows up in most of my writing. You are never alone. God is with you. It’s something I have to say over and over again many times in my life.
One of the characters in your book is a pre-teenager suffering from disability. Another is a soldier battling with guilt. In fact, all of the characters have shouldered one kind of burden or another. Why did you feel it was important to give each one of your characters such difficult trials to face?
Everyone has tough battles. Sometimes they are physical and others are on the inside. I think readers will identify with those burdens. I wanted all the characters to be as real as possible. Right now I have a friend with ALS, one going through painful recovery from surgery, another making her way through this year without her mom so it’s all real for characters to have burdens too.
What kind of research did you have to do for this book? Can you share some articles or website links you found particularly helpful?
I had a difficult time researching Friendship, Tennessee. There is little on line about this town. So my husband and I drove there and found two helpful women at city hall. After that we went to the next town to the library and went through files.
Tell us what new projects you’re working on.
I’m working on book set in Colorado and one set in Illinois. Both are historicals and yes, I plan to torture those characters too.
What is the one question you were afraid I would ask…and how would you answer?
How much I weigh and I would say a lady never tells.
LOL! I respectfully withdraw the question. :-)
About the Author...
Christian author, Diana Lesire Brandmeyer, writes historical and contemporary romances. Her historical, A Bride's Dilemma in Friendship, Tennessee is now available. She’s also written We’re Not Blended-We’re Pureed, A Survivor’s Guide to Blended Families. Once widowed and now remarried she writes with humor and experience on the difficulty of joining two families be it fictional or real life. To learn more, visit her at:
Website: http://www.dianabrandmeyer.com/
Twitter: @dianabrandmeyer
cute interview, Elizabeth and Diana :) Congratulations on your new release!
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