H. Schussman's Interview with Diane Wylie

Diane Wylie: Grandma Writes Romance (and Loves It)

Hi, Heidi, thanks for having me at your blog. First off, I bet you can take a guess as to how old I am by the title of this blog article…and I think that is close enough. I live in Maryland at the top of the Chesapeake Bay, so close that we can see the bay out of our windows when the leaves are off the trees. Even though we don’t own a boat, we still love living here. There is something about being able to walk down by the water that is both soothing and inspirational. We came here from New Jersey for my husband’s job and decided to stay long after the job was over.

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I have two grown children and two little grandchildren. They are my heart. I believe in strong family ties, which is a constant theme in my novels.

Heidi:

What genre do you write?

Diane:

I write historical and fantasy/paranormal romances and romantic suspense.

Heidi:

When did you start writing?

Diane:

I’ve been a technical writer for most of my life, but didn’t start writing fiction until a little over 10 years ago.

Heidi:

What are you working on now?

Diane:

I am working on the second book in a three-book series about a family of Scottish falconers set during medieval times.

Heidi:

Who is your favorite character in your stories?

Diane:

Well, with eight full-length novels in publication (MAGIC AT THE ROXY coming out in June will be number 8), I find it hard to pick just one favorite character. Right now, I guess I would say that Copper, the Jack Russell terrier in MAGIC AT THE ROXY is my current favorite. He is a spunky little guy, chosen to be in the story by my readers in a “Favorite Dog” contest a while back. Copper accompanies his magician owner through all kinds of adventures and excitement and brings a little light-hearted atmosphere to the drama.

Heidi:

Do you see yourself in any of your characters?

Diane:

Some part of me exists in all of my female characters. The desire to help care for people in Jenny of JENNY’S PASSION, the mother in me in Lila of LILA’S VOW, the desire to fit in can be found in Charlotte of SECRETS AND SACRIFICES, the wish to do something important for your country in Marilla of ADAM’S TREASURE, and in all three women in my MARK OF THE MAGICIAN series you can find my enjoyment of things outside the realm of reality.

Heidi:

Where do you write? Describe your workspace?

Diane:

I don’t write in any one place. I write all of my novels in spiral-bound lined notebooks by hand. I find that my thoughts flow easier when they come out through my pen. I also find that I can carry a pen and my notebook and write wherever the mood strikes. I sometimes write at lunchtime while I’m a work or sitting on the sofa while my husband watches NASCAR.

Heidi:

I can't believe you write all these books by hand, then you have to type them into your computer later. Is that when you do a lot of proofreading and tweaking? I'm sure the readers will be curious too.

Diane:

Yes, I do self-editing and embellishment when I type them into my computer. It gives me the chance to re-read what I wrote and critique it. Usually I don't type it in until long after I've written it. As a result, I have stacks of notebooks around.

Heidi:

Who is your all-time favorite author?

Diane:

Diane Gabaldon of the Outlander series is my hands-down favorite author. I love her style. I also love the new Outlander TV series.

Heidi:

Did you find writing a query letter a challenge? If so, how did you overcome it? Do you think there was a key phrase or idea in your query letter?

Diane:

In the beginning, it was hard to write a query letter. Now that I have done it multiple times, it is much easier. The key is to be able to tell the submissions editor why your story is different from the hundreds they see every day.

Heidi:

What advice do you have for a writer aspiring to be published?

Diane:

Keep trying. There is a lot of competition out there; you need to make your voice heard.

Heidi:

Would you like to acknowledge someone for their help/assistance/faith in you/etc?

Diane:

I’d like to thank my two sisters and my friend Lillian for their assistance as beta readers. But my husband is my biggest supporter of all, and the man on which I model all of my heroes. They have to be like him—strong, honorable, tender, romantic, kind, and most of all, sexy!

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H. Schussman’s Interview with Christine Bailey

Christine Bailey Heidi: First, Christine, tell us a little about yourself.

Christine:

I live in Tennessee, right between Memphis and Nashville. I grew up in Toronto, Canada and moved to the States as a pre-teen. 

Heidi: What genre do you write?

Christine:

I write contemporary Young Adult fiction—of the mysterious, romantic kind.

Heidi: When did you start writing?

Christine:

I started writing short stories in high school and even had a poetry journal in Grade 2. But it wasn't until I began working on my MFA back in 2009 that I became serious about writing YA fiction. My first novel, Girl in the Middle, really came to life during that program.

Heidi: What are you working on now?

Christine:

I've just started writing my fourth novel, which takes place in a small southern town, much like my own in Tennessee! I'm having a ball writing it, ya'll.

Heidi: Who is your favorite character in your stories?

Christine:

It has to be Skye Walker from Girl in the Middle. I mean, what a name right? One of my favorite parts of the book is when Skye explains why she gets called "Luke Skywalker" on a daily basis:  “Have you been living in a hole for the past decade? Star Wars ring a bell? The movie? I get called Luke or Princess Leia just about on a daily basis.”

“Never seen it. We don’t watch television at my house,” the girl said with her mouth full.

“Well, you’re just about the only one on this planet who hasn’t heard of it. I’ve been traumatized my whole life having to live with the stupid name that my mom swears didn’t have anything to do with Star Wars.”

Heidi: Do you see yourself in any of your characters?

Christine:

I see a little of myself in all of my characters, but then again I was a pretty angsty teen. Most YA fiction deals with the protagonist searching or longing for something (like Skye Walker does in Girl in the Middle). Having moved countries during a pivotal time in my life made me long for a sense of belonging.

Heidi: Where do you write? Describe your workspace?

Christine:

I can write anywhere really, but it has to be on a computer. A typical day of writing is usually me at home on the couch with my laptop and a pot of coffee close by.

Heidi:

What books have most influenced your life most?

Christine:

The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger; Night by Elie Wiesel; Are You There God? It's Me Margaret by Judy Blume (actually, everything by Judy Blume); Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson; Sherman Alexie’s The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian; Anne Lamott’s Bird by Bird; A Separate Peace by John Knowles; Lord of the Flies by William Golding; and all of Sarah Dessen's YA novels. Plus, 1980s teen movies influence my writing—Breakfast Club, Pretty in Pink, Lucas…

Heidi:

Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?

Christine:

Maintaining an authentic teen voice, especially when I write in first person. Having to stay fresh with teen trends and talk can be challenging when you're no longer a teen yourself.  What I might think is "rad" could be totally bunk by today's standards. What stays the same, though, is human emotion and the psychological warfare teens often battle. 

Heidi: What advice do you have for a writer aspiring to be published?

Christine:

Don't write to get published or to get recognition. Write because you have to—because it's part of who you are and there’s a story that needs to get out from inside your head.

Heidi: Would you like to acknowledge someone for their help/assistance/faith in you/etc?

Christine:

My mom is my biggest fan and my biggest critic—but in a good way. She always reads my novels before I send them out and tells me when something is not working. She is very honest—nothing held back. But it's what I want. I recently read an article about tough editors who make their authors cry as in John Green's editor (as in best-selling author!). The title of the article: "Her Stinging Critiques Propel YA Best Sellers." I like to be pushed to my very best, and my mom and my writing mentor from my MFA program both have stung me multiple times.

Heidi:
How can your fans follow you?
Christine:
Author Website
Facebook
Amazon Link