Diane's Latest News

Let’s Meet & Greet!

Come on out for a meet-and-greet on Saturday, May 4th from 4:00 – 6:00 at Flyleaf Books, 752 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. in Chapel Hill, North Carolina! I love meeting readers and talking all things book.

You can find out more about Flyleaf Books here: FLYLEAF BOOKS

5x5x5 Giveaway!

FIVE DAYS, FIVE AUTHORS, FIVE FREE BOOKS!

This week, I’ve teamed up with authors Melissa Bourbon, Jenna Bennett, Diana Orgain, and Julie Mulhern to bring you five great books by five different authors for FREE! This is a limited-time promotion, so don’t delay. Grab them while they’re hot – and free!

Today’s free book is Busted. Get your copy now here: https://amzn.to/2nm8Mxu
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Be sure to snag yesterday’s book, Murder in Devil’s Cove, too! Prices go back up soon, so act NOW! 

 

LIBRARY JOURNAL DISPLAY SHELF

So excited to see Snow Place for Murder featured on Library Journal’s display shelf! Take a look here: 

LIBRARY JOURNAL

NEW SCI-FI RELEASE! FREE ON KINDLE UNLIMITED!

ATTENTION SCI-FI FANS! FREE ON KINDLE UNLIMITED!
My nephew M.R. Parsons just released his debut novel, Exodus. It’s sooooo good! Great action, relatable characters, interesting themes, and very emotionally engaging. Don’t miss out on this great story! Get your copy here: EXODUS
 

BOOK SALE TO SAVE ANIMALS – BURGAW, NC SATURDAY, DEC. 2 10-3

Come see me and author Melissa Bourbon/Winnie Archer at the For Our Furry Friends Thrift Shop in Burgaw, NC on Saturday, Dec. 2 from 10:00 – 3:00. All proceeds benefit the Pender County Humane Society! We’ll have our books as well as books from other generous authors who contributed books for the cause. The FOFF Thrift Shop is as 100 US Hwy 117 in Burgaw, across from the Dollar General Store. More info at: FOFF 

Vanessa Westermann Interview

I’m thrilled to be featured on author Vanessa Westermann’s website! Check out the interview here: Interview

And be sure to check out Vanessa’s books at: Vanessa’s Books

Loved this Review for Snow Place for Murder!

Check out this review for Snow Place for Murder from Maurice on Books! A good review can really make an author’s day so, if you liked the book, please post a review on Goodreads, bookseller sites, and your social media. It’ll bring you good karma. : ) XO!

INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR/BOOK BLOGGER DRU ANN LOVE ABOUT HER DEBUT AUTHOR STORY

Hi, Readers!

I am so happy to feature Dru Ann Love on my blog, and to chat with her about her first foray into writing – her story “Ticket to Ride” which appears in the anthology Happiness is a Warm Gun. Dru Ann has been a gracious and hardworking supporter of mystery writers for years, and has featured my books on her blog and social media. Get a copy of this Beatles-inspired book at one of these outlets: HAPPINESS IS A WARM GUN

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

More about Dru Ann:

DRU ANN LOVE is the proprietor of “Dru’s Book Musings,” which includes not only reviews of crime fiction but also the popular “A Day in My Life,” “Get to Know You,” and “A Word With the Author” features. She has been a Fan Guest of Honor at the Malice Domestic, Left Coast Crime, and Bouchercon conferences, and a two-time finalist for Bouchercon’s Anthony Award. In 2017, the Mystery Writers of America honored her with its Raven Award for outstanding achievement in the mystery field outside the realm of creative writing. “Ticket to Ride” is her first venture inside the realm of creative writing. Find her online at drusbookmusing.com

And now, for our chat:

DIANE: You’re a voracious reader and such a wonderful promoter of other authors via your Dru’s Book Musings Blog and social media. Have you always wanted to be a writer, too, or is this a new aspiration for you?

DRU ANN: No, I had no desire to be a writer, but then again, I do write poetry, so given this opportunity, I thought I would try.

 

DIANE: How did this story collaboration come about?

DRU ANN: Josh Pachter, editor of the anthology, approached me and Kristopher Zgorski to try our hand at collaborating on a short story. After a few thoughts, we decided to go for it.

 

DIANE: What was your writing process like? Did you outline the story or just let it flow as you went along? Did you type on your computer or handwrite the first draft?

DRU ANN: We had an outline for each “section” we needed to write. All was typed on our computer. I would write a scene and pass it on to Kristopher and he would fine tune the editing. He would write a scene and pass it on to me and I would fine tune the editing and that was our process.

 

DIANE: What did you find the most difficult about the writing process? What did you find the most fun or rewarding?

DRU ANN: It was fun thinking of the scene and putting it on paper and then agreeing on what parts to keep and take out. We started out with a page count for our story, and we stayed true to the count as we were writing each scene. Then when we submitted it to the editor, he told us it was too long, so the difficult part was deciding which scenes to delete. Another minor issue was we wrote the story in third-person form and the editor told us to switch it all to first person. And another difficult portion was adding more depth to each character and again, we had to decide how much to add to make the character come alive.

 

DIANE: Are you a Beatles fan?

DRU ANN: I like the Beatles.

 

DIANE: How did it feel to cross the line from fan/blogger to writer?

DRU ANN: I have a better understanding of what authors who write go through. The writing process, the editing process, the page count process and finally the approval process when the work is complete and ready for publication.

 

DIANE: What surprising things did you learn during the writing process for this story?

DRU ANN: That I could write.

 

DIANE: How many books do you read a year?

DRU ANN: At least 200. Right now, I’m at 175.

 

DIANE: Have you been a book lover since childhood? How were you introduced to books and reading?

DRU ANN: Yes, I’ve been a book lover since I was in the womb. My mom read to us and at the age of 4, I got my first library card.

 

DIANE: Do you plan to write more stories? If so, will they be collaborations or solo works?

DRU ANN: I have no immediate plans, but you never know. And if I do, it would be collaborative. I can’t see myself writing a book on my own.

 

Thanks to Dru Ann Love for this great interview! Get a copy of the book today, and enjoy her debut story. Buy links at: HAPPINESS IS A WARM GUN

 

 

BUY BOOKS AND SAVE ANIMALS!

Come see me and my author friend Melissa Bourbon/Winnie Archer at the FOFF Thrift Store in Burgaw, NC! We’ll be there on Saturday, Dec. 2nd from 10:00 – 3:00 signing books, and we’d love to chat with you! The funds raised at the store are put to great use saving animals at the Pender County Humane Society. More about the store here: FOFF

Join Me at the St. Louis County Library Cozy Con – Oct. 27th!

Join us Friday, October 27th for a night of sleuthing, fun, and cozy mysteries. SLCL’s first event celebrating the light, humorous subgenre of suspense fiction, Cozy Con 2023 will feature:
Vivien Chien – “Misfortune Cookie: A Noodle Shop Mystery”
Diane Kelly – “Snow Place for Murder: A Mountain Lodge Mystery”
Mia P. Manansala – “Murder and Mamon: A Tita Rosie’s Kitchen Mystery”
Ellie Alexander – “Catch Me If You Candy: A Bakeshop Mystery”
Korina Moss – “Case of the Blues: A Cheese Shop Mystery”

The Novel Neighbor will have books for sale as well as socks, candles, tea and other cozy items perfect for snuggling up with a great book! Doors open at 6:00 p.m. More info at:
St. Louis County Library