Enjoying
San Francisco as a backdrop, the ghosts in Diane’s 150-year old Victorian home
augment the chorus in her head. With insomnia as their catalyst, these voices
have become multifarious characters that haunt her well into the sun’s crowning
hours, refusing to let go until they have manipulated her into succumbing to
their whims. Her experiences as an actress, business owner, artisan cake
designer, software project manager, Internet radio disc jockey, vintage rock n’
roll journalist/fan girl, and lover of dark and quirky personalities influence
her idiosyncratic writing.
Who in
your personal life was the biggest supporter of your writing?
My
husband. Hands down. He will go out of his way to watch our daughter so that I
can get time to work, even though he has projects of his own.
Do you
prefer quiet or background noise when writing? If background noise, what?
It
really depends. Sometimes what I am listening to will creep into the work,
other times it is distracting, and sometimes I don’t notice it at all. I do
like some kind of background noise. Listening to music that I like, but don’t
know well enough to think about the lyrics, is generally best.
What is
one thing you wish your readers could understand about the writing process?
This
isn’t Castle. The words don’t plop
down perfectly from the start. Anyone who thinks you can sit down and crank out
a book has watched too much TV.
If your
characters could come to life and be a real human, which one do you think you
would get along with best and which one would drive you crazy first?
Roselyn,
from Scary Modsters, and I would get
along famously because we are soul sisters. However, I’d rather bring Donovan
from Love’s Forbidden Flower to life,
because he is so damn handsome and romantic. As for being driven crazy, Robert
from Time’s Forbidden Flower would do
the job quickly. There is a reason why some characters are minor and only exist
for comic relief.
When did
you start writing and what was your inspiration?
I’ve done it off
and on all of my life, but one event really got me going. One chilly fall
afternoon I curled up and watched an obscure counter culture film called The
Buttercup Chain. In it, two cousins, related through identical twins—thus
making them genetic half-siblings—have a strong attraction. She is fine with
the situation while he is a huge ball of denial. The entire film I waited for
the obvious to happen. When the film ended and the man was heartbroken I felt a
huge opportunity had been squandered. Clearly they were soul mates, and never
once did we find out why he was so freaked out by his emotions. All you could
believe was that he hid from who he was because of society. What a horrible
world we live in where love is wrong.
The sadness of the situation stayed with
me, as did my anger at the author for not taking the story where it needed to
go either by explaining the problem or by facing it. Upon doing research I
discovered that there are so many biases toward the subject that I could not
find a single book that really tackled it non-judgmentally. Yet the more I dug,
the more common I found the real-life situation to be. The proverbial gloves
came off and I started writing Love’s Forbidden Flower. What started as a story
ended as a chalice in which I placed my heart, all the while asking why we make
love laws. How we can tell others it is wrong to love, I will never understand.
Is there
a genre or type of book that you love to read but could never write and if so
why?
Suspense.
I don’t think I could ever pull off freaking someone out that way.
Since
you've been writing how much has the genre changed? Good, bad?
In
all genres I am seeing more diversity in characters. It’s becoming less of a
monotone world. I live in San Francisco, so I am used to seeing that on the
street. I am glad that the literary world is catching up. I am just as guilty
though.
Seeing
more and more authors going the "self-pub' route. Thoughts?
Self-publishing
is perfect for those who have stories to tell and want to tell them their way.
For example, no publisher would touch Love’s
Forbidden Flower because of the subject matter. If I had made the love
interest the boy next door and not her brother, there would have been no
problem. However, then the story would not have been what it was.
Self-publishing was the only way to go.
How much
thought do you as an author put into your cover, cover models etc. And has that
changed since you started writing. If so, have you or will you go back and
re-do covers you’re no longer pleased with?
I
went out of my way to hire the perfect artists for Something To Dream On. She recreated the painting that is in the
story perfectly. It, in itself, tells a story. That experience is making me
want to redo all of my covers.
What is
the most intense scene you have ever written? Did you find it difficult writing
that scene?
Believe
it or not, the love scenes in the Forbidden Flower books were far easier to
write than the scene in Scary Modsters
where Roselyn’s secret is discovered. There were so many layers to that scene,
and it brought up a few issues with my past. There are three characters in
there, and the points of view for two of them had layers of their own issues
buried inside. While it was not my most intense scene, writing multiple points
of view is tricky, especially when the characters have emotional baggage that
come into play.
If you
could write in any genre that you've never tried, what would it be and why?
Horror—like
really suspenseful horror. I’d love to have the ability to make a person afraid
to open a cabinet with just a few sentences!
When
thinking about writing any specific genre, what triggers your fears and
insecurities the most?
What
is tear jerking to some is a soap opera to others. All you can do is write with
your heart.
When writing, what comes first? The
characters or the plot?
I have found that
once I get the plot, the characters work their way around the drama. A lot of
the fun I have with writing comes with the, let’s-see-how-she-reacts-to-this
factor. To me, the plot is where the bulk of the hiccups hide. Once I can get
what needs to happen when and to whom done, I can have fun with the quirks of
the character. Plot always stresses me out, especially since I strive to be
original.
Do you find that you write what you love to
read? Or a different genre?
What I read
depends on what grabs me at the moment. I’m always open to try a new genre.
Do you ever write your own
personal fantasies into your books?
Any
author who tells you he or she does not is likely hiding something!
How much if any of your
story line comes from real life people or events.
Scary Modsters was heavily based on reality. Pretty much everything that
happened to Peter before he became a ghost can be found in rock history books.
That horrible stuff happened all the time. In Love’s Forbidden Flower, all those sucky dates Lily has reflect
dates I had. Stuff in that book happened to real life couples that I know who
have been in relationships with siblings. There is a lot of truth in fiction.
How many times do you read
what you wrote and think "where the hell did that come from?!"
Any
time I read my second draft. Sometimes I wonder who came in and changed it. I’m
pretty sure that my house is haunted.
Do you have to look at the
keys when you type?
No,
I just look through the soul of the person I am thinking of. Right now that is
Crystal.
How much wood would a wood chuck chuck if a wood chuck could chuck
wood?
A butt load.
What are you two favorite 80’s movies?
I was too stoned to pay attention.
Why are man-hole covers round?
Because man part are tubular and
you can’t stick a square peg into a round hole.
If a painting in the home of your perfect man reflects your dreams of doom, do you run, or do you dare to embrace love? While Lizetta lives a life of compassion, childhood bullying over a few extra pounds have caused this sparky woman to lose sight of the beauty of her soul. Jensen’s recent past is filled with substance abuse, shady morals, and loose women. A brutal wake up call forced him to find his way back to the gentle soul he once was; however, there are some whose futures depend on the return of the demon.
Souls can heal, but how long can they fight the forces that seek to destroy them? If one of those forces is the person who shattered your self-image, and she is determined to take down the one you love, could you still believe that everyone deserves a second chance?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*** Please note: This
is a New Adult Romance novel involving two siblings who struggle with
their emotions. This is not a work of erotica.***The heart cares not what society forbids.
Lily nurtures a secret love for a flawless man—the one who is her soul mate. Donovan is gorgeous, charismatic, and delights in all of Lily’s talents and quirks. Their innate knowledge of each other is almost telepathic. Together they interlock like fine threads creating luxurious silk.
But society dictates this picture-perfect adoration is the ghastliest of all possibilities.
As Lily embarks on a quest for the romance the heavens intended, her suitor turns reluctant. Desperate to uncover why Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hiding decayed from a tender-hearted gentleman into a ferociously self-serving, cocky bastard, Lily is prepared for battle when it comes to the salvation of her soul mate. However, Donovan traps Lily in a mental game of chess, leaving her to question his sanity. When Lily’s revelations about Donovan’s destructive alter ego lead to an inconceivable truth, can she help Donovan survive fate’s cruel joke?
Impassioned, witty, and deeply moving, Love’s Forbidden Flower is filled with stunning controversies that will forever haunt your heart.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A fantastical romance involving a girl, the music that fuels her, and her Ouija board.Rosalyn possesses a sunny personality that is laced with quirks. Although she seeks acceptance in a world where she lives out of time, what she gets is ridiculed for her eclectic wardrobe and unconventional music collection.
One fateful night, Rosalyn bewitches Niles, a stylish man whose offbeat character perfectly complements her own. Unfortunately, he possesses a critical flaw that means relationship suicide for him and pretty much anyone.
While under the influence of insomnia-impaired judgment, Rosalyn summons Rock ‘n Roll deity Peter Lane back from the dead. Not only does he spin her hormones into a frenzy, Peter is also the precarious puzzle piece that brings sense into her world. When Niles learns that he can overcome his life-long challenge by helping Peter avenge his death, how far will he go to secure Rosalyn’s heart?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
An eternity of passion cannot be quelled by society. Once upon a time Donovan assured Lily all of her dreams would come true. But how could he keep the promise of a fairy tale when her truest goals could not involve him, though her deepest desires did? Now, Lily has it all—love, passion, a family, and the career of her dreams—with Christopher. But something is lacking. She and Donovan have spent the last ten years living apart, and the soul mates are eager to reunite. Can Donovan keep his promise to give Lily all she desires, even with Christopher in the way?
For Lily and Donovan, the past is a mirror to the future that cannot be shattered.
Donovan is convinced Lily has been his love for all eternity. Determined to unravel the past, they embark on a journey to discover where it all began. For centuries Donovan has stolen Lily’s heart while forced to suffer for his love. How much can a soul endure before the breaking point is reached and a monster emerges? Can the demons of the past be combated to pave the way for happiness in the next life? Or has the abuse suffered in this life already turned Donovan hell bound? Time and again, one woman has destroyed their happiness. It’s time to silence her once and for all.
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