Alyssa Brooks - In Interview with Diane Charles Linford

In Interview with Diane Charles Linford 6-18-2005

I am so thrilled to have Diane Charles Linford as my first victim ... errr ... did I say that? Diane is a witty, new author with Loose-Id who I am thrilled to have the pleasure of interviewing. I have begun reading her first book, Handle Me With Care, and love it so far. I look forward to enjoying it while I am off on my break.

So who is she? Diane Charles Linford's newest release is "Handle Me With Care" published by Loose-Id. She came in fourth in a Redbook Magazine writing contest where there were three prizes. She's won local literary contests and has been published in some little and literary magazines.

She's a graduate of Purdue University and has done grad work at Michigan State University.

"It didn't help a bit," she says. "I learned how to write in writer's groups, as a contributing writer to a radio-comedy troupe, but mostly on my own. My first novel is sitting on a closet shelf. My second novel is languishing in a publisher's back room in New York, and my third novel was just published by Loose-Id."

You never know how things will turn out.

Handle Me With Care - Now Available from Loose Id

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dianeswastebasket/

Alyssa: So Diane, what inspired you to write your latest book?
Diane: Handle Me With Care was based quite heavily on the life of a couple of women I've known; with a liberal sprinkling of artistic license as well.

One woman was a very brave person in her personal life. She was the type of woman to subtly point out the biases or inequalities that run prevalent deep in our society. This woman's lover was both noticeably younger than she was, and also of a different race. Unfortunately her own personal hero passed away early on in their relationship, but, like the heroine in my book, she felt very lucky to have conceived his child before he passed on. I guess this was one way that part did not imitate life.

When I first wrote this book, I killed off the hero at the end of the book and had my heroine show him their child in a dream. Treva Harte of Loose-Id loved the story, but she refused to accept it, telling me she couldn’t publish it if I killed my hero. So after working on it for a couple of weeks, I found a character whom I could turn into a villain, and I decided to kill him in the same way my hero originally died. I must say the new ending was much more satisfying. Even I liked the way my book ended better.

Actually there are several characters in the book that I dearly love. In the back of my mind, I want to bring back them back for a second shot in a new story. I’m especially fond of my two toddler girls who are the daughters of the hero’s cousin and his wife.

Alyssa: I understand you have a very disturbing paranormal subplot in the book. <Shivers> What prompted you to write that?
Diane: I've always been a real fan of dark fantasy and horror. So that led to the paranormal plot in Handle Me With Care. I've been a student of the natural human response to the uncontrollable worlds around us for as long as I can remember--back in grade school and junior high. I've always enjoyed books, stories around the campfire, radio and audio plays, and movies that make me shiver with anticipation and occasionally jump in fright.

My boyfriends and then my husband would take me to scary movies and then we'd make out like mad after the movie was over. You never know what turns some people on.

Alyssa: Interesting. I wonder, do you like the paranormal for the thrill or the kissing afterward? Kidding! So tell me, do you have a favorite real life adventure?
Diane: I'm a good kisser. Does that count? [Laughs.]
This isn't really an adventure, but it is true story and rather amusing. Before we were married, my future husband and I were alone in the living room with the television on, but we were definitely not watching TV. Both of us got very quiet, and I knew he had something important to tell me so waited for him to speak. I'd never seen him so flustered and nervous before. But I realized then and there that he was going to pop the question, as they say. I stayed quiet, and he came in close to my face and asked me to marry him. I said yes almost immediately and then the television broke into a really loud TV commercial that played TheWedding March!
We both laughed, and he tried to tell me that he had planned it that way.

Alyssa:Ah. Your husband sounds like a sweet romantic man ... when fate allowsJ Can you tell me what you think the difference between a perfect man and a romance hero?
Diane: I'm guessing the perfect man would basically have no flaws. He could read your mind, almost. Or at least foresee your needs.
A romance hero needs to be many things: loving, caring, alpha masculine is always a great characteristic, of course. But I think a romance hero must have a flaw. Superman is boring. Well, maybe not in bed, but then again who needs a man who is faster than a speeding bullet? LOL!
I think a romantic hero has to show the reader that there is some part of him, something in his nature that needs to be completed andthat the heroine offers him that inner fulfillment.

Alyssa: Superman is boring. I concur. Probably why so many girls fall for the bad boy. Now, the true telling question. Pepsi or Coke?
Diane: Water.
I used to go through about a 2 liter bottle of Pepsi One every day figuring that it would help me to beat type two diabetes. But the body doesn't work that way. When the mouth taste's sweet the body prepares to digest sugar and that's part of what throws it off.
People often gain weight on diet drinks because the body swears up and down that you're still hungry. And of course caffeine dehydrates the system--almost as much as alcohol.
I went to water--almost cold turkey. Although I didn't know it would happen at the time, I thought I'd gradually give up other drinks and supplant them with water.
But the "formula" for rehydration is your weight in pounds divided by half, and that's the number of ounces of water you should drink in a day. The old standard of eight 8 ounce glasses of water is good as long as you weigh 128 lbs. or less. But I need to drink more than 64 ounces. Big Boned--LOL.
Seriously, water is the absolute best diuretic, and it will help you to lose weight along with exercise. I try to walk a mile plus outward and then the same amount back every day. That's an absolute minimum of twenty minutes.
Stimulates the writing too! That's a plus. I can't begin to tell you how much I learn about a character or a situation just by letting the mind "cool off" during a walk.
I'm supposed to do abdominals too, but I'm not so dependable about those - LOL!

Alyssa: Ah ... suppose to! I use that term a lot. Like I was supposed to be eating healthy once my boys went off for the summer. You just can’t eat the right things with kids around. But, bad me, I ended up at a cookie factory instead. Lovely. You have a good point about the water. Years ago, I gave up my tea for water ... and lost ten pounds in a month! But, we moved to a home that has public water. I hate it, and gradually I’ve fallen into sodas. I need to get healthy again. You’ve inspired me.
Thank you for talking with us Diane! Good luck with your book!

TOP


		Back to Extras In Interview with Diane Charles Linford 6-18-2005 I am so thrilled to have Diane Charles Linford as my first victim ... errr ... did I say that? Diane is a witty, new author with Loose-Id who I am thrilled to have the pleasure of interviewing. I have begun reading her first book, Handle Me With Care, and love it so far. I look forward to enjoying it while I am off on my break. So who is she? Diane Charles Linford's newest release is "Handle Me With Care" published by Loose-Id. She came in fourth in a Redbook Magazine writing contest where there were three prizes. She's won local literary contests and has been published in some little and literary magazines. She's a graduate of Purdue University and has done grad work at Michigan State University. "It didn't help a bit," she says. "I learned how to write in writer's groups, as a contributing writer to a radio-comedy troupe, but mostly on my own. My first novel is sitting on a closet shelf. My second novel is languishing in a publisher's back room in New York, and my third novel was just published by Loose-Id." You never know how things will turn out. Handle Me With Care - Now Available from Loose Id http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dianeswastebasket/ Alyssa: So Diane, what inspired you to write your latest book? Diane: Handle Me With Care was based quite heavily on the life of a couple of women I've known; with a liberal sprinkling of artistic license as well. One woman was a very brave person in her personal life. She was the type of woman to subtly point out the biases or inequalities that run prevalent deep in our society. This woman's lover was both noticeably younger than she was, and also of a different race. Unfortunately her own personal hero passed away early on in their relationship, but, like the heroine in my book, she felt very lucky to have conceived his child before he passed on. I guess this was one way that part did not imitate life. When I first wrote this book, I killed off the hero at the end of the book and had my heroine show him their child in a dream. Treva Harte of Loose-Id loved the story, but she refused to accept it, telling me she couldn’t publish it if I killed my hero. So after working on it for a couple of weeks, I found a character whom I could turn into a villain, and I decided to kill him in the same way my hero originally died. I must say the new ending was much more satisfying. Even I liked the way my book ended better. Actually there are several characters in the book that I dearly love. In the back of my mind, I want to bring back them back for a second shot in a new story. I’m especially fond of my two toddler girls who are the daughters of the hero’s cousin and his wife. Alyssa: I understand you have a very disturbing paranormal subplot in the book. <Shivers> What prompted you to write that? Diane: I've always been a real fan of dark fantasy and horror. So that led to the paranormal plot in Handle Me With Care. I've been a student of the natural human response to the uncontrollable worlds around us for as long as I can remember--back in grade school and junior high. I've always enjoyed books, stories around the campfire, radio and audio plays, and movies that make me shiver with anticipation and occasionally jump in fright. My boyfriends and then my husband would take me to scary movies and then we'd make out like mad after the movie was over. You never know what turns some people on. Alyssa: Interesting. I wonder, do you like the paranormal for the thrill or the kissing afterward? Kidding! So tell me, do you have a favorite real life adventure? Diane: I'm a good kisser. Does that count? [Laughs.] This isn't really an adventure, but it is true story and rather amusing. Before we were married, my future husband and I were alone in the living room with the television on, but we were definitely not watching TV. Both of us got very quiet, and I knew he had something important to tell me so waited for him to speak. I'd never seen him so flustered and nervous before. But I realized then and there that he was going to pop the question, as they say. I stayed quiet, and he came in close to my face and asked me to marry him. I said yes almost immediately and then the television broke into a really loud TV commercial that played TheWedding March! We both laughed, and he tried to tell me that he had planned it that way. Alyssa:Ah. Your husband sounds like a sweet romantic man ... when fate allowsJ Can you tell me what you think the difference between a perfect man and a romance hero? Diane: I'm guessing the perfect man would basically have no flaws. He could read your mind, almost. Or at least foresee your needs. A romance hero needs to be many things: loving, caring, alpha masculine is always a great characteristic, of course. But I think a romance hero must have a flaw. Superman is boring. Well, maybe not in bed, but then again who needs a man who is faster than a speeding bullet? LOL! I think a romantic hero has to show the reader that there is some part of him, something in his nature that needs to be completed andthat the heroine offers him that inner fulfillment. Alyssa: Superman is boring. I concur. Probably why so many girls fall for the bad boy. Now, the true telling question. Pepsi or Coke? Diane: Water. I used to go through about a 2 liter bottle of Pepsi One every day figuring that it would help me to beat type two diabetes. But the body doesn't work that way. When the mouth taste's sweet the body prepares to digest sugar and that's part of what throws it off. People often gain weight on diet drinks because the body swears up and down that you're still hungry. And of course caffeine dehydrates the system--almost as much as alcohol. I went to water--almost cold turkey. Although I didn't know it would happen at the time, I thought I'd gradually give up other drinks and supplant them with water. But the "formula" for rehydration is your weight in pounds divided by half, and that's the number of ounces of water you should drink in a day. The old standard of eight 8 ounce glasses of water is good as long as you weigh 128 lbs. or less. But I need to drink more than 64 ounces. Big Boned--LOL. Seriously, water is the absolute best diuretic, and it will help you to lose weight along with exercise. I try to walk a mile plus outward and then the same amount back every day. That's an absolute minimum of twenty minutes. Stimulates the writing too! That's a plus. I can't begin to tell you how much I learn about a character or a situation just by letting the mind "cool off" during a walk. I'm supposed to do abdominals too, but I'm not so dependable about those - LOL! Alyssa: Ah ... suppose to! I use that term a lot. Like I was supposed to be eating healthy once my boys went off for the summer. You just can’t eat the right things with kids around. But, bad me, I ended up at a cookie factory instead. Lovely. You have a good point about the water. Years ago, I gave up my tea for water ... and lost ten pounds in a month! But, we moved to a home that has public water. I hate it, and gradually I’ve fallen into sodas. I need to get healthy again. You’ve inspired me. Thank you for talking with us Diane! Good luck with your book! TOP Website Design by Crocodesigns \|\| © Copyright 2006 Alyssa Brooks. All rights reserved.