Hey, welcome back!
Can you believe it's almost the end of the year?
Well, I think we've waiting for a really great interview!
Today we have a rising star in romance, Diana Rose. She's a Russian native who lives in New York. Her stories transport readers to the fantasy filled worlds where she brings royalty and magical beings to life, with colorful romantic scenes and characters that her imagination creates. She fuels her creativity while reading romantic novels. When Diana is not writing, she enjoys spending her time with her family and friends.
When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
I first realized that I wanted to be a writer when I was thirteen. I would always be writing something by hand or on my computer. It was short paragraphs of ideas but it was fun to think of something that did not have anything with school or homework.
What is your work schedule like when you’re writing?
To be honest, I don’t really have a schedule as in a set amount of time. I try to write every day. Some days are more difficult to do that than others. But, I try to write at least an hour a day if not more. I don’t focus on the amount of time rather than the quality of my words. If I wrote for 30 minutes but I like what I wrote, that’s something I consider a good thing. Sometimes, I write when inspiration hits me and I can write a lot then.
What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
Actually, this is not for when I write but when I edit. I print out my full manuscript and read through it, mark it up and then type in the changes. Not a lot of people do that anymore.
What does your family think of your writing?
At first, my family thought it was just a hobby, something I did in my free time. But now after having published two of the books in my series, my mother even read my novella and liked it. I’m a full time author who self-publishes and I think my family (mostly my mother) is genuinely proud of me for not giving up. I write books, that’s what I do and after becoming self-published and getting through all the hard things that go along with it, my mom has finally seen how serious I am about this and she’s interested in how my editing is going or when I’ll be ready to release my next book.
Do you hear from your readers much? What kinds of things do they say?
Yes, I hear from my readers. My readers are supportive people who encourage me to keep going. I would not be doing half the things I’m doing like this interview and other interviews I’ve done in the past and will do in the future if it wasn’t for my readers. I became an author because of the support of my readers.
As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up?
Some people want to be an astronaut, a firefighter, a scientist, a ballerina, I wanted none of those and none of the others I didn’t mention. I wanted to be a writer. I always wrote. In school I had two pieces of paper, one with my school notes and the other with the book I was writing. I hid that from my teachers but I think they knew. When I was bored, I would write, when I was feeling something, I would write. I am glad I finally got a chance to do this full time.
What is the first book that made you cry?
The first book that I read that made me cry was Journey by Danielle Steel. I seriously cried it was so life-like.
Do you try more to be original or to deliver to readers what they want?
I try to be more original. It’s harder to write what people want to read because not everyone likes to read the same the same thing. I would rather be original. Besides, it’s more fun to write the way you want rather than follow a trend.
What other authors are you friends with, and how do they help you become a better writer?
I have so many author friends that it’s hard to name them all…. But, I’ll try. I’m friends with Jessica Lauryn, Jessica Wayne, Karen D. Neal, Tabetha Waite, Annabelle Anders, Kristi Cook, Alyson Noel, Kelly Blanchard, Nicole French, Nancy Naigle, Mikel Wilson, Sabrina Jeffries, Roni Denholtz… Yes, most of my author friends are self-published and of course, I did not name everyone. But, I named the most important ones to me.
All of them have helped me feel like I am a part of a community and find my confidence. All of them have different ways of writing and that made me a better writer because I see examples of truly great writing and I strive to create memorable characters and stories just like they do. These authors inspire me and yet they say that inspire them. They remind me that it’s okay to take your time writing and not focus on what other people are doing. Some of the books I have read by these authors make me rethink and want to rewrite my characters so they sound better.
If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be?
I would tell my younger self, “Go self-publish and don’t wait for anyone’s approval.” After the experience I had I think I should have self-published many years ago. It would have saved me so much stress.
What was the best money you ever spent as a writer?
The best money I ever spent was when I found my cover designer, Jessica Tahbonemah who has slowly become my one stop for everything I need as an author. In the years that I have known this lady she has always been super helpful and I enjoy working with here every day. Also, probably when I began to make my own swag things like bookmarks, stickers, pens and calendar magnets and flyers. Those additional things that I add to my book mail for my readers have come my favorite thing to spend money on as an author because I get to be creative and make things that my readers can enjoy as much as the books.
What’s your favorite under-appreciated novel?
I think most romance novels tend to be underappreciated but that is just my own personal view point. The one novel I think needs more attention however, is The Notebook by Nicholas Spark, perhaps anything by Jessica Lauryn. I mean, most self-published authors like me are underappreciated.
What are you working on now?
Right now, I’m working on the ending to my third book, Undying Love. It’s a “part 2” of the story of the oldest daughter of my two main characters. I have been working on it for a while because of writer’s block but this year is the year I’m determined to finish it because Book 2: Sacrificed Love (part 1 of that story) is set to release this year as well, hopefully.
What do you have coming soon?
Well, assuming I get my edits all done and everything else is done, I should be releasing Book 2 and Book 3 this year, But, I don’t like giving release dates so, I’ll just say this year. I also have another series that I’m working on parcel to The Power of Love Series which is quite interesting to write. I don’t know when that will be published but I’m hoping for 2021-2022. I have a lot of fun writing these characters and so every time I think I’m done, I find something else that involves them.
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
I would just like to thank my readers as I would not be doing any of this with them. I feel like writing and publishing can only be successful if and when you have the right readers and support group. So, the fact that I’m doing this self-publishing thing is all thanks to them.
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