March 21, 2008 | News, Quirky notions

Up close and personal, that is.

I’m blogging today on that very subject over at Brava Authors. Please stop by and let us know what you think!

Diane

March 15, 2008 | Better than chocolate, News, The stories

Hey, lookee here! BOND OF FIRE made it into a fabulous book trailer from Circle of Seven!

I’m always fascinated by what parts of a book wind up getting emphasized in a book trailer. This one puts the focus squarely on Jean-Marie and Hélène, the hero and heroine, plus their long agonized fight against the demands of duty and honor which keep them apart. Not to mention Celeste, Hélène’s little sister and the story’s villainess.

Film also has a nifty way of summarizing things in a few, rich images, too, that I deeply envy as a writer. I wish I could portray Paris in an instant - or a Texas ranch at sunset! But that’s what I keep working to learn how to do better. And, of course, I get to spend many long hours with my characters writing their stories. Yeehaw!

Hope you enjoy this book trailer as much as I do -

Diane

January 28, 2008 | News

I too am honored to be blogging today with hundreds of other writers on behalf of Patry Francis and her fabulous book, The Liar’s Diary.

Here’s LitPark’s eloquent account:

Today, over 300 bloggers, including bestsellers, Emmy winners, movie makers, and publishing houses have come together to talk about THE LIAR’S DIARY by Patry Francis. Why? To give the book the attention it deserves on its release day while Patry takes the time she needs to heal from cancer.

Before I talk about this book, I’d like to tell you a story about how this extraordinary day happened.

Patry Francis Blog Day on LitPark

First, you need to know something about Patry Francis.

What if you worked for years as a waitress and then went home at the end of the day to your husband and four kids, and in those rare minutes of free time, you dared to dream that one day you might write a book? This is the story of my friend, Patry - a story that leaves out years of false starts, revisions, and rejection slips. It’s a story that writers know intimately, though the details are different. Every one of us is well acquainted with the struggle of getting a story on paper, of honing it and believing in it enough to send it out, only to receive rejection, or worse, silence for our efforts.

Imagine, after many years, you beat the odds. You finish that book. You find that agent who sells your manuscript. Your dream is about to become a reality. But just as your book is due to be released, you discover you have an aggressive form of cancer.

Patry’s story struck such a deep chord with many of us, not just because she is our friend, but because those of us who know her or read her blog have relied on her company through the ups and mostly downs of trying to write and sell a book. She is our buoy. She has shown us time and again her great gift for shedding light in the dark. Even her blog post about her cancer showed this - in her greatest time of need, she was still somehow comforting all of us and showing us glimpses of joy.

What began as a personal gesture of caring for a friend became an astonishing show of community - writers helping writers; strangers helping strangers; and most surprising of all, editors, agents and publishers, who have no stake in this book, crossing “party lines” to blog, to make phone calls, and to send out press releases.

This effort has made visible a community that is, and has been, alive and kicking - a community that understands the struggle artists go through and rejoices in each other’s successes. It’s a community made up of many small voices, but - guess what? - those many small voices can create some noise. So while today is for Patry, it’s also a symbolic gesture for all of you who work so very hard for little or no recognition, for all of you who keep going despite the rejections, and for all of you who have had illness or other outside factors force your art or your dreams aside. We are in this together.

Time to talk about THE LIAR’S DIARY.

Whether you like text, audio, or video, I have a taste of the book for you. Let’s start with an audio clip of THE LIAR’S DIARY. This audio clip comes courtesy of Eileen Hutton at Brilliance Audio.

This video for THE LIAR’S DIARY was created by Sheila Clover English, C.E.O. of Circle of Seven Productions, who was moved by Patry’s story and volunteered her lightning-speed creativity!

Here are the publishe’s words:

Answering the question of what is more powerful—family or friendship? this debut novel unforgettably shows how far one woman would go to protect either.

They couldn’t be more different, but they form a friendship that will alter both their fates. When Ali Mather blows into town, breaking all the rules and breaking hearts (despite the fact that she is pushing forty), she also makes a mark on an unlikely family. Almost against her will, Jeanne Cross feels drawn to this strangely vibrant woman, a fascination that begins to infect Jeanne’s “perfect” husband as well as their teenaged son.

At the heart of the friendship between Ali and Jeanne are deep-seated emotional needs, vulnerabilities they have each been recording in their diaries. Ali also senses another kind of vulnerability; she believes someone has been entering her house when she is not at home—and not with the usual intentions. What this burglar wants is nothing less than a piece of Ali’s soul.

When a murderer strikes and Jeanne’s son is arrested, we learn that the key to the crime lies in the diaries of two very different women . . . but only one of them is telling the truth. A chilling tour of troubled minds, The Liar’s Diary signals the launch of an immensely talented new novelist who knows just how to keep her readers guessing.

And now, here are Patry’s words, which I lifted off her blog: “Though my novel deals with murder, betrayal, and the even more lethal crimes of the heart, the real subjects of THE LIAR’S DIARY are music, love, friendship, self-sacrifice and courage. The darkness is only there for contrast; it’s only there to make us realize how bright the light can be. I’m sure that most writers whose work does not flinch from the exploration of evil feel the same.”

Ready to buy the book? Why not buy one for yourself and one for a friend? And if you like it, tell people!

Here are links to THE LIAR’S DIARY at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Powell’s. You can also buy directly from Penguin to save 15% (after you add the book to your cart, just enter the word PATRY in the coupon code field and click ‘update cart’ to activate the discount).

For a list of the other authors taking part, see LitPark. It’s a privilege being in your company.

Diane

January 22, 2008 | News

Voting starts today for your favorites among the Brava Novella contest finalists, all by would-be Brava authors.

There’s some great writing over there!

Diane

January 18, 2008 | News, Quirky notions

Hullo, friends!

I’m blogging today over at Brava Authors about how to find hot fun in the wintertime. Please stop by, if you want to hear some good suggestions!

Diane

January 17, 2008 | News

Unfortunately, due to circumstances far beyond my control, this Saturday’s booksigning at Waldenbooks in Hendersonville must be cancelled. I am truly, truly sorry about this and wish I could see you in person. However, if you send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to Binnie Syril Braunstein, my publicist, at the address below, I’d be glad to send you an autographed bookplate – or two or three, if you’d prefer – as your personal, long-distance booksigning.

Binnie Syril Braunstein
7504 Labyrinth Road
Baltimore, MD 21208-4517

Please keep checking my website for information about future personal appearances. I’ll be joining six other authors at Barnes & Noble in Bethesda on Sunday, Feburary 10th for a pre-Valentine’s Day booksigning. I’ll also be in Pittsburgh on April 17th-19th for the Romantic Times convention, Cleveland on June 6th-8th with Lori Foster’s readers’ group, and Olive Hill, Kentucky on September 18th-21st for Lora Leigh’s RAW 2008. Of course, I’ll visit San Francisco in July for RWA’s literacy booksigning.

All the best to you and yours –

Diane

January 4, 2008 | News, The stories

Hey, I’m blogging today at The Idea Boutique about Jean-Marie St. Just, master spy, assassin and faithful lover, who’s the hero of BOND OF FIRE.

Please stop by and check it out if you get a chance!

Diane