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Books, Diane Solomon author, Fiction, Romantic suspense novels

Another author interview question

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Another Author Interview Question

Here is another question I recently answered while promoting my new novel, “Eva; a riveting romantic suspense with a supernatural twist.” 

CHECK OUT EVA HERE

When you write a novel, are you a plotter? Or are you a seat of your pants writer?

I am definitely a plotter. I lay it all out in advance. First, I tend to brainstorm with my wonderful husband Mark Carey, and he’s a brilliant thinker and writer. Then as I’m getting down into the details, I scribble down the jist of each scene on a postcard, and then pin the cards up on a large corkboard. Then I can move the scenes around as needed to get the structure and pacing right. I spend a long time on character development, even down to drawing the family tree, deciding each character’s backstory, their likes and dislikes, what their tragedies were, etc. How they became who they are.

But then the real fun starts! When I write the first draft, I just let go of everything; I try not to edit myself in the first draft. And as I’m sinking more and more into each character, I find they take over my fingers on the keyboard or my voice as I’m speaking into the mic for voice recognition.

This is the part I love the most; they write the book to a great extent! If I’m deeply involved with the character, it is similar to acting (my first career was as a singer and actor in the UK). As I begin a scene, I know what is going to happen, in general, and what I need to achieve in that scene. But what the characters actually say, and the things they do is a continual surprise. It can be delightful! Sometimes I find I pull sharply out of the moment when something unexpected occurs. I read what I wrote and say out loud, “Oh that’s cool!” How to explain this? I get the distinct feeling that I’ve opened up a channel to some creative source out there in the universe. As if there is an ocean of creativity we can all access.

I hope I answered the question. I’m a plotter, but I let it rip and let it flow in the first draft. It is enormous fun!

 

 

Books, Diane Solomon author

Author interview questions

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Author Interview Questions

With all the promotion for my new novel, “Eva; a riveting romantic suspense with a supernatural twist,”  I have had a chance to answer some fascinating questions posed to me by book bloggers.

CHECK OUT EVA HERE

Is there any part of the story of Eva to which you relate, from your own life?

Absolutely. My first career was in show business in England. I was a singer, and songwriter, and actress, and had my own variety show on BBC television. Then I enjoyed another 15 years or so of traveling around the world entertaining. With that came a goldfish bowl that you have to experience to understand. It sounds glamorous: the TV appearances, the radio interviews, the press coverage, singing in front of people (I did love that!), the nice clothes, the money… But it comes with the price of a loss of privacy and space. In the first few years, when I was recognized all the time, I’d pop down to the grocery store, where people often felt free to make all kinds of strange comments like, “You’re not as pretty as you are on the television.” Or “You’re fatter than we thought you were.” Seriously.

Eva, the protagonist of the novel, keeps to herself, and tries to keep her magical gift a secret. When inevitably word gets out, she is undated by media and requests from around the world. Her life is no longer her own.  Although I have no magical gift (how I wish!) I think I relate to her loathing of attention from my show business experience.

Do you write to a schedule? Or do you write when you feel like it?

That’s a good question. I know most career authors work a certain amount every day whether the mood strikes them or not.  My writing is not structured in this way. I tend to be an all or nothing person, meaning when I do something I love I do it 125%. When I’m working on a book, whether on my own or with my husband Mark Carey, I tend to get on a roll. It’s hard for me to stop. Laundry doesn’t get done, the weeding doesn’t get done, I forget to eat. And I can write for hours, even in the middle of the night. I’ve never been very disciplined about following a routine; it might be better if I did. That’s what the little voice in my head tells me, in a chastening tone. But we are who we are, and we do things the way they work for us. And I had the time of my life writing Eva.

 

 

Book Reviews, Books, Diane Solomon author, Uncategorized

Goodreads Giveaway! Win “Eva,” Diane’s new novel

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Enter the Goodreads Giveaway to win Diane’s new novel, “Eva”

ENTER HERE

Release date: Jul 15, 2023
 
100 ebooks will be won of Diane’s new romantic suspense novel, “Eva.” A love story with a supernatural twist…
 
A novel full of heart, suspense, romance, and inspiration. For readers who love thoughtful women’s fiction from Barbara Delinsky, Kristin Hannah, or Patti Callahan Henry, or authors of magical realism such as Sarah Addison Allen, Menna van Praag, or Emily Colin.

ENTER HERE

Eva possesses a unique and powerful gift. But is it a curse?

Best-Selling Author Review: “I was captivated by Eva’s story and riveted to the end. Diane is a beautiful writer who has captured the essence of Eva’s unearthing of her true self. A story that is timeless. Bravo!” FROM: Laurie Seymour, M.A., twice #1 international best-selling author, host of Wisdom Talk Radio, Exec Coach, Founder/CEO of The Baca Institute.

Beta Reader review: “This book grabs you by the heart and doesn’t let go!”

~ For readers who enjoy Sarah Addison Allen, Emily Colin, Barbara Delinsky, or Kristin Hannah.

 

#romanticsuspense #bookgiveaweay #magicalrealism #healingtouch# healinghands #energyhealing #Goodreads #DianeSolomon #paranormalnovel #women’sfiction

Books, Diane Solomon author

New novel, “Eva,” to be published July 15th!

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“Eva,” Diane’s new contemporary women’s novel,  a deep love story with a paranormal twist, due out July 15th.

Pre-order on Amazon now! 99c for a month!   Click here

Eva possesses a unique and powerful gift. But is it a curse?

She plays down her beauty, to avoid attention. But it doesn’t work. She has a magnetic quality, a calm, a power of which she is unaware.

Never having known her father and having lost her mother when she was young, Eva believes she’s better off alone. She only connects deeply with animals, they are her first love. But another great love is on the horizon, along with other life-changing discoveries.

When they learn of her gift, the media jackals gather, and Eva is forced into the limelight she’s avoided all her life. Facing challenges at every turn, including her own inner demons, she must fight to protect, even embrace, her newfound ability.

But someone wants her dead.

Best-Selling Author Review : “I was captivated by Eva’s story and riveted to the end. Diane is a beautiful writer who has captured the essence of Eva’s unearthing of her true self. A story that is timeless. Bravo!” Laurie Seymour, M.A., twice a #1 international best-selling author, host of Wisdom Talk Radio, Executive Coach, international speaker and Founder/CEO of The Baca Institute.

Beta Reader review: “This book grabs you by the heart and doesn’t let go!”

~ For readers who are enchanted by the magical realism of Sarah Addison Allen or Emily Colin, or inspired by the thoughtful women’s fiction of Barbara Delinsky or Kristin Hannah.

Books, Diane Solomon author

Magical realism in my new novel, “EVA.”

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“Eva” to be published July 20!

What is Magic Realism?

Magical realism is a newish book genre, growing in popularity, that incorporates the paranormal in a very realistic way.  The author builds a real world for the reader, with magical or paranormal aspects that are treated as perfectly normal. So the line between fantasy and reality becomes blurred.

What fun, right?

My new novel, Eva,  incorporates elements of magical realism. Here’s a quick summary of the plot (without giving it all away!) :

Eva’s newfound ability might be a gift. Or a curse.

Never having known her father and having lost her mother when she was young, Eva believes she’s better off alone. She only connects deeply with animals. When, at age 26, she discovers that she can heal them, just through her touch, at first she’s amazed and thrilled.

But things change when she begins to heal humans as well. Soon, journalists start hounding her relentlessly. Next, her wealthy, manipulative father surfaces, with just one goal: to profit from her ability. Even the magnetic Michael, to whom she’s powerfully drawn, wants more from her than she’s willing to give.

Just as Eva’s beginning to open her heart to Michael, she’s accused online of being a “blasphemer” and “scam artist,” and hand-delivered death threats confirm someone wants to kill her. Forced into the limelight she’s avoided all of her life and facing challenges at every turn, Eva must fight to protect her newfound ability while also doing the most difficult thing of all: staying alive.

Eva offers a passionate love story, full of dark conflict and reversals, with the theme of our universal yearning for connection. Plus, it is loaded with heart. The reader will come away moved and satisfied.

Here are a few of the authors who write in the magical realism genre: Sarah Addison Allen, Menna van Praag, Emily Colin, Neil Gaiman, Toni Morrison, Alice Hoffman, Isabel Allende, Gabriel Garcia Marquez,  Angela Carter, Aimee Bender, and many more.

Read more about Magical Realism