Dianne Hartsock: Interview and Contest

Today we have an interview with author Dianne Hartsock who will give her book Shelton's Promise to one lucky winner who comments, listing your favorite romantic character between now and July 31st. Don't forget to include your email address in your comment OR send your email address to me at Jocelyn (at) JocelynModo (dot) com.

Welcome, Dianne!

Thanks for having me as your guest today, Jocelyn.

Dianne, can you tell us about your books and how you come up with your ideas?

Shelton in Love

Breathless Press: http://www.breathlesspress.org/Book/291

Shelton is falling hard for his best friend and roommate, finding Nevil’s dark good looks and moments of gentleness almost impossible to resist. But Nevil is more interested in affairs of the body than the heart. As Shelton’s desire for the man grows, he wonders if he can change Nevil’s mind. But does he even want to? Nevil might not stay, once he learns Shelton’s secret, and then his loneliness would be complete.

Shelton’s Promise

Breathless Press: http://www.breathlesspress.org/Book/345

Shelton has a gift he’s eager to give to Nevil. At a party, Nevil flirts with one man after another, keeping Shelton on his toes. Then Percy, an ex, shows up to complicate things. Despite his best efforts, Shelton can’t find the right moment to give Nevil his gift. Will Nevil ever let Shelton get close to him, or will Shelton have to keep the gift in his pocket all evening?

I came up with these stories last summer. My husband and I had taken a trip to Glacier National Park. Beautifully romantic trip, but the long drive through the Idaho desert would have done me in, if it wasn’t for my sometimes naughty imagination.

I’d recently written a short ghost story, The Trials of a Lonely Specter (MuseItUp Publishing, due out this fall) and I began to wonder what my two men had done when they were alive. How had they met? Who would they be in the new story taking shape in my mind?

Nevil came first. Handsome, sexy, witty. Do you know the song The Last Of The Famous International Playboys by Morrissey? That’s my Nevil.

And who would be special enough to win his heart? Someone shy and beautiful, unsure yet alluring in his own way. Definitely a temptation. Lovely Shelton. I started plotting the story out, and wrote them as soon as we arrived home.

ALEX

Solstice Publishing: http://bitly.com/liLUSG

Severely abused as a child, he is left with horrible scars on his body and even worse scars within his mind. Even though it puts him in danger, he’s compelled to help those who call to him. He’s driven, motivated by his visions to rescue them and uncover the killer. When he can, he helps the police; yet some detectives suspect he’s the cause of the problem, not the solution. Often, Alex finds himself alone and afraid in a world he doesn’t always comprehend.

With Alex, I again based the MC on a character I’ve written for a fantasy/adventure story I’m working on. I fell in love with this character and wondered what would happen to him if he were placed in modern times. Who would befriend him? Who would fall in love with him? Would anyone believe he was psychic, or think he was simply insane? It was an intriguing, complex story to write, often heartbreaking. But I enjoyed the process all the same.

What are your favorite scenes to write and why?

My favorite scenes are the ones where my characters are at their most vulnerable; when we get to see inside them, learn what they’re made of. These are the most difficult scenes for me to write, simply because I have to feel what they’re feeling before I can put it down on the paper. Some of the emotions aren’t nice. Often they make me cry. But I love when I’m finished and can take a deep breath and know I’ve written something meaningful.

Do you check out reader reviews on your books or keep, keeping on writing?

The first few days after a story is published, I check for reviews obsessively. Then I settle down to just a few times a day. J I guess you can say I’m a nervous writer. I write for a while, then roam the Internet for a break, then get back to my MS. That’s when I check all my social sites and also check up on my books.

Do you listen to music while you write? If so, what do you listen to?

Oh yes! I can’t get anything done in a quiet house. Mostly I listen to Pandora on the computer. There are no advertisements and I don’t have to change a CD. On my play list I have Wintersleep, Placebo, Rogue Wave, Snow Patrol, Silversun Pickups, Arcade Fire, Matt Pond, etc.

What advice would you give to a new author?

You have to believe in yourself before anyone else will. Work hard. Learn your craft. Always follow your heart when it comes to your writing. When you sit down to write, take a deep breath. Don’t think about how anyone else would write the scene. Forget about all the advice you’ve been given. Simply write the words as they come to you. It’s the best way to find your own unique writer’s voice. You can work on the editing later.

Are you working on anything new right now?

I’m currently working on the third book in my ‘Shelton’ series. I have it half-way done and the rest loosely plotted out in my head. It’s finding the time to write it that’s the difficult part!

I’m also finishing up another m/m erotica, this time a fantasy. I’m on my second round of edits, so I’m close to being done.

Ok, enough of the hard stuff. How about some fun questions? Vanilla, Chocolate, or Kinky? ;)

Vanilla. Sweet and sticky. J

What’s your favorite kind of gum?

I like the first minute of chewing spearmint gum, then I have to spit the wad of rubber out.

Are you a cat or dog person?

Cats! I love their arrogance.

Who would win a fight between an astronaut and a caveman?

A caveman, definitely. All he’d have to do is pull the hose from the astronaut’s air tank and the astronaut would suffocate before he even had a chance to fight.

What is the last book you read?

What the Night Knows by Dean Koontz. Terrifying and horrible and deliciously scary. Koontz always delivers a happy ending, which helps me get through the bad things that happen in his books.

What is your favorite movie?

9 by Tim Burton and Timur Bekmambetov. It’s about a man who splits his soul into 9 parts to save mankind. The care and gentleness and love with which the characters treat each other touches my heart.

Dianne Hartsock's Blog  |  Facebook  |  Twitter: @diannehartsock


Thanks so much for letting the Meta Modo grrrls get to know you better today. I for one can't wait for your new books to be released.

Love, light, and laughter!
Jocelyn Modo