By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills Curious about what it’s like to live with a writer? This week I decided to have my husband interviewed for his perspective. I admit waiting for his answers caused my heart to head into overdrive. How honest would he be? Would I have to eliminate him in my next novel? But his answers were fun to …
5 Ways Life Challenges Can Change and Grow Us
By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills As a novelist, one of my jobs is to show character change and growth. This is a process that takes the entire book to accomplish. A character is challenged by life, and he/she can choose to open the door to solve a problem or slam it shut. A hero or heroine grabs hold of life and …
October 16, National Dictionary Day
By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills October 16 was National Dictionary Day. Are you a word lover? Next to coffee and shoes, words are my favorite obsession. I value learning their meanings, how to spell them, and use them. Words are my addiction I can be who I want to be From a queen to a knight To an owl in flight. …
How Cooking Makes Me a Better Writer
By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills I love to cook and bake. It’s relaxing, satisfying, and hopefully the results are tasty. I’ve discovered my passion for writing has a lot in common with food prep. In fact, cooking makes me a better writer. Look at the following, and I think you’ll understand what I mean. Decide on a recipe Just like I …
7 Ways To Stomp out Perfectionism and Embrace Acceptance
By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills A perfectionist is seldom satisfied with her performance, and she’s rarely pleased with other’s accomplishments either. Some say it’s the way the person is wired, or how the person was raised, educated, and a host of other reasons, which are really excuses for an attempt to step out of the human DNA. None of us are …
Spreading the Word about Fav Books
By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills As readers, many of us finish a novel or nonfiction book and post a review on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, CBD, Goodreads, LifeWay, Mardel, etc. In addition to reviews, many of us post our opinions about a title on social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. Still others choose word of mouth to recommend …
Swapping Snake Stories
By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills Last week, I was a guest at a book club of a special group of ladies who read my books and encourage me. These ladies are grandmothers and great grandmothers, full of life and dear friends. If you suffer from Ophidiophobia, read no further. As a kickoff to the evening, one of the ladies prepared a …
5 Things I Learned at New York’s Central Park
By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills New York City is a beautiful city filled with wonder, adventure, entertainment, many cultures, and the real estate that goes straight up. Visiting New York is always a treat, and this 8 day trip exceeded my expectations. My destination was ThrillerFest, a comprehensive learning and networking with writers working on all levels of their career. When …
Things Mothers Said About Writing
By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills Our mothers are notorious for giving us advice about life. Sometimes their guidelines are appreciated and sometimes not so much. The older we grow, the smarter our mothers become. Quotes from mothers play an inspiring role in the lives of writers, and I think you might enjoy a few. “My mother had a great deal of …
When All We Can Do is Laugh
By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills Two weeks ago, I co-directed the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writer’s Conference in North Carolina. Edie Melson and I worked hard all year with our assistants to ensure conferees and faculty valued the conference. We enjoyed a spectacular week. But two weeks before, everything seemed to head downhill. Speaking events and book signings are fun. But …