DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills Understanding personalities takes work and patience. Characters are like us—unique individuals whose preferences and life experiences determine our behavior and personality. Most of us recognize a character as an introvert or extrovert, but do we know to what extreme? Is the character a little introverted or a lot? Are they a friendly extrovert or an over-the-top, people-person?

By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills Writers spend hours, weeks, months, and sometimes years working on behind-the-scenes research in writing a novel. I’m no different. The story must be so real to the readers that they block the outside world and become the character. Research involves thoroughly understanding the protagonist and antagonist. This includes how they live, earn a living, and react/respond

By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills I’m sooooo excited to announce my next romantic suspense, CANYON OF DECEIT, is coming September 9, 2025. Today I get to reveal the cover! If you love heart-pounding suspense set in West Texas, a gripping rescue mission, and a love story that sparks in the middle of danger, this story is for you!   Isn’t it

By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills I’m thrilled to welcome bestselling writer Lisa Harris to this month’s Author Spotlight!  Lisa Harris, a USA Today and CBA bestselling author, has penned over sixty novels and novellas, including Christian romantic suspense, medical thrillers, and psychological thrillers. Celebrated for crafting tight, adrenaline-fueled plots, she has sold nearly one and a half million books. Her accolades

By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills Have you considered what successful writers eat for breakfast? It must be The Breakfast of Champions, or are they just regular people with normal tastes? I posed this question to several writers, and wow, the surprising responses! I arranged this list from most popular to . . . different. Coffee: 15—This includes the coffee-only bunch. My

By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills I might be putting my life in my hands with this week’s blog post—but Ask Me Anything. This is a topic that several of you initiated when I asked for blog ideas. This week is for you! Submit your questions in the comments, and let’s have some fun. What is something you’ve always wanted to ask

By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills Welcome to Romantic Suspense Author Spotlight. I am pleased to feature Award Winning Breana Johnson! Breana Johnson once sat in on a med school class and answered a question that stumped all the students. The question had more to do with 70s folk music than medical knowledge, but she’s still proud of it. When she’s not

By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills “And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:32 ESV Several years ago, I traveled to Juba, Southern Sudan to research a series of books. During my time there, I stayed at an Episcopalian Compound. Instead of a tent by the Nile River, I opted for a closet-size room as my temporary

By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills If I don’t change and grow into a better person when writing a story, I’ve failed —not just the characters, but also the storyline, my readers, myself, and the God who gifted me with the ability to write. My characters help me see life from a new perspective, offering deeper insights into how others live in

By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills Before diving into the differences between Christian and general market suspense, let’s first define a suspense novel. A suspense novel uses highly developed characters, excitement, real or imagined fear, anxiety about something potentially violent, and high stakes to create an emotionally charged experience for the reader. The fast-paced stories use literary techniques to keep the character’s