Love and Danger: Why Romance and Suspense Are a Perfect Match

By DiAnn Mills @DiAnn Mills Love and danger have caught the reader’s attention since the beginning of time. Storytellers gathered faithful listeners around a crackling fire and told stories that caused others to tremble with danger and swoon with romance. The match seems perfect, but why does it work? The following parts of a novel show why love and danger …

Inspiring Readers

By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills I am a storyteller. My purpose is to create stories that engage and entertain the reader. I believe a story should breathe life into the reader with a message that helps navigate the unpredictable waters of life. Within the elements of my story, my characters, plot, dialogue, emotion, and setting together weave a message that inspires …

Cooking Up a Story

By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills I like to cook and bake almost as much as I love writing. Spending time in the kitchen is relaxing, satisfying, and hopefully the results are tasty. I’ve discovered my passion for writing has a lot in common with food prep. Cooking makes me a better writer. Look at the following comparisons; I think you’ll understand …

20 Reasons to Read Fiction

By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills Has anyone ever said to you that reading fiction is a waste of time, money, and brain matter? That’s hogwash! Yes, I’m passionate about fiction, and here’s why! To enjoy an entertaining adventure for readers. To learn about the world and people in an unthreatening environment. To be encouraged in our own lives by characters overcoming …

April 27 – National Tell a Story Day

By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills Tuesday, April 27 is National Tell a Story Day. Listeners, readers, and writers share a bond—we love a wonderful story. For centuries we’ve been thrilled with character and plot in a world that is often different from our own. Our imaginations explode when stories come to life. Stories help us see a reflection of ourselves. Since …

The Boy Who Cried Christmas

DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills Guest Post by Dennis Bailey @DennisBailey Hello, I’m Dennis Bailey and I’m the author of The Boy Who Cried Christmas. I’d like to thank DiAnn for inviting me to be a guest on her blog and for giving me this opportunity to spotlight my latest Christmas novel. It’s the story of a skeptical young boy swept back …

High School Student Wins Flash Fiction Competition!

DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills While teaching a creative writing class to a group of high school students, I challenged them to write a flash fiction story. Sam won the competition. Sam is a junior at Colonel Crawford High School in Ohio. After graduation, she plans to study forensics and hopeful for a career in that field. She is active in National …

Are You Cut Out to Write a Novel?

By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills We’ve all wondered if we’re cut out to write a novel. We experience an unusual or exciting event and ask ourselves, “Could I write a story about this?” Sometimes we dwell on it for days, weeks, months, and even years, still asking ourselves the same question. Why not take a novelist writing quiz to see if …

7 Reasons We Love Stories

By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills Thousands of stories are released each year. So many wonderful and amazing books, and we’ll never be able to read them all. But we try. What’s the fascination for story? Why do we crave the next novel and the next? Here are 7 reasons we love story. Entertainment is the number one reason we love story. …

What are You Afraid of?

Guy Gourley @DiAnnMills My guest blogger today is Guy Gourley, a good friend, and excellent writer. Recently, I was sitting with my writing coach, DiAnn Mills at a local Panera as she sipped on her third cup of black java. We were going over my novel, which has taken years to complete. No wonder she needed that much caffeine. Thankfully, …