By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills As a writer, I have a list of what I feel is vital for a woman to be a heroine in a romantic suspense novel. Determining who my female character is takes time and lots of thought. My criteria may not be what you expected. It’s not brains or beauty. It’s not an ivy-league education. It’s

By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills Many of you have asked me why I enjoy writing suspense. A recent interview answers that question for you along with why I view the process a rewarding challenge. Question: Suspense novels usually feature grittier scenes than other genres. In writing about crime scenes and killers, how do you write about them realistically without making your

By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills First of all, big accolades to everyone for the great entries from last week’s blog.  It was fun to see all the creative things people came up with based on the picture I supplied.  Are some of you now ready to continue your start and complete the adventure in story form? Here are the three randomly

By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills Tweet this: Once Upon a Time It wasn’t a dark and stormy night. Thunder didn’t rumble, and lightning didn’t streak across the sky. In fact, it was a summer day in Houston—99+ and the pool felt wonderful. My grandchildren and I were laughing, splashing, and enjoying Popsicles. “Mimi, will we always be able to swim in

By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills Tweet this: Work Hard Play Hard Last week, I was on faculty at the Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writers Conference at Ridgecrest, North Carolina. A beautiful conference center nestled in the Smoky Mountains. We had over 400 conferees. Wow! Lots of learning for fiction and nonfiction writers, taught by multi-published writers who are valued in the

By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills Tweet this: Vacation Magic Last week, husband and I spent six days in Estes Park, Colorado. We love the Rocky Mountain National Park, and often retreat there. We work at home, so unless we leave, we don’t have a break. We packed our coats, scarves, gloves, and hiking boots for a March getaway. Once in Estes

By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills Tweet this: Questions to Ask Before Getting Old I don’t recall taking a class in high school or college about what to ask myself before getting old. Psychology courses gave the textbook approach to ease our fears: this is what happens to the aging mind; what is lost, and what is retained. Frankly, I didn’t pay

By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills Tweet this: Nine Things NOT To Do When Tired Two weeks ago, I returned from a writer’s high: I taught at a conference and afterward was Edie Melson’s guest. For six days we worked on a book project titled The Author Roadmap – Navigating the Social Media Highway. Oh, every moment of the 8 days was thrilling.

By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills Tweet this: Favorite Quotes I love quotes—the echoes of life reflected into our world to admire, respect, contemplate, or simply enjoy. When words are arranged to pack a punch with insightful meaning, I’m excited and inspired.  I have favorites about life, family, friends, faith, and of course writing, and I’d like to share some of those

By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills Tweet this: Memory Makers My nine-year-old granddaughter and I are writing a fantasy book. We started January, 2015 and plan to be finished in March, 2016. The time spent together has added depth and meaning to our relationship while creating a memory-maker for both of us. This book was her idea, and I knew I was