By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills What a great way to start the work week with a national holiday that makes us smile. Even laugh! A key part of making today a success is all the fun things we can do. Life isn’t all about us but the joy we share with others. Choose today to be a blessing. Here are 10

By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills It’s July and the heat index is rising. Here in Houston, we’re looking at 100+ degrees and lots of humidity. Pool time and ocean beaches. I love it! Add a tall glass of cold lemonade or an iced tea, and I’m ready for some serious summer activities. But sometimes the heat drags us down, and that’s when

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.