Awesome Romance Author Diane Burton
Looking for a great romance author to read?
This week my guest is fellow Wild Rose Press author Diane Burton. Diane is my first featured author who writes both romantic suspense and science fiction. Today she talks about facing rejection, her romantic suspense, One Red Shoe, which is celebrating its 3rd birthday, and her new book Mission to New Earth. She is also offering my lucky readers a chance to win a $10 Amazon gift card. You will find the entry form at the end.
So please welcome Diane Burton…
It’s a pleasure to be here, Zara. I love visiting a fellow The Wild Rose Press author.
Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
I live near the west coast of Michigan with my husband of 43 years. We have 2 children and 3 grandchildren. After moving around the Midwest following Hubs’ job, we finally settled close to our daughter and 2 of the grandchildren. Our other family lives in Phoenix, so we visit them in the winter. Leaving snowy Michigan for Arizona is so hard. LOL
What interesting jobs have you had?
My daughter and I learned sign language because a deaf child was in her 1st grade class. Subsequently, I became a substitute teacher in the deaf education classes. As the only non-musician, I worked as a data entry clerk in a flute store (which sold flutes and flute music). Along with being a long-time volunteer, I worked for the Girl Scout council as (again) a data entry clerk. My last job before retirement was as a technician in the Land Department of an oil and gas company.
Can you tell us about your challenges in getting your first book published?
Does the word rejection sound familiar? After ten years of serious writing, I sold my first book, a science fiction romance, to a small niche publisher. That book was released two weeks before September 11, 2001. More rejections, then Life interfered. In 2011, I self-published my first book in digital form. Since then, I’ve self-published eight more books (2 PI mysteries; 6 science fiction romances). I also published a romantic suspense with The Wild Rose Press. Tomorrow is One Red Shoe’s book birthday.
How did you come up with the title?
That was the easier title to come up with. Originally, the first sentence was “The man limping toward her wore one red shoe.” The story started as a writing exercise during a writers’ meeting. Much changed, especially after I went to NYC and rode the subway. The romantic suspense is a road trip with the heroine rescuing a wounded spy who’s being chased by hit men for the Russian mafia.
Will you have a new book coming out soon?
I just released Mission to New Earth, a science fiction romance novella about astronauts preparing to go on a one-way trip to explore a new planet for Earth’s inhabitants before our world is destroyed.
Do you have any advice to give to aspiring writers?
To quote the movie Galaxy Quest, never give up, never surrender. The difference between those who write and those who are published boils down to perseverance. You have to finish the book and submit it.
Is there anything that you would like to say to your readers and fans?
I am so thrilled that readers have found my books. I hope they have enjoyed the adventure and, at the end, let out a sigh of satisfaction. I do hope that if readers like my books they will leave a review. Or even if they don’t like it, still leave a review. I can always learn.
Thanks so much for having me here, Zara.
Happy 3rd Birthday to One Red Shoe
One Red Shoe by Diane Burton
Adventure and romance…in this world and beyond
It Happened One Night meets Knight and Day
When elementary teacher, Daria Mason, left Iowa for a writers’ conference in New York City, she didn’t expect to come home with a wounded spy. Sam Jozwiak works for a shadow agency that gathers intel vital to U.S. security. From the moment he steals digital files from a Russian Mafia kingpin, Murphy’s Law takes over. No matter how he covers his tracks, the kingpin’s assassins find him. What’s worse than getting shot in the butt? Accepting help from an Iowa tourist. Thus, begins a road trip that takes Sam and Daria cross country with the assassins right behind them.
Excerpt:
For the second time in her life, Daria Mason came face-to-face with a man pointing a weapon at her. A pervert, with unzipped jeans, wielded a green box knife. Because she’d raced into the restroom without checking out the situation, he now stood between her and the exit.
She was at the end of the proverbial rope. After walking in circles, she finally found a restroom and nobody was stopping her from using it. Especially not someone playing copycat with that guy in the movie who wore one red shoe.
“I am having a really bad day,” she declared in the don’t cross me voice she used on her brothers. As soon as her words echoed off the hideous pink and black tiled walls and floor, she lowered her voice. “You are in the wrong place, mister. Now zip up and get out.” She pointed straight-armed toward the door.
The man shook his head and set the flimsy knife on the counter. “Lady, you have more guts than sense. You are in the wrong place, at the wrong time.” His voice was even softer as hers. He eyed her with a look so dark and intense it paralyzed her like a hawk froze its prey.
TWRP ~ Amazon ~ iTunes ~ Kobo ~ Barnes & Noble ~ ARe
Mission to New Earth by Diane Burton
Earth’s overpopulation and dwindling resources force the United Earth Space Agency to ramp up exploration of new planets for a possible new home. As Sara Grenard and her team prepare for launch, are they ready for the one-way trip? Will they be in time to save Earth’s inhabitants?
Amazon ~ Kobo ~ iTunes ~ ARe ~ Smashwords ~ Barnes & Noble
About the Author
Diane Burton combines her love of mystery, adventure, science fiction and romance into writing romantic fiction. Besides the science fiction romance Switched and Outer Rim series, she is the author of One Red Shoe, a romantic suspense, and the Alex O’Hara PI mystery series. She is also a contributor to two anthologies: Portals, Volume 2 and How I Met My Husband. Diane and her husband live in West Michigan. They have two children and three grandchildren.
For more info and excerpts from her books, visit Diane’s website: http://www.dianeburton.com
Blog: http://dianeburton.blogspot.com/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/dmburton72
Facebook: http://facebook.com/dianeburtonauthor
Goodreads: Diane Burton Author
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/dmburton72/
Amazon author page: http://amzn.com/e/B00683MH5E
Sign up for Diane’s newsletter: http://eepurl.com/bdHtYf
Diane Burton’s $10 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway
Your books sound very interesting, Diane! Best wishes from a fellow rose and Wisconsinite.
Thanks, Ilona. I’m waving across Lake Michigan to you. 😉
Wonderful interview, Ladies! Your books sound intriguing, Diane. Wishing you continued success. 🙂
Thanks so much, Mary.
Hi, Diane. Greetings from Atlantic Canada. And, yes, I agree with Lucy. Diane knows a lot about sticking with it! Miss my mid-Michiganders! Say “hi” to everyone for me.
Thanks, Nancy. So good to hear from you. Any of us (you included Nancy & Lucy) who’ve been around for a while know about perseverance. Not giving up is essential to getting published. We earn our “stripes” by keeping at it. Each book we write, whether published or under the bed, is practice. The more we practice the better we get at it. Best wishes, Nancy. We miss you, too.
Diane is an excellent example of perseverance and an inspiration to all the writers who know her! Best wishes with your new release, Diane.
Lucy, you are so kind. I could be just stubborn. LOL Thanks for your good wishes.
Thanks for having me here today, Zara. And thanks for showcasing my books.