Diana Rubino Writes Biographical Historical Romance
Welcome author Diana Rubino. I love biographical historical fiction. Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and your writing life?
My passion for history and travel has taken me to every locale of my books and short stories, set in Medieval and Renaissance England, Paris, Egypt, the Mediterranean, colonial Virginia, New England, Washington D.C. and New York. I’m a member of the Richard III Society and the Aaron Burr Association. My husband Chris and I own CostPro, an engineering firm based in Boston.
Is there an event in your life that affected you as a writer?
Not one event; when I was a kid, I began writing short stories, and realized how much I enjoyed it. My journalism professor encouraged me to write my first novel.
Is writing something that comes easy to you or not?
It gets easier the more I get involved with the people in the story; as in real life, I get to know them better, and care about them. Writing about people I care about makes it much easier.
What do you do when you are not writing?
In my spare time, I bicycle, golf, play my piano, devour books of any genre, and spend as much time as possible living the dream on Cape Cod.
Do you have an unusual hobby?
I like to visit historical sites and imagine myself in long-ago times.
What are some of your favorite things?
I never fail to eat cereal for breakfast every day. I got hooked on curry when living in London, and as a vegetarian, I enjoy all vegetables. Dirty rice is another favorite. My favorite fragrances are lilac and honeysuckle, from buying solid perfume sticks from an Avon lady when I was about 10.
What interesting jobs have you had? How have those jobs affected your writing?
My very first job from age 5 to 10 was as a child model. I modeled fashions for catalogs such as Sears and JC Penney, and I appeared on the Wonderama TV show in a fashion show. That was my favorite TV show as a kid, it was a huge big deal for me to appear on it as a model.
My very first novel was about a woman who becomes the CEO of a brokerage firm, because my first ‘real’ job out of college was with a brokerage firm. I found it very sexist (this was the early 80s). It never was published, and I’m glad about that; I still needed to hone my craft quite a bit.
What was the most interesting place you ever visited?
My favorite place in the entire world is Westminster Abbey because the energy that place holds is captivating. I’m almost in a trance when I roam through there, marveling at its thousand-year history.
Do your travels influence your writing?
Yes, I’ve set books in many places I’ve visited: England, Egypt, the Mediterranean, Paris, and many cities on the East Coast—New York; Salem, Massachusetts; and Revolutionary and Civil War sites.
Where is your favorite place to write?
Here at my computer. My windows face west and I get beautiful sunsets.
When did you first start writing and when did you finish your first book?
I started writing short stories when I was about 7 or 8, and finished my first novel in 1981, after my journalism professor encouraged me, and sent me a list of many how-to books, some of which I still have. They’re now heirlooms.
How did you choose the genre you write in?
I’ve always had a passion for history, especially the Plantagenets and Tudors, and any era of American history. I’ve also written a few other genres: a vampire romance, and an urban fantasy. But historicals are my favorite.
Where do you get your ideas?
I read about fascinating folks who have made a difference in the world, and choose the one that strikes my fancy to write about at that moment. But my books include many historical figures, and sometimes I have them meet in my stories, although they never met in real life.
How much research do you do for each book you write?
I read as much about each person and era as possible, and visit those places I write about. I try to contact experts and scholars about each person; I’ve been very fortunate to have met some very learned experts about most of the people I’ve written about. I’ve also joined historical societies, such as the Richard III Society, the Surratt Society, and the Aaron Burr Association.
Do you ever experience writer’s block?
I produce 2,500 words a day, good or bad, because I know I can go back and edit.
Is there any particular author or book that influenced you in any way either growing up or as an adult?
I have several favorite historical authors: Philippa Gregory, Margaret George, Alison Weir, Ron Chernow, Sharon Kay Penman, and many more. Growing up, I read A CROWN FOR ELIZABETH by Mary Luke, one of my favorites of all time.
What other genres of novel would you love to write?
I would love to write a cozy mystery series. Many of my books have murder mystery subplots.
Can you tell us about your challenges in getting your first book published?
I was probably the longest aspiring author to be published—18 years. I wrote my first novel after a dose of reality in the brokerage business. In the 80s, executive-level women were virtually nonexistent in the finance industry. My first novel was largely autobiographical, as most first novels are. Although my third and fourth novels came close to getting published with Harlequin, they didn’t quite make it.
Because I’m a huge history buff, I decided to write a historical, which became The Jewels of Warwick, set around Henry VIII and a fictional mistress. Jewels took 2 years to research and write, with no internet. This was 1990. It came very close to publication with several romance houses, but missed the mark for containing too little romance. When I finished Jewels, I scoured the history books for another legendary figure to write about. While I browsed the Cambridge Library stacks, a book snagged my eye. Lying, not standing, on the wrong shelf was Crown of Roses by Valerie Anand. It drew me like a magnet. Richard III is a central character in the story, and the author thanks’ the Richard III Society’ for helping her. Who’s this Richard III Society? I wondered.
Already hooked on Richard, his tragic death at 32 and his reputation as a usurper and a murderer of his little nephews, I joined this Richard III Society. So I joined up (through snail mail, no internet.)
As everyone else who has a story about how they ‘met’ Richard, he fascinated me. I’d found the subject of my next novel! And it tied in perfectly as a prequel to The Jewels of Warwick. Titled Thy Name is Love, it made the same rounds of publishers, remaining homeless after several rewrites and seven years.
But the miracle of the internet came to all of us. My first online experience was CompuServe’s Romance Forum in 1993. This led to meeting many authors who shared leads and their own writing journeys. In 1999, Lisa Hamilton, an author I’d met on the CompuServe Romance Forum, sent me a list of E-publishers, since E-publishing was new and quickly catching on. One of those publishers was Domhan Books, a British publisher who also did print.
When I heard back from them, I figured it was just another rejection, but it was an offer to publish my historicals, since Siobhan McNally, the owner of Domhan Books, was a huge Richard sympathizer. They also published print books, so I lived the moment I’d dreamed about—seeing my first book in print. This was 18 years after that first novel went out into the world.
If you had to go back and do it all over, is there any aspect of your novel or getting it published that you would change?
I would have hired a professional editor to go over it, as I did with my later books.
How do you market your work? What avenues have you found to work best for your genre?
I belong to many Facebook book promo pages, I do blog tours, and ask the local papers to review my books. I’ve appeared on a few ComCast TV shows, and have advertised in magazines.
Have you written a book you love that you have not been able to get published?
No, fortunately, they’ve all been published.
Can you tell us about any other upcoming books, series, or writing plans?
My next title to be released is about Edith (Mrs. Theodore) Roosevelt. I signed the contract and am awaiting a pub date.
Is anything in your book based on real life experiences or purely all imagination?
My very first novel, as are most first novels, was very heavily based on my experiences in the brokerage business. Now that I write about real people, I try to identify with the protagonists as much as possible, and seek to find where our experiences coincide.
What was your favorite chapter (or part) to write and why?
My latest book to be released is a time travel romance, first published in the mid-90s, and I gave it a complete overhaul and new title, NOW AND ALWAYS. My favorite part of the book is when the heroine Leah falls asleep in the bed once owned by King Richard III, which still stands in Donington-le-Heath Manor Home in Leicester, England. I visited the house and saw the bed, and just had to write a story about it. In the story, the bed sits on a Ley Line. Many Ley Lines crisscross England, on which strange occurrences can happen. In my story, she’s transported to 1485.
What would one of your characters say about your writing/book?
I would hope Leah, my heroine, would say I told her story thoroughly, and captured her emotions accurately. I hope she’d say I was accurate in detailing all the fear she experienced, and the joy of falling in love with Hugh, the hero.
How did you come up with the title?
NOW AND ALWAYS means they’re destined to be together, no matter what century they’re in.
What project are you working on now or what book will be next?
I’m still trying to decide who to write about next. I have a list a mile long as always.
Will you have a new book coming out soon? Do you know the release date?
I don’t have a date for the Edith Roosevelt book yet but the publisher told me it’s in the queue.
Are there certain characters you would like to go back to, or is there a theme or idea you’d love to work with?
I would like to write more about the Lincolns, the Washingtons, and the Tudors. The themes and ideas I love are free will vs. fate, the paranormal (mostly spirits), and time travel.
What has been the toughest criticism given to you as an author? What has been the best compliment?
Like every author on the planet, I get some nasty reviews. You can’t please everybody. The best compliments have been that readers enjoy my books taking them on journeys to the past, as if they’re really there. One man told me a scene in my novel BOOTLEG BROADWAY, where the protagonist’s wife dies, made him cry.
Do you have any advice to give to aspiring writers?
Yes, never give up on your dream, no matter what! Take writing classes and read your favorite authors.
Do you have a writing tip that has really helped you get published?
Show, don’t tell. Make the reader CARE about your characters. Always be very detailed about how they feel throughout the story.
Have you written non-fiction or children’s books? How has that influenced your fiction writing?
I wrote a novel about Oney Judge, Martha Washington’s ‘favorite servant’ who escaped, never to be captured. It did very well in the YA category, though I wrote it for adults, too. I try to write stories that will appeal to all age groups.
Do you have any websites, blogs, or books about writing that you would recommend?
Not one in particular; I browse online and always see websites and blogs that give writers advice. My favorite writing book is WRITING THE BREAKOUT NOVEL by Donald Maass. He also wrote a workbook, which I still use; it has questionnaires about your characters and about outlining and structuring your story.
Is there anything special that you would like to say to your readers and fans?
I’m so glad I’m able to entertain you, and hope you share my passion for history.
Do you have writing tip for other authors?
Don’t wait for the muse to show up, YOU must show up!
Crowned By Love: A 15th Century Historical Romance
by Diana Rubino
England, 1471. Adopted as a baby, Denys lives with her mother Elizabeth: queen and married to Edward IV.
Denys makes numerous attempts to uncover her true lineage, but each effort comes to an abrupt and tragic end. Queen Elizabeth metes out Denys’s ultimate degradation, when she marries her off to the ambitious Valentine Starbury.
As her feelings for Valentine bloom into love, can she finally discover the truth about her past?
Diana Rubino’s books are available from
Learn more about Diana Rubino
My stories are romances set against a backdrop of political upheaval, court intrigue, poverty, general drama of the surroundings, and sometimes a splash of the paranormal. What I’m trying to convey is that love can prevail no matter what the conflicts and obstacles, earthly or not.
I recently began writing biographical novels with no fictional characters.
I enjoy living in the most beautiful spot on Earth, my beloved Cape Cod.
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Thanks, Kim…I try to encourage writers whenever I can, from my lessons learned. Diana
Fascinating interview! Enjoyed getting to know you better, Diana!
Thanks, Mary! I enjoy sharing my stories! Diana
A lovely interview! Diana, you’re such an interesting lady! Cheers!
All the best!
Thanks, Anastasia, and so are you! Diana
Love the interview and your advice!