DiAnn Mills Interview

Q: Let me start with asking you to tell us a little bit about yourself.

A. I am passionate about two things in the world of publishing: writing books and teaching other writers how to polish their manuscripts through the Christian Writers Guild. Over fifty-five books published, and I find that hard to believe. Seems like yesterday when the first box of books arrived with my name on each one. I live in Houston with my husband, and we have three perfect grandchildren. When I’m not on the road, we have Mimi & Pops time.

Q: When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

A. Second grade! I wrote my first book on a Big Chief notebooks with a #2 pencil. In high school I thought I wanted to be a journalist. Reporting for a big New York newspaper was my dream. But writing novels have always been my passion. I’ve always spent hours daydreaming about characters and plot. I probably wouldn’t have ever written my first novel – which was published – unless my husband hadn’t pushed me.

Q: Could you give us the highlights of your professional writing career including how you got your first writing break? 

A. Back in 1996, my husband told me to stop saying I’d one day write a book, and just do it. He suggested I quit my job and see if I could get anything published within a year. I took him up on the challenge. During that year I had a short story, devotions, and articles published. My first book was released in 1998. I’ve been writing full time ever since.

Q: Would you tell us about your current book release?

The Chase is the first book in the Crime Scene: Houston series. It’s based on a solved cold case from Houston’s FBI files. I am fortunate to have Houston’s FBI read every word of this series to ensure FBI protocol. Because of the real case, I’m passionate about the book: it’s characters and the plot. Think the TV series: Cold Case meets Castle. 🙂

Here’s the book’s description:

To the FBI it’s a cold case. To Kariss Walker it’s a hot idea that could either reshape or ruin her writing career. And it’s a burning mission to revisit an event she can never forget. Five years ago, an unidentified little girl was found starved to death in the woods behind a Houston apartment complex. A TV news anchor at the time, Kariss reported on the terrifying case. Today, as a New York Times bestselling author, Kariss intends to turn the unsolved mystery into a suspense novel. Enlisting the help of FBI Special Agent Tigo Harris, Kariss succeeds in getting the case reopened. But the search for the dead girl’s missing mother yields a discovery that plunges the partners into a witch’s brew of danger. The old crime lives on in more ways than either of them could ever imagine. Will Kariss’s pursuit of her dream as a writer carry a deadly price tag? Drawing from a real-life cold case, bestselling novelist DiAnn Mills presents a taut collage of suspense, faith, and romance in The Chase.

Q: Where did you get your inspiration for The Chase?

A: The Media Coordinator at Houston’s FBI and I became friends when I wrote a previous book. I shared my desire to write a realistic series and she suggested solved cold cases. The fiction portion came with my hero’s job, and that’s all my imagination.

Q: What is the main thing you hope readers remember from this story?

A: Children are our most precious treasure and they need to be nurtured and protected. The legacy we leave behind is how we impacted the next generation.

Q: What is your favorite scene/chapter from the book?

A: I had to think about this because a writer’s heart goes into every scene. I’d say the scene where my heroine believes she’s facing death and my hero is two steps ahead of her.

Q: What inspires you to write? 

A. Passion for story: characters who pursue their wants, needs, and goals while growing within a plot line. I strive to entertain, inspire, and encourage readers to reach for their own goals. My daily challenge is to create the unpredictable while diving deeper into characterization.

Q: How has being a published novelist differed from your expectations of the profession? 

A: I don’t think I realized it would be so hard! Every book is a challenge for me to write a more unforgettable character and twist the plot.

Q: What advice or tips do you have for writers who are just getting started?

A: Pursue excellence by studying the craft: taking classes, attending conferences, and never settling for mediocre writing.

1. Study the how-to books. And reread them.
2. Read the books written by the writers whom they admire and respect.
3. Pray for guidance.

Q: Would you share with us what you are working on now? 

A. Book 2 in the Crime Scene: Houston Series: The Survivor. This book is based on another solved cold case from the Houston FBI. It has a haunting plot. The exciting part of this book is that the victim survived!

Q: What is something your readers might be surprised to learn about you? 

A. I can’t wear a watch or headphones. Have too much electricity in my body. So I’d like to think I have an electrifying personality. 🙂

Q: When you’re not writing what do you like to do? 

1. I mentor writing students through the Christian Writers Guild Craftsman program.
2. Grandkids! My husband and I spend as much time as possible with these special little people.

Q: Anything else you’d like to tell or share with us?  

A. I am committed to excellence and strive to create stories that entertain, inspire, and encourage my readers. This is my purpose, my calling. I want my readers to end the book and realize they can do something they never thought possible.