An Interview With Dianne Harman
Tell us a little about yourself.
I’ve had a checkered background. I owned national antique and art appraisal business for several years. I became somewhat disenchanted with people who defined their worth by how much “stuff” they had so I opened two yoga studios. A few years after that my husband became quite active in politics and was in the California Legislature for twelve years. I sold the yoga business and divided my time between Sacramento and Huntington Beach, California, entertaining Governors, Legislators, and people associated with politics, so being an author is a relatively new career for me.
Use no more than two sentences. Why should we read your newest book?
It’s an interesting cozy mystery – murder, five suspects, a drug-sniffing dog, a lovable amateur sleuth who owns the town coffee shop and a romance involving the county sheriff.
How many books have you written? Tell us a little about each.
Six. Blue Coyote Motel, Coyote in Provence, and Cornered Coyote, while standalone novels, follow several characters as they deal with murder, aging, substance abuse, and love. Side stories involve Afghanistan issues, the mafia, a private investigator who readers tell me is one of their all-time favorites, food, etc. Tea Party Teddy and Tea Party Teddy’s Legacy deal with California politics. My latest novel, Kelly’s Koffee Shop, is the cozy mystery I referred to in the paragraph above.
When you were little, what did you want to be when you “grew up”?
It changed daily.
When did you know that writing was for you?
When I first started to write Blue Coyote Motel three years ago.
Do you have a current work in progress?
Yes. In a few weeks I’ll be publishing “Murder at Jade Cove.”
Are any of your characters based on real people?
Not per se, but I don’t think you can write without having some of the people you know in your characters.
While you were writing, did you ever feel as if you were one of the characters?
No, but they became very real to me and dictated where the story went. When I write it’s kind of like reading a novel at the same time.
What is the hardest part of writing for you?
Waiting for beta readers and editors to return the works!
When you aren’t working and writing, what else do you like to do?
I love to cook and read. I think one of the main reasons I’m settling on cozy mysteries is because I can incorporate my love of cooking and eating into my books and I even share recipes!
What’s a good book that you’ve read recently?
I’m really enjoying “A Dead Husband” by Anna Burke.
Is there any advice you would give to aspiring writers out there?
Yes. The same advice that was given to me. Write as much as you can. As soon as you finish one, start another one. Your writing will improve with each one!
GIVEAWAY!
Do you want to win an ebook (Nook or Kindle, your choice) of Kelly’s Koffee shop? Just comment on this post by January 25th and you’ll be entered to win!
Kelly’s Koffee Shop (A Cedar Bay Cozy Mystery) (Volume 1)
- Series: A Cedar Bay Cozy Mystery
- Paperback: 152 pages
- Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (November 8, 2014)
- ISBN-13: 978-1503015630
Synopsis:
Kelly pulled into the harbor parking lot next to the pier and noticed that Amber’s car wasn’t in its usual place and there was no sign of her. She was usually standing at the door of Kelly’s Koffee Shop, waiting for Kelly to open up. Wonder what that’s all about, she thought. The local residents of Cedar Bay come to Kelly’s Koffee Shop for breakfast, lunch, and lots of gossip. Kelly serves it all up as she works to solve the murder of the high school Homecoming Queen. The townspeople can’t believe what has happened in their sleepy little Oregon seaside town. She identifies five prime suspects, but which one did it? Follow Kelly, her boxer dog, Rebel, and her boyfriend, Mike, the county sheriff, as they try to determine who the killer is in a murder that’s shocked the town.
Kelly’s Coffee Shop is a mouth-watering cozy mystery with recipes
Click Here to Purchase
About This Author
Dianne lives in Huntington Beach, California with her husband Tom, a former California State Senator, and is a frequent contributor to the Huffington Post.
Author Links
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/110409099727295696245/posts
Facebook Author Page: http://www.facebook.com/#!/AuthorDianneHarman
Contributor: Huffington Post
Amazon: http://ow.ly/s6pN5
Smashwords: http://ow.ly/u4Fb2
Web Site http://www.DianneHarman.com
Blog: http://dianneharman.com/blog/
Twitter: @DianneDHarman
Tour Participants
January 15 – Kelly P’s Blog – Guest Post
January 16 – MysteriesEtc – Review, Giveaway
January 17 – deal sharing aunt – Interview, Giveaway
January 18 – Michele Lynn Seigfried’s Blog
January 19 – Booklady’s Booknotes – Guest Post, Giveaway
January 20 – Brooke Blogs – Review, Guest Post, Giveaway
January 21 – A Blue Million Books – Interview, Giveaway
January 22 – Omnimystery News – Interview
January 23 – Community Bookstop – Review, Giveaway
January 24 – 3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, & Sissy, Too! – Guest Post, Giveaway
January 25 – off
January 26 – Latte’ Da! – Guest Post
January 27 – Melina’s Book Blog – Review, Guest Post, Giveaway
January 28 – off
January 29 – Mochas, Mysteries and Meows – Review, Interview, Giveaway
January 30 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – Review, Giveaway
