Special Guest Interview With Author Diana Rubino and Contest

From the Cover:
"Romance author Mona is human. Ship's doctor Fausto is a vampire. He can never be one of her kind and she's afraid to become one of his. As they sail the Mediterranean on writers' cruise, the couple is stalked by vampire hunters, and by Fausto's notorious ex-wife, Lucrezia Borgia. Events force Mona and Fausto team up with the hunters to capture Lucrezia, but where can they go from here? With Fausto's friend and Mona's editor vamping it up and a hunter on the loose, can this bloody good cruise have a happy ending?"


Hi Everyone! We're having a special post today with author Diana Rubino. I had the opportunity to spend some time with Ms. Rubino recently, and I'd like to share some of her thoughts with you.

How long have you been writing? How did you get started?

I started the first draft of my first novel at the end of 1982, when I was 25. I got started because I’d been writing short stories, hoping for publication in various magazines, when my former journalism prof from college, (we kept in touch after I graduated) urged me to write a novel instead. So I gave it a shot.

Tell us about the day you "Got the Call".

Since it was 18 years (yes, 18!) after writing my first novel, I’d daydreamed about that moment many times. It was an Email from the publisher who bought 4 of my books at once, and as I opened the message, I figured it was just another rejection. I almost fell off the chair, I was so surprised.

What genre(s) do you write in, and do you have pseudonyms?

I write historical and paranormal romances, and use my own name.

What was your first published work? How did you get that work published?

My first published work was my historical Thy Name Is Love, set in Richard IIIs time, and I queried several Epublishers about it, after querying many print publishers. The publisher who bought it, Domhan Books, also did print books, so it came out in print, too.

How many books have you published?

12, after my next one comes out.

What are you working on now?

A biographical novel about Alexander Hamilton. I’m keeping as close to the historical record as it will allow, and it has no fictional characters.

Where do your story ideas come from?

For the historicals, I pick an era I’m interested in and want to research more, and set my characters against the backdrop of whatever is happening during that time, i.e., the Tudors and Henry VIIIs court intrigue, the Civil War, Prohibition, etc.


I’m not a good ‘idea’ person, so I ask my husband and friends for ideas. Inspiration comes from what I’m interested in, mostly history and the paranormal. They provide the seeds for ideas.

When you start a new book, what do you start with? Do you have a character(s) in mind, a scenario, or a single scene?

I’ve only written one book that started with 3 characters, siblings, whom I’d fleshed out, with nothing yet to do. So because of who they were and their personalities, the plot grew around them. That worked out really well.
But I usually start with characters and a plot outline.

Do your characters come to you as fully formed personalities or do they require massaging to gain their personality?

No, it takes a long time to get to know them, just like getting to know people in real life. I make lists of traits, etc. but get to know them as the story progresses.

For you, what is the hardest part of writing a novel? Concept, Characterization, Plotting, Writing the story, Synopsis/Query letter writing, etc.

According to the rejections I always got (and still get), sometimes it’s characters, sometimes it’s the plotting. It’s hard to flesh out characters and make them come to life.

What influences your heroes?

Not any one thing; I just write about men I’d like to be with.

Do you have any amusing or inspiring stories you'd like to share?

I wrote a time travel about Richard III and his 2 brothers coming to modern times, which is a comedy, and I had a good time writing it. The idea for the entire story came when my crit partner and I tried to picture Richard in modern times blow drying his hair.
Also, my friend Joan Szechtman, also a time travel author, wrote a novel in which Richard comes to modern times, and in both our books (which we wrote before we ever knew each other) Richard gets caught in his zipper!


Do you have any advice or tips for new writers?

Believe in yourself, don’t ever give up, don’t take rejections personally, and be patient!
A career as a novelist isn’t something you can plan on, so don’t be shattered if things don’t turn out the way you’d planned. Getting published is a crapshoot, so be thankful for any encouragement you get from agents or editors.

Where can we buy your books?

At Amazon.com, at Barnes & Noble.com, and from my publisher, Eternal Press, www.eternalpress.ca.


Contest:

Ms. Rubino would like to giveaway one copy of her latest release (a tasty little treat), her time travel romance novel, Traveling Light. Leigh, the modern heroine, travels back to 1485 England and meets the love of her life. After several brushes with death, they manage to escape before he’s killed in the battle the history books say he fought in.

Ms. Rubino will be checking in throughout the day, so please leave a question or comment for her!!

For your main entry comment with your name and email and leave a question or comment or tell us why you love books.
For a second entry, blog this contest, tweet, facebook, etc. come back and tell us where.
For a third entry, follow Ms. Rubino's site, come back and comment to let us know.
Followers of my blog get an extra entry, just let me know if you're already following.

For more information about her books, please visit Diana Rubino at WWW.DIANARUBINO.COM, or her blog at www.DianaRubinoAuthor.blogspot.com

Thanks everyone and let the commenting begin!! Contest is open world wide! Contest closes 6-24-09, winner announced 6-25-09.