Playing 20 Questions with Dianna Hardy!

Today I am joined by the lovely, Dianna Hardy . . . .

EM: Welcome to My World, Dianna! Thank you so much for stopping by to play twenty questions with me :-)

Before we begin, could you tell us a little about yourself?

Firstly, I have to apologise for how utterly boring this paragraph always is! My name is Dianna, I live in the UK, I've been writing ever since childhood, but got poetry published before I got stories published. I have a cute, witty and independent little 2 year old girl and a husband who does not like to read fiction, but loves to watch romantic comedies. I have been published by small presses, I self-publish too, and intermittently, I also publish other authors through my own imprint. I'm a Scorpio, a bit of a hermit, but once you get to know me, I've been known to be a little quirky in a fun way … which is a bit of a revelation, as I was never known as "fun" at school!

EM: Are you ready to play 20 questions? *Rubs hands together*


DH: *Laughs, nervously . . .*


 Which do you find harder to write?


1. First person POV or Third?

I write in both, but I find first person harder to write. Not sure why, I think my brain just doesn't work in the present very well, so I find the tenses harder to manage. Having said that, I do enjoy the challenge of writing in first person.

2. As a male or female?

Makes no difference to me.

3. Beginning, middle or end of the story?

The end of the story is the hardest for me, even though I want to reach it, there always seems to be some invisible barrier I have to overcome to get there.

4. Fight scenes or smex scenes?

Hmmmm … I find sex (smex) scenes harder to write, because it's such a personal thing for each individual reader. Some readers have never been in a physical fight in their lives, but everyone's had sex, so everyone relates to (or tries to relate to) the sex scene, and you want them to relate well, rather than close the book and never pick it up again.

5. Synopsis or blurb?

Synopsis … oh my God, I hate writing the synopsis, and I wonder if that's the main reason I self-publish nowadays rather than send to publishers!

EM: *Giggles* I really can't blame you for that. Synopsis make me want to cry.


As a writer, do you prefer:


6. Writing in the morning, afternoon or evening?

As a parent, I'm afraid I don't have much of a choice, and just write whenever I can! I'd prefer to have my whole day and night free to write, interspersed with as much coffee as I want, but instead I write in the mornings when she's at playschool, or at night when she's in bed and my husband can cope with my absence from the world. I used to think I wrote better at night, but the truth is that my mood changes and I can write well during the day too, but there's one golden rule: never before 10am!

7. Writing with music, or in peace?

Peace.

8. Planning, or Improvising?

Improvising for the most part, although there's some planning so that continuity errors can be avoided, but the planning always forms after the improvising.

EM: Ditto! ;-P

9. Juggling a few projects, or concentrating on one at a time?

Would love it be the latter, but it never is -- that parent thing again : )

10. Sticking to one genre, or exploring many?

I love exploring genres. I don't want to be a one genre author, or limit myself with that boundary.


As a reader, do you prefer:


11. Story being told from female view or male?

Male, but in real life I get on better with men than women anyway, so I always appreciate the male point of view. For the most part, I get what men think better than what women think!

12. Good guys or bad boys?

Both. Everyone loves a good bad guy, but a brave, slightly damaged good guy who will put the lady before himself is gold.

13. Feisty females or fragile damsels?

Feisty all the way.

14. Stand alone stories or series?

Both. Depends on the story. If there's a good plot I don't mind reading a series at all.

15. Quick reads or long stories?

Again, both. It has to be fast paced for me. I can't read a long novel if it's slow and boring. Something significant has to happen in every chapter to keep me interested.

16. Romance as a side dish or the main course?

Main course! But it has to have a good plot, usually paranormal : )

EM: *Loves Paranormal Romances* Amen-eth!


17. Erotica or soft romance or something in-between?

Anything from steamy romance to full out erotica, but again, a good plot is necessary for me. I like my plots as thick as what you find in mainstream fiction.

18. More action or humor?

Both please! I'm not sure I can choose one over the other …. Erm, maybe humour?


Just for fun:


19. Vampires or Angels?

No, no, don't do that! You can't make me choose – I'd have them both in my bed, and at the same time too!

20. Werewolves or Demons?

(see above answer)

EM: That is going to be one deliciously crowded bed . . .  ;-P

What are you currently working on?

I'm currently working on The Sands Of Time (Book Two of The Witching Pen Novellas). I've been working on this for a while actually, but I finally see an end to it! It's due out at the end of January, after having had a couple of delays (I'll NEVER set deadlines from September to December ever again, as there's too much that happens in my household during those months!)

Do you have any current release?

'Til Death Do Us Part (an adult retelling of The Little Mermaid) It's doing really well at the moment and has previously hit #51 in Amazon UK's Romance>Gothic section. I love fairy tales, so loved writing this modern version. There's a lot about it that I'm proud of actually – check out the book's website for more info : ) - http://thelittlemermaidretold.blogspot.com/

Blurb:

The day you get married, is supposed to be the happiest day of your life. Dreams are made of such things. But I forgot. I could blame the witch if I wanted to – in fact I did, for quite a while after – but the fault can only lie with me. Being with him made me so happy – so very, very happy – that I chose to forget. I chose amnesia. If I had had any foresight into how my flippant choice would ruin him, I would have saved him the heartbreak. I would have forfeited my knowing him, my own selfishness, lived forever in the pain of unfulfillment, if it meant he could be spared....

When you love someone so much that your heart aches without them in your life, would you give up everything you've ever known to be with them? Would you give up your identity?

This is exactly what Aria did. But her sacrifice comes at a great cost, with startling consequences. With no memory of her previous life, she's forgotten what she really is, and who she's left behind: a jealous, possessive God, who's finally found her, and will stop at nothing to keep her heart from ever straying again.

In this dark and erotically passionate retelling of The Little Mermaid, can a love founded on humanity, stand the passing of time, an angry sea-God, and even death itself?

Purchase link: http://www.amazon.com/ / http://www.amazon.co.uk/  / http://www.smashwords.com/

EM: 'Til Death Do Us Part, is a heartbreakingly beautiful story, and I recommend it to anyone who loves a fab fairytale.

Any upcoming releases?

You can read all about The Sands Of Time and The Witching Pen Novellas here - http://www.thewitchingpen.co.uk/

Where can readers find you on the internet?

My main website is http://www.diannahardy.com/ and I'm also on Facebook and Twitter.

EM: Thank you so much for joining me, Dianna. It was lovely to hang with you again. :-D

DH: Thank you for having me -- it's always loads of fun here : )