Please
welcome my guest, Dianna Benson. It's a pleasure to have you Dianna!
Dianna
is not only an awesome writer she is an EMT, a Haz-Mat and FEMA Operative in EMS. I can’t thank her enough for all the invaluable
feedback she has given me throughout the years. You rock!
So
let's get started here…
The quick
answer: It took seven years (2000-2007) from the time I first started querying
agents to landing an agent.
In
1993, I started writing my first suspense novel. After completing three novels,
I started querying agents in 2000; all of them requested a partial. After I
completed my fourth novel, I queried agents again, and this time all of them
requested a full after reading a partial.
After
I completed five novels, I signed with my agent in 2007. Six agents offered me
representation that spring; it was difficult to turn down the other five since
all of them are top-notch agents. In the fall of 2007, a film agent requested a
screenplay of The Hidden Son after reading the book. Just days before I
completed the script, I learned the film agent suddenly and recently retired
due to health issues. I never pursued anything further with the script.
What is the first thing you like to
do when planning a new project?
To be honest, opening scenes in all my books just
simply develop in my mind and I write them down for future use since I’m always
in the midst of writing my current book at any given time. I’m a panster (not a
plotter), so when it comes time for me to turn an opening scene I’ve jotted
down into a completed novel, I just allow my writer brain free rein.
Can
you share a little of your newest release with us?
The
Hidden Son
When U.S. DEA Special Agent Lelisa Desmond refuses to follow
an order to bury evidence in a high profile case, her superior hires a hit man
to kill her deep in the ocean off Grand
Cayman Island.
Lelisa survives the first attempt on her life, but someone close to her is
mistakenly murdered in her place.
With no one to trust, Lelisa enlists Inspector Alec Dyer for
help but learns she's his number one suspect in the scuba diving homicide. She
sets off on a daring mission to bring down the man who ordered her execution. A
man in a high position, with power friends. A man who will stop at nothing to
silence her forever in order to hide his son’s crimes.
Any advice for aspiring writers?
Don’t focus on the “rules” you
hear about and ignore any negativity about the publishing industry. Just write
from your heart, and God will lead you on the correct path for you and your
writing. Every person is different; every writer is different. Find your way.
Even if you’ve spent years
submitting with no offers of agent representation and no publishing contract
offers, don’t ever give-up. Always believe in yourself as a writer. Above all,
if you love to write, then never stop writing. God gave you a passion to write,
so spend time on your passion and enjoy yourself, even if your writing is for
your eyes only.
For further advice and
information, see the On Writing page
on my website.
Where can we find out more about
you?
Dianna T. Benson
website: www.diannatbenson.com
The Hidden Son is available all over, including these major
booksellers:
3) Amazon.com
6) Indie
Bound
Thank you so much for being a guest!
Wishing you much success, Dianna!
Thank you, Mart, for hosting me on your blog.
Best wishes,
Dianna
Dianna T. Benson
Dianna T. Benson is a 2011
Genesis Winner, a 2011 Genesis double Semi-Finalist, a 2010 Daphne de Maurier Finalist,
and a 2007 Golden Palm Finalist. In 2012, she signed a nine-book contract with
Ellechor Publishing House. Her first book, The
Hidden Son, released in print world-wide March 1, 2013.
After majoring in
communications and a ten-year career as a travel agent, Dianna left the travel
industry to earn her EMS degree. An EMT and a
Haz-Mat and FEMA Operative since 2005, she loves the adrenaline rush of
responding to medical emergencies and helping people in need. Her suspense
novels about adventurous characters thrown into tremendous circumstances
provide readers with a similar kind of rush.
Dianna lives in North Carolina with her
husband and their three athletic children.
Website: www.diannatbenson.com
8 comments:
Thanks for hosting me, Mart!
Best wishes,
Dianna
I couldn't imagine writing a screen play, only for the agent to retire. But then, I couldn't imagine writing a screen play to begin with. :)
Congrats on your new book, Dianna.
It's fascinating to learn about a writer and her background. Wonderful interview!
Hi Stina,
Thanks for reading and thanks for your congratulations.
Yeah, it was rough when I learned the film agent retired, but knowing she was so ill soothed my frustration. Maybe the sceenplay will be requested later on, and I can then polish it to be even better.
Best of luck with your writing!
Dianna
Thanks, Sheri, for reading my blog post, and thank you for your comment. Absolutely, it sure is amazing how different life is for everyone and how varied the journey is for every writer.
I love learning how authors come to be published. What a great story!
Congrats on your new release!
Great post:) It's neat to think that all us writers have day jobs and you never know who may run into on the street...who may be secretly working on that next novel:)
Hi Stacey and Mark. Thank you for taking the time to read my post and for your comments and excitement for my new release.
Best wishes always,
Dianna
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