Welcome Dianna!
Super congrats on your latest release,
Final Trimester. Your medical background
certainly brings your books to life! Let's talk a little about what you do when
you're not writing. I love writers who are able to incorporate their
professions into their writings. It makes their stories so true to life. How did the idea for Final Trimester come about?
Being
an EMT and a Haz-Mat and FEMA Operative for a decade, I naturally implement my
firsthand medical and rescue knowledge and experience into all my books. The
idea for the killer’s character in Final
Trimester sprouted to development the first month I worked in EMS due to an
actual individual I encountered. I’m fascinated by intense human
behavior that causes extreme chaos and destruction, and I love to see people
step out of their comfort zones to stop that destructive person, no matter how
difficult the task.
How long did it take you to write it?
I
started writing Final Trimester (my
sixth completed book) the summer of 2007 and finished January 2009. At that
time, that was the fastest I’d ever completed a book, and I did so since I was
agented and my agent was eager to submit it out.
My first release, The Hidden Son, was my fifth complete
novel and took many years to write (just like the four books before it). Now that
I’m under publishing contract with planned release dates, I must complete a new
book – start to finish – in nine months.
Any writing tips? Writing rituals that helped you get going?
For the
best answer on this, view my WRITING page on my website: www.diannatbenson.com
How long was your road to publication? And how did you deal with rejection?
I
started writing my first book in 1993. After completing five books, I signed
with my agent in 2007. Six agents offered me representation that spring; it was
difficult to choose between them since all six are top-notch agents.
Fall
of 2007, a film agent requested a screenplay of The Hidden Son after
reading the book. In early 2009, just a few weeks before I finished writing the
script, the film agent suddenly retired due to health issues. I never pursued
anything further with the screenplay and focused back on novel writing.
Later
in 2009, I was offered a four-book mainstream contract, but my husband was just
diagnosed with head and neck cancer, so I turned it down to focus on our young
family of five. During his treatments and surgery, I read inspirational
suspense for comfort and support. I then wrote my first inspirational suspense
and loved the genre. In 2011, I won the Genesis in the
mystery/suspense/thriller category.
In
February 2012, I had contract
offer from B&H, a large traditional publisher. My contract was pending for
thirteen weeks due to the publishing house facing difficulties (less than a
year later they permanently discontinued their fiction department). Less than a month after my B&H
contract fell through, Ellechor Publishing House, a small traditional publisher,
contacted me and requested me to submit to them. Within days of doing so, they
offered me a nine-book contract.
What an awesome story! And I just love how you are able to add your experience into your books.
Where can we learn more about you?
Dianna T. Benson
Dianna Torscher Benson is a 2014
Selah Award Winner, 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. She’s the
author of The Hidden Son, her debut
novel. Final Trimester is her second
release.
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.
Dianna lives in North Carolina
with her husband and their three children.
Website: www.diannatbenson.com
Final
Trimester
Book One in
the Quigley Triplets Series
by
Dianna T.
Benson
Paramedic Jodi Duncan
recognizes the work of a serial killer before the Myrtle Beach PD even suspects
a connection between the deaths of two pregnant women. Despite the vast
differences in the two cases, Jodi urges Detective Nate Quigley to think
outside the box. After digging deep into the separate investigations, Nate
finds no evidence to support a serial killer theory, and he warns Jodi to back
off police business, which only fuels her passion for the cases.
When a third pregnant woman is
murdered, Nate is named lead detective on the case and works to link the deaths
in order to unmask and stop the serial murderer, a disturbed man who believes
God and the devil battle inside his head to bend him according to their wills.
As he fights both voices, his interest fixates on Jodi when he discovers her
obsession with ending his rampage.
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