Roped and Twisted along with DiAne Gates (Fabulous Giveaway!)

Young Adult Fiction Takes a Ride

The Diamond Mine takes a gander at Young Adult this week with our very own DiAne Gates and her recent release, Twisted. We follow her down the trail of this amazing series of which Twisted is Book Two. So, saddle up and come along for an amazing ride! Don't forget to drop your name in the bucket for your own copy of her one of her books at the watering hole (that'd be the end of the interview for y'all young cowpokes and greenhorns.)

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Texas writer, DiAne Gates, illustrates and writes fiction for children and YA, and serious non-fiction for the folks. Her passion is calling the Church’s attention to how far we’ve catapulted from God’s order as evidenced by her blog Moving the Ancient Boundaries, http://dianegates.wordpress.com/.

DiAne worked as a photographer and writer for the East Texas Youth Rodeo Association magazine, and had the opportunity to be in the rodeo arena, feel the sting of Texas turf in her face and across her camera lens, giving birth to her western rodeo adventure series, released by Prism Book Group in August of 2015, ROPED.

DiAne leads LifeSavers, an adult edit group for North Texas Christian Writers. In addition to her key blog site, MOVING THE ANCIENT BOUNDARIES, she also writes a blog entitled THE SOUTHERN SIDE OF FLAVOR, where DiAne shares family recipes and many tricks to cutting calories while retaining a massive injection of southern and southwest flavor. She also facilitates GriefShare, an international support ministry for those who’ve lost loved ones.

Wife, mother, and Mimi, whose passion is to share those hard life lessons God allows in our lives.

***** MINER INTERVIEW *****

Renee: Howdy, DiAne, I'm excited about this chance to talk to you! The Diamond Mine has exploded with authors and interviews of late and I can't seem to get a word in edgewise. I guess I ain't too good at takin' numbers with my ol' Wyoming ways, huh? So...how 'bout we dispense with chitchat and dig in to the good stuff?

DiAne: (chuckling) Your ways aren't so bad. Go ahead. Shoot!

Renee: Be careful saying that word around here, my old shotgun's loaded, and my Cooper-dog's always ready to hunt them birds! 💥 Now, where was I? Oh yeah, your awesome books...but I guess I need to ask this question first. Why do you like to write in the Young Adult genre so much?

DiAne: The opportunity to be a directional arrow toward the Lord in this upcoming generation is the most exciting reason I know of to write YA.

Unlike many older adults, I believe those waiting in line to take our place in society understand things must change. I believe the next revival may be at our door-step, because our young adults are searching for truth. And God tells us when we search for Him with our whole hearts we will find Him. Yes, many of them are going about their search in different ways than we would, but realistic action adventure fiction, couched in an intriguing, believable story, will find God’s mark every time! 

Renee, did you know many adults read YA? Think about it, my book is advertised for young adults, but adults read this genre too. Winner! Winner! All joking aside, I love the action, expectations, and learning curve of this genre.

Renee: Now that does sound exciting and I can understand why you would love it. I can also see why adults love to read it! What about Twisted? Was there something in particular that inspired you to write this story?

DiAne: Well, of course, ROPED helped. Couldn’t leave the Crosbys and the Fairgates where I left them in that last chapter, could I?

In the beginning, I planned a series that would talk about the issues our young adults face every day. Which meant it had to have a multi-generational story line. We are taught to “show,” not “tell” in our writing. What better way than to weave a story of two families going in opposite directions—in everything. I believe in showing the good, the bad, and the ugly as well as the consequences those choices bring. And TWISTED indeed shows the results of choices each of those families made.

We don’t have to preach to our young people. They are savvy—most of them—and I’m hopeful they will enjoy the story, yet learn the choices they make every day, small and large, determine their success in life.

Renee: I see what you mean. I also believe the young people of today are intelligent. They have to be to navigate the programs on computers, smartphones, and such, especially as fast as they change. What a great way to show them actions and decisions have consequences! If you could pick a favorite quote or part of Twisted, what would it be?

DiAne: Without a doubt, Chapter Thirty titled “The Horrible Truth.” The emotions that rush out of this chapter, many of our young people have lived. Lies Mr. and Mrs. Fairgate had lived, told and thought to protect Jodie Lea from, swept both families into a torrent none of them anticipated. And each character in this series, just like in real life, made choices—some that would affect them—how long we’ll have to wait and see—perhaps forever.

Renee: Oh, wow. Truth always catches up with us, doesn't it? The web of secrets and lies grows like a cancer until it destroys everything we've built until the truth is finally revealed. And if we are fortunate, that web doesn't rip everything good from us. Your book sounds amazing, DiAne. What do YOU want your readers to take away from Twisted?

DiAne: God is sovereign. Jesus is Lord, Savior and King. And the reader’s decision to love, trust, and obey Him, or turn and walk away determines their destiny now and forever.

Renee: Absolutely. In the end, it's up to us and that decision is of upmost importance. Thank you for that! I ask this next question of all my authors. With all the changes in the industry, the frustrations, the flooded market, why do you keep writing?

DiAne: Why the salary, of course! 😛 😜 My husband loves to tell friends I work from home, 24/7, and earn about three cents an hour. I always retort, “I think you’re overestimating!”

I can’t not write. Once I learned the basics, and that was by the planning of the Sovereign God we serve, who placed six serious writers in my path. We called ourselves The Literati and for over five years we met every Wednesday night, editing, brainstorming, and being taught by our illustrious leader, Lori Freeland.

God opened doors and pushed me through them with many writing opportunities. And let’s face it, at my age, it's past time to become really serious about these opportunities.

Renee: You're an inspiration to young, new, and even veteran writers out there trying to figure out if it's worth it to keep plugging away! Thank you, DiAne! Speaking of "opportunities," what's next on the agenda?

DiAne: UNTIED is next in THE ROPED SERIES…I’m about eight chapters into this riveting part of the series. But I’ll give you a hint, God’s sense of humor will relegate justice to these two girls. It will be worth the read. And any mothers of teen girls will certainly understand.

I hope to continue writing monthly articles for Crosswalk.com, an online Christian magazine. High priority will also be given to four books I wrote and illustrated a number of years ago. I received one rejection and threw them in the file cabinet drawer. This is the now-or-never year for their resurrection. It’s a four book family devotional series currently entitled THE MASTER’S PLAN. And the fifth book living in the drawer with the other four won first place in the North Texas Christian Writers Competition several years ago, about an ant by the name of Arnold, who refused to be an ant.

And as long as God allows, I plan to continue facilitating a GriefShare support group for those who’ve lost loved ones. God tells us, “…we are to comfort one another with the comfort He has given to us.” I often speak and lead an edit group for NTCW called The LifeSavers. Another one of our edit group is a multi-published author, and two others are almost ready to launch their first novels!

Renee: Agenda? That sounds like a full-time job! 3-cents an hour? You need a raise, woman! Thank you so much for this opportunity to interview you on the Diamond Mine. You are truly a wonderful lady and friend. I can't wait to see the third book of your series released as well as read Twisted!

DiAne: Renee, thank you so much for allowing me to spend time with you talking about TWISTED! Available on Amazon.com. And, of course, I’d be forever grateful to receive reviews from you or anyone who has read or will read ROPED and TWISTED.

***** E- BOOK GIVEAWAY *****

TWO PRIZES WILL BE AWARDED

ROPED/ 1 WINNER, TWISTED/ 1 WINNER

ENTER CONTEST BY LEAVING A COMMENT FOR DiAne Gates

WITH YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS BELOW.

2 WINNERS OF GIVEAWAY WILL BE SELECTED FROM COMMENTS BY RANDOM DRAW IN ONE WEEK (1/31/2018). WINNERS WILL BE NOTIFIED BY EMAIL.

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About the Book, Twisted:

What begins as a nasty rodeo competition morphs into a ring of horse thieves, an uncle with a past, and consequences that span generations.

TWISTED, continues the journey of the Crosby and Fairgate families. Will these two Texas teens finally overcome the past and discover the future God has planned, or will they forever be trapped by the crimes of their fathers?

If you haven't read Book One, pick up Roped today: https://www.amazon.com/Roped-DiAne-Gates-ebook/dp/B0147NL6KS

*****

Miner, Renee Blare

Prism Book Group/Pelican Book Group

A Chat with JoAnn Durgin

Welcome to the Mine, JoAnn! As you know, we’re digging for diamonds in Christian fiction, and your books are gems. Would you say they’re diamonds?

Thanks so much for hosting me today! My theme verse in my writing journey is based on Matthew 5:16 Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. (NASB).

I like to think my writing shines and resonates with the truth and hope to be found in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. It’s my hope that my unique writing voice holds gems of truth from God’s word. When panning for gold at the “diamond mines” in Tennessee, you sift through the sand and dirt to hopefully discover hidden treasure buried beneath. Likewise, I love layered stories where the characters eventually discover those invaluable nuggets of truth . . . but they often have to go through the refining fire before they emerge whole and strong. 

Refining fire and layered stories… your books sound awesome already. I know you write contemporary romance as well as a series. How did you start writing and did it evolve into a series or was it planned that way?

My joke is that I wrote Awakening in two weeks and it took 12 years for it to be published. The full story is on my website at www.joanndurgin.com. In short, it was the last book I wrote before putting my writing aside—but not the passion for it—for over a decade. When I pulled it back out (literally from under the bed and blew off the dust bunnies), I started to look it over. Having written it so long ago, it was like looking at it through fresh eyes, and it was almost as though someone else had written it.

Although I only found half of it (you must read the story on my website to see how the Lord gave the rest of it back to me!), I could tell it would be a good beginning for a series where the core characters could become mentors to the volunteers of their Christian workers called TeamWork Missions. Each subsequent book contains the love stories of one (or sometimes more) of the TeamWork members. The fifth book in the Lewis Legacy Series releases late this month. The entire series is written but needs significant editing. Then I have another series lined up behind it…

Quite a project… sounds interesting. And I love how your first book was written! I think I wrote my first book in almost three weeks. Of course, it was very rough. Kind of like yours, I bet. Do you have any books out there not related to the Lewis Legacy Series?

Catching Serenity, my latest release and the book I’m highlighting today, was written with the idea of giving my readers something apart from my series. I’m happy to say it’s also been quite successful for me. It’s a standalone, full-length novel with mystery as well as romance. All of my books feature an element of humor mixed in with the adventure and drama—all the elements I believe you need for a satisfying story: (1) it makes you laugh; (2) it makes you cry; and (3) it makes you think.

I’ve also published a couple of fun Christmas novellas with Pelican Book Group (the third in that series to release this year) and I have an upcoming novella, Echoes of Edinburgh, also releasing with Pelican in late September.

Wow! Books, books, everywhere! How in the world did you write (and publish) all those books?

First of all, I couldn’t write and publish books without the Lord’s sustaining grace. I’ve never suffered from writer’s block, and I pray I never do. Writing and publishing involves long hours and a dedication to see a project through to completion. A measure of talent, a willingness to be teachable and accept criticism all factor into the process, as well as dedication, perseverance and commitment truly makes all the difference.

What a blessing… I would love to be able to write like that. I’m sure every writer would. Thank you for sharing your words with the world, JoAnn. If you had one thing you could say through your books, what would it be?

God demonstrated His great love for us by sending His very own beloved, precious Son to die for us. That is the greatest love story we’ll ever know, and from that redeeming love stems our capacity and ability to love others as He first loved us.

What’s your latest book about?

The best way to tell you about it is to give you the blurb for Catching Serenity (what you’d read on the back cover). Here it is:

A woman torn apart by secrets.

A man held prisoner by the truth.

Can the greatest love of all

set them both free?

Serenity McClaren had it all before her life crumbled around her like the sand castles on her beloved beach, causing her to flee Croisette Shores and the only home she’d ever known. Nearly five years later and living in Atlanta, she receives a mysterious, unsigned note: Come home, Serenity. Things aren’t as they seem. Time to find your answers. Returning to South Carolina, she prepares to face her demons and the ailing father she left behind, hoping to make peace with both.

Child psychologist Jackson Ross is a man with a surprising past. He’s ready for the quiet life and  eager to establish his practice in the quaint, coastal village. After he hires Serenity to decorate his new office, he’s drawn to the beautiful and enigmatic woman yet sees she’s haunted by a past she can’t escape. Wanting to help her, he begins to suspect one of his young patients may hold the key to unlocking Serenity’s secrets. Jackson follows his instincts and discovers the shocking truth, but how can he tell the woman he’s grown to love what he knows—and set her free—without compromising his professional ethics and losing her forever?

Can we get a glimpse?

Gladly, and here’s a portion of the first chapter.

Come home, Serenity. Things aren’t as they seem. Time to find your answers.

Ever since she’d received that unsigned, cryptic note in Atlanta six weeks ago—scrawled in loopy, cursive letters with no clue as to its sender except the postmark from Croisette Shores—the words lingered in Serenity’s mind, never far from her conscious thought. Lifting her face to the early May sun, she dug her toes in the sand, luxuriating in the sensation as the warm grains filtered between her toes. How she’d missed her lovely little South Carolina town.

The slight breeze lifted strands of her hair in an airy dance and a happy squeal caught her attention. A pregnant woman held the hand of a toddler girl who skipped beside her, giggling when the gentle waves kissed her toes. Uninhibited and joyful, the sound of the child’s laughter transported Serenity back in time to the carefree days when she’d played alongside her parents on this same stretch of beach. Days when it seemed the world was ripe with possibility and opportunity. Days when making a sand castle and discovering a beautiful seashell, simple yet intricate in its complexity, thrilled her like nothing else.

“Freud!”

Shielding her eyes with one hand, Serenity scanned the beach. Freud? A gorgeous gray and white Siberian husky skirted the shoreline, dodging the seaweed and marine life deposited by the receding waves. A magnificent creature, grace in motion, but who would name a dog Freud? In its own way, though, it was rather cute. She couldn’t remember ever seeing this particular breed of dog in Croisette Shores before. His coat was well-groomed and short, and thank goodness she sat far enough removed to avoid the sand he sprayed in his wake.

“Come here, boy!” The man jogging behind the dog captured her attention as he slowed to a walk, a red Frisbee tucked under one arm. The last time she’d given any man more than a passing glance seemed like a lifetime ago. In some ways, it was. This one definitely stood out in the small crowd of beachgoers. Tall, broad-shouldered and muscular, his wavy dark hair was long enough in back to curl over the collar of his light blue polo. She guessed he must be late twenties or early thirties. Barefoot with the bottom of his khakis rolled on his calves, he looked the part of a well-to-do tourist renting a luxury cottage on one of the private beaches. Cheeks flushed with color, he hadn’t yet developed the sun-kissed tan of the locals.

Stopping, he tossed the Frisbee and laughed as the dog darted after it, venturing into the tide. Amazing a dog that size could jump so high. Serenity sat up straighter, fascinated, as the two repeated their game. The man moved a bit slower, appearing to favor one leg, and a slight grimace creased his attractive features. Was he in pain? She startled a few seconds later when the Frisbee skidded to a stop at her feet, showering her with sand. Freud lunged in her direction—quickening her heart rate tenfold—and scooped the plastic disc in his mouth before bounding off again. Willing her pulse to slow, Serenity brushed sand from her shorts and tugged down on her pink cotton tee.

“Sorry!” the man called to her with a friendly wave. “He’s harmless. Hope he didn’t scare you. Are you okay?”

She waved back. “I’m fine, thanks.” She wasn’t worried about the canine so much as her reaction to Freud’s companion, but how nice of him to consider her feelings. The guy had a killer smile and strands of dark hair whipped over his forehead. Couldn’t he at least have a high-pitched or nasal voice? No, it had to be deep, smooth and rich as melting chocolate. Good thing she generally avoided chocolate.

When do you find time to write? (The pharmacist said to the author…)

Wow, a pharmacist? That’s amazing. Ever tried penning a medical thriller? I think your profession would open a world of writing ideas! I’m an estate administration/wealth transfer paralegal in a large law firm in downtown Louisville, Kentucky. However, I spend nearly every lunch hour working on my current manuscript, writing blogs, or doing some type of marketing work. My mind is almost always spinning with plotlines, characters or something related to my writing. I spend many hours in front of my computer at home or with the laptop in my bed. But the Lord’s given me this desire to share stories and He keeps me going. Writing energizes me like little else and it’s my passion.  

I guess I’ve never thought of penning a medical thriller before, although I do have a pharmacist as one of my characters. Can’t get too far away from my roots, huh? Anyway… Do you have a marketing strategy—well, other than tossing the pages into the wind and praying they find some eager hands?

That image makes me laugh. Sometimes it does seem like that’s what we do, doesn’t it? Since my former publisher turned over the rights to me for my Lewis Legacy Series books at the end of last year, and with Catching Serenity being independently published, I’ve enjoyed having complete control over the marketing and advertising (not to be confused with being a control freak, of course). Unlike some authors, I love marketing. The Lord knew the best marketing “job” for me is marketing my own books! I’m navigating the waters now, but I’ve found a several websites that have been tremendously successful for me. Awakening was offered free on one website a couple of months ago and more than 47,000 readers downloaded it! That was astounding to me, and it served to multiply the sales and increase the visibility of all of my books as a whole (including a boxed set of the first four series books).

What a great idea! I’ll have to remember that and Isaiah 55:11. After all, the Lord’s Word doesn’t return void…even if it is free. Thanks for stopping by the Mine. I believe we have a diamond, folks. Are you open to questions, JoAnn?

Of course! I love interacting with readers and would be happy to answer any questions. Thanks so much for inviting me to visit. Many blessings to all of you, and thanks for your support of Christian fiction and its authors. We couldn’t do it without you!

GIVEAWAY ! ! !

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the Book:

A poignant story of faith, hope and love, 

and discovering the everyday miracles 

from an all-powerful God.

Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Catching-Serenity-JoAnn-Durgin/dp/1940727022/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1402166442&sr=8-3&keywords=JoAnn+Durgin

http://www.inspyromance.com/

About the Author:

Catching Serenity is JoAnn Durgin’s fifth published, full-length novel. She is the author of THE LEWIS LEGACY SERIES: AWAKENING, SECOND TIME AROUND, TWIN HEARTS, and DAYDREAMS (Torn Veil Books), and Christmas novellas, MEET ME UNDER THE MISTLETOE and its sequel (coming for the 2013 holiday season), STARLIGHT, STAR BRIGHT (Pelican Book Group/White Rose Publishing). An estate administration paralegal in a Louisville, Kentucky law firm, JoAnn lives with her family in southern Indiana. A member of the American Christian Fiction Writers (national and Indiana chapter) and the Louisville Christian Writers, JoAnn’s prayer is that her contemporary romantic adventures will touch hearts and lives with the redeeming love of Jesus Christ. She’d love to hear from you at www.joanndurgin.com or via her "Author JoAnn Durgin" page on Facebook.