Tell us a little about yourself and your background?
- I was born in Minsk, Belarus. I’m an international lawyer by profession, and a writer by heart:) I
have a Master of Law degree, and can’t imagine my life without writing.
What are your ambitions for your writing career?
- Every author wants to be praised and recognized:) But it doesn’t matter how many books you
sell, even one 5* review written by someone who really loved your work is worth everything that
you needed to do to get your book published. Of course, it’s good to know that my books are
available in so many countries and that I have readers all over the world, but still…I write not
only for myself, I write for those who think that my words and lines are worth reading and falling
in love with.
Which writers inspire you?
- Those who know how to make readers feel; those whose books I want to read again and again;
those whose stories are catching, touching and unique.
So, what have you written?
- I have a fantasy series, named Love Lines. For now, it consists of 4 books: three novels (Love
Lines, Songs of the Wind, Diamond Sky) and one short story, named From Scratch. Two months
ago, I published the first book of my fantasy trilogy, named Heavens. The Souls of Rain will be
followed by a book of poems, titled The Prisoners of Dreams, and two more novels. Apart from
fantasy stories, I also write contemporary romances. One of them is Hate at First Sight, that
was released in November, 2013. I have one more release planned for February 14th
short story, named Taking Chances that will become a part of the Glass Hearts Anthology from
Phoenix Fire Publishing.
Where can we buy or see them?
- Follow the link below:
http://diananixon.blogspot.com/p/buying-books.html
Give us an insight into your main character. What does he/she do that is so special?
- Since it’s a Hate at First Sight Blog Tour, I will tell you a few words about its main characters. So
the story is being told from two POVs, Megan’s and Aiden’s. Megan Brawley is a strong-willed and
ambitious young lady, but falling in love is the last thing she needs now. Everything changes the
moment she meets Aiden Murphy – a picture of all those things she hates about men. A typical
Mr. Attitude, he becomes a real challenge that she is more than eager to meet. They fight a lot,
and call each other names, but we all know that love and hate are only one step apart:)
What are you working on at the minute?
- I’m working on a new adult romance, named Love Undone and a book of poems, that I’ve
mentioned above.
What are these books about?
- Well, Love Undone is a story about losing and finding love; about the ability to forgive and give
second chances. It’s tragic and romantic; touching and funny at times. A book of poetry, The
Prisoners of Dreams is a collection of verses, written by one of the main characters of The Souls
of Rain, Natalie. I wasn’t going to write this book, but since its lines were quoted in the novel, I
thought my readers would love to read the rest of it.
What genre are your books?
- I write fantasy and contemporary romances.
What draws you to this genre?
- I adore magic and spells, and like any other woman I like beautiful and romantic stories, so why
not to create them myself?:)
Which actor/actress would you like to see playing the lead character from your most recent book?
- My latest release is The Souls of Rain (Heavens Trilogy, # 1). So I think that Leonardo Lima
would be a perfect Alan, and Zoey Deutch a perfect Claire.
How much research do you do?
- Mostly it’s a general information about the places I mention in my books, if they are real. For
Love Lines series, I also needed to read more about the meaning of different flowers, herbs and
colors.
Have you written any other novels in collaboration with other writers?
- Not yet. Though I’d love to. I think it’s good to have someone who can give you new ideas for
the story:)
When did you decide to become a writer?
- I started writing about 2 years ago. One day I realized that I had enough ideas for my own book,
and wrote my debut novel, Love Lines. After that I couldn’t stop myself from writing more and
more books:)
Why do you write?
- Because the amount of dialogs happening in my head is impossible to keep there, so I need to
share them with someone else:)What made you decide to sit down and actually start something?
- Inspiration and the desire to create something significant.
What is the hardest thing about writing?
- Making a book memorable, outstanding and meaningful.
What was the hardest thing about writing your latest book?
- The Souls of Rain is the first book that reflected so many things from my own life, my memories
and some things that I would never be able to write about without feeling them myself. The
story told in this book means a lot to me, that’s why it was so hard to write it. Even though it’s a
fantasy story, it’s still real for me:)
What is the easiest thing about writing?
- Nothing is easy about writing:) Every small thing matters, from the title and to the last word of
the story.
How long on average does it take you to write a book?
- If I set a goal, I can write a book in 4 weeks. If I don’t have any deadline, it takes about 1.5 -2
months.
Do you ever get writer’s Block?
- Of course:) And I hate it a lot. Since I can’t imagine my life without writing, the moments
of writer’s block are real tortures. I want to write, but somehow it doesn’t go the way it was
planned:)
Any tips on how to get through the dreaded writer’s block?
- Try to switch your attention to something else: a good book, a movie or just listen to your
favorite songs; spend some time with those you love, go out, give yourself a break and let your
mind relax:)
Do you think that the cover plays an important part in the buying process?
- Absolutely. I can be a real pain in the neck when it comes to creating covers for my books.
Sometimes I think my cover designers hate me for the amount of changes I ask them to make:)
But the result is definitely worth it.
How are you publishing your books and why?
(*e.g. Indie, traditional or both)
- Both. I used to self-publish my books, but now I also work with a few publishing houses. Being
an indie author is not easy, and sometimes it’s good to know that there’s someone else to take
care about the promo work and sales:)
Any amusing story about marketing books that happened to you?
- Not that I can remember. But I will let you know if anything like that happens:)
What’s your views on social media for marketing?
- I use Amazon, Goodreads, Facebook and Twitter. All of their marketing options are very helpful,
especially when it comes to finding readers, reviewers or publishers. Even though social networks
take a lot of my time, I still think that if you want your books to be sold, you need to use every
marketing opportunity you get.
What is your favorite book and why?
- I don’t have one:) I read books of different genres, and there are too many great works to name
only one of them.
What is your favorite quote?
- The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They
must be felt with the heart… - Helen Keller
What is your favorite film and why?
- As well as with a favorite book, I can’t name one:)
Where can you see yourself in 5 years time?
- Living in a place where dreams never stop coming true:)
What advice would you give to aspiring writers?
- Never give up; do your best to get what you want. Even if it will take some time:)
Where do you see publishing going in the future?
- Since the number of self-published authors is growing every day, I think there will be more
opportunities for them to let the world know about their works.
Is there anything else you would like to add that I haven’t included?
- I’d like to thank you for the awesome interview – the longest in my life:) It’s my pleasure to be a
guest on your blog today!
How can readers discover more about you and you work?
Website: http://diananixon.blogspot.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Diana-Nixon/203165316483322?ref=hl
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DianaNixon9
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Diana-Nixon/e/B007PY0IMO/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5814368.Diana_Nixon
Thank you very much for taking the time out of your busy schedule to take part in this interview.
Thank you for the Interview and taking part in the Blog Tour!
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