Looking for adventure? Get in the zone with Diane
Burton
Diane Burton combines her love of mystery, adventure,
science fiction, and romance into writing romantic fiction. She's a member of
Romance Writers of America as well as the Mid-Michigan RWA and Young Adult RWA
chapters. She is the author of the Switched
series, about twins exchanging places—from Earth to a starship. The first two
books, Switched and Switched, Too, are available as e-books. The concluding book is a work in progress. Diane and her husband live
in mid-Michigan. They have two children and two grandchildren.
Could you please start by telling
us a little about yourself?
I'm
a Midwest girl who grew up in the Detroit suburbs then moved to Missouri and
Chicago and back to Michigan because of my husband's job. I love movies—my favorites
are Star Trek, Star Wars and Firefly because
I'm absolutely intrigued by the possibility of space travel and living/working in
space or on other planets. My first book, Switched, a futuristic, was print
published in 2001. I self-published it as an e-book last fall.
Please tell us your latest news!
The
sequel to Switched, Switched,
Too, is now available as an e-book. This book was a long time coming
and I'm so excited it's finally available, especially for those who enjoyed Switched and practically begged for
Scott and Veronese's story.
Please describe your writing
environment.
My
husband made me a beautiful desk (woodworking is his hobby). Do I work there?
LOL No. My favorite place to write is in a recliner on my laptop in the early
morning when all is quiet. If my husband wants to watch TV, I stick in my earbuds
and listen to either New Age (Enya is a favorite) or classical music—nothing
with English lyrics because words are a distraction.
Do you plan all your characters
out before you start a story or do they develop as you write?
Sort
of. My stories usually start with the first scene popping into my head. Then, I
play the "what-if" game. I'm more of a write-by-the-seat-of-the-pants
writer than a plotter so my characters evolve as I learn about them. They often
surprise me. I'll be writing along and they'll "say" something
totally out of the blue which sometimes takes the story in a new (often better)
direction.
What main genre do you write in?
I'm
published in Paranormal Romance—space adventure with romance. I also write
romantic suspense, Young Adult (more middle grade) space adventure and I'm working
on a female detective series.
How does your family feel about
having a writer in the family? Do they read your books?
Of
course, they read my books. :) My family
is very supportive—especially my husband. His attitude has always been "go
for it". There were times when I wanted to quit, but he encouraged me to
keep going. I've always loved him for that. Well, I love him for other reasons,
too. My children are also supportive, as is my extended family.
What are your hobbies?
Reading
is #1. I couldn't be a writer without being a reader first. I love gardening.
Since we've moved so many times, I've left a little part of myself behind at
each house with my perennials, especially irises and lilies of the valley which
came from my mother's and grandmother's gardens. I like to quilt but need to
make time for it again. Photography has been part of my life since I was ten
and got my first camera. I've used some of my own photos in posts on my blog.
If you had to choose one person
to have dinner with, who would it be? And why?
Star Trek's Mr. Spock. His character has
evolved so much from the original series, through the first six movies, and
into the latest where we see him as an old man as well as a younger version in
the alternate reality. I'd like to hear his perspective on what it's like to
bridge two cultures since he's half-Vulcan and half-human. Bridging two
cultures is a problem for two of my characters: Veronese, the main character in
Switched,
Too, and Marcus in Switched. How should they choose
which world to live in and what will be the consequences?
Do you recall how your interest
in writing originated?
Oh,
yes. My best friend in high school and I wrote fan fiction, only we didn't know
that was what it was called. We would write and share with each other stories
based on our favorite TV shows starring ourselves, of course. LOL We have huge
crushes on certain characters. The one time I submitted a story in a creative
writing class my teacher told me to stop wasting my time writing romance and
write serious stuff. That ended my budding writing career. For a while. After
my children graduated high school and I was done with the school/church/scouts
volunteering, I decided to write the stories I love to read—romance, suspense,
adventure. Now, they happen to take place on starships.
Do you write full time? What did
you do before you became a writer? Or Still do?
If
I added up all the hours per week I spend on my writing career, it would definitely
be more than forty. But I don't write 8 hours/day, 5 days/week. Some days, when
I'm really cooking, it's twelve or more. Other days, when I get a chance to
play with my grandchildren, it's nada. Have to keep my priorities straight.
My
most important job was as a stay-at-home mom raising two children. I've been an
elementary teacher, inventory clerk in a flute store, and have done temp office
work for a Girl Scout council and a medical non-profit. My last job before
retiring was with an oil and gas exploration company where I found the cure for
insomnia—reading oil and gas leases.
Current Release Details:
The
theme of Switched, Too is be careful what you wish for . . . you might
get it. Scott Cherella's lifelong dream to go into space quickly becomes a
nightmare. Veronese Qilana must protect him, a Terran masquerading as a
starship captain. When sabotage erupts, they must work together to get the crew
safely home. In doing so, they discover opposites really do attract.
How can readers find out more
about you and your books?
Readers
can learn more about me and my books at:
Scott
had no choice but to use the computer now. Before tackling it for the first
time, he'd hoped for the privacy of his quarters—and Veronese Qilana's help.
His reluctant co-conspirator ditched him as soon as they came aboard. He
mentally kicked himself for his selfishness. They were in the middle of a
crisis. She had her duties. He had his.
Damn. He didn't want to tackle the
computer. Suck it up, Ace. You can do
this. You wanted adventure. You wanted to explore space. You got it. Now, man up.
He sat in the captain's chair.
Automatically, an instrument panel on the right swung up and in front of him. A
hit in the solar plexus might have been easier to take. Symbols and shapes he'd
never seen before covered the segmented screen. It might as well be filled with
ancient Sanskrit. Panic shot through him. He couldn't read.
