Mid-Week Questions from my Readers

http://www.dreamstime.com/stock-images-corner-spider-web-image21422874This week’s questions are taken directly from my Facebook readers. Here we go!

Q. Do you ever watch TV and if so what’s your favorite show?

A. Unless I’m on deadline, I watch either TV or a movie nearly every night I’m home, but I’m pretty picky about what I watch. I love a great series with intelligent writing and a gripping story. My current favorite: The Americans. Recent favorites: Downton Abbey,  Homeland, House of Cards, Orange is the New Black. I rarely watch sitcoms or reality TV these days, although I love the Sing-Off, the a cappella competition, and wish it was on right now! How about you? Have any TV suggestions for me?

Q. Why is it that you always include a key piece about “coloured” people in most of your books (love that by the way)?

A. Your spelling gives you away as one of my UK readers, and I wonder how our different countries’ racial histories  impact the reading of my books. That would make an interesting essay! You are right that my stories frequently involve African American characters. Often, it’s not intentional. As I imagine a scene, the person who pops into my head might show up blond or skinny or Asian or black. I may or may not let you as the reader know that, depending on how the description of that character impacts the story. Sometimes, though, it’s intentional–Lita Jordan and her family in Necessary Lies, for example. They helped me illustrate what life was like in 1960 Jim Crow North Carolina for both black and white. In several books, I’ve written about interracial relationships, and of course the race of both partners and the way they relate to one another is critical to the story. Race relations has always been an important topic for me. I was raised during the civil rights era in a New Jersey town that was, at that time, half black and half white. When I view the world, it’s through the lens of my growing up years, and I’m grateful that lens is so colorful.

Q. What do you still hope to do in life, both personally and professionally?

A. Yikes, there’s no way to answer that question in a few sentences, but I’ll try.

Professionally: I’d like to continue writing entertaining stories for as long as I’m having fun and my readers want more. After that, I’d like to write a memoir, and I also have a few ideas for novels that are different from my usual. I hope I’ll be writing my crazy time travel novel when I’m in my eighties!

Personally: I want to spend more time with my family and friends. I’d love to fly around the country visiting all the people I miss.

Problem: My personal and professional longings don’t mesh together very well, as one doesn’t allow much time for the other. I imagine that’s true for most of us.

Q. Did you always know you wanted to write? Were there always characters in your head?

A. I knew I wanted to write when I was in the first grade and our teacher read us E.B. White’s Charlotte’s Web, a chapter each day. What excitement and pathos and heroism in that story! Even now, I remember being struck by the realization that a human being could write something amazing and that since I was a human being, maybe I could do it too. I became much more practical when it came time to pick a career (social work), so even though I had that very early yearning, I set it aside for a long, long time.

Yes, there were always characters in my head. If I’d allowed anyone into my six-year-old brain back then, I probably would have been rushed into therapy. I loved going to bed at night so I could spend a couple of hours thinking up stories before drifting off to sleep. My parents probably wondered why I was always so tired in the morning after eight hours of “sleep”.

The other thing I did constantly as a kid was narrate my life. You know: “Diane reluctantly climbed the stairs to her room.  Peering out the window, she thought longingly of the puppy she wanted for her birthday.” Et cetera. I think I may have read way too much as a kid. Is that possible?

Thanks for your questions! I welcome more of them, or any thoughts of your own that these questions raise for you.

 

12 Comments

  1. Audrelyn on March 27, 2014 at 11:18 am

    Hi Diane
    Will their ever be another book in the keeper series….do you plan to ever write a trilogy again?

    • Diane Chamberlain on March 27, 2014 at 4:39 pm

      I would love to revisit the O’Neill family, Audrelyn, but I don’t know if it will happen. I have a few other ideas I need to get on paper first!

  2. Emilie Richards on March 27, 2014 at 12:53 pm

    When you’re in your eighties, I will be, too, and I am depending on you to entertain me. Between now and then, too, of course.

  3. Martha O'Quinn on March 27, 2014 at 2:43 pm

    Imagine, another reference to Charlotte’s Web. I have purchased Charlotte’s Web, The Trumpet of the Swan and Sutart Little to present to my little great-granddaughter when she is a bit older. She is 2 1/2 so it won’t be long. My friend/neighbor’s youngest granddaughter’s name is Charlotte. The friend is an avid quilter and she just finished a quilt in the spider web pattern for Charlotte. Hopefully EB White would approve. It was good re read Emilie Richards comment. May you both be entertaining us into your eighties.

    • Diane Chamberlain on March 27, 2014 at 4:41 pm

      Glad you’re an Emilie Richards fan, Martha. She’s really wonderful. I’m so glad you’re also an E.B. White fan. Such wonderful stories (not to mention my bible, Elements of Style!)

  4. Jill Burkinshaw on March 27, 2014 at 3:08 pm

    Hi Diane I have a question:
    when writing a book do publishers set a guideline on number of pages etc. For example this book must have 420 pages minimum. The reason I am asking (and this in no way applies to any of your books) is that I have read several books that have been very good , good story, well written, gripping … then when it gets to the end it all goes to pot its like the Author has gone – phew I made the 400 pages lets wrap it up quickly. I understand the reasoning behind it as I did this myself with University assignments which is what makes me think this is happening I know in some cases they leave a door open in case they want to write a sequel and some authors think its good to leave questions ‘unanswered’ to provide basis for discussion at book clubs etc but just wondered how the whole ‘writing a book’ thing works 🙂

  5. Diane Chamberlain on March 27, 2014 at 4:43 pm

    The answer is yes, we have an approximate number of pages spelled out in our contracts. However, I think what you’re reacting to is a phenomenon that has to do with enjoying a book so much you don’t want it to end. Readers occasionally tell me I’ve wrapped something up too quickly for their taste, but it’s often a matter of … “this book has to end somewhere, sometime!”

    • Jill Burkinshaw on March 28, 2014 at 4:12 pm

      Hi Diane thank you for your reply I think in some cases this is probably true in other cases I am not exactly gripped by the book but still want to see what happens so I plod through the boredom and get to the end only to find it isn’t actually the end. In other cases such as Necessary Lies I cant wait for it to end to find out what happens but I don’t want it to end because I enjoy reading it. The book I was mainly referring to which I didn’t identify on purpose I have read reviews from other readers and they said the same thing it actually didn’t ‘end’ 🙂

  6. Patti on March 27, 2014 at 6:26 pm

    Diane,

    I am watching Breaking Bad on Netflix! Awesome show! I think I have 4 episodes to go and I am binge watching! LOL
    I also love Revenge! Almost caught up with Mad Men! Downton Abbey is another favorite. I have heard great things about House of Cards and Scandal so they may be next. I do LOVE The Voice!
    Patti

    • Diane Chamberlain on March 27, 2014 at 8:54 pm

      We couldn’t get into Breaking Bad. Maybe didn’t give it enough of a chance? Can’t wait for Mad Men to come back!

      • Patti on March 28, 2014 at 1:27 pm

        The first couple of seasons of Breaking Bad were a little slow to get into, then it took off. I have one episode left to watch and I feel kind of sad that it will be the last one. Season 5 has been great!

Leave a Comment