Two Men on the Moon and Five Young Women at the Jersey Shore
It was June, 1969. I’d finished my first year of college and wanted to spend the summer down the shore, as I had every other summer of my life. I did not want to spend it in the ’burbs with my parents. It’s a bit hard for me to remember why I disliked my parents…
Read MoreWhat is 'Stepping Off'? Read The Dream Daughter to Find Out! (And Win a Candle!)
Here’s a little video John and I put together to entice you to read my new book, The Dream Daughter. Have fun! EDITED: The winners of the candles have been randomly selected. Congratulations, Kathy Nester and Martha! And here’s a yummy citrus verbena Dream Daughter candle for you! Just leave a comment telling me what…
Read MoreUnveiling New Covers for my Early Books
Many of you know that I reissued my early books several years ago. I decided they needed some updated covers, so turned them over to the amazing Kim Killion at the killion group. Kim had done a great job on my earlier covers, but I was still a bit nervous,…
Read MoreLaunch Day: The Stolen Marriage!
Wow, it’s been two years since I’ve had a book out and I’m ecstatic! I’m gearing up for a busy book tour and looking forward to meeting some of you. I can’t wait to hear your thoughts about this story. And may I just add that, even if you don’t buy The Stolen Marriage, you must…
Read MoreWould You Like to Win an Advance Reading Copy of The Stolen Marriage?
(Edited: This giveaway is over. Thank you for playing! The random number generator (in this case, my significant other John) gave us three winners: Brenda J., Elizabeth Irion, and Yvonne. Congratulations, you three, and I hope you thoroughly enjoy the story!) I have three to give away! I’d love them to go to readers who…
Read MoreRape, Race and Writing Historical Fiction
As I read the early reader reviews of The Stolen Marriage, I’m heartened by how lovely they are. At this moment, the story averages 4.43 out of 5 stars and my gratitude to readers who take the time to write a review knows no bounds. But there are a few very angry reviews and they…
Read MoreFor What it's Worth
Once a week, I play acoustic guitar with a casual group of musicians. We have an energetic leader who is gifted at keeping us on track, and we play mostly rock and roll with some country thrown in. We take turns picking songs from the songbook we use, and we all strum and sing. I’ve…
Read MoreA Tale of Two Covers (and a Contest)
About a year and a half ago, I first saw the design for the hardcover edition of my latest book, Pretending to Dance. To say I was blown away is an understatement. I thought the image with that vibrant red dress was stunning. I could feel the movement of that dress, and the woman wearing it…
Read MoreBest Buddies Forever
Giving my office a deep cleaning, I stumbled across this essay I wrote about my golden retrievers, Ben and Chapel, at the end of Ben’s life in the late ’90s. Have any of you had a similar experience? Best Buddies Forever by Diane Chamberlain I sat in the breeder’s kitchen, waiting to meet the…
Read MoreThe Hero Behind Pretending to Dance
When I was growing up, my sister Joann was my hero. Never mind the fact that she couldn’t stand me. I was seven years younger and when I came along, I took over her position as Princess of the Family. She didn’t bother masking her disdain for me. (You can even see it in this…
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