Wings ePress Interview Diana Lee Johnson Hello, I'm Carolyn Nobody

Interviewed Diana Lee Johnson

Katherine McGibbons

1) Please tell the readers a little something about yourself.

I’m a native of the suburbs of Washington, D.C. A dyed-in-the-wool Virginian, and very proud of my state’s history. I’ve been in public purchasing for 38 years, am a CPPO (Certified Public Purchasing Officer). I have two grown daughters and three grandchildren. Hello, I’m Carolyn Nobody is my 7^th published novel. Though some of them are primarily romances, the historicals are cross-overs--Historical Mainstream that contains romance, like John Jakes, though I am too modest to claim his caliber.

2) I see from your web site that you have an ancestor who seems to have had some influence on you, would you care to share something about her with the readers?

I assume you’re referring to my ancestor of Salem Witch fame, Sarah Warren Prince Osborn. I don’t know that I could say she influenced me since I only found out about her a few years ago. It just seems fitting that I have such roots in history and in America. One of my grown daughters said, with a smile, upon hearing the connection, “Mom, I always knew you were a witch.”

3) How long have you been writing, and what got you started?

I’ve been writing since I was 6 years old and bored in first grade because I could already read and write. (We didn’t have kindergarten where I lived, so I learned on my own at home). I was in a first/second combination and wanted to do the second-graders’ work.

4) Are you a "plotter" or a "pantser"?

I fly, or write, by the seat of my pants. I learn who my characters are as they walk in, and I see and hear them in my mind. I know what my plot is as it unfolds. If I tried to plot, I’d end up going off on a tangent before I got to the third plot point, so I don’t do it. My stories usually run in sequence in my mind, though I stop to research for my historicals, or for special occupations, like doctors. Usually that research comes after what I’ve written to verify it is true or possible so I don’t lose the flow. The only story that came in non-sequential flashes that were later strung together in my mind was my Time-Travel, Waltz in Time.

5) How long does it normally take you to complete a novel, from beginning to end?

How long depends mostly on the amount of research needed (I pride myself on historical accuracy), how long the story “runs” in my mind and on paper (or at the computer), and how exhausted I am when I get in from work. The longest one with lots of historical research took a year, the shortest 90 days, all the while working full-time.

6) You were a nominee for the Rose Award for 2002. Can you share with the readers what went through your mind when you first learned about winning this award?

To me, as the only award I’ve come close to, that was an honor because it wasn’t something I had to enter. I don’t get to enter too many contests because they want too many copies of the novels and I can’t afford the investment; not to mention, the lack of time needed to research what contests are out there.

7) As an extensively published Romance Novelist, what advise would you give to newly published or soon-to-be published authors?

My best advice is to be true to yourself and your vision of your story. Lorraine says, “Opinions are like noses, everybody has one”, and I find that’s true. If you know your characters and you know something would be out of character, don’t let anyone talk you into changing it, just work on crafting it so the reader can see and hear what you do.

8) Juggling a full time job, a family and writing as a career can be difficult, any advice for those of us who might be time management challenged?

As someone who is not great at time management, especially since both my employees retired within two months of each other, and I was only given one replacement, so I always feel like I’m running for a train without the energy to catch up, I’m afraid I have no pearls of wisdom on the subject. I just find if you have this fire to write, you will find the time, unfortunately sometimes at the expense of housework, or something else.

9) Tell us a little something about your new release.

Hello, I’m Carolyn Nobody was a short story I wrote many years ago when I first started to dabble in prose seriously. I had been writing mostly poetry all my life. A couple of years ago I asked my long-time best girlfriend, who has encouraged my writing since we met when I was 7 years old, “What would you think if I said I was thinking about turning “Carolyn Nobody” (as I refer to it in shortened form) into a novel. Her reply was “I’ve been waiting 20 years for you to say that.” So I did it. It’s about second chances at life and love when you feel like you’ve lost your way.

10) What authors do you read for pleasure?

I mostly listen to unabridged books commuting to work, more than read as I have so little time, and less attention span. When I was growing up, sitting still to read was a problem, except for reading Edgar Allen Poe. Now I read or listen to: John Jakes, James Patterson, Robin Cook, Jude Devereaux, Nora Roberts, Sara Orwig, Mary Jo Putney, Metsy Hingle, Sandra Brown, Julie Garwood, Patricia Cornwell, Sue Grafton, John Grisham, Jonathan Kellerman, Jack Higgins… I’d better stop there. I have very eclectic tastes.

11) Of all your novels, do you have a favorite and why?

I have often said that’s like asking if you have a favorite child. Maybe you do, somewhere in the back of your mind, but you don’t want to say so. Since all my characters actually live in my mind, I wouldn’t say I have a favorite, they’re just very different, and most of my novels don’t fit into niches because of that. They’re usually something for everyone in all of them, humor, mystery, love, heart-tugging… the characters are real enough that the reader can feel they know them too.

12) What can we expect from you in the future?

I’ve just finished polishing a mystery-suspense, just waiting for some firearms information from a friend before I submit it. And I’m working on the third in what I call my “Tomorrow” series of historicals. The first two were Too Late for Tomorrow, and Tomorrow Came Early, I have the first 30,000 words in the third. I have the beginning chapters of two other romances waiting for my time, too.