Sara in Bookland: Whisper Privileges: Interview with Dianne Venetta + Give@way!

Author Interview

Hey guys! today I have the pleasure to host on my blog the author Dianne Venetta.

I've just finished her book "Whisper Privilege" and I really liked her writing style! You

can read my review here.If you want to know more about her and about her

books, check out her awesome blog here. And now let's start with the questions :)

- Can you tell me a little about yourself and how you got into writing?

Inspiration struck years ago. Born from my love of reading,the story for my first novel burst into my mind quite unexpectedly but with such fervor and insistence, I literally had to rise from my sofa and head to the computer. At the time, I wasn't sure where the story was going,just that I had to write it.

Turned out it was the story of a mother-daughter relationship, one that needed healing but wouldn't—until the women involved learned to accept who they were, why they affected each other and how they could move forward together in an intimate and loving relationship; the way nature intended. It's not my debut novel, Jennifer's Garden, but one that I will eventually publish.

My tag line: "A woman will bloom in time…" is a play on words that epitomizes my core belief: women are unique and beautiful and follow a life path unlike any other. Comparing ourselves to others is a waste of time, because we don't walk in their shoes. We borrow them, but we don't own them. She's going to have to make her own way in life. I'm simply her guide on how best to go about choosing which direction is right for her.

And this is the way it was meant to be. Not all tomatoes sprout at the same time. Squash grow in a variety of sizes and shapes and color. Trust me. I grew a zucchini once that turned into a pumpkin, right before my very eyes. Beats the heck out of me, but I've learned not to fight Mother Nature. While she has a sense of humor, she doesn't appreciate back talk.

-What inspired you to write about special needs children and the Special Olympics event?

There’s a young boy that attends school with my son who I think is simply amazing. He was born with mental disabilities, but it hasn’t seemed to stop him. Always quick with the smile, he loves learning and going to school and I wondered, “How many people know kids like him? Do they realize that these kids are capable of amazing things, despite their disability?”
I decided to share my own experience, and did so in the framework of the Special Olympics. This organization is wonderful and really helps these kids bring out the best in themselves.

-What was the hardest part of writing this book?

Keeping my heroine and hero apart! The two have obvious chemistry, but like many women, Sydney is plagued by insecurity. She wants to do so many things, but finds herself second-guessing her actions.
It’s one of the harder parts for readers, too. If you’ve never felt this sort of insecurity in your own heart, it’s hard to imagine anyone else feeling this way as you read her story. But many women do feel uncertain about their looks, their abilities, even as they try to hide it.
Clay saw Sydney’s power and ability when she didn’t, and what better way to learn the lesson for her than a handsome man and his incredible son?

-What character or part of the story did you become attached to the most? Why?
I love the boy in this story. Not only because he reminds me of my son’s friend at school, but because he makes me believe that anything is possible. If I believe in myself, I can do anything. It’s a mantra that helps me through the tough days.

-And now, tell us why we should read your book.
Whisper Privileges is a story about the spirit of a champion; it speaks to the desire to win that lives within each and every one of us. This book will not only introduce you to some amazing kids, but it will remind you the same beautiful spirit to persevere lives within your heart, and that we humans as a whole are more similar than we are
different.

-Tell us about your favorite book, if you could be a character who would he/she be? Why?
I have so many favorite books, it’s hard to narrow it down, but if I could be a character, I think I might like to be Beauty in Beauty and the Beast. Even with her mother gone, she has a father who loves her, friends who look out for her, a can do spirit of courage and bravery and she looks at a man’s personality before his looks. (She also gets the handsome prince in the end!)
She wears nice clothes, gets to dance at the ball… How could a girl argue with that life?

-If you could work with any author who would it be?
Fortunately for me, I work with a lot of great authors. From the women in my local writing chapter to famous names like Roxanne St. Claire and Brenda Novak, I get to mix and mingle with some really great ladies.

-And in the end, tell us your favorite inspirational quote.
I have several (and usually tweet them!) but first and foremost would have to be: “There are only two pains in life – the pain of discipline and the pain of regret; discipline weighs ounces while regret weighs tons.”
I never want to look back on my life and wonder, Could I have achieved it? I always want to try, because there’s no such thing as failure—only results. And if I stay true to my dreams, my dreams will stay true to me.

About the author

Dianne lives in Central Florida with her husband, two children and part-time Yellow Lab—Cody boy! When not whacking away at her keyboard crafting her next novel you'll find her in the family's organic garden chasing grasshoppers and plucking hornworms all the while drawing wild analogies between kids and plants and men. Definitely men.

A girl's gotta have fun, right?

When she's not knee-deep in dirt or romance, Dianne contributes garden advice for various websites and volunteers in her kids' school garden (a crazy existence to be sure). But at the end of the day, if she can inspire someone to stop and smell the roses--or rosemary!—kiss their child and spouse good-night, be kind to a neighbor and Mother Earth, then she's done all right.

Find her on: Twitter, Facebook, Website.

Dianne's novels

Lust on the Rocks - Whisper Privileges - Jennifer's Garden

And now, thanks to Dianne I have so many amazing prizes for my lovely readers!For my international readers I have an e-copy of Whisper Privileges. My review can be found here.For residents of the US Dianne is offering a complete set of her books - Lust on the Rocks, Whisper Privileges, Jennifer's Garden- and also a lovely flower box. Here's the photo:

This is a pink Zinnia and inside the beautiful box,

there are actual seeds to plant of this kind of flower.

Aren't you super excited? So fill the Rafflecopter form!