Welcome to the Weekend With... L. Diane Wolfe

This week we are going to welcome the weekend with not only a great author and speaker but my dear friend. Many of you haved followed her previous tours and follow her blog, Spunk on a Stick Tips. Interviewing someone so loved and popular could be a little tricky... all the normal questions have already been answered at one time or another. So today, I have tried to think outside the box and give you some different insights into our fabulous feisty redhead at this stop on her Heather, Circle of Friends Book V tour.

What motivated you to write the Circle of Friends series?

I’d wanted to be an author since I was thirteen. I never envisioned this series to be my first fiction effort, but after a brief dream about Lori, I felt compelled to tell her story. Before I finished, I had outlines for four more books.

I believe everyone is capable of achieving his or her dreams. Through the struggles of my characters, I show that it is possible to overcome any challenge and accomplish one’s goals. One reviewer called this series “Encouragement personified” and I like that assessment!

Of all the characters in the five books, which character embodies you the most?
Oh my goodness, Sarah!!!

I strive to be a Lori, as she’s so positive and optimistic. However, under all this ‘spunk’ is a Sarah - an adventurous tomboy struggling with her self-esteem.

Your characters have been on a journey through the five books. Tell us about your journey as a writer with each successive book?
Things I wish I knew when writing Book I? LOL My skills as a writer have improved tremendously with each book. I’ve learned so much from other authors as well, reading up on writing tips at every opportunity. I’ve learned how to compact and focus more on conflict. I certainly learned a lot from the last book! Heather was NOT my favorite character and she kicked my butt throughout the entire writing process. Ironically, I think this resulted in the strongest of the stories…

As a reader, I felt your growth as an author with each progressive book. What advice would you offer to a new author who is embarking on a series?
Create a timeline! Especially if any of the books will overlap. An outline is essential for each book, but a timeline will prevent inconsistencies. Remember that characters, like people, will grow over time. It’s not just the changes during the course of one book - think about the growth from one book to another. And trying to juggle too many characters at once will only confuse the reader. Focus on one or two main characters per book.

With Heather being the final book in your series, what is next for you?
A break???

Next, I will tackle a teen version of my non-fiction book, Overcoming Obstacles with SPUNK! There are so many issues specific to young adults. And at that age, more than ever, they need encouragement!

My next fiction project is an anthology of stories - a mixture of urban fantasy, horror, and sci-fi.


When did you first get into photography?
I got my first camera when I was twelve - a 110. Remember those? After that I was hooked, and I took photography in high school and worked on the yearbook staff.

A few years after high school, I started working in the photo dept. of a contracting company. Soon after I started taking photos professionally and maintained my own darkroom for years.

Other than your fabulously photogenic furries, what is your favorite thing to photograph and why?
I love taking pictures of my cats! I have more photos of Calvin & Hobbes and Rocko & Spunky than most people do of their kids.

I finally found my niche with close up shots. I love getting up close to a subject and shooting it in a way as to reveal something new about the object. I really have a thing for water, too. Oh, and B&W is my favorite! I love shapes, textures, and patterns.

What camera do you usually use/How many cameras do you have/Do you have a dream camera you would love to own?
I have four Nikons - an 8008 and D50 SLR and two CoolPix point & shoots. The D50 is the one I use most of the time, although when traveling, it’s the newest CoolPix. I’m hoping to upgrade my digital to a Nikon D300 by the end of the year.

I read in one of your older posts that you had taken pictures while driving to your hubby's dismay. Do you always have a camera with you and do you really take pictures as you are driving?
Yeah, I do that! At 80 mph down I-95, too. Hey, I see a gorgeous scene or sunset, I HAVE to take a photo! It’s in my blood.

And yes, I always have one if not both point & shoots with me when I travel.

I love that we share a love for dragons. If you were a dragon, what would your name be and what would you look like?
Woo-hoo! Yes, we do love our dragons, don’t we?

My favorite series is Anne McCaffrey’s Dragonriders of Pern, so I’d want to be one of those dragons. My name would be Renth and I would be white, like McCaffrey’s Ruth - only I’d be the size of a bronze!

I know you love roller coasters. Describe for us your first experience with a roller coaster and why you still love them so much. Is there a roller coaster that you have yet to ride that you want to?
I rode my first tiny coaster as a teen, but I didn’t ride again until I was about 30. It was a small wooden coaster and it scared the crap out of me! I didn’t think I would ever like roller coasters, but a few years later, my husband took me to Busch Gardens. After the initial panic, I decided I liked the rush - and that was all she wrote!

I guess it’s because I would LOVE to fly on my own wings. Steel coasters are my favorite - smooth, gliding, and occasionally looping. I love the loops, too. I have no sense of balance, but when I ride a looping coaster, my equilibrium realigns. (Weird, huh?)

My two dream coasters-
The Steel Dragon 2000 in Japan (318 feet tall and the world’s longest steel coaster)

The Dragon Khan at Port Adventura in Spain (a B&M coaster with eight beautiful loops)

If you were transported into a book, which book would you want it to be? Describe the character you would portray (it can be a character already in the book or a new character that would fit in).
Well, I’d still like to be Renth the white dragon! And my rider would be the Weyrleader. (Well, with a name like Renth, I’d be a male dragon!)

Otherwise, a Hobbit character opposite Pippin from LOTR would be a blast! He’s all about the fun. And since Pippin was kinda cute, I’d want to be a girl Hobbit!

You’ve been a foster mom. How did that come about and how has it changed you as a person?
My husband and I didn’t want to have children of our own, but we considered adopting one. That led to four years as a foster parent and most of the kids were teens.

Dealing with those teens touched upon some personal issues of my own and helped me deal with them. It also made me realize how little it takes to really mess a kid up for life! It fueled my desire to let teens know that they CAN overcome their struggles, no matter what the circumstances.

You are an inspiration and a great motivator to many people. Who motivates you? What do you do when you are feeling defeated to build yourself back up? What words of wisdom would you share with the youth of today?
Aw, thank you, CC! The people I meet on my journey motivate me - appreciation from fans of my books, thanks from those who hear me speak, and kind words from fellow authors and speakers. My husband motivates me. He’s my biggest cheerleader! And I am motivated by God. I’ll never be a missionary or a prayer warrior, but I CAN encourage and inspire - THIS is what I can do to glorify God’s love. And that is what I share with young people - find YOUR path and realize you are capable.

If you could return for one year to one age in your life, knowing what you now know, to relive the year as you wish, which year would you return to and why?
No, you can’t make me go back!!

Maybe to when I first moved to North Carolina. My self-esteem was so low at that point, I’d want to go back and let myself know that I was a worthy person. Then again, if I hadn’t struggled, would I be where I am today…?

Thanks so much, CC!!!

Diane... thank you for making me one of your stops on this blog tour and being a great inspiration!

Readers be sure to check out her Circle of Friends books available directly at Dancing Lemur Press or on Amazon or Barnes & Nobles.

And her various websites:

http://www.thecircleoffriends.net/

 http://www.spunkonastick.net/

 http://www.circleoffriendsbooks.blogspot.com/

More on her latest book, Heather:
The Circle of Friends, Book V...Heather By L. Diane Wolfe

When confidence turns to frustration…
A new beginning awaits Heather Jennings. The position at Clemson means she will finally realize her dream of coaching basketball. Heather is ready to focus on her duties, using sheer force if necessary to prove her independence.

Sadly, her triumph is hampered as her father and greatest advocate lies dying of cancer. Battling her grief, she must also deal with a sister who appears incapable of responsibility or achievement. And once basketball season begins, a talented but cocky player who resembles her in every manner challenges all that remains of Heather’s patience.

Heather’s life changes when she encounters a man capable of handling her bold and feisty attitude. Straightforward and smug, he entices her to date him, and despite his gruff nature shows a great capacity for compassion. However, the last thing Heather needs is a serious relationship with a man equally fixated on work and opposed to marriage…


Release date: March 16, 2010, Dancing Lemur Press, L.L.C. 
$19.95 USA, 6x9 Trade paperback, 282 pages, Fiction/YA
ISBN 978-0-9816210-5-0 / 0-9816210-5-8
Winner of FlamingNet Reviews’ TOP CHOICE Award - a perfect 10