Interview with Dianna Benson

Dianna T. Benson is a 2011 Genesis Winner, a 2011 Genesis double Semi-Finalist, a 2010 Daphne de Maurier Finalist, and a 2007 Golden Palm Finalist. In 2012, she signed a nine-book contract with Ellechor Publishing House. Her first book, The Hidden Son, released in print world-wide March 1, 2013.

After majoring in communications and a ten-year career as a travel agent, Dianna left the travel industry to earn her EMS degree. An EMT and a Haz-Mat and FEMA Operative since 2005, she loves the adrenaline rush of responding to medical emergencies and helping people in need. Her suspense novels about adventurous characters thrown into tremendous circumstances provide readers with a similar kind of rush.

Dianna lives in North Carolina with her husband and their three athletic children. 

WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE TO START WRITING?

When I was in fifth grade, I realized I’m a writer. For those details, see the On Writing page on my website: www.diannatbenson.com.

                                                                                                                        

WHAT AUTHORS HAVE INFLUENCED YOUR WRITING STYLE?

God, Stephen King, Robert Frost, Tim Downs, Tess Gerritsen and Terri Blackstock

 

 WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO ASPIRING AUTHORS?

See the On Writing page on my website: www.diannatbenson.com.

Plus...Keep in mind, if you're unable to land an agent and/or a publishing contract, it doesn't prove your writing is the problem, so continue to believe in yourself as a writer. Above all, if you love to write, then never stop writing. God gave you a passion, so spend time on your passion and enjoy yourself!

  

TELL ME ABOUT YOUR LATEST RELEASE.

Book One in the Cayman Islands Trilogy:

The Hidden Son

When U.S. DEA Special Agent Lelisa Desmond refuses to follow an order to bury evidence in a high profile case, her superior hires a hit man to kill her deep in the ocean off Grand Cayman Island. Lelisa survives the first attempt on her life, but someone close to her is mistakenly murdered in her place.

With no one to trust, Lelisa enlists Inspector Alec Dyer for help but learns she's his number one suspect in the scuba diving homicide. She sets off on a daring mission to bring down the man who ordered her execution. A man in a high position, with powerful friends. A man who will stop at nothing to silence her forever in order to hide his son's crimes. 

  

TELL ME MORE ABOUT YOUR "REAL JOB." HOW DOES IT INFLUENCE YOUR WRITING?

In 1993, I started writing my first suspense novel; I was a travel agent at the time. Writing novels has been my #1 job since the day I left my career in the travel industry to earn my EMS degree. After medic school in 2005, I’ve worked part time as an EMT and a Haz-Mat and FEMA Operative, a career I treasure but it’s always been my second career to my writing career. Since I write suspense, my firsthand emergency medical and rescue knowledge and experience enhances my plotlines, characterization and the general authenticity of my novels. I was a freelance editor for both unpublished and published authors for over a decade, but now I’m focusing solely on my own writing. With a nine-book contract with a traditional print publisher, writing is my main real job.   

                                                                                                                 

HOW CAN READERS CONTACT YOU AND/OR LEARN MORE ABOUT YOU AND YOUR WRITING?

My Website: www.diannatbenson.com

Also, The Hidden Son is available to order:

1) Barnes and Noble

2) Ellechor Publishing

3) Google Books 

4) Amazon.com

5) Books-A-Million

6) Christianbook.com

7) http://buy.christianbookstoday.org/product.asp?itemid=50