Cindy, thanks so much for having me here today.

1. Tell us about yourself.
I’m not a Michigander by birth, but I’ve lived here most of my life. I’m a wife, mom, and nana, and a movie-holic. Since I love action adventure, scifi, and romantic comedy, that’s what I incorporate in my books. Reading, quilting, and gardening are my favorite hobbies. I never seem to find time to quilt and bad knees hinder my gardening, but I always make time to read.

2. Have you had other careers before becoming a writer?
Oh my, yes. I was an elementary teacher for several years before being a stay-at-home mom (best job ever). Later, I was an inventory clerk for a flute store with an international mail order service (I once talked to James Galway); data entry clerk for a Girl Scout Council (during cookie order time); did temp office work; and worked in the land department of an oil and gas exploration company where I discovered the cure for insomnia—reading oil and gas leases. Now that I’m retired from all that I write full time.

3. How many books have you written? Do you have a favorite?
Written—maybe 30, some of which will never see the light of day. They were “practice”. Published—3 scifi romances in the Switched series; 1 sfr in the Outer Rim series; and 1 romantic suspense. My favorite? Always the one I’m working on, which is the 2nd book in the Outer Rim series.

4. Tell us about your current book.
ONE RED SHOE is my first published romantic suspense. Daria’s life is too predictable. Nothing ever happens in her small Iowa town. But when she travels to NYC looking for a little excitement, she never expects to find a wounded spy. For Sam, nothing is worse than getting shot in the butt—except accepting help from a tourist. As they flee cross country with assassins right behind them, she wants to believe they belong together while he’s convinced she’s better off without him.

5. What inspired your latest book?
ONE RED SHOE started as a writing assignment at a Mid-Michigan RWA chapter meeting. The facilitator set the scene (you’re in a train station and someone is running toward you) and we had 30 minutes to write. The first thought that came to me was: The man running toward her wore one red shoe. The story ran from there. Along the way toward publication (over 15 years), the story changed a lot. I’m so glad it found a home at The Wild Rose Press.

6. What is your next project and when will it be released?
I’m writing the next book in The Outer Rim series, which is about strong women on the frontier of space. The series started with THE PILOT about a free-spirited cargo hauler and an uptight administrator. My WIP is THE CHAMELEON about a woman whose fluff-brain façade masks a hard-driving worker bent on success. THE CHAMELEON will be released this spring.

7. How does your family feel about your writing career?
My family is very supportive, even the grandkiddies (ages 4 & 6) who write their own stories with me. My husband is great. When he sees I’m “buried” in a story, he’ll prepare dinner or do the laundry and when the dust bunnies threaten to take over, he vacuums. Although he doesn’t read much fiction, he reads mine and says they’re great. Now that’s support.

8. How has your experience with self-publishing been?
Very rewarding. Not necessarily in a monetary sense (although that has been better than I expected), but in self-esteem. It was a little scary taking that path when I published my first book. I’d gotten the rights back from the publisher of SWITCHED and since it was out of print, I had nothing to lose. I like the control I have with self-publishing. Along the way, I’ve met a lot of great authors who’ve also taken that road. My science fiction romances are all self-published. SFRs have a growing audience, which traditional publishers haven’t capitalized on. Yet.

9. What advice do you have for other authors wanting to self-publish?
Do your homework. Check out all the venues available (Amazon’s KDP, Nook, Kobo, iTunes, Smashwords, etc.). Know what the royalties are and the conditions under which you’ll be paid. Before even thinking about uploading your story, hire a good editor and, unless you’re very artistic, hire a good cover designer. Yes, they cost money but, in the long run, they’ll enhance your book. Editing mistakes or a cheap-looking cover can harm not just that book but your image as an author.

10. Was your road to publication difficult or a walk in the park?
I wish it had been a walk in the park. I wrote for ten years (lots of rejections) before my first book was accepted for publication. After a number of “life” challenges, it was another nine years before I took the plunge into self-publishing. Then another three years before contracting with a traditional publisher.

11. Where can readers find you?

Website: www.dianeburton.com
Blog: http://dianeburton.blogspot.com/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/dmburton72
Facebook: http://facebook.com/dianeburtonauthor
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2902110.Diane_Burton
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/dmburton72/
Amazon author page: http://amzn.com/e/B00683MH5E
Smashwords author page: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/dianeburton

12. Where can readers find your books? Print/Ebook?
Myy books are listed on my author page at Amazon or Smashwords. (above)

Excerpt from ONE RED SHOE:

For the second time in her life, Daria Mason came face-to-face with a man pointing a weapon at her. A pervert, with unzipped jeans, wielded a green box knife. Because she’d raced into the restroom without checking out the situation, he now stood between her and the exit.

She was at the end of the proverbial rope. After walking in circles, she finally found a restroom and nobody was stopping her from using it. Especially not someone playing copycat with that guy in the movie who wore one red shoe.

“I am having a really bad day,” she declared in the don’t cross me voice she used on her brothers. As soon as her words echoed off the hideous pink and black tiled walls and floor, she lowered her voice. “You are in the wrong place, mister. Now zip up and get out.” She pointed straight-armed toward the door.

The man shook his head and set the flimsy knife on the counter. “Lady, you have more guts than sense. You are in the wrong place, at the wrong time.” His voice was even softer as hers. He eyed her with a look so dark and intense it paralyzed her like a hawk froze its prey.

ONE RED SHOE is available as an ebook and in print at:
Amazon: http://amzn.com/B00FDXRHZA
and at The Wild Rose Press: http://www.wildrosepublishing.com/maincatalog_v151/index.php?main_page=index&manufacturers_id=1082

About the Author:

Diane Burton combines her love of mystery, adventure, science fiction and romance into writing romantic fiction. Besides the science fiction romance Switched series, she is the author of The Pilot, the first book in a series about strong women on the frontier of space. One Red Shoe is her first romantic suspense. She is also a contributor to the anthology How I Met My Husband. Diane and her husband live in Michigan. They have two children and two grandchildren.
For more info and excerpts from her books, visit Diane’s website: http://www.dianeburton.com