Diana Kathryn Plopa is the host of Indie Reads Aloud podcast. I’ve had the honor of being her guest twice. She’s also a prolific writer, which I recently discovered when interviewing Diana. Read more about her extraordinary life and her new paranormal mystery, Tears Remember, which will be out for Halloween.
It’s time to get your protagonist out of their comfort zone. You want to present her with a challenge, and you’ve given her the following choices: climb Mount Everest; run a Marathon; trek across the Sierra Desert with a tribe of nomads; or sail around the world alone. Which would she choose?
Caroline would opt for the sailing trip. As her story takes place at a lighthouse off Lake Superior, water is her element of preference. She feels a special kindred attachment with the water, waves, and the lore that surrounds them. She’s grown up around boats, and feels most at home near water.
If your protagonist could live in another era, which would she choose and why?
I think most of the characters in this novel would choose the early 1900s. This is the time when the ghosts they encounter have lived, so they feel a certain relationship with the time period already.
If she could change anything in her life, what would it be and why?
Caroline would like to settle down and adopt a puppy… and perhaps enter into a serious relationship again. She hasn’t had either in quite some time, and her heart is now ready for both… but they would need to be special.
What do you and your protagonist have in common?
We both love books, writing, the water, lighthouses, and we have a goal to create storytelling that impacts the lives of others in positive ways. We also love puppies!
If you had an argument, who would win and why?
She is a yoga practitioner and therefore, understands calming energy much better than I do. 😊
How long have you been writing? What was the motivating factor that got you started?
I’ve been writing passionately since I was seven years old… but professionally, beginning in journalism only since 1993. I was a features writer for a Detroit newspaper, a copy writer for a Detroit radio program, and I’ve written and taught creative writing coursework to writers from 2nd grade to adults in schools, community centers, universities, and other public groups. I’ve published 11 books (Tears Remember will be my 12th) and they stretch across many genres, including poetry, short stories, Romance, Satire, Memoir, and Children’s books. AA Milne has been my greatest influence. His stories about a bear and his friends who lived through story gave me the confidence to become a writer.
What do you want most for your readers to come away with after they read your books?
It’s most important to me that readers feel that reading my work is time well spent. I hope they enjoy the characters I create and find suspending disbelief with my stories to be easy and comfortable. A reader who says, “I felt like it could be real,” is the best compliment I can imagine.
Tell us about your perfect writing day.
I write best when in the company of other writers, the creative energy swirling around a room filled with writers is just spectacular! I could do that in almost any setting – I don’t necessarily need silence to write. My second favorite place to write is in the forest, while sitting by a river or other body of water. Being in that natural environment enriches my creativity. To have writing friends join me in nature to write… that is the ultimate writing experience, for me.
What is the last book you’ve read purely for pleasure?
The last two books I read, and finished within a few weeks of each other, were “Fateful Friend” by Andrew Allen Smith (https://andrewallensmith.com/), which is an action adventure novel, the 4th in the “Masterson Files Series;” and “Butterflies I Have Known” by Kristoffer Gair (https://www.kristoffergair.com/), which is a tremendously witty and touching LGBT love story. Both gentlemen are stunningly talented Indie Authors, and I highly recommend them.
What was the oddest job you ever had?
Writing for the radio was an interesting experience. There’s a definite challenge in writing fifteen or thirty-second scenes that need to covey strong emotion and still be complete. I’ve never been one for brevity, and that was a truly odd place for my brain to operate in… but I loved it. There’s a certain wonderment in creating something that has the potential to reach thousands of ears, but then disappear in the wind. It’s a little like magic that leaves behind no trace.
Tell us about your latest book. 
Tears Remember, which is expected in time for Halloween, is a paranormal ghost story about a spirit (or a few) who is trapped at a lighthouse. “Moira’s spirit is trapped in the century-old Whitefish Point Lighthouse off the northern coast of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Mired by a tragic history, she struggles to escape the terrors that bind her to the Light, awakening her fears and threatening the lives of a group of reluctant collaborators. A writer’s retreat at the Light brings together the creative strengths of a group of aspiring novelists. To save themselves, they must finish Moira’s story, imagining an ending that will allow her to let go of the past. But first, the writers must endure the memory of her tears.”
How many books do you read in a typical month? Do you read in your genre while you are writing?
I read two to three books per month… in addition to the several manuscripts that I’m editing for other authors… so, technically, I read about eight books per month. 😊 I often read in the same genre in which I’m writing, as my goal is to write at least one book in each of the thirty-five major genres. There’s bound to be some overlap along the way!
Name three authors you would recommend and tell us what you like about their writing.
As a word-nerd, there are dozens of amazing authors I could recommend… and that could be a very long answer. But as you request, I’ll limit myself to just three today. The authors who have recently made the biggest impact on me are:
Andrew Allen Smith (https://andrewallensmith.com/) He writes action/adventure, fantasy, poetry, thriller/horror short stores, and non-fiction. He also writes daily words of kindness, passion, positive perspective, and a host of other wonderful topics on his blog, “29,000 Sunsets” (https://29000sunsets.com/). To choose a favorite of his books would be impossible. My advice is to read them all! (But you might want to start with “Adam”.)
Mark Love (https://www.motownmysteries.com/) Mark writes detective stories in two series, in addition to short stories. I love his work for the wonderful combination of snark, gentleness, intrigue, and spicy romance he weaves expertly into each story. Again, recommending a favorite is an impossibility. (But you might want to start with “Fleeing Beauty”.)
D.A (Deborah) Reed (https://dareedauthor.com/) Deborah writes amazing thrillers, nail-biting horror, and some of the best YA novels found on shelves today. Her ability to touch young readers (and their parents & teachers) with the realism of topics that are important to teenagers with skill, grace, and depth is incredible. She also wrote a super-fun memoir/essay collection titled, Chicken Butt Hair that made me giggle out loud.
What themes do you regularly employ in your writing?
I generally gravitate to writing stories that express themes of emotion as expressed between characters. Although I may write a romance, or a satire, or a paranormal… the characters and how they interact are what drives me to write. I like to explore how people speak and think inside their own heads and in groups… a character’s self-discovery (even if it’s small) is always the reason why I write my stories. I tend to choose a piece of personal growth that I’d like to write about, and then identify a genre where that will fit best; then I write that story. I also seriously enjoy writing stories about books and libraries. Yup, word-nerd. 😉
What is the most challenging area for you as a writer?
Writing only one project at a time. I know that sounds strange, but for me, the ideas come in rapid-fire succession from my muse, and I find it difficult to focus on only one at a time. Because of this, it takes me a little longer than some other authors to get a book to press. But I love the constant change, so I just roll with it… like water off a duck. 😊
What motivates you to write?
I have a little Duck in my head, named Drake, who will NOT stop quacking! 😊 But truly, I think story is how we express life, and how we help future generations to understand who we were, are, and hope to be. That, and it’s simply fun.
How did you develop the idea for your most recent work?
The idea came to me while on a trip to the Whitefish Point Lighthouse in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. The moment I stepped foot on the grounds, I knew there was a story that needed to be told. After walking around for a little while, and speaking with the docent, Moria made herself known to me, and that night, I started writing my outline.
Name three writers from whom you have drawn inspiration and tell us why.
I’m assuming you’re asking about life-long inspirations here, not just the continuous amazingness that the Indie Author Community provides to me daily? 😊
My first writing inspiration was A.A. Milne. I thought that he captured the complexities of the world inside of my head beautifully with his characters. He was gentle, and created a space where everyone was accepted inside a story. He was the first person in my life to acknowledge that indeed, we can live through story. I was hooked, and I knew one day, “Author” would be my job description.
I love the way Neil Gaiman creates vivid people and places in his stories; but even more, I am specifically drawn to the personal growth journey every one of his characters seems to encounter. He writes more about the fascination inside people’s heads, rather than the outside adventure. I try to emulate that in my writing… I accept I will never be as skilled as he is, but it’s a good goal.
William Shakespeare. I know, he’s probably the default on everyone’s list, but for me, his inspiration is all about language. I love the way he plays with words. He can make an insult sound like a compliment, and a joke sound like a funeral dirge. I am drawn to the differences in vocabulary authors use, and how they string them together with emotion and action to create memorable moments. I think this is the primary reason his works have held up for so long. Yes, he’s a great storyteller… and his interpersonal relationships are complex… but I just love the words, the way they dance around inside your head like a sort of invisible ballet.
What was the best writing advice you ever received, and why was it valuable?
A long time ago, in the early ‘90s, I was a part of a very interesting conversation. It was held in the very new “computer chat room” at AOL. No video, no voice, just words across a screen. The guest of honor was Anne McCaffery (“Dragon Riders of Pern Series”). The room full of people asked her many questions, and she answered all of them with grace and humor without losing the importance of her words. Someone asked her, “You’ve written so many amazing books. How do you do it?” Her reply has stayed with me in the years since: “I sit down at 8 am with a cup of tea, I put my fingers on the keyboard until lunch, I come back after lunch and put my fingers on the keyboard again until dinner time. I do that five days a week, without fail. That’s how I do it.” Her words were very simple, but the message was complex. There is no replacement for tenacity and showing up if you want the life of a writer. Magic and dragons have nothing to do with it. Because of those words, I have worked hard to make writing a regular daily practice in my life. Sometimes I’m amazing at it, and sometimes I struggle… but I don’t stop.
Diana Kathryn is founder, publisher, editor, and mentor at Pages Promotions, LLC. She is also the host of a Michigan weekly, podcast program that spotlights independent authors and other people of the book; “Indie Reads Aloud.” Diana Kathryn believes in fostering a love for the written word in all its forms. Her love of literacy knows (almost) no bounds. Diana Kathryn’s Muse, Drake, helps her with the tough stuff, quacking inspiration in her ear whenever she might need it. Their imaginations are fueled by an abundance of hot cocoa as they write together.
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Thanks for being my guest today on Books, Birds, and Banter. I am with you on focusing, or not focusing on one project at a time. I usually have 3 manuscripts I’m working on at once