About Jacqueline Diamond:
A former Associated Press reporter and TV columnist, I’ve sold 100 books–mysteries, romance, humor and fantasy–to a range of publishers. With my 101st book, I’m charting a new course: self-publishing my Safe Harbor Medical mystery series, beginning with The Case of the Questionable Quadruplet. My honors include a Career Achievement Award from Romantic Times and a Thomas Watson Foundation fellowship. Married 37 years, I live in Orange County, Calif., where I’m working on the next mystery in my series.
What inspires you to write?
By the age of 5, I simply knew I was meant to be a writer. At this point, I’m inspired to write medical mystery novels because a) I love really well-done mystery plots, such as on the TV show Elementary, and b) I’m fascinated by medical research, which is moving at an incredible pace. Doing research helps me create a believable setting and view the world through the eyes of my hero, a 35-year-old male obstetrician who truly cares about his patients–and takes crimes against them personally.
Tell us about your writing process.
It’s hard for me to imagine writing a mystery with any depth of characterization, research and storyline without careful planning. I begin with jotting ideas, then ask myself a lot of “what-ifs” and “what-thens,” and gradually refine this material. Currently I’m writing a narrative synopsis as I plot the second book in the Safe Harbor Medical Mysteries.
For Fiction Writers: Do you listen (or talk to) to your characters?
I enter into the world of my viewpoint character(s)–there’s only one in The Case of the Questionable Quadruplet, since it’s written in first person. This is tricky, since I’m not 35, not an obstetrician and not a man. It’s exhilarating, though, and forces me to think carefully about how people react to this man and how he perceives others.
What advice would you give other writers?
Of course, you have to write a lot. You also need feedback. Classes, critique groups, contests that offer judges’ comments and websites for writers can all be helpful. For those with a love story in their writing, Romance Writers of America is absolutely fantastic.
How did you decide how to publish your books?
When I began publishing in the early 1980s, self-publishing was not respected and not practical. It’s been less than ten years since that changed. I began self-publishing some of my backlist books to which I had regained the rights, including Regency romances such as A Lady’s Point of View. Gradually, I got better at figuring out how to do this, although the rules do seem to keep changing. With my new mystery series, I’m thrilled to be able to do everything exactly the way I want. Some of my editors have been outstanding, but there’ve been a few doozies.
What do you think about the future of book publishing?
While I believe print will always be popular, especially for reference and for children’s books, more and more people will discover ebooks. I would never have believed I’d read a book on my phone, but now I keep a nonfiction book available so I never have to worry about wasting time in a doctor’s office.
What do you use?: Professional Editor, Professional Cover Designer, Beta Readers
What genres do you write?: Mystery (currently), medical romance, romantic comedy, Regency romance, fantasy, romantic suspense, nonfiction (a how-to-write book)
What formats are your books in?: eBook, Print, Both eBook and Print
Website(s)
Jacqueline Diamond Home Page Link
Link To Jacqueline Diamond Page On Amazon
Link to Author Page on other site
Your Social Media Links
Goodreads
Facebook
Twitter
All information in this post is presented “as is” supplied by the author. We don’t edit to allow you the reader to hear the author in their own voice.
