Interview with L. Diane Wolfe

Hello L. Diane.  Thank you for stopping by my blog to talk about your latest book, MIKE, Book IV of your series The Circle of Friends.

Good day, Beverly!  And thank you for having me. 

1. Please tell us a little about MIKE:

Book IV is one young man’s journey to forgiveness.  A football player at Georgia Tech, Mike is the epitome of stability.  But beneath the surface he is consumed with guilt stemming from a high school girlfriend’s abortion and the secret love he feels for his roommate’s wife.  When Danielle enters his life, he can no longer hide his sinful past.  Can he finally forgive himself or is Mike past the point of redemption?  It’s a story of love, friendship and forgiving, aimed at young adults and adults. 

2. What gave you the idea for your series, The Circle of Friends?

I had just the wisp of a dream, enough to see the main two characters in Book I, Lori and Jason.  I began forming a story around them and halfway through writing that book, I had outlines for four more in the series.  I spent ten years in a motivational training program that taught success principles, relationship & people skills, and the importance of a positive attitude.  As the characters in this series came alive, I poured a lot of these principals into my stories.  My characters, like most people in life, had obstacles they needed to overcome.  I wanted to show these characters rising above their problems and portray healthy relationship dynamics.My original goal with this series still holds true – I want others to read my books and be inspired to overcome and achieve their dreams. 

3. What were some of the challenges you faced in writing this series or MIKE in particular?

The challenge as of late has been time!  I am out so many months of the year promoting this series; it leaves little time to write.  In addition, I am very active online through numerous websites and a writer’s club.  I also teach seminars on publishing & promoting and overcoming obstacles.  Toss in the fact that I am self-employed, a professional photographer, a foster parent, a wife, and in charge of my church’s singles ministry, and you can see where my time goes so fast!The greatest challenge with MIKE came from the subject matter and the strong moral message of the story.  Like Book III, JAMES, (which dealt with child abuse), MIKE has controversial issues.  The whole story centers on forgiveness and I wanted that to be the focus, not the situations that led to the guilt. 

4. How long does it take you to write a book and do you outline first or just start and see where the story takes you?

I cannot imagine writing without an outline!  It’s like driving across America without a map.  To me, the ending must be set in place before writing begins or there is no goal to pursue.  I’ve heard numerous times that the lack of an outline is what makes most writers meander off their story – thus producing a poorly crafted tale.  So I always create an outline, even if it gets altered slightly as I write.And every book has been different.  Book I, LORI, took me eight months to write, but Book II, SARAH, took only six months and it’s much longer! 

5. What can your readers expect next?

I am finishing up Book V, HEATHER, right now and it will be out in 2009.  I am also working on a non-fiction book that ties in with my publishing & promoting seminars.  After the series is complete, my next book will return me to my first love – science fiction!  That story will follow two brothers in a war.  I’ve got another non-fiction book in mind, plus a historical romance, so we’ll see what happens.  Eventually I would like to return to The Circle of Friends and do a sixth book that catches up with all five title characters several years later. Author & Speaker, L. Diane Wolfe  www.thecircleoffriends.net