Diane Chamberlain's Blog, page 16
June 18, 2012
Working with my Plant List
I’m a month and a half to my deadline, so things are a little frantic here! I thought I’d share with you where I’m at in the process. Anyone who’s followed my blog knows that I’m not one of those “sit down and write the book from start to finish” kind of writers. How I wish I were, but alas, my brain doesn’t work that way. So as I write, I keep a list going of things I need to “plant.” For example, as I write chapter twelve, I may decide that my character needs to have a conversation with her mother, but I’ve never mentioned her mother up till then, so I make myself a note to go back and plant her mother’s existence in an earlier chapter. By the time I finished the first draft, I had zillions of sloppily written “plant” notes all over the place, so on June 4 (see the date on the notepad) I sat down to organize them. And here is the result! Needless to say, I have enough work to keep me very busy from now till deadline, so I’m going to get off the blog and get to it.
June 10, 2012
Move Over, Fifty Shades of Grey!
This has been such an amazing weekend! A couple of months ago, Amazon contacted me to tell me they wanted to feature one of my self-pubbed backlist books, Secret Lives, in a special promotion. I forgot all about it until I checked my Kindle sales report a few days ago and saw that Secret Lives was outselling my other backlist titles 140 to 1! That’s when I discovered that it’s part of Amazon’s monthly “100 Kindle books priced under $3.99” promotion. For the month of June, Secret Lives is just $1.99 on Amazon’s US site. The results of this promotion have blown me away. Let’s just say, if Amazon ever offers to promote a product your selling, don’t argue with them as I did at first (I thought the email from them was spam! I’m so glad they didn’t give up on me).
It took me a couple of days to realize that, 
not only were copies of Secret Lives selling at a rate of nearly 100/hour, it was climbing the bestseller charts at the same time. So far, it’s reached as high as #11 on the Kindle bestseller list, #1 on the literary fiction list and . . . this is my favorite. . . #4 on the Women’s Fiction list, sandwiched between all those Shades of Grey. I have no illusions of knocking Fifty Shades of Grey out of the #1 spot, but it sure is a kick to be that close.
The very coolest thing about this entire experience is that, when someone asks me which of my books is my favorite, I always answer Secret Lives, even though I wrote it long ago and have written eighteen books since. It’s my favorite for so many reasons. It was the first book I wrote where I felt confident of my story and my writing. I fell deeply in love with my characters and I believe it shows. It was my first experience writing from a first person point of view, since Kate’s story is told through her journal entries and I felt a personal connection to her as she developed agoraphobia. And I loved the Shenandoah Valley setting and the cavern that became Kate’s home. It’s different in some ways from the sort of book I write today in that it has a strong—and juicy—romantic element, but what has never changed in all my books is my focus on relationships because, really, what else matters?
So, that was my weekend! I hope yours was filled with lovely surprises, too.
June 8, 2012
Story Weekend: Most Memorable Meal
Hmm. . . I’ll have to think about this one. I don’t want to get too hungry right before bed, so I’ll let you all go first.
If you’re new to Story Weekend, here’s how it works: I pick a theme and you share something from your life that relates to that theme, however you interpret it. Thanks to all of you who’ve been contributing. As always, there are a few “rules”:
▪ The story must be true
▪ Try to keep it under 100 words. Embrace the challenge! That’s about six or seven lines in the comment form. I want others to read your story, and most people tend to skip if it’s too long. I know how tough it is to “write tight” but I hope you’ll accept this as a challenge.
Have fun!
June 7, 2012
TV Ad for The Good Father in the United Kingdom
This popped up in my mailbox this morning. The Good Father is now available in the United Kingdom (and Ireland and Australia, etc) and my publisher sent me this short but to-the-point ad that will be running on British television for a couple of weeks. I think they did a great job of capturing the heart of the story in just a few seconds. What do you think?
June 4, 2012
Chatting with my Readers
For those of you who missed it (and didn’t want to miss it!), here is the live chat I did through BookTrib.com last week. Readers could join in through a ‘chat roll’ and ask me questions. It’s an hour long, so watch as much or as little as you like. Enjoy!
June 1, 2012
Story Weekend: Bugs
It’s Story Weekend! (It’s also the official release date of The Good Father in the UK and Australia).
I was thinking of a topic for story weekend when, outside my window, I noticed the first firefly of the season. First firefly on June 1st. How perfect! So that’s your theme for this weekend: bugs!
If you’re new to Story Weekend, here’s how it works: I pick a theme and you share something from your life that relates to that theme, however you interpret it. Thanks to all of you who’ve been contributing. As always, there are a few “rules”:
▪ The story must be true
▪ Try to keep it under 100 words. Embrace the challenge! That’s about six or seven lines in the comment form. I want others to read your story, and most people tend to skip if it’s too long. I know how tough it is to “write tight” but I hope you’ll accept this as a challenge.
Have fun!
May 27, 2012
Join Me for a Live Chat!
I’m so excited! This coming Thursday, May 31st, I’ll be doing a live chat with YOU. That is, if you’ll join me at BookTrib at 3pm, Eastern Time. All you have to do is become a member at BookTrib and RSVP, then show up at 3 on Thursday and you’ll see me on screen, ready to take your questions and comments. Ten audience members will win copies of The Good Father. Click here to learn how to sign up and please join me. I’m looking forward to meeting you!
May 23, 2012
The Printable Booklist for You!
Like the view? We just got in from the Surf City (NC) pier, where John filmed surfers and I snapped this shot with my phone. I’m allowed to play when I finish 4000 words each day. Deadline’s coming!
But the real point of this post is to remind my readers that I have information on my website and Facebook Readers Page that will answer any question you might have about my books. Each day I get email asking me the order of linked books or if certain books have other titles in other countries or when a particular book will be published in the United Kingdom, etcetera. I always point folks in the direction of the Printable Booklist. It’s on the BOOKS page of my website in the upper right hand corner and it’s an app on my Facebook page. . . and it’s right here for you as well. Hope it helps!
Diane Chamberlain’s Printable Book List
Books Available in Both Print and E-Book Format:
The Good Father (New Release)
April 2012 (US) | June 2012 (UK) | May 2012 (AU)
ISBN-13: 978-0778313465
Kiss River (Reissue)
November 2011 (US) | Early 2013 (UK)
ISBN-13: 978-0778312857
Book # 2 in the Keeper of the Light Trilogy
Brass Ring (Reissue)
April 2012 (UK: Print)
ISBN-13: 978-0751549270
*Brass Ring has been reissued in print in the UK only. Brass Ring is available as an
e-book in all other countires.
The Midwife’s Confession
May 2011 (US) | June 2011 (UK) | July 2011 (AU)
ISBN-13: 978-0778329862
Keeper of the Light (Reissue)
April 2011 (US) | January 2012 (UK) | January 2012 (AU)
ISBN-13: 978-0778329541
Book #1 in the Keeper of the Light Trilogy
The Shadow Wife (Reissue)
November 2010 (US) | September 2011 (UK) | February 2011 (AU)
ISBN 13:978‐0‐7783‐2844‐5
Original Title: Cypress Point (2002)
Australian Title: The Forgotten Son
The Lies We Told
June 2010 (US) | March 2011 (UK) | July 2010 (AU)
ISBN‐13:978‐0‐7783‐2853‐7
The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes (Reissue)
May 2010 (US) | March 2009 (UK) | August 2008 (AU)
ISBN-13:978- 0778328544
United Kingdom Title: The Lost Daughter
Australian Title: A Beautiful Lie
Summer’s Child (Reissue)
April 2010 (US)
ISBN‐13:978‐0‐7783‐2841‐4
Breaking the Silence (Reissue)
November 2009 (US) | January 2011 (UK) | February 2010 (AU)
ISBN‐13:978‐0‐7783‐2742‐4
Australian Title: Remembering Me
Secrets She Left Behind
June 2009 (US) | September 2010 (UK)
ISBN-13:978- 0778326151
Sequel to Before the Storm
Before the Storm
June 2008 (US) | May 2010 (UK)
ISBN‐13:978‐0778325413
Prequel to Secrets She Left Behind
The Courage Tree (Reissue)
April 2009 (US)
ISBN‐13:978‐0778327417
The Bay at Midnight (Reissue)
2009 (US) | January 2012 (UK) | October 2005 (AU)
ISBN-13: 978-0778303640
Her Mother’s Shadow
November 2012 (US) | June 2013 (UK)
Book # 3 in the Keeper of the Light Trilogy
____________________________
Diane’s Backlist Available as E‐Books:
Secret Lives
Available in e‐book format only, though you may be able to find used or library print copies.
Originally published by HarperCollins | 1991 (Hardcover) | 1991 (Paperback)
The Escape Artist
Available in e‐book format only, though you may be able to find used or library copies.
Originally published by HarperCollins | 1997 (Hardcover) | 1998 (Mass Market Paperback)
Reflection
Available in e‐book format only, though you may be able to find used or library copies.
Originally published by HarperCollins | 1995 (Hardcover) | 1996 (Mass Market Paperback)
Brass Ring
Available in print in the UK (April 2012) and in e‐book format everywhere else. You may be able to find used or library copies.
Originally published by HarperCollins | 1994 (Hardcover) | 1995 (Mass Market Paperback)
Fire and Rain
Available in e‐book format only, although you may be able to find used or library copies.
Originally published by HarperCollins | 1993 (Hardcover) | 1994 (Mass Market Paperback)
May 18, 2012
Story Weekend: Envy
John taped two of my favorite shows for me while I was on my writers’ retreat: Mad Men and Smash. We watched them tonight and I thought about the theme that ran through both of those episodes: Envy. So that’s our theme for this weekend. I wonder how many of you will share your story? Envy’s an uncomfortable emotion to own up to. It’s uncomfortable even to think about, which is why I’m not going first!
If you’re new to Story Weekend, here’s how it works: I pick a theme and you share something from your life that relates to that theme, however you interpret it. Thanks to all of you who’ve been contributing. As always, there are a few “rules”:
▪ The story must be true
▪ Try to keep it under 100 words. Embrace the challenge! That’s about six or seven lines in the comment form. I want others to read your story, and most people tend to skip if it’s too long. I know how tough it is to “write tight” but I hope you’ll accept this as a challenge.
Have fun!
May 15, 2012
Why We Get So Much Done on Writing Retreats
I can tell you why in seven words: There is no Internet in our rooms.
I’m with my usual writing friends (Mary Kay Andrews, Margaret Maron, Katy Munger, Sarah Shaber, Alexandra Sokoloff and Brenda Witchger) at our usual writing retreat locale (the Weymouth Center for the Arts) and we’re getting tons done. Every morning, Mary Kay makes us (yes she makes us!) set our goals for the day and if we haven’t reached them by the time we reconvene at dinner, we have to hang our heads in shame. My goal for today was 4,000 words and I reached it by four o’clock (4,011 words, to be exact). I’m certain we’ve all reached our goals today, though we haven’t checked in yet. That’s what being here is all about: getting away from our regular day to day lives to focus on writing and only on writing. But a huge part of our productivity is tied, I’m sure, to the fact that we can only get online in the library of “our” vast mansion. No checking email every five minutes. No stopping to do research on, say, when plastic was invented and getting lost in articles that describe, in fascinating detail, exactly how plastic is made.
Right now, Mary Kay is roasting us a chicken for dinner. After dinner we’ll brainstorm titles or plot problems and then, I hope, play a game or two. We deserve a little down time, but tomorrow, we’ll be right back at it. I honestly can’t wait!
