DiAnn Mills

Blogging at Fresh Fiction

DiAnn Mills | Finding Your Happy Spot
September 5, 2024
We all need a happy spot to escape tension, stress, and conflict when life’s challenges threaten to steal our joy. Some people  Read More...

DiAnn Mills | Emotion: The Core of Story Intimacy
September 5, 2023
The core of most objects is tough and hard to crack. It’s the center, seed, or nucleus, usually storing what makes up  Read More...

DiAnn Mills | 20 Questions: CONCRETE EVIDENCE
October 10, 2022
1--What is the title of your latest release? CONCRETE EVIDENCE   Read More...

DiAnn Mills | Read! Add Power to Your Life + Giveaway!
September 7, 2021
People who read add power to their lives. I’ve read since I was old enough to put letters into words. Soon I  Read More...

DiAnn Mills | Author-Reader Match: AIRBORNE + Giveaway!
September 8, 2020
Instead of trying to find your perfect match in a dating app, we bring you the “Author-Reader Match" where  Read More...

DiAnn Mills | 10 Ways to Deepen the Craft of Writing
September 6, 2019
Writers search for ways to add professionalism to their writing. They explore technique, study the how-to guides, and invest in quality software that  Read More...

DiAnn Mills | How to Rock Your Character's World
November 16, 2016
I've always wanted to rock climb, and when I studied the skill, I realized rock climbing and scaling heights with my hero had a  Read More...

DiAnn Mills | Wacky Ways to Windup Your Creativity
October 28, 2016
We’ve all been there. Deadlines are looming for our blog or our novels. A tingling in the pit of your stomach borders on nausea  Read More...

DiAnn Mills | The Scoop on Research
August 17, 2016
Writing romantic suspense is my passion. I stay awake at night planning a story in which a strong and vibrant heroine attempts the impossible, the  Read More...

DiAnn Mills | Viewing Movies to Plot Your Novel
July 20, 2016
Well-written movies stir my creative juices. I envision sitting around a table with a team of creative writers to pen the best characters (and  Read More...

DiAnn Mills | Thesaurus - A Treasure Box
June 15, 2016
While touring the Acropolis Museum in Greece, I stumbled upon a stone relic that caused me to smile, as though I’d just learned a  Read More...

DiAnn Mills | Taking the P (plot) out of Suspense
April 20, 2016
Recently I read a suspense novel that left me wondering what the story was all about. I couldn’t follow the storyline or  Read More...

DiAnn Mills | You Know You’re a Suspense Writer When ...
January 5, 2016
I love this topic. When suspense writers get together, discussing stories and plot twists keep our adrenaline racing. We can talk about how to add  Read More...

DiAnn Mills | The Twelve Days of Christmas, a New Twist
December 16, 2015
The Twelve Days of Christmas has a new twist. This version is for writers  Read More...

DiAnn Mills | Holiday Conflict in Our Stories
November 18, 2015
Adding a twist to a story’s setting gives it a psychological zip. Holidays are no exception. As your characters enter the season of Thanksgiving  Read More...

DiAnn Mills | DEADLOCKED: Which Character Would Have a Parrot?
October 21, 2015
Sometimes characters grab our hearts and sometimes the settings in our stories, but in writing   Read More...

DiAnn Mills | Brainstorming Your Novel
September 16, 2015
Every novelist reaches a plateau in which the perfect story idea isn’t coming together. The plot germ is there, but the theme, setting, charac  Read More...

DiAnn Mills | When Does Commitment Turn to Obsession?
August 21, 2015
A writer who is serious about embarking upon a publishing career under-stands commitment is critical for success. Adhering to a schedule and making provisions  Read More...

DiAnn Mills | Double Cross: Romantic Suspense Musical?
April 17, 2015
I write FBI romantic suspense set in Houston, Texas, but when I sat at my computer to write this blog, a bit of fun crept  Read More...

DiAnn Mills | Brainstorming Your Novel
July 9, 2014
Every novelist reaches a plateau in which the perfect story idea isn’t coming together. The plot germ is there, but the theme, setting, characters  Read More...

DiAnn Mills | FBI Houston Citizens Academy
March 5, 2013
When I received the invitation from the FBI Houston Community Outreach Coordinator to participate in their Citizens Academy, all I could think about was  Read More...

DiAnn Mills | Castle Meets Cold Case
March 28, 2012
I'm an avid fan of TV's   Read More...

DiAnn Mills | Jalapeños, Scorpions, and Snakes
October 18, 2011
What do jalapeños, horses, scorpions, snakes, and a man and woman under a star-studded sky all have in common? Texas. West Texas. The  Read More...

DiAnn Mills | Happily Ever After
June 18, 2011
I can’t fathom writing a novel without weaving suspense and romance into the plot. The idea of two people falling in love while sharing  Read More...

DiAnn Mills | Historical Romance vs the Princess Stories
January 10, 2011
I have a theory about historical romance. Think about my conclusions to see if you agree. When we were little girls, we loved pretending we  Read More...

DIANN MILLS | Expect an Adventure
October 18, 2010
Writing is a tough profession. The competition in today’s publishing world makes the strongest writers think twice about their commitment to excellence. But those  Read More...

DiAnn Mills | Strong Women, Unlikely Roles
June 25, 2010
Women who accept nontraditional roles and succeed with dynamic outcomes are the heroines in my novels. These are Glock-totin‘ gals with southern charm who  Read More...