Diane Need 
It was a joy to welcome Diane to my new Chat Room. It was a beautiful summer’s day but too hot to venture outside. Ruby, the dog, was looking a little hot and bothered so we decided to seek sanctuary in the shade of the Chat Room. We opened the patio doors and enjoyed the welcome breeze that made its way into the room. Ruby stirred, a little when she heard the barking of the neighbour’s dog but settled to listen to the chat.
I prepared some Rum Swizzle cocktails and we settle down to chat about Diane’s debut novel, ‘Press Three for Goodbye
It was great to be in Diane’s company she was so cheerful and relaxed during the interview.
Jessie: I enjoyed the book and referred to it as a ‘rapid read’ for my handbag as it was an easy comforting read. Although funny the book is heart-breaking as Beth has been with ‘one person for half a lifetime’ and has to re-build’. Do you agree with this?
Diane: Yes. My novel is an easy yet poignant read written with compassion and humour. A reminder we have the power to rebuild ourselves, even when we’ve hit rock bottom.
Jessie: The book is positive and inspiring. I know that the book would cheer people up if they were feeling a bit low. The novel is a great escape and easy to read. What made you start to write the book?
Diane: I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 1999 and writing rescued me from depression because it gave me a focus, so I was actually thinking what I could do rather than what I couldn’t. I’ve always wanted to be a writer and dreamed of writing a book. I’ve written poetry and short stories, but I knew that writing a book was a big task and a long journey and worried that I would be unable to tackle writing a novel, especially as I get fatigue and memory lapses as a result of the MS. The MS Society funded a short writing course for me, which I loved, and I found that my imagination hadn’t deserted me, after all! I tried to pace myself throughout the novel, although I confess at one point I never thought I’d actually type “The End!” I am donating a proportion of the sales from my book to the MS Society.
Jessie: People have been very positive about your book. You must be so proud of your first novel and the way that the story just breezes along. I enjoyed writing your review but what did other people say?
Diane smiled, took a sip of her cocktail and then searched for her phone. Ruby was sitting beside Diane and sitting on the phone. Diane took the phone and placed her book in front of the dog. Ruby settled down again as if she intended to read the book again. Diane looked at her phone and read some of the Amazon reviews.
Diane: I am really chuffed with the reviews and the support that I have had from everyone.
“This has everything: love and heartache, humour and friendship, courage and compassion”.
“The heroine, Beth, is that rare thing in contemporary fiction – empathetic, likeable and thoroughly believable”.
“The witty yet sympathetic narrative delivers frequent laugh-out-loud moments and numerous poignant ones.”
Jessie: Read an extract from my book to tempt a reader
Diane: “Beth stared at Paul, her mind racing. She knew things hadn’t been all hearts and flowers between them, but surely most marriages were like that after twenty-three years, weren’t they?”
Jessie: Beth is such a likeable, humorous and fun character. I missed her when I had finished the book. How did you feel when you’d finished writing the book, and did you miss any of the characters?
Diane: I felt a tummy churning moment as the reality of writing “The End” kicked in and I realised I would no longer be immersed in Beth’s world. I missed all of the characters, especially Beth, Jackie and Paul. It was fun to write from Paul’s point of view.
Jessie: Are you anything like the character of Beth?
Diane: I am impulsive, a worrier and have a great sense of humour, so I guess I related particularly well with Beth’s character. A lot of people who’ve read the book say they can think of people in their everyday lives with the characteristics of some of my book characters!
Jessie: What’s the last sentence written in my writer’s notebook?
“OMG! I’ve actually done it!”
Jessie: How do your family feel about your novel? Have they read it?
Diane: They are all so encouraging and really proud that I finished it.; they know it’s something I’d put on the back-burner for years. My two daughters have read it and so have my brothers and sisters-in-law, but I’ve yet to force oh, sorry, convince my son to read it!
Jessie: Do you think that you will write another book?
Diane: Yes, I’d like to write something different before eventually writing a sequel to Press Three.
Jessie: What’s the biggest challenge of an indie author?
Diane: In my case, it’s promoting my book. I find it very hard to “sell myself”, and I’m definitely not a natural sales person, so I find it difficult to keep up with book promotion.
Jessie: Why should you keep my book in your handbag?
It’s an easy read that you can dip into and a reminder that if life’s not good, that we have the power to rebuild our lives. It’s ideal for when you have a chance to kick off your shoes and relax somewhere with a nice glass of wine, or a cuppa if you prefer!
Jessie: Well, I think that you have sold the book perfectly. You have a lovely succinct, engaging style of writing. I hope that you will write another book. Congratulations on your first novel. I think that people should buy the novel for a great holiday read. As I said in my review, it’s ‘a rapid read’. It’s a great book for the airport as long as people are happy to laugh out loud.
Diane laughed at this comment and made reference to one of the early scenes involving the dog. Ruby seemed to understand the conversation and jumped up to indicate that it was time to leave.
I suggest that you click to buy on Amazon
Please see all my interviews at My Guests and my blog at jessiecahalin.com
Adrienne Vaughan
Jessie: Wow! I love your vintage clothes. The brooch is stunning, where did you get it from?
As we walked towards Chartwell House, we admired the lily pond reminiscent of Monet’s Garden. Stopping to take photographs, we took it in turns to keep an eye on the dogs but they were very well behaved. I carried a vintage picnic basket as we searched for a suitable spot to chat. Finally, we found a beautiful place in a walled garden. Wrought iron chairs and tables were arranged on a patio area with a stunning view of the garden. There were archways of roses and flowerbeds crammed full of flowers – a perfect setting for a romance novel. 
Jessie: I know that your books are very popular. Let’s face it who wouldn’t like ‘romantic suspense with Irish roots and a touch of glamour.’ What do the reviewers say about your book?
Jessie: How did you feel when you had finished writing your book, and did you miss any of the characters?
’ and is currently working on her fourth novel. I am impressed with her insight into self-publishing and the way that she interacts with her beta readers. Her positivity and determination shine through in her responses. Ultimately, it is her love of writing that drives her – she tries to ‘write what she knows’ and lets her characters ‘evolve’ as she gets to know them.
She lives in Bristol with her husband and their dog, Dug. Dug also likes to read Elaine’s books.
The consensus is that it’s a happy, light-hearted read and good for anyone wanting to escape for a while. People have said that ‘it kept their attention and is a good holiday read’. It has also been described as a ‘sweet love story’.
John was on holiday, in Lincoln, with his wife, Maria, and was also taking the opportunity to complete some research. John offered to give me a brief tour of the cathedral before we discussed his books. I had climbed Steep Hill to reach the cathedral but was mightily impressed by the cathedral. John explained that Maria would meet us later in the coffee shop.
John: 
Maria was sipping her espresso while absorbed in the book. She smiled at John and handed over the paperback. I noticed that she removed another copy of the book from her handbag. 
Jessie: Wow! The reviews are very positive, and I can’t wait to read the books. Can you give me an extract from the books to tempt the reader? 
Pamela Francis
Jessie: I love the front cover of your book.
‘A well-written, intriguing and believable storyline, with people I cared about, and an important plot twist I really didn’t see coming.’
Jessie: What is the biggest challenge for an author?
As we crossed the Severn Bridge, the clouds hovered on the horizon. I stopped off at my favourite butchers, in Newport, to buy some of their gorgeous spicy South African sausages. A South African friend introduced me to these sausages. I hoped that Patricia would like them. On returning to my house, I organised a large pot of coffee and we started to chat. As we chatted, the neighbour’s dogs barked at Patricia as if they knew that she would be a great friend. Then, I cooked the sausages and served with a mustard sauce and a large salad of lettuce, melons, cucumber and herbs. This was served with some fresh whole meal bread that my husband had prepared. We drank a sweet, white Romanian wine.
Patricia: Do you know that feeling you get when looking back on your children’s toddler years or on your pet’s time as a puppy? Children are big now; they have their own lives and dreams and don’t seem to need you all that much. Surely not to hold your hand or seek your body for comfort. Your dog might even take over your favourite chair at times, forcing you to seek comfort elsewhere as you have a sudden flashback of this clumsy puppy fitting perfectly in your lap, while still leaving space for a book and a coffee mug
Ally Bunbury 
Ally commented that her character, Gilda, would adore the Grand Hotel and we drank some Bolli in her character’s honour. A man was playing jazz on the piano as we sipped the champagne in the conservatory as we looked at the sea. Finally, we commenced out chat about Ally’s debut novel, 
Ally: I feel like the stars aligned, whilst I wrote 
, rose to #1 in the Amazon 
chart and her latest, 
, has just been released. She likes reading, Formula 1, dancing and sunshine.
and/or 
Jessie: I know what happens in the novel and thoroughly enjoyed the exciting sequence of events and the sparkling humour. Can you capture the narrative in fifty words?
S: I work hard. I don’t have the time for airs and graces and my family and friends would probably point them out if I did.
Elizabeth Clark
‘I received a copy of “
Elizabeth: The main character, Annie, is at a mentally fragile point in her existence, and I wanted the reader to wonder initially whether the apparitions were a figment of her imagination. The apparently tranquil setting lures the audience into a false sense of security, so I think that as they become more absorbed in the story they start to feel more than a little unsettled!
I tend to have lots of notes scribbled on random bits of paper tucked inside the notebook and in no decipherable order – the last one I came across said ‘I sat at the edge of the bed, twisting my fingers together nervously as I watched Leo perfecting the knot in his colourful tie before the bedroom mirror.‘ -: a self-prompt for the follow-up to ‘
