Diane Merrill Wigginton was born in Riverside, California in 1963. Her family moved to San Diego near the end of 1970, where she grew up in the newly developed community of Mira Mesa. Spending portions of her summers each year in Burly, Idaho, with her mother's parents, Florence and Orval Merrill, Diane developed a love of animals and a respect for the land. It was during this time on the farm, where she learned to ride horses, herd cattle, and tame wild kittens that Diane developed a love of storytelling. She dreamed of someday becoming a published author and sharing her stories with the world. Having spent her entire life in California, Diane and her husband made the bold move from Sacramento, California to Kalispell, Montana to retire in February 2018. Now she’s able to pursue her passion for writing books full-time. “I am thrilled and elated to be doing what I love. Writing and being a grandmother.” She has also racked up an impressive list of book awards: • Benjamin Franklin Digital Award 2017 (Angelina's Secret) • Most Inspiring Author Award 2017 from International Writers Inspiring Change (The Jeweled Dagger Series) • Reader's Choice Awards 1st place Historical Fiction 2019 (Lara's Story) • Reader's Choice Awards Grand Prize Winner 2019 (Lara's Story) • Outstanding Creator Awards 2023 1st place Suspense (A Compromising Position) • Outstanding Creator Awards 2023 2nd place Romance (A Compromising Position) • Outstanding Creator Awards 2023 2nd place Women's Fiction (A Compromising Position) • Outstanding Creator Awards 2023 Honorable Mention Best Character (A Compromising Position) • The BookFest Awards 1st place Winner Fiction Romantic Suspense (A Compromising Position) • 2023 International Firebird Book Award Winner Suspense Romance (A Compromising Position) • Readers' Favorite 2023 International Book Awards Finalist Romance-Suspense (A Compromising Position) • IAN Book of the Year Awards 2023 (Independent Author Network) Finalist Romance “A Compromising Position” • 2023 Global Book Awards Silver Medal for A Compromising Position (Angelina's Secret) • 2024 Literary Titan’s Book Awards (The Secret of One-Eyed Cogburn, The Dreaded Pirate Captain) • 2024 BookFest Awards Spring 1st Place (The Secret of One-Eyed Cogburn, The Dreaded Pirate Captain) Fiction Children’s Picture Book
