Diane Merrill Wigginton - Romantic, Suspenseful Page-Turner

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.  As our Author of the Day, she tells us all about her book, "A Compromising Position."

Please give us a short introduction to what "A Compromising Position" is about.

No-nonsense, Catherine Lawrence is a newly appointed campaign manager for Russell Tillman, the up-and-coming incumbent front-runner for Florida’s Governor’s race, and has her life planned out for the next five years. That’s when handsome Jake Ryan, a free-spirited, fun-loving Australian, moves in next door and turns her world upside down.

What inspired you to write "A Compromising Position"? Was there a specific event or idea that sparked the story?

I wanted to try my hand at a contemporary romance that had some suspense to it since I had only written period-piece romances before.

Catherine is portrayed as a driven and career-focused woman. How did you balance her professional ambitions with her romantic storyline?

I think we can all get tunnel vision, and I just thought of how it can feel to be driven and how we all want what we don’t have, and I went with that.

Jake Ryan's free-spirited and carefree nature contrasts sharply with Catherine's character. Why did you create him this way?

He was fun and actually created after someone I may have known and loved at some point in my life. Or maybe he’s one of several people I know. Lol.

The book is set against the backdrop of a political campaign. Why did you choose this setting, and how did it influence the plot?

When I write, it is by the seat of my pants, and so the plot develops as I go. We call that by the seat of the painters. I like to be surprised when I write, and when I read, I like the same experience. I don’t like the same old stale, written formula for a particular genre. That’s BORING!

Besides writing, what other secret skills do you have?

I love painting and baking, and I am a fantastic photographer. I have also written Poetry. Maybe one day, I will publish a book on poetry, photography, and baking. It all sounds like fun. There is so much I haven’t done. Life is full of possibilities.

Humor and lighthearted moments are woven into the narrative. Why did you take this approach?

I am a complicated person, and I like to make my husband laugh. It’s one of my charms or so he claims. I like to think that a little of myself goes into my characters. Maybe more of me goes into my characters than I care to admit. But to make a character come to life, they must be well-rounded and complete and, therefore, multifaceted.

What message or takeaway do you hope readers will gain from Catherine and Jake's story?

I hope that they take away the fact that I told a really great story of two people who fell in love and lived an amazing life filled with possibilities. Even though they had obstacles that stood in their way, they overcame them together to have a beautiful life.

You've won multiple awards for this book. How has this recognition impacted your writing career?

Winning nine awards and gaining recognition has given me the confidence to continue writing the kind of stories I want to, knowing that there is an audience for sweet romance.

How do you handle the creative process of developing a romance novel that also includes suspense and intrigue?

My mind just goes to suspense. I crave something more than romance. I want there to be an undertow of suspense. So, when I’m considering a book, I usually see the beginning plot play out in my mind's eye like a movie. Then, I sit down and start writing.

This book features illustrations, which is somewhat unusual for a romance novel. What Inspired you to include them, and how do they enhance the story?

It came to me when I was envisioning the interior of the book. I never thought to do this in any of my other books and have not been inclined to do so since. It was an extra something that I wanted for this book, and it just seemed to work.

Do you have any interesting writing habits? What is an average writing day like for you?

I am retired and live a full life as a grandma, a full-time caregiver for my mother, a playmate for my husband, a promoter for my other books, a producer/publisher for my books, and the list goes on. I also have a calling church. I am the vacation planner, etc. And the list goes on and on and on. I am working on producing a new novel while simultaneously writing another novel.

It can get a little confusing at times. I also love going into the schools dressed as a pirate to read my one children’s book. That is great fun as well. So, I as you can see, I manage to stay very busy!

Where can our readers discover more of your work or interact with you?

https://dianemerrillwigginton.godaddysites.com/books 

Bookbub https://www.bookbub.com/profile/diane-merrill-wigginton?follow=true 

https://www.amazon.com/author/dianemerrillwigginton 

https://www.facebook.com/AngelinasSecretBook/ 

https://twitter.com/wiggintondiane

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8355606.Diane_Merrill_Wigginton

https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-merrill-wigginton-926b89159

https://www.instagram.com/dianemerrillwigginton/