Welcome, Diane Barr

Thank you so much for being here, Diane.

1: For starters, what genre do you write?

Urban Fantasy with a caress of erotica.

2: And how long have you been writing?

Off and on in high school and college and almost four years from conception to publication of Out of the Shade.

3: So tell us, what do you like the most and least about writing?

The Most -  That I can explore the many facets of "what if" and create anything so that my readers can "escape" into a new world or let their imagination run wild.

The Least - That I can't put on paper what exactly I'm trying to describe or express.

4: Ah yes, I love the what if. So what do you for fun and relaxation when not writing?

Many things, lol. Watch football; pro, college or high school, read my favorite authors, knit, sun tan. Watch Bones, NCIS.

5: You like many of the same things I like. Which authors do you like to read?

Laurell K. Hamilton, Kim Harrison, Elizabeth Peters, Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child, Kathy Reichs, Tess Gerritson, Patricia Cornwell, James Rollins, Any McDermott, Sian Williams my critique partner.

6: Interesting list. Tell us, what’s the one thing you’d most like people to know about you?

That I like tattoos and piercings.

7: No that is interesting. Okay, tell us about your current novel, where we can find it?

It is called Out of the Shade and here's the blurb: Faeries that carry katanas and guns instead of sprinkling magic dust and granting wishes. Dragons that reanimate the dead. Drug-crazed goblins terrorizing neighborhoods. Illegal demons attempting to conjure the alter ego of an Egyptian goddess.

Sounds like something out of a nightmare, right? Wrong. It’s my everyday life.
Welcome to the Shade, where all the creatures of myth hang out and where I, Detective Gabrielle Tate of the Supernatural Task Force, police them. My partner is AWOL and my sexy dragon boss is leaving nothing to chance as we deal with goblins high on Escape and a serial killer—or worse, a nest of rogue vampires—leaving the drained corpses of faeries and cops all over town.
And then there’s the psychotic demons trying to conjure the goddess Hathor’s alter ego, Sekhmet, to destroy humanity. As a faery and direct descendent of Hathor, I’m eager to manifest her power and use it to combat evil. At the same time, I need to learn how to control the accompanying bloodlust. How? By taking lessons from the charismatic leader of the local vampire clan, of course.

You can find it at:

·        MuseIt Bookstore

·        Amazon Kindle

·        B & N Nook

·        Goodreads

Here's the full list.

8: Wow, intriguing storyline. Here’s a question I’m often asked. Do you have any tips for aspiring authors?

The cliche write what you know isn't applicable if you are writing  Urban Fantasy lol. You can apply what you know to virtually any other genre - (erotica writers are always exhausted - giggle snort - sorry I couldn't pass that up), but you know what I mean. A better tip would be write about something that you like or love actually because the research and time you spend plotting can either make you love your subject or develop a love/hate relationship with it.

Also, write every day, be it a journal or diary entry, a chapter, plots anything. It keeps your mind and your imagination going so you don't develop writers block.

                        

9: Great advice. Another question people want to know.Do you base your characters on real-life people?

Yes, I do - human nature and our various quirks or physical appearances make us the perfect creatures.

10: A question I’m always curious about. How did you come up with the idea for this book?

I've always be intrigued by faeries, dragons, Egyptology and Urban Fantasy. In 1993 when I read Laurell K. Hamilton's Guilty Pleasures - she is my idol by the way - I was hooked and my Muse began churning the wheels and not letting me sleep or concentrate.

11: I’ve experienced that. But when Muse speaks, we have to listen. So tell us, what are you currently working on?

Book 2 of The Shade Series - researching the Egyptian Underworld and writing down ideas that I have for children's books. I'm also taking an online Magic for writer's class through one of my online groups by Rayne Hall

12. Is there anything else you’d like us to know about you?

I speak Spanish, I like to laugh and do so loudly; usually punctuated with a snort.

13. Where can we find you? Website? Blog?

Luckily my day job (an IT technician) allows for breaks where I can check my email - diane_barr@ymail.com, twitter(DianeBarr1), facebook and update my blog;  I'm working on my website - I have a kick ass template made in Adobe flash - so I'm teaching myself adobe flash as I go. ;)

Excerpt:

What looked like lightning bugs blinked all around the yard. A small breeze caressed me with the smell of lavender and I could hear the tinkle of the stream as I kicked off my boots, pulled off my socks, and threw down my weapons. I willed my wings from my back being careful not to trip over them, which I have been known to do on occasion.

The cool grass felt so good on my feet. I went and lay in my usual spot. Lavender bushes around me, one foot in the stream the other foot wiggling my toes through the grass. From the shadows, gnomes, pixies, ivy elves, and grape vine sprites approached me. The blinking lightning bugs were the garden fairies welcoming me home.