Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I live in the beautiful mountains of north Idaho with my husband, daughter, and two canine buddies. I have been writing for almost as long as I can remember, and my dream was always to write middle grade novels for kids. After writing for the magazine market for a number of years, plus two nonfiction titles for the educational market, I finally achieved my dream of writing for children with the publication of A Smidgen of Sky (Harcourt 2012) A Million Ways Home (Scholastic Press) followed in 2014.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest novel is A Sliver of Sun. It’s a sequel to my debut, A Smidgen of Sky. My agent and I decided to try self publishing and releasing it as an e-book. I’d been reading about many traditionally published authors like myself, who find advantages to self publishing some titles as well, and I wanted to try mixing things up and see what happened.
After Smidgen was released, I had lots of young readers who asked, “What happens next? Did Piper Lee and Ginger ever find a way to get along? Was Ben able to forgive Piper for all her trouble making? Did Piper Lee find a way to fit into her new family?” I think a lot of kids were able to relate to Piper Lee, especially those in blended family situations, and I’m so happy to be able to answer their questions!
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not really, unless you count trying to balance my computer on my lap while sitting in my recliner, stuffed between two dogs, with barely room to move! Is that unusual 🙂
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Some of my earliest influences were E.B. White’s Charlotte’s Web, S.E. Hinton’s The Outsiders, and Wilson R awls’ Where the Red Fern Grows. I love lots of more recent middle grade titles as well, such as The Dogs of Winter, Dash, Savvy, The Bridge From Me to You, ect.
What are you working on now?
Another contemporary middle grade, of course!
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Probably my personal website at www.diannawinget.com. But I’ve also benefited from being part of the GoodReads community. And Scholastic Press has been terrific in their support of A Million Ways Home.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Be persistent and determined and put in the necessary time to learn your craft. There are some real advantages to having an agent and being traditionally published, but it can take a long, long time to get there. But don’t let others tell you it’s impossible, because it’s not. And whether you go for traditional publishing or decide to self publish, realize that you’re responsible for much (if not all) of your book’s promotion.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
You’ll get there if you don’t give up! (This was from my mom, who always believed in my writing, and who is still my biggest fan 🙂
What are you reading now?
An advance review copy of Conviction, by Kelly Loy Gilbert
What’s next for you as a writer?
To do what I can to promote my three current books and continue working on new material.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
The Bible, Webster’s New World Thesaurus, Where the Red Fern Grows, and How to Be Content With Less (LOL! I just made that last one up)
Author Websites and Profiles
Dianna Winget Website
Dianna Winget Amazon Profile
Dianna Winget’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Twitter Account