Thursday, June 28, 2012

Blended Family--or Pureed? Read the true story of Diana Brandmeyer's experiences in the blender, as well as her latest novel, A Bride's Dilemma in Friendship, Tenn.


Diana Brandmeyer interview

Christian author, Diana Lesire Brandmeyer, writes historical and contemporary romances. Her historical, A Bride's Dilemma in Friendship, Tennessee is now available. She’s also written We’re Not Blended-We’re Pureed, A Survivor’s Guide to Blended Families. Once widowed and now remarried she writes with humor and experience on the difficulty of joining two families be it fictional or real life.
See the book summary for Pureed and the interview now. The summary for A Bride's Dilemma is at the end of this interview, as well as links to where both books may be purchased. Don't miss her blog and Facebook address!
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We’re not Blended We’re Pureed: a Survivor’s Guide
Can two families learn to cohabitate? In peace? Ever?
Are you terrified that you’ve turned into a version of the fairy-tale wicked stepparent?


Do you paste on a smile and pretend your family is a vision of 1950s Main Street America while at home the battle lines are etched in the driveway and signed with the kid’s initials?


Don’t dismay. God is with you. Discover how others have dealt with the difficult issues of blending two families. Find real-world advice to help you when your own words fail.


This engaging readable book is held together with humor, liberally peppered with information, commentary, and includes clinically sound information and proven communication tools.


Q. What is your all-time favorite book? Why?
A. That’s not a fair question, it’s like who is your favorite child? The books I have on my shelf that I can’t part with are The Yearling, Little Women, Gone with the Wind and Harriet the Spy.

Q. What are your favorite first lines of a story?
A. Oh my that makes me laugh! I can’t remember where I left my shoes much less the first line of a story. Make a note: never invite Diana Lesire Brandmeyer to play on your trivia team.

Q. Give us the first paragraph of one of your books. Well, how about the first from Pureed and another from one of your novels?
A. From Pureed: chapter 1 Are the Wedding Bell Blues Becoming Your Song?
I was getting married-again! This time would be different. Now there were children involved. My boys were getting a new father; Ed’s son would be getting a new mom, me. We tried to include the children in the wedding preparations, but there wasn't much about weddings that intrigued small boys.

  1. From chapter 1 A Bride's Dilemma in Friendship, Tennessee
Travis Logan leaned over the deck railing and watched the River swirl and froth as the steamboat shoved its way through the muddy Mississippi. An older gentleman stood next to him. Travis hadn't seen them on board before. "Nice out here on the water."
"Better than down below." The man swayed.

Q. Every book starts with the first word. We’ve heard about “famous last words.” Do you have trouble coming up with the appropriate “first words?”
A. Yes, I probably rewrite those first words 20 times.

Q. What is your favorite genre to write? Why?
A. Right now I'm really enjoying writing historical because of the research. I didn't think I would enjoy digging through history but I do. It's fascinating to see how women lived in the 1800s especially the ones that made their way out West. I found a picture of a schoolteacher that wasn't very old and yet she had 80 students in a one room schoolhouse. Can you imagine that?

Q.  How has knowing God helped you in living and writing Pureed and other books?
A. Without God. I don't think my family would be intact. So many times I've been on my knees asking him for help, begging him for help to make it through one more day. When I was writing Pureed it was an emotional journey and I would go to bed at night, exhausted. I would ask God, “Please give me the words for the next chapter because I don't know what to say or how to say it.” That worked out so well that when it was time to write the next book, I did the same thing. I wish I could remember to do that asking for everything in my life, but I tend to want to take charge of it myself. I have a feeling life might be easier if I would do it His way, first.

Q. What was your first reaction to your stepchildren? Was there concern for your own family when you made the decision to puree your families?
A. To be fair, I knew Andy since he was born. When I saw him the first time as a child without a mother I wanted to gather him up in my arms and hug him. There was a lot of concern. Then we decided to blend our families. There are discussions about where to live, what bedroom for which child, who would be in charge of discipline and money. So many questions to answer, and I don't think we did a good job of it in the beginning. Which is why this book is so good for others blending families, because my co-author, Marty Lintvedt is a certified family counselor. She wrote sections at the end of the chapters offering ideas and suggestions about how to improve the things I had done or maybe things I could have done to make our family a happier one.

 Q. How did your romance with your new husband fit into the book? Pureed’s story is a true romance, not fiction, and I imagine it was more difficult to create romantic scenes as you would in a novel. Or was it easier?
A. Writing a novel is much easier than creating any kind of a romantic scene when you have three boys living with you. We did our best. We proclaimed Friday night as date night, which meant we usually went out to eat, came home and crashed because we were so tired.

Q. In Pureed do you bring the reader into how you came to fall in love a second time—and then not only with a man, but his children?
A. Yes. It's all clear by the end of the book how we fell in love and how we came to love each other's children.

Q. Tell us about your other books.
A. I've written six books 3 of them are e-books but only one of those are available. I started out writing for children before children had e-readers. Hearts on the Road is a contemporary book about a truck driver and a pastor she is forced to drive with. Right now it is available under the title, Wyoming Weddings because there are two other stories that go along with it written by other authors. My last book A Bride's Dilemma in Friendship, Tennessee came out in May. It's a historical romance taking place just at the end of the Civil War. That was a fun book to write.

Q. Do we see murder and mayhem in your fiction, or more simple avenues of Christian conflict and romance?
A. I don't like murder and mayhem. It keeps me up at night. I prefer to write a small bit of suspense or mystery within my romance books.

LINKS
Twitter @dianabrandmeyer

Buy We’re not Blended We’re pureed at:
Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Were-Not-Blended-Pureed/dp/0758617917/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1340723069&sr=8-1&keywords=we%27re+not+blended+we%27re+pureed
Barnes and Noble http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/were-not-blended-were-pureed-diana-lesire-brandmeyer/1109953222?ean=9780758617910
Christian Book http://www.christianbook.com/were-not-blended-pureed-lesire-brandmeyer/9780758617910/pd/617910?product_redirect=1&Ntt=617910&item_code=&Ntk=keywords&event=ESRCP
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A Bride’s Dilemma in Friendship, Tennessee
Heaven’s Stolen His Heart
 After witnessing the ravages of the Civil War, Travis Logan vowed to give up doctoring. But when fellow steamboat passenger Caleb Wharton collapses at his feet, Travis knows he must lend his aid. As the old man lies dying, he makes Travis promise to take care of his land and find Heaven. Travis can’t help but wonder what Heaven has to do with a real place, so he heads to Caleb’s farm to fulfill his promise.
Weeks of facing marauders and caring for her father’s home have finally taken their toll on Heaven Wharton. When an unknown young man charges the house, Heaven attempts to fire a warning shot but ends up shooting the man instead. Shocked, she and her sister, Angel, drag a semi-conscious Travis into the house and nurse him back to health.
 As Travis and Heaven both struggle to control their destinies, will they learn that only a heart that follows God can ever find peace on earth?
After the Civil War, Travis Logan vowed to give up doctoring. But when fellow steamboat passenger Caleb Wharton collapses at his feet, Travis lends his aid. As the old man lies dying, he makes Travis promise to take care of his land and find Heaven. Travis can’t help but wonder what Heaven has to do with a real place.
When an unknown young man charges the house, Heaven Wharton attempts to fire a warning shot but ends up shooting the man. Shocked, she and her sister, Angel, drag a semi-conscious Travis into the house and nurse him back to health.
 As Travis and Heaven both struggle to control their destinies, will they learn that only a heart that follows God can ever find peace on earth?

 Buy A Bride’s Dilemma in Friendship, Tennessee at:
Christian Book http://www.christianbook.com/a-brides-dilemma-in-friendship-tennessee/diana-brandmeyer/9781616265717/pd/265717?item_code=WW&netp_id=943050&event=ESRCG&view=details






4 comments:

  1. Can't wait to recommend the Pureed book to a friend of mine! Thanks so much.

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    Replies
    1. Leslie, thank you for recommending the book to your friend. I wish I'd had it so blending our family might have been easier.
      Diana

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  2. I really enjoyed this interview and sharing Diana's stories with you!

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