Diane Dean White started her writing at an early age, but it
wasn’t until her husband’s work took them to a small southern town she wrote
her first column, “Yankee Viewpoint’s” for a local newspaper. Returning to her
home-state of Michigan, she did stringer work over the years, ancestral
history, and donor appeal letters for non-profit organizations. Diane
self-published two books in the early 2000’s, and she became a columnist for a
weekly magazine, for four years. She is the author of over three-hundred short
stories, and her book On a Summer Night was
released in October. She and hubby, Stephen, have been married for forty-one
years, and they are the parents of three grown children and three grand-gals.
Visit Diane on her website at www.DianeDeanWhite.com
Her blog page at http://simplepleasureswithdiane.weebly.com/
To
order her book, visit Amazon below:
Please friend request Diane on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/diane.d.white.75?ref=tn_tnmn
DIANE WHITE INTERVIEW
If you meet me and forget me, you've lost nothing. But if you
have the opportunity to know Jesus Christ and choose to forget Him, you've lost
everything.
When did you become a Christian? Why did you make that decision?I never knew I wasn’t one. I attended church all of my life, was very active in youth activities and the rhythmic choir; we prayed at home, and I prayed often. I was a summer counselor at church camp, taught Bible school, Sunday school and later rhythmic choir. I believed in Jesus, but it wasn’t until I was in my early twenties and my husband led me to the Lord, and I made a personal commitment; making Christ Lord of my life.
What happened after that?
I was so excited I called my mother-in-law to come over the next day and asked her so many questions. Steve had been raised in a Bible centered home and knew the plan of salvation. My church in a major university city was very liberal, and I wasn’t taught that. She sat for three or four hours while I just bombarded her with questions. It was like a light bulb went on.
Tell us a little about your spiritual journey.
I got a hold of all the books I could and started to read about others and how knowing the Lord changed their lives. Steve had been taking evening courses at an area Bible school, and I went with him, and started attending women’s courses. During this time I gave my testimony for the first time in my life. It was such a wonderful time in our lives….like being fed a bite of chocolate, for me, and wanting the whole chocolate bar! My church activities took on a new purpose and our life together became beautiful…..something I didn’t know could get better. I thought it was pretty great already!
How did other people react to you?
I spoke with my parent’s first, one at a time, and each told me about their conversion experience. That made me feel good, and yet I realized they thought I had been taught about salvation at church. I made the decision then, our children, who were babies and toddlers, would learn at an early age about the Lord, and Steve and I followed through on that promise. Our youngest son serves on the mission field in Sochi, Russia. Our daughter and hubby have three young girls who are being raised with Christian values and our oldest son is a believer and shares about God’s love.
I think talking with people is important, and knowing where they’re coming from is, too. My experience living in a major university city next to the state capitol of Michigan gave me a wonderful venue for writing, but also to understand where people are with their walk and why many don’t want to believe. It’s very sad but it’s not popular to be a Christian in some liberal areas. Having seen this during my life I’m able to combat their objections and ignore their excuses when they speak. And then ask them questions, knowing they’ll squirm. I can be truthful and kind when sharing my testimony, and blunt. J
Is writing an outgrowth of giving your life to the Lord?
Witnessing to others is something we do as Christians….God commands it. And it’s natural for me to take that into my writing. I won’t write for magazines or books that don’t honor that. Yes, I believe God gives us gifts and I can see where a simple fall in 2000 has limited me to activities I used to do, and God has used my love for writing, and given me the desires of my heart. I may not have wanted it to happen like it did, but he’s replaced other dreams, and some were very worthy, to give me what He wants me to do. I’m up each morning by six to check in with my computer. I also have a ministry, Seeds of Encouragement, which is reaching hurting people, often by phone, a snail card or emails.
How long have you been writing?
I started writing in 6th grade on an old black, Royal manual typewriter. I wrote stories and then poetry, and had a short book of poems published just out of high school. It’s something that seemed to come natural to me. I was a secretary at Michigan State University and didn’t get serious about writing until we moved to a southern town in Georgia and I applied for a position as a newspaper reporter. Little did I know I’d soon have a weekly column. I named it “Yankee Viewpoints”…probably not the best choice in the late 70’s in a small southern town, but I loved interviewing people for feature stories, attending school board meetings and city council wasn’t as much fun. And writing police blotters wasn’t at all!
Did you start out pursuing novels?
No, I started writing short stories, and in 2001 after my fall when I began having back problems, I had a number of my stories featured on mailings that went out over the World Wide Web. I got so much feedback from people I decided to make a compilation of short-stories and I self published a book called Beach Walks. Many of those stories were picked up by Christian magazines and other books, and next I wanted to write a novel. Carolina in the Morning was a reality two years later, and again I self published. I loved doing the research for that story. We’d moved to Hilton Head Island, SC and I made a number of trips to Charleston, where my book is centered. Little did I know in 2004 how much I had to learn about writing novels.
How long did it take to write On A Summer Night?
I wrote for a magazine and had a weekly column for several years. In 2010 I decided I wanted to write another book. I was on Facebook and got to know a number of authors. I wish I’d known about ACFW, but it wasn’t until another year in 2012 that I joined. I’d been working on and off on my book when I joined the Scribes. I paid my dues big time, trying to change old writing habits and learning how to show and not tell, got rid of weasel words and back-story, and finally POV. I learned so much after being on the critique loop for a year, and then having critique partners to work with. I still critique and I especially try to reach out to new writers.
Is it a Christian historical romance?
No, it’s contemporary romance/suspense. It starts out in 1966 with two eighteen year old girls on a senior trip to Florida, to stay at one of the girl’s uncle’s winter home. They come in contact with something that at that time period, and probably still is, more popular in the south. They went through an experience they had to turn over to the Lord, and pray hard about forgetting.
What is your character’s biggest problem?
My main character, Kate, could never really give the experience from the summer night completely to the Lord. Like many of us, she kept taking it back. The story jumps to present day after a few chapters. Her hubby and she leave for Florida and he takes an early retirement; Kate’s uncle leaves her the Florida home. Memories haunt Kate and through a hard lesson she has to learn to let go.
What do you like about the leading lady?
She’s active and has a loving relationship with her husband. Kate has the opportunity to share God’s love with younger women she comes into contact with during their first year in Florida. They’ve raised two great kids and have grandchildren in their home state of Michigan. She also has to face her past, and the Lord brings that about in a fabulous way when they take a trip to Montana.
What you don’t like about her.
That she finds it so hard to forget and forgive this particular past, and that she didn’t share it with her husband.
What do you like and dislike about the leading man?
Well, I have two leading men in a way….her husband is a man of God and is always there for Kate. I think he’s a strong personality in the story….also her Montana friendship becomes a strong personality, and I can’t think of anything that is bad about him, other than his past, which is forgiven.
What is the spiritual takeaway?
Definitely to give God our burdens, otherwise they can hang on too long when we don’t. But also, when we forgive, it can’t just be for us or one person, perhaps for the entire situation…and allow Him to guide us through it. His plan works out far better than ours.
Do you have a sequel in mind already?
Yes, my critique partners suggested I do a spin-off from one of the young women Kate witnesses to. She’s in a protection type program with two young children when she meets Kate. We follow her into rural Georgia, and that’s where my book This Side of Heaven starts out.
Anything else you’d like to add?
The name “Kate” came from my dad’s sister, Katheryne, my favorite aunt. She never said an unkind word, and with four children, she could have. J She was a blessing to me and confined to her bed the past few years. At age ninety-five, a few weeks ago, she went home to be with the Lord. I sent her my chapters to read, as her mind was very alert. I wanted to name my main character after her. Her laugh and walk with God was contagious~
Also, a big thank you for sharing your time and readers with me, Ada, and to allow me to be part of your active and interesting blog site. I appreciate the opportunity to discuss my story with you.
Kate
and Vanessa hadn’t planned on the summer night that changed their lives. Could
they have imagined the darkness that descended and how awful fear could be? The
area with beauty and sweeping moss, gentle palm trees and Florida breezes was
wrapped with the memory of the awful evening. They played at being cheerful and
returned home to yet another sorrow. Times steals away from the 60’s, and the
memory of what happened was hidden in the recesses of Kate’s mind. She and her
husband, newly retired returned to the winter home where so many memories were
stored. Can she trust God to help her find forgiveness? Will her husband
understand? She knew he needed to hear her story.
Visit
Diane on her website at www.DianeDeanWhite.com
Her
blog page at http://simplepleasureswithdiane.weebly.com/
To
order her book, visit Amazon below:
Please
friend request Diane on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/diane.d.white.75?ref=tn_tnmn
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