When sixth grade Diane promised herself she was going to someday publish a book, the marketing aspect of being an author did not cross her mind. Nor did it cross my mind until I was signing my publishing contract and even then I had no clue what it actually meant. I knew some stuff about … Continue reading That Dreaded “M” Word
Blog
Impending Publication Thoughts
The publication date is looming for my YA LGBTQ+ contemporary romance novel Does Love Always Win? Actually, my pre-order campaign begins in two days as of this posting on April 3rd! My cover and blurb have been revealed and the rest of the ARCs (Advanced Reader Copies) are being sent out shortly. Reviews are even … Continue reading Impending Publication Thoughts
Special Feature-Q&A with Shorty Daniels
For a very special edition of my blog, this is going to be a Q&A with Sam "Shorty" Daniels, the main character of my upcoming YA LGBTQ+ contemporary romance debut Does Love Always Win? This is as if she was featured in a senior spotlight in her school's newspaper. DALE'S DAILY-SENIOR SPOTLIGHT with Shorty Daniels … Continue reading Special Feature-Q&A with Shorty Daniels
Dealing With Change
I had a writing routine that worked really well for me. I'd write for an hour before work and then sometimes after work depending on how my brain felt. But everything has changed now that I have a baby. Even though I'm on family leave, my time for writing is minimal. So much time is … Continue reading Dealing With Change
A Year of No Resolutions
A new year is always a good time for reflecting on the previous year. And let me tell you, at this exact time last year I had no idea at all what 2022 would bring. I was in a pretty sad state. I wasn't happy at all in my day job, I was receiving rejections … Continue reading A Year of No Resolutions
When Imposter Syndrome Strikes
It's inevitable, like death and taxes, the dreaded writer imposter syndrome. You never know when it's going to strike, and sometimes it can be crippling. All writers go through this, and it's been sneaking around my home recently at the worst possible time. I have a deadline for myself to finish the following by December … Continue reading When Imposter Syndrome Strikes
Deadline Driven
It's been hard to juggle all the various commitments I've had lately, between starting a new day job that's very writing based, editing my book that's being published, marketing for my book and all that it entails (social media, answering Q&A's, creating a newsletter, updating my website, creating business cards etc.), and trying to write/edit … Continue reading Deadline Driven
Music: A Way to the Soul
I come from a musical family, and am a musician myself, so it only made sense to incorporate music into my LGBTQ+ fiction young adult debut book, DOES LOVE ALWAYS WIN? My main character, Sam “Shorty” Daniels plays the trumpet (I play the French horn and piano), so I was able to pull from some … Continue reading Music: A Way to the Soul
Breaking the Silence
For the longest time I was vague about the book I was writing, even on my blog and social media. I kept saying 'oh, it's a young adult novel set in high school.' When someone pressed for more, I'd add in, 'well the main character is in marching band, there's some romance, and lots and … Continue reading Breaking the Silence
Book Updates
Being a signed author is exciting, but also very busy! My to-do list keeps growing. Not only am I working on edits from my editor, but I'm also trying to secure book launch venues, doing upkeep on my social media, and designing some creative marketing tools, all while writing a new book. Luckily I have … Continue reading Book Updates
Diane Billas 