1. Tell me about your story, not just an overview, but what it is that makes it special to you.
Dina's blog
One Pink Line is very special to me because it was inspired by a girlfriend of mine and her life experiences. She found herself unexpectedly pregnant at a young age, just as she was graduating college, and was faced with many difficult decisions. After hearing everything she went through, I found that at the core of her experience was a really wonderful love story…and I just had to write about it. It’s also special to me because it’s sort of a blend of my experiences and hers, and from what I can tell…it really seems to be touching people. - How do you develop a character?
My characters are almost always based on people I know, or people I’ve met throughout my lifetime. The great thing about even the goofiest person in our lives is that there is always some one who can relate to them. Everyone’s had a crazy relative, a snobby friend, a jerk of a boss - so for me it’s merely dipping into my own reality show and finding the things that make certain people interesting and impactful. Even if someone is a shy, mousy wallflower, they can still have a bold impact on your story.
3. How does plot happen for you? Does it evolve as you write or do you outline it in advance? Describe the process.
I am not a fan of writing an outline. I have written two novels so far and each one has literally spilled out onto the computer when I sat down to write. I truly don’t believe I could write a story unless I have it worked out in my head first. I’m not saying that character studies or plot development are a waste of time, it simply works better for me to write in a more freestyle manner.
- I see that you have written your book in the first person. Why did you choose that point of view? In what way does it make your work stronger? Did the POV present challenges for you?
Both of my novels are written in the first person, so I guess this is the POV I’m most comfortable with. While it does limit you to only one person’s opinions and interpretations, it’s easier for me to channel myself into my protagonist if I can hear her voice and write through her emotions.
- What personal experience do you bring to your book?
A great deal, actually. Many of the scenes in both, One Pink Line, and my next novel, Kat Fight, are lifted from my own life experiences. It can be very therapeutic!
- What other projects have you written? What plans do you have for the future?
My next book, Kat Fight, will be released this June. It’s a romantic comedy, and my goal with this one was to really concentrate on the comedy. I always try to infuse as much wit into my work whenever possible, and Kat Fight really delivers in that department.
7. What else can you tell us about yourself or your work that we might find of interest?
Just that I feel so grateful to be able to self publish and finally have my writing available to people. That being said, it’s still a ton of work. I spend hours (not 2 or 3, more like 6) a day trying to market my book and myself and reach as many people as I can. The work truly begins once the book is done!
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