Meet author Diana Lesire Brandmeyer
Diana Lesire Brandmeyer has written books in the romance and women’s fiction genres. Her works explore themes of faith, forgiveness, and redemption. Some of her popular works include Mind of Her Own, and The Frontier Legacy Bride’s series. In addition to her writing, Brandmeyer is also a speaker and teacher who has given talks on topics such as writing, faith, and family relationships.
Tell us about your newest book.
A Promise in Haste piggybacks off a character that isn’t named in book 2. When I finished the third book in the series I wanted to keep going. The first book starts in Tennessee and now I’m setting the next books in Montana. The women who made the west civilized are important and need to have their stories told. I know my characters never existed, but real women traveled far, difficult journeys and brought pieces of home with them. That’s what I wanted to show with my characters. It wasn’t always an object, sometimes it’s a skill.
What inspired you to write A Promise in Haste?
I had this idea about a woman who loses her parents. She has nowhere to go. Before her mother passed Marla promised she’d always care for her much younger sister. She answers an advertisement for a mail-order bride but doesn’t mention she’s bringing her sister along.
How would you describe this book to someone in a 30-second blurb?
Marla Atwell, left destitute after her parents’ tragic accident, faces the daunting choice of becoming a mail-order bride to secure a future for her sister. Jack Green, a struggling widower, advertises for a wife to save his failing café. Their unexpected union brings challenges that test their resilience, forcing them to confront love, loss, and redemption. Will adversity tear them apart, or will it forge a bond that transcends the trials of life?
What genre do you focus on?
Historical romance, 19th century and they way they lived fascinates me. When I look at my kitchen and see the air fryer, Instapot and microwave I can’t imagine making meals three times a day without them. And to be clear, even with my modern conveniences I can’t seem to get dinner made every night. How did these women do this and enjoy life?
What drives you?
This last year has been difficult after losing my mom and mother-in-law and breaking my elbow and I thought, why keep writing? I feel it is something God wants me to do. I’m struggling to get the words down, but the characters are in my head rooting me on. James 1:17 NIV says it well. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like the shifting shadows. The gift of writing is not going to go away, it is my choice to honor it or retire it. I’m not going to stop. That’s what drives me, that and knowing my mom would be disappointed that my grief over her had caused that to happen.
Who is your main character, and how did you choose that name?
Marla Atwell. It’s a name used in the 19th century but not well known. I needed her name to sound like mom because she has a much younger sister who calls her Ma.
What is your work schedule like when you’re writing a book?
Ha! It’s all over the place. If you’ve ever heard of the Clifton Strengths you’ll know about intellection. It’s a thinking strength. Mine is high, and it’s a great strength to have but it means I have to think about my story a lot. Sometimes it looks like I’m not working and just resting. Some days I hit the keyboard and write a chapter in twenty minutes because it’s fully thought out in my head. Other days it’s a sentence. I find that each book I write comes with a different schedule and I can’t say I’m writing this book at a certain time each day. That process doesn’t work for me and neither does plotting on paper. I’m a discovery writer.
What is the hardest part of being an author?
The hardest thing for me is the marketing and asking people to be on my ARC team. I’m a quiet person and putting myself out there is a struggle. Even writing this interview is hard!
What’s the best part of your author’s life?
Learning new things! I’ve set up a store front this year and that’s been a journey. I’m also investigating how to get audio books made. It seems in this business there will always be new adventures.
What’s one unusual fact about you?
I was working as a barista in 2021-2022 and I don’t like coffee.
How have you changed or grown as a writer?
When I started, I read all the books on plotting and character development complete with worksheets and I tried all of those things. That wasn’t a bad thing, and I learned a lot, but it isn’t how I write. What has changed for me is realizing I’m not that writer. Through Becca Symes courses I finally am comfortable saying I’m a writer that doesn’t plot. My books are better for it because when I plot the joy is gone and my characters don’t come alive.
What is your favorite pastime?
Learning new things! Right now, I’m watching YouTube videos about homesteading. Will I ever raise chickens and can a mess of vegetables, probably not but it is fun to see how it’s done.
Do you have other books? We’d love to know.
Thank you for asking. I do have more! I have historical and contemporary romances. There are 3 more books in the Frontier Legacy Bride’s series, Small Town Brides series-those are novellas, and contemporary romance Silverton Lake romance series, Mind of Her Own and Hearts on the Road.
What are you working on now? I’m working on a follow up book with one of the characters from A Promise in Haste, it’s also a mail-order bride book.
Website: https://dianabrandmeyer.com/
My store: https://store.dianabrandmeyer.com
My direct store link: https://store.dianabrandmeyer.com/products/a-promise-in-haste
Books2Read link: https://books2read.com/u/4EEoZ0
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DianaLesireBrandmeyer
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dianabrandmeyer_author/
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