Author Interview: D. L. Gardner

Check out this author spotlight for D. L. Gardner!

You can find all her links furthest down the page, and don’t forget to check out her books!

1. Hi! Welcome to my humble blog of all things bookish! I would like for us to start by getting to know you. Give us a short bio, please!

Hi, I’m Dianne and write as D.L. Gardner. I live in the Pacific Northwest and enjoy wildflowers in the mountains, and sandy beaches, strawberry fields and all the lush vegetation in Washington state. I’m an award winning author, artist and screenwriter an write fantasy, though I have a few stories in other genres. I’m a mom to 5, grandmother to 16, and great grandma to 2.

2. To get to know you just a little bit better, I’d like to ask you some this or that questions. Answer 5 of these and explain why you chose this or that, or maybe an entirely different alternative!

Tea or coffee? Tea. I love coffee but I can’t handle caffeine anymore.

Morning or evening? I love mornings when the sun peaks over the trees and promises a new day.

Library or museums? I like specialty museums with lots of antiques. That or museums with old art of the masters.

Witches or wizards? WIZARDS they’re a lot of fun and don’t take life nearly as seriously as the witches do!

3. When you look for books to read, what trope or type of story will always catch your attention?

Fantasy with the unwilling hero, especially if he’s a young man. I’m a softy for the fellas that need encouragement.

4. What do you write? Tell us about your current projects and the latest happenings!

I write fantasy (mostly). I finished a high fantasy trilogy this last year. It has a romance subplot, but it’s a sweet romance so don’t look for steam. I’m more concerned with the two heroes’ relationship. It’s a enemies-to-lovers trope and the two MCs must bring their kingdoms in alliance with each other before they can defeat the evil that threatens their kingdoms. I have a spin-off novel to the series releasing April 14^th and I’m really excited about it. It was a feat for me writing three books in a year, but I’m happy with what came of it.

5. What is your most recent release? Give us a short presentation, cover, and a link for where to buy it!

The series begins with Rise of the Tobian Princess

Erika, the youngest daughter of a legendary king, aspires to be a warrior and follows her brother to war against the dark wizard. She accidentally kills a king during her first battle and that mistake costs the allegiance of an island whose magic her father’s kingdom needs to win the war. When she attempts to right her wrongs, she instead falls in love with the island’s heir. Arell, at first has no idea she killed his father but is thrust upon a throne he never wanted, pitted against an enemy he never asked for, is then, once the truth is revealed, is forced to exile the only woman he ever loved. Can the two forget their grievances in time to save their kingdoms?

Fall of the Kings and Curse of Mount Ream are the sequels.

“A masterful painter of words, D.L. Gardner’s brushstrokes of prose bring to life a compelling fantasy tale that demonstrates the power of forgiveness and redemption in the aftermath of tragedy.” – award-winning author Stephen Zimmer.

“There’s never a dull moment in here; it’s jam-packed with monumental events and action to look forward to. Princess Erika is one hero that readers are going to be thrilled to discover.” – Independent Book Review.

6. What real-life inspiration do you draw from, and what are your primary fictional sources of inspiration (books, authors, films, music, etc.)? Name a few!

I read a lot of fantasy and love diving into books by authors such as Robert Jordan, Brandon Sanderson, Joe Abercrombie as well as C.S. Lewis and Tolkien. I draw from a lot of my own experiences too as I lived in the country for many years without electricity, rode horses, cut firewood for heat and cooking, it was pretty rough living but well worth it and great fodder for my books!

7. What is your writing routine? If you have one, give us the run-down!

Early morning and late at night. I like to get at least 3000 words in a day and prefer to stop in the middle of a chapter because it’s easier for me to pick up where I left off that way. I outline, do character studies, and figure out the premise, log line, and conflicts well before I begin.

8. If you could go back and give yourself one piece of advice as you started out on the path to becoming an author, what would it be?

Start young. I waited way too long.

9. Last but not least: where can we find you? Drop those links!

Websites

https://gardnersart.com

https://gardnersart.wixsite.com/chonisi

https://gardnersart.wixsite.com/iansrealmsaga/

Blog

https://diendrial.wordpress.com/

FilmFreeway
https://filmfreeway.com/projects/1689365

https://filmfreeway.com/projects/1658440

https://filmfreeway.com/projects/438618