It’s lovely to have you here at Aussie Authors Diana.

Q. Could you tell us where do you live in Australia and something about your area?

A. In southeast Queensland, a small, rural town called Boonah, in the Valleys of the Scenic Rim. It’s a crop-growing area, with national parks, two dams and lucrative tourism industry.

Q. How long have you been writing, and do you belong to any writer’s groups/organisations?

A. when I was ten, I won a highly recommended award. I wrote a novel in 1971 which was rejected with a ‘has merit,” but didn’t start writing seriously until 2005. I joined the worldwide writing workshop site, The Next Big Writer, at the end of 2005 and have stayed with this site since. I don’t belong to any other writers group

Q. Have you always wanted to be a writer/author?

A. Yes, amongst raising kids, yes.

Q. You have two published novels, ‘The Naked Room’ and ‘The Celibate Mouse’ which are thrillers.  What gave you the inspiration to write these novels?

A. I produce and present a weekly classical music radio program. Four years ago, the question suddenly popped into my mind: what would happen if the pianist didn’t turn up for a highly promoted concert? There would have to be a darned good reason! I created one and The Naked Room was hatched!  We were holidaying in Tasmania and  attended the Tasman Cup Championship sheepdog trials in Launceston. As a competitor stood in the arena, the vicious thought sprang to mind: he’d make a good target ... The Celibate Mouse evolved from there. 

Q. Do you have contacts within the police force, or friends that help you with the detective side of crime in your novels?

A. Yes, a Detective Senior Constable, who is delighted to assist in my murderous forays! A local Senior Constable gave me advice on policing in our town (for Celibate Mouse) and said, ‘I hope I’m not on duty that night!’

Q. You are INDIE published, (self-published) How do you tackle the promotion, as I expect there would be a large amount of work involved?

A. Facebook, Twitter, websites and wherever I can get a toehold on the internet. Being visible at events (I sold five books at our World Environment Day event) speaking to the local Rotary, Lions Clubs, ladies and writer’s groups and out of the car boot. Radio sponsorships, our hometown newspaper; they sent a journalist to take photos and do a story at each of my book launches. Advertising and sending invitations to the launches. Our town library hosted and put up morning tea.

Personal invitations to friends and family ensured a good turnout (40) and sales. Paper bags with rope handles were a nice touch to pop books in. Inviting a local notable (who wanted a photo opportunity) to open the launch, worked well. I put books into our local bookstore on consignment. They made Celibate Mouse Book of the Month and the book clubs are reading it. Dymocks and Angus & Robertson (still hanging in there somehow) will do book signings. An attractively presented table with individually wrapped chocolates for customers works well, and a box of goodies for the sales staff. My husband lurks by the crime novels passing out my bookmarks, I cover the entrance and we work in a pincer movement - like timber wolves LOL  

I am working on guest blogging and belong to LinkedIn, the Crime Writers groups, Sisters In Crime (Australia) and Writer’s International and have done interview on other websites.

Q. What made you self publish?

A. No agent would give me the time of day! I got a professional appraisal for Naked Room, which came back as “characterisation faultless, plot peaks perfectly.” I also changed things as per their suggestions. I have contracted both novels with Publicious and am looking forward to working with them again.

Q. You’ve had some good reviews for your novels. Which one is your favourite? If possible could we have a short excerpt?

A. Excerpt from a review of The Celibate Mouse by Fran Lewis from Book Pleasures, USA, as posted on Amazon:

A story told through the eyes of Susan as you hear her thoughts, understand her frustrations, wipe away her tears and feel the pain that she endures throughout this outstanding novel. Just what is this hidden conspiracy that would send their lives in a tailspin? Author Diana Hockley created a plot so intricate, so filled with twists, turns and surprises you won't see the end coming even if you are Jessica Fletcher or Poirot. She keeps the reader in suspense until the very end.

Q. Do you have any rituals when you write? Or do you have a specific routine for writing?

A. After the initial idea, I try to find reasons why I can’t commit to writing. In spite of my best efforts, ideas keep rising like trout. I try to push them away, write them down – just in case I give in and actually write the damn thing!!!

Reluctantly, I work out a structure and then write a full plot, from which I can deviate if necessary. However, when I’m afflicted with writer’s block, lying on the bed, wailing and scoffing chocolate, this strategy usually gets me out of trouble!

I keep the notebook with me and write detailed notes whilst waiting in the car for my husband to finish ducking in and out of his natural habitat - the hardware stores! I’m basically a lazy old bat, so writing everything exactly as it should appear in the novel saves effort!

Q. What can readers expect from you in the near future?

A. The third in the Susan Prescott series, After Ariel, which begins in the UK and then moves to Brisbane. The Naked Room was darker and more violent than Mouse, which had funny spots, in spite of the murders. After Ariel is perhaps somewhere in between...maybe.

Q. I imagine you would have many internet sites. Could you please list them, so our readers know where to find you and purchase your novels?

A.

www.dianahockley.webs.com/

www.publicious.com.au (Contract publisher)

www.amazon.com  (in kindle and paperback)

Apple iPad for download.

The usual suspects:   Amazon The Book Depository,  Booktopia Australia, Barnes and Noble, Dymocks, Angus & Robertson (what’s left of it) Borders (not much left of it, but they are still advertising it) dozens of little bookstores across the UK and USA and even one in Banglahore, India