Heidi Nicole Bird, Author: Please Welcome Dianne Gardner!

Today I am taking a quick break from my blog tour to introduce you to another author - Dianne Gardner, author of the Ian's Realm Saga!

Hi Dianne, and welcome to my blog! I'm so glad that my readers have the chance to meet you today! To get you all acquainted, let's get to learning a bit about you!

For what are you grateful?

I’m grateful that I made it through the 60s in one piece. A lot of us didn’t! I’m grateful for my kids and grandkids. I’m grateful that I can live out dreams that I once had when I was young, thanks to the support of my husband. I’m grateful for Christ.

Wonderful things to be grateful for! It sounds like you have really been blessed in your life. If you could change one thing about our world, what would it be and why?

I would change the eyes of people so that they could see, and in seeing-feel what’s in each other’s hearts. I would want people to have a deeper understanding of themselves, their friends, the children who are struggling to become adults, and their loved ones.

That's incredible. We could all learn from you! If you knew the exact date of your death down to the minute, what would you change about your life starting tomorrow?

I would get in touch with people I haven’t seen, people I love. I would spend more time with my grandkids teaching them reading to them, learning about them, encouraging them. I would go and visit my sons and their families out of state.

Great choices! I imagine I would do something similar. If you could go back in time to when you were seven years old, what wisdom or advice would you pass on to yourself?

Listen to your elders. They know what’s good for you.

So true, isn't it? After a difficult day what do you do to recuperate? Does it work?

I used to get in the hot tub but it’s broken. So sitting in the garden works. Sometimes I sleep in the greenhouse.

Sleeping in a greenhouse sounds amazing! When was the last time you helped someone that was desperately in need? What did you do? Was this person grateful?

My husband and I feed the homeless every Sunday. We listen to a lot of sad stories and offer encouragement when we can. I think the last individual in need was a lady who’s mom just died and she had been having a lot of trouble using. She was pretty despondent. After breakfast, we gave her a ride to where she needed to go but she wouldn’t accept any more help. About a month later she came back all smiles to tell us she went to rehab.Yes, she was grateful!

You really are such a wonderul person Dianne, and a great example to others, writers and non-writers alike! Not, to learn a but about your books -

What is or are the genres of your book or books?

I call them family friend adventure fantasy.

I consider myself a family friendly author as well, so I love that! What made you decide to write in your particular genre?

It’s what I love reading.

Exactly why I write what I do! There it is, Dianne Gardner! Thanks for being such an awesome guest! Readers, head on over to Amazon, where you can pick up Dianne book Deception Peak for only $.99!

Here's a bit more about Dianne that you may like to know:

She's been a painter all her life having started at the age of 12 under her mother's supervision. Her first private art lesson was with a sculptress in California. Excelling in art in school and on to college, her portfolio includes portraits, inspirational works, and plein air landscapes. She was the portrait painter for the Washington Renaissance Fantasy Fair for several years painting 20 minute oil paintings during the fair. She has just recently started illustrating books, beginning this endeavor with a 9' triptych of Stenhjaert the Dragon, the antagonist in Ian's Realm

Dianne is an active member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, and the National League of American Pen Women. Besides the Ian's Realm Saga (Deception Peak, The Dragon Shield, and Rubies and Robbers which will be released in 2013) she boasts authorship to four short stories titled A Tale of the Four Wizards Series which interweaves with the Saga. She writes for middle grade and young adults targeting boys and adventure loving girls, but adults are some of her most zealous fans of all Her writing definitely falls under the 'family friendly' category!

Ian's Realm Trilogy

Deception Peak
The Dragon Shield
Rubies and Robbers coming soon

Sequels
Cassandra's Castle To be released
The Diary of a Conjurer To be released