Meet the #Author Monday - Diane Burton

Please tell us a bit about yourself:

I’m Honey to 1, Mom to 2, and Nana to 2. My family (especially the grandkiddies) is so important my husband and I just moved 120 miles to be closer to them. Besides writing, I like to quilt and enjoy my flower garden. A reader all my life, I also love movies, especially action adventure, mysteries, science fiction, and romantic comedy. My favorite TV shows are Castle, Firefly, and NCIS. Is it any wonder I write science fiction romance and romantic suspense with comedic elements?

Tell us about Switched Resolution:

Switched Resolution is the third book in the Switched series. Twins Marcus and Scott were separated before birth—one raised on Earth and the other on an alien planet. They switched places and now have to face the consequences.

What inspired you to write this particular story?

After I wrote Switched, readers asked when I was going to write Scott’s story. Switched, Too told the story of a NASA reject who gets to be a starship captain. But what happened to Marcus on Earth? Did the women Scott and Marcus return their love? To answer those questions I wrote Switched Resolution.

Please share a favourite snippet from your book:

With duffle bags slung over shoulders, banging against hips and each other, Scott Cherella and Veronese Qilana raced through the Malawea Spaceport terminal. His ship was gone. Stolen. Not just by the rebels incarcerated on board but by three of his own crew.

“I still can’t believe Drakus and Usolde took the Freedom.” Neese panted from running.

Scott was surprised at how many people either milled around or strolled down the terminal’s main corridor in the middle of the night. He and Neese attracted attention. Maybe Serenians didn’t run through public buildings. Too damn bad. This was an emergency.

“Those two have a lot to answer for,” he said.

Once they got to the hangar—or whatever Serenians called the area where various flight vehicles landed and took off—he let her lead the way. He’d only been through there once, yesterday, after arriving aboard a shuttle from Space Station Alpha where the Freedom had docked. Where it should still be docked.

“This way.” Neese darted down a narrow passageway. “I want to know about the other man. Both Drakus and Usolde mentioned a he who tricked them. Any ideas?”

“You know the crew better than I do. Well, longer anyway.” He had only been aboard the Freedom for three weeks, ever since he switched places with his twin. And, holy shit, what a time it had been. Sabotage, capture, rescue, ecstasy, betrayal.

Yeah, he wanted to know the other guy’s identity, too. A member of the Freedom’s crew had not only masterminded the recent sabotage but also the release of war criminals and the theft of Scott’s ship. How the hell had they gotten it out of spacedock? There had to be controls. Clearance requirements. On top of that, he wondered why the Freedom. The rebels needed a ship to escape. Surely, other ships were easier to take out from under Space Fleet Security than an Alliance battle cruiser. Or maybe that had been the point. A way of thumbing their noses at The Powers That Be.

“Wait.” He snagged the strap of Neese’s bag. They’d gotten to the end of a long hall. She turned to him, questions in her Lake Michigan blue eyes. God, he loved seeing them without the silver lenses she had worn to pass as Serenian. He couldn’t wait for her short hair to grow out. Like wearing camouflage lenses, she’d dyed her hair black to look like a Serenian. He bet if left to nature, her hair would be a deep auburn like Jessie’s. With waves, too, once it was long enough. Or maybe it would curl cutely around her face.

Nah. Neese was many things—striking, intelligent, strong-willed—but never cute.

Edging her into the corner, he dropped his duffle and pulled her into his arms. “I gotta do this before we meet up with the others.”

She opened her mouth in surprise as his came down. He hoped the kiss he planted on her made her remember what they’d been doing two hours earlier. Finally alone and no longer worried about non-fraternization rules, they’d made love in a proper bed. It had been perfect. Perfect until she beat him to the punch and proposed. If the damn computer hadn’t interrupted with urgent messages, he would have made sure she understood there were some things a guy just had to do on his own.

Independent little cuss.

She broke off the kiss, her eyes huge. “We—We shouldn’t do this. Someone might—”

“Relax, Neese. Nobody’s around.”

“There could be.” When she scooted past him, her bag swung out and caught him in the side. Uttering a quick apology, she opened the door to a spacious hangar. “Chief Luqett and Mr. Glaxpher said they’d be waiting for us in Area 72.” She pointed overhead.

Up in the rafters, large white lettering designated areas. Naturally, he couldn’t read them. He didn’t think his link, which she’d programmed to translate Serenian symbols, would be able to “read” that far away.

“Where are we now?” he asked softly as he followed her.

“Area 51.”

That stopped him. “You have got to be joking.”

She turned to him and shook her head. “I do not understand.”

“Area 51. Aliens. Roswell, New Mexico.”

“Oh, that fiasco when the Cardijian ship crashed. We need to hurry.”

“You mean that was real?” He started grinning. “Hot damn.”

Which comes first for you – a character's looks, personality or name?:

I’ve never thought about that before. I think the name. The character’s personality reveals itself as I write the story. As for looks, that depends on the character.

Any tips for aspiring authors?:

Protect your dream. Listen to constructive criticism then do what feels right for your story. Persevere.

Questions for fun:

If you had the power of time travel, is there anything you would go back and change? Why/why not?:

No. I like the life I have. If I went back and changed one thing, I might not have met the fabulous guy I’m married to or have my terrific children or those delightful grandkiddies.

What super-power would you choose?:

LOL I answered this one on a Facebook quiz. My first thought was to be able to move things with my mind so I could empty all the boxes from our move and put things away without my back hurting. Then I thought I shouldn’t be so selfish and chose the ability to heal anyone. Maybe that was a little self-serving, too, since I could heal my aching back.

If you could have three wishes, what would they be?:

World peace. Congressional representatives who would put the welfare of the country before their political agendas. Be the same size I was when I got married. How’s that for a weird set of wishes?

Coffee, tea or wine?: Definitely coffee.

What is your favourite book? (aside from one of your own!):

There are so many. Rebecca by Daphne DuMaurier. I wish I could write gothic romance the way she did—the atmosphere, the suspense, the character development.

Favourite genre and why?:

Science Fiction Romance. Science fiction says that life will go on. Humans may be stupid enough to destroy our own planet, but our sci-fi books and movies indicate we have hope that as a species we will survive. I believe in happy ever after so a romance is an essential part of the books I read—and write.

Favourite colour?: blue

Upcoming news and plans for the future?:

I’m writing the second book in the Outer Rim series about strong women on the frontier of space. My first romantic suspense One Red Shoe was released in September for Kindle. In January, it will be available in all e-formats and in print.

Thank you so much for taking the time to talk to us!

Blurb for Switched Resolution:

Actions have consequences as Space Fleet Captain Marcus Viator and NASA reject Scott Cherella discover when they switched places. Does the reserved Marcus have what it takes to imitate his smart-aleck twin? Despite help from his love, Veronese, Scott’s already been outed by two of Marcus’ best friends.

When rebels steal the ship with part of the crew aboard, Scott has to rescue them and retrieve the Freedom. The stakes increase when he discovers the rebels are heading for Earth. They know he’s a fraud and they want Marcus. The safety of the Alliance of Planets depends on Scott and his allies.

Switched Resolution, which wraps up the Switched series, takes the reader from Earth—where Marcus adjusts to a pregnant Jessie—to the starship Freedom commandeered by rebels, to the chase ship with Scott and Veronese aboard.

Switched Resolution buy links:

Kindle: http://amzn.com/B00CNJEO1C

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/313093

Readers can find me around the internet:

Website: www.dianeburton.com

Blog: http://dianeburton.blogspot.com/

Twitter:  http://twitter.com/dmburton72

Facebook:  http://facebook.com/dianeburtonauthor

Goodreads: Diane Burton Author

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/dmburton72/

Amazon author page: http://amzn.com/e/B00683MH5E