Interview with Dina Silver

CLP Q&A with Dina Silver:

When did you know writing was for you?
By the time I went away to college, I knew I wanted to write professionally. I studied Journalism and thought I would be a news reporter one day. Could still happen?

One Pink Line is such an emotional story, and I’ve read that it’s based on
true events in your life. What was it like creating these characters and
their journey?
One Pink Line was actually inspired by my girlfriend’s life story. And while the book is pure fiction, many of the instances throughout the book closely parallel her life and her wonderful little family. Woven into the novel are also many of my own life experiences, including stories from high school and college. It was really a lot of fun to create characters based on people from my past.

What is the hardest part of the writing process for you?
Probably feeling the need to fill a number quotient. I don’t mean daily, more like overall. Sometimes my stories are better told with fewer words, but I feel the need to ‘fill space’ so to speak. A habit I’m trying to break.

What are your favorite genres to read?
My tastes are all over the board. Anything from murder mysteries to historical romance. I also consider myself a ‘bestseller reader.’ I like to read what’s popular and stay current with what other readers are chatting about.

What do you want readers to take away from your story?
Great question. There are so many different emotions, as you mentioned, that the story touches on, but ultimately what initially drew me to it was the underlying love story between Ethan and Sydney. My hope would be that people truly enjoy it for that reason. I, myself, am a sucker for a great love story and I really wanted to do justice to that part of the theme.

How important do you think social media is for authors these days?
Unfortunately, very important. People who like to read also tend to like to chat about it, blog about it, and connect with other readers and writers. Can you be successful in reaching an audience without social media? Sure, but it will be much more of a challenge.

What would be your advice to aspiring writers?
• If people you trust give you criticism, take it.
• Get a killer cover for your book. Don’t just have your brother-in-law design one for you because he knows how to use Photoshop.
• Don’t just get involved in social media, engage in it
• Stay active on Goodreads.
• Reach out to book bloggers.
• Once your book is out there being read, ask people to leave reviews for it on Amazon. You’ll be surprised how many people don’t even realize that it’s an option.