Wednesday, June 07, 2023

Insecure Writer’s Support Group, Cooking & Gardening, and In Darkness: The Alien


It’s time for another edition of The Insecure Writer’s Support Group, founded by Ninja Captain, Alex J. Cavanaugh.

Today’s question: If you ever did stop writing, what would you replace it with?

I’m getting into cooking, trying new things, which is fun since I have a garden. So that would be another creative outlet. Probably wouldn’t ever tackle cake decorating or anything. But some fancy dishes, more Thai and Chinese, more breads, and lots of pizza.

I love to sheet pan cook and have the most amazing sheet pan cookbook. These are some of my creations:


I’d do even more gardening, too! Here is one of my raised garden boxes:



Cover art for In Darkness: The Alien!

Release date – Feb. 6, 2024
Romance-Science Fiction / Science Fiction-Alien Contact / Romance-Paranormal
eBook ISBN 9781939844972
Amazon

The Alien is the fourth and final book in the series. It still has a paranormal element despite the sci-fi setting. It’s also loosely based on a story I wrote in my 20’s called The Frozen Soul. So, it was exciting to rewrite and reinvent the story for this series. And I'm just thrilled with the cover!

Two of the In Darkness books are already available:
The Vampire - Amazon / iTunes / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / Scribed / Goodreads
The Shark - Amazon / iTunes / B&N / Kobo / Scribed / Goodreads

And the third comes out Sept. 5:
The Werewolf - Amazon / iTunes / B&N / Kobo / Scribed / Goodreads


What would you do if you weren’t writing?

I'm also setting up dates this fall for The Werewolf tour. I just had a review/interesting thing about werewolves post at Archaeolibrarian last week if you'd like to check it out. But I am open to guest posts, interviews, top tens, whatever! Just let me know.

39 comments:

Nick Wilford said...

Looks like you have many talents. The tray bakes look great. As does the cover - very intriguing. Would be happy to host you on a tour stop.

Loni Townsend said...

My daughter's recently taken up gardening, so one weekend project was building her a bed and hauling in all the dirt. Hard work.

Elizabeth Spann Craig said...

Your meals look delicious! Even better that the veggies are from your garden. :)

H. R. Sinclair said...

I am hungry after this post! 😂 I've really gotten into gardening. I planted sugar pumpkins this year and they are doing well so far. 🤞

Carol Kilgore said...

Congrats on your new book! I love to make sheet pan meals. Everything done at once and only one pan, plus any prep stuff. I have a lot of favorites too.

emaginette said...

Congrats on your release. I don't blame you for being excited. And a special thanks for pointing me toward sheet-pan cooking. Looks like I have some reading to do. :-)

Anna from elements of emaginette

Jemi Fraser said...

I've done some sheet cooking as well - always fun!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Very cool cover.
I'd be happy to host you again.

Susan Gourley/Kelley said...

How do you find time to write. Your sheet pan creations look delicious. I'd love to host you on a blog tour. By then, I should have caught up on reading the first two books in your series. Please email me.

Natalie Aguirre said...

I've been wanting to try sheet pan dinners. And I love your garden. I enjoy gardening too. Congrats on your new book. I'm always willing to share about them in Follower News.

Tyrean Martinson said...

I love your garden picture. I feel like gardening gene skipped me, but I still think of growing things now and then. I have three successful mint and strawberry containers on my front porch, but despite having a nice yard, I don't really garden otherwise.
Congratulations on your books. I would love to host you again.

Rebecca M. Douglass said...

Lovely book cover! and some good looking food, too. I ought to be more interested in cooking, but am not, not right now anyway.

L. Diane Wolfe said...

Thank you Nick - I will contact you soon.

Carol, it's just so much simpler.

Thanks, Alex - I'll email you.

Natalie, thank you - I'll send you the info.

Tyrean, thank you, too.

Eden "Kymele" Mabee said...

Gardening in raised beds can be so rewarding. There's a visual aspect to it that just feels incredible. Yours is lovely.

Olga Godim said...

Great cover, Diane. You're right, cooking is a creative outlet many enjoy. So many possibilities!

Sandra Cox said...

Your sheet pan creations look amazing. As does your garden.

Gwen Gardner said...

Those dishes look delicious! I'm cooking more now that I'm retired. Some of them even turn out well ;)

Congrats on your new releases!

Sarah Foster said...

Cooking and gardening go hand in hand! It's always fun to try new recipes.

Liz A. said...

It looks like you have lots of other things to keep you busy. But then again, there's always those who need to write the cookbooks and gardening books, right?

Steven Arellano Rose Jr. said...

Those dishes look good! Your book cover looks neat! I might be able to guest blog for your tour. Let me know more details of what you need from me.

Melissa said...

I didn't get to do much gardening this spring, because of my surgery. I also have a tiny yard that is very sloped for drainage, so I've had to get creative. I did manage to get some hanging baskets put up and a few flowers planted here and there.

I love to cook. Wish I had more time for that, too. Your pics looks great!

L. Diane Wolfe said...

Sandra, the book is called Sheet Pan Everything. I love it.

Gwen - LOL!

Steven, thank you.

kimlajevardi.com said...

Cooking is a very yummy way to spend time. :)

J Lenni Dorner said...

I'd be happy to be a tour stop on my blog.
When's dinner? 🍴😉
Lovely flowers.


I'm co-hosting at the IWSG this month. Did you know that June is Audiobook Appreciation Month?

J Lenni Dorner (he/him 👨🏽 or 🧑🏽 they/them) ~ Speculative Fiction &Reference Author, OperationAwesome6 Debut Author Interviewer, and Co-host of the #AtoZchallenge

nashvillecats2 said...

You have many strings to your bow, great post to read.

J.Q. Rose said...

Sheet pan cooking--that's a new way of thinking about it. Our garden is finally beginning to grow. We're in Michigan so we have to be patient. Congrats on your new upcoming release! I'm planning a series on my blog beginning in July through next year for authors who want to share favorite recipes and their books. A recipe and a book blurb. So, keep me in mind if you are looking for promo opportunities.

L. Diane Wolfe said...

J, that would be much appreciated.

JQ, thank you. I didn't include a recipe in the book, but one of my authors did and her book comes out next January.

Kate Larkindale said...

Cooking is one of my favourite creative outlets too. I tend to use recipes more as guides and create something along those lines with ingredients I have on hand. I must get a sheet pan and experiment a bit with that.

Denise Covey said...

Writers are creative so if we don't write, we'll find something. I love trying new recipes too. And I'd be happy reading a squillion books.

Shilpa Gupte said...

With a garden to supply all the raw materials, it must be fun cooking all the delicious-looking food!

Liza said...

I'll take those sheet pan recipes! While I can't imagine not writing, if someone took it away from me, like you I would garden more and cook more. I love to cook...but I confess, I also like to eat, so I have pulled back on my "fun" cooking lately!

Jen said...

Cooking is such a good outlet! I love to bake and I'm always prompted into the kitchen when my sweet tooth starts talking to me!

If I didn't write, I'd probably do more pottery and sculpting. Or I'd just spend more time on fanfiction websites reading!

L. Diane Wolfe said...

Kate, I do the same thing. I get "moxy" in the kitchen.

Toi Thomas said...

Thanks for stopping by my blog.
I too enjoy cooking.
I've really enjoyed your series so far. I plan to review the Shark in the next few days. I already pre-ordered the Werewolf. I'd be happy to host you on my blog or my Youtube channel to promote the series.

Sandra Cox said...

I'm loving your covers.

L. Diane Wolfe said...

Toi, that would be wonderful! I'll send you an email.

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Diane - those traybakes look delicious ... especially with the fruits of your labour from the garden straight into the kitchen - ideal. I'd do the same ... and would be gardening furiously as well - sadly no garden now-a-days. Good luck with the new book - cheers Hilary

Annalisa Crawford said...

Your dishes look great! If I didn't write, I'd probably spend more time working out and possibly - very possibly - have a slightly more tidy house.

Sandra Cox said...

Well, our gardens are getting plenty of rain aren't they?:)