About Dianne Drake

In the Beginning

With degrees in music and nursing, I came to writing in 1993, when my first-ever article was published in Woman's Day. I'll admit, I didn't know what I was doing, but I'd always liked to write, so I took a stab at it, got lucky and started my career. Then went back afterwards to learn about what I was doing. Which was a good thing because, from my launch, I started picking up jobs in noted magazines such as Family Circle, Ladies' Home Journal, Better Homes & Gardens, Parenting, Disney's Family Fun, Seventeen, Teen, Country Living, Oxygen and a host of others. I wrote consumer advice, specializing in health issues, traveling and general consumerism topics. In the past, if you've ever read an article telling you how to do better grocery shopping, odds are I could have written it. I also wrote extensively about antiques as a regular contributor in several noted publications, which fed my hobby, called antique frenzy.

The Nonfiction Years

In 1995, I was asked to lecture at my first writers' workshop, Midwest Writers Workshop, sponsored by the Ball Corporation and Ball State University. From there I became a regular speaker at writing conferences throughout the Midwest, from university workshops to corporate writing programs, teaching beginners the ins and outs to getting published. Eventually, as a member of the National Society of Journalists, I was twice asked to be the single top judge for the magazine portion of the MOE - Mark of Excellence Award, a prestigious collegiate journalism competition. Being a journalist, that was one of the highlights of my career!

Also in 1995, I joined Romance Writers of America because, while my nonfiction career was solid, I harbored the desire to write romance. I loved romance! Starting with Nancy Drew, when I was a kid, I always wanted Nancy and Ned to get a little more action going between them. (I'd inherited an original set of Nancy Drew books, ones so old the car was still called a "machine" and it had a rumble seat.)That passion for romance led me to the Harlequin romances, and from there, I was forever hooked. I think I was about 14 the first time I ever thought I wanted to write a Harlequin.

Starting My Book Career

In 1999, after having several articles published in various writing magazines, including Writer's Digest and Byline, I had one of those moments where I smacked my head and said, "Gee, I should write a book!" It really hadn't occurred to me before then, but that's exactly what I did. I wrote A Writer's Guide to Getting Published in Magazines, which was published by Aletheia in 2000. Then I followed up with Everyday Antiques, a companion to the Antiques Roadshow books being sold. It turned into a Doubleday Antiques Roadshow Book Club Featured Alternate in 2001, and due to its success, I was interviewed in over 100 radio spots as well as featured on several television programs, including Hometime for the Discovery Channel. The program in which I was featured is still aired in reruns today.

Following the publication of Everyday Antiques, I wrote a series of five consumer books for Publications International (Consumer Guides): Government Secrets, Insider Info, Life-Saving Health Secrets, Money Secrets, Kitchen Cures. Not my titles, by the way. And, my magazine career marched on until 2003, when I decided it was time to get serious about writing what I'd wanted to write since I was 14.

On to Romance Writing

In 2000, I won the first-ever Daphne du Maurier Award of Excellence, a collaborative contest between an RWA chapter and the Daphne du Maurier estate, along with its heirs, literary agents and solicitors. Yes, I was dabbling in the genre now. But the romantic suspense I was dabbling in didn't turn into what I was first published in. In 2001, The Doctor Dilemma was published by Harlequin Duets. It certainly wasn't mysterious, but apparently I had a secret desire to write comedy, because that's what my launch into writing romance turned out to be. But it was a good start because my first was voted one of the top 5 reader favorites, in the bad boy category, that year. I followed up with a few more romantic comedies, then when the lines ended, I went back to my roots in medicine, and tried my hand in medical romance. It took, and I'm still there, happy to be writing for Harlequin Mills & Boon Medical Romances. (See my current releases)

Other Activities

Did I mention earlier I have a hobby called antique frenzy? I have collections, and not just a few. The books you've seen at the top of my page here - just one collection of the many. I love oil lamps, Victorian brooches, medicine bottles, Victorian Christmas Lights, trade cards, inkwells, kitchen tins, and my latest - leech jars. Oh, and I like wooden chairs, trunks, kitchen utensils, early 20th century electrical lighting, various ephemera and I have a small, but very select collection of old, brass bull nose rings.

When I'm not writing or chasing antiques, my hubby Joel, and I are either attending the local NFL games, or the symphony orchestra. Remember that part at the very beginning of this where I mentioned a degree in music? I used to play the bass violin with the symphony, and of all things, I married a former bass player from a different symphony. Imagine that! Two in one family.

Finally, I've saved the best for last. Joel and I have a passion for animals. We have five dogs and cats in total, right now, and always have room for one or two more. Our animals were all abandoned or abused before we got them, some are special needs, and I'll have to admit, we're suckers for sad eyes and sadder stories. But, the neediest of animals make the best of pets!