DiAnn Mills: Authentic Fiction

Welcome to the first in my new series of Guest Blogs on dennisricci.com. I am thrilled and honored to have bestselling romantic suspense author DiAnn Mills kick things off on the Guest Blog.

DiAnn was my first and most influential mentor in my journey to becoming a published fiction author. She mentored me through three years of intense study of the craft of writing through the Christian Writers Guild, and provided continuous guidance and encouragement right up to the release of Perilous Judgment, including being the first bestselling author to endorse my story.

DiAnn was the first person to see the potential in me to be a novelist and to call it out of me during my studies with her. Truly, I would not be writing fiction today if God hadn’t sent DiAnn into my life.

Ever wonder how we novelists get the realism thing down? DiAnn shares her journey of learning from the dedicated professionals of the FBI who serve and protect our country and our citizens. Enjoy, and be sure to connect with DiAnn using the links at the end of the article.

Authentic Fiction

By DiAnn Mills

We’ve all read books or watched movies in which FBI protocol seemed . . . off. Perhaps we excused the actions of the characters. After all, the drama unfolding is fiction. Or maybe we didn’t. Maybe we instead decided to conduct a bit of research and discover the proper procedure for ourselves.

I’m one of those who refuse to accept depictions of professional law enforcement that aren’t accurate. So when I chose to write about the FBI, I contacted the media coordinator for precise information to ensure I was spot-on when it came to protocol and authenticity.

What I received was much more than a website to explore, a few facts, and a canned thank-you for contacting us. I got the real deal, and I’ve been feasting on the knowledge of FBI professionals for seven books.

The following is a list of how I chose to step out of my comfort zone and into the world of Houston’s FBI for story realism.

1. The initial contact with Houston’s FBI’s media coordinator was a time for those involved to explore my motives. I explained my writing project and my desire for realistic plots and characters.
2. After a background check and clearance, I was permitted to approach my research with pre-determined questions that didn’t waste the FBI’s time or mine. In the process, the media coordinator and I became friends.
3. The invitation to take the six week FBI Citizens Academy sessions ranked as one of the most exciting moments of my life. For six weeks, I listened to presentations from special agents who worked the various divisions of the FBI. In short, I slipped into the real deal. The skills required coupled with the personalities of the agents accomplished three important criteria: my characterization deepened, my plot twisted and turned, and self-confidence blossomed that I could write a credible and fast-paced story about Houston’s FBI.
4. Whenever I have a question, I’ve met with specialists in the field of my story’s need. It’s an opportunity I never expected, and I don’t take these opportunities lightly.

Why are these dedicated professionals willing to help me? The FBI needs community support and that means an accurate representation of who they are and their mission to protect Americans and uphold the US Constitution.

All that is ever asked of me is two signed copies of my published books for the FBI’s office. Actually I’d give them a whole case!

How do you view the FBI? I suggest www.fbi.gov to begin your personal research.

DiAnn Mills is a bestselling author who believes her readers should expect an adventure. She combines unforgettable characters with unpredictable plots to create action-packed, suspense-filled novels.

Her titles have appeared on the CBA and ECPA bestseller lists; won two Christy Awards; and been finalists for the RITA, Daphne Du Maurier, Inspirational Readers’ Choice, and Carol award contests. Firewall, the first book in her Houston: FBI series, was listed by Library Journal as one of the best Christian Fiction books of 2014.

DiAnn is very active online and would love to connect with readers on Facebook: www.facebook.com/diannmills, Twitter: https://twitter.com/diannmills or any of the social media platforms listed at www.diannmills.com.