No one has a bigger heart than Dianne Castell.

 

In addition to being a super terrific person, Dianne is a USA Today Best-Selling author of sexy romances. Her stories include some mystery, some suspense and humor. She’s been writing for about 16 years, and has titles published with Kensington Publishing, Harlequin and Berkley Publishing. Her most recent release is Hot and Bothered (Kensington, April 2008). The highly anticipated sequel, Hot and Irresistible, will arrive November 2009. Look for it.

 

In the interim, I have the distinct honor of appearing in Tails of Love - our June 2009 romance anthology benefitting a no-kill animal shelter - with Dianne.

 

Despite her busy schedule, Dianne donates a lot of time and attention to a variety of charitable organizations. And I was thrilled that she was able to stop by to chat with Novel Hearts about them.

 

 

 

 

Dianne, hi. Thank you so much for taking the time for our Novel Hearts interview. Could you tell us how you learned about the various charitable organizations with which you volunteer?

 

Hi, Patricia! I’m thrilled to be here. Thanks for asking me.

 

The Conductive Learning Center here in Cincinnati is a special needs school for children with cerebral palsy, spina bifida and other motor coordination problems. I work at the Snooty Fox, an upscale consignment shop in Cincy, and Donna Spiegel … who has a grandson with cerebral palsy and who owns the Snooty Fox … established the Conductive Learning Center here in Cincy. I got involved because this school does so much good for special needs children.

 

I’m also involved with the St. Vincent DePaul Society here in Cincy and take food to those in need every Thursday. My husband did this, and when he passed I took his place. St  Vincent helps a lot of people down on their luck till they get back on their feet again.

 

Lori Foster and I have a yearly reader-writer get-together. Any profits from the event go to charity.

We’ve given over $10,000 to the YWCA Woman’s Shelter here in Cincy. We chose the shelter because it’s known for doing a lot of good in helping woman and their children get out of abusive situations. The shelter has a great reputation here in Cincy. This year, the June event’s proceeds will go to the AAF, Animal Adoption Foundation, a no-kill animal shelter here in Cincinnati

 

I just got back from Scotland and met a woman who helps run a small orphanage in Bangladesh for special needs children. I see another charity in my future. J

 

 

Dianne, you’re amazing. You do so much. How long have you supported these organizations?

 

I’ve helped with the Conductive Learning Center for two years and St. Vincent for about the same. The Conductive Learning Center has fundraisers, and St. Vincent is mostly leg work with delivering food, helping with clothing drives, getting homes for the homeless and the like.

 

You’re an inspiration, Dianne. How can readers get in touch with you?

DianneCastell@hotmail.com

 

 

And how can readers learn more about the Conductive Learning Center, St. Vincent’s and the Animal Adoption Foundation?

http://www.clcgc.org

http://www.aafpets.com

http://www.svdpcincinnati.org

 

 

Novel Hearts is a forum to raise awareness of the charitable causes some of our favorite authors support. Each month, we’ll chat with one or two authors about the nonprofit organizations they help, either with time, money and/or materials.

If there’s an author you’d like to see featured on the blog, please send me the author’s e-mail address and the name of the nonprofit organization he or she supports. You can reach me at BooksByPatricia@Yahoo.com. Thank you!

Lori Foster gives back to her community. That’s what makes the New York Times bestselling author a great interview for our Novel Hearts blog. Lori routinely organizes events among authors and readers to help raise money and materials for various organizations. This includes the annual Readers & Authors Get Together she co-hosts with her dear friend and USA Today bestselling author Dianne Castell. 

In 2009, who writes contemporary romances as Lori Foster and urban fantasy/supernatural romance as L.L. Foster, has several titles coming out.  Her newest Lori Foster release is the anthology, Out of the Light, Into the Shadows, August 2009. Harlequin also is reissuing her 1996 debut, Impetus, in June 2009, as part of its “Famous Firsts” program. As L.L. Foster, her single title, Servant: The Kindred, is a September 2009 release.

But Lori also coordinates anthologies to benefit charitable causes. The titles include The Write Ingredients (2007), which continues to raise money for our military troops and The Power of Love (2008) for which all of the author and agent proceeds benefit the Hamilton County (Ohio) YWCA Battered Women’s Shelter.

June 2009 is the release of her third benefits anthology, Tails of Love. The 10 contributing authors - Lori, Stella Cameron, Dianne Castell, Kate Angell, Ann Christopher, Marcia James, Donna MacMeans, Sarah McCarty, Sue-Ellen Welfonder and I - and our agents are donating all of our proceeds from the anthology to the Animal Adoption Foundation (AAF), a no-kill animal shelter in Hamilton, Ohio.

I could go on and on and on, but Lori says it better. She chatted with me recently - virtually speaking - about the AAF. So, please join me in welcoming Lori to our Novel Hearts home.

The AAF is a local to me no-kill animal shelter. Recently, through great donations, it was able to move to a bigger, nicer facility that is just around the corner to me. :)

Each person should only give what he/she is comfortable giving within their personal budget. Those who can’t donate money can always donate time and energy by helping to organize the facility, and/or walk, play or groom the animals.

What exactly does the organization do and why do you think this work is important?

They take in unwanted or injured strays and then, while awaiting adoption, they give them lots of love and attention. It breaks my heart to go in there and see all the homeless animals. But it makes me cry with emotion when I see the volunteers out in the yard, walking the dogs or grooming the cats… It’s a pretty terrific set-up.

I have a lot of favorite organizations that I donate to on a regular basis, including — but not exclusive to – the Hamilton County YWCA Battered Women’s Shelter, Hospice, St. Judes, The Conductive School of Learning, and the One-Way Farm Children’s Home for kids in need.

My good friend Dianne Castell and I started the June Reader and Author Event as a way to give back to multiple places on a bigger scale. By providing a great, fun, relaxed atmosphere for readers and authors to mingle with industry professionals, we assist readers and unpublished authors in goals. Through the raffles at the event, we are able to donate a generous amount to worthy local causes. And through the publication of a “benefit book,” where all author and agent proceeds go to a charitable organization, we’re able to ensure — through the life of the book – continued donations.

If readers are interested in supporting the AAF, how can they learn more about the organization?

You can find more about the AAF at www.aafpets.com and there is information on my Web site at the “Get Together” page – http://www.lorifoster.com/community/readergettogether.php

Lori, thank you so much for all you do for the AAF and other organizations in your community. How can readers get in touch with you?

Snail mail can go to Lori Foster, P.O. Box 854, Ross OH 45061.

Or e-mail me at LoriLFoster@gmail.com.