Introducing L Diane Wolfe: Overcoming Obstacles with Spunk

Today I'd like to welcome fellow blogger L. Diane Wolfe, author of the Circle of Friends series of novels and the just-released Overcoming Obstacles with Spunk: The Keys to Leadership & Goal Setting.

I love this woman! She doesn't believe in the word impossible and is willing to do whatever it takes to spread her message of hope.

Her Circle of Friends series, described as “encouragement personified," is set in the South and aimed at a young adult/adult audience. The intertwining stories focus on friendship, overcoming obstacles and pursuing dreams. (Now you know why I'm interested in her work.) Diane's newest book, her first foray into the non-fiction arena, outlines what it takes to become an effective and dynamic leader.

Here's some Q&A I recently did with her:


Both your fiction and non-fiction focus on overcoming obstacles and pursuing dreams. How did you become interested in this subject?
I spent ten years in a motivation business program and it involved a lot of positive reading and reinforcement. While the business aspect just never seemed right for me, the basic concept of success principles and pursuing goals struck a chord. I wanted to encourage others and give them hope, especially young people. We can achieve anything in life if we want it bad enough.

What made you decide to write your newest book: Overcoming Obstacles with Spunk?
I teach a seminar by the same name. The idea sparked to put it into book form when I created a leadership seminar as well. I realized I could use the Five Keys as a blueprint and combine the ideas into one easy-to-digest success book. Once that idea hit and I began contacting my future co-authors, it came together very quickly. This is the book I was meant to write!

Which of your five Keys to becoming an effective, dynamic leader is the most important?

I don’t think one could take away any of the keys and make it still work! Without goals, we have no purpose in life, so that might be the most important. But the others are crucial as well! Especially people skills – a lack of people skills is the real reason most people fail. If we don’t conquer our fears, nothing is accomplished. If we don’t raise our self-esteem, we’ll never develop the skills to succeed. And if we have a poor attitude, all bets are off!

I heard you say on the radio that you used to be shy. How did you gain confidence?

Back to that motivation business program and lots of reading!! I had to really work on my self-image. I devoured hundreds of success, self-help, motivational, inspirational, and relationship books! Through that program, I learned not to fear people. I even spoke in front of a crowd of several thousand a couple times! So, by the time I started my author journey, I was ready.

Besides, a redhead can’t be shy – that’s just wrong!

Tell us about your blog.

“Tips from a Spunky author!” It’s gone through many transformations over the years. I’ve even blogged as my characters! Now I focus on promotion ideas and uplifting tidbits, with guest author appearances one – two times a week. Fridays I’ve dedicated to “And now for something completely different…” in honor of Monty Python and it’s a mesh of subjects. This spring I will probably post even more inspirational tidbits!

Your blog is called "Spunk on a Stick." How did you come up with that phrase?

My nickname has always been “Spunky” and my husband came up with “Spunk On A Stick.” His reasoning was that chicken is good, but chicken on a stick is even better – thus, spunk is good, spunk on a stick even better! I first began using it about three years ago on the social networking site, Deviant Art, and it just stuck!

What does the "L" in L. Diane Wolfe stand for?
It stands for my first name!

One of these days I’ll have a contest – guess the author’s first name! Close friends, family, and former classmates will be excluded from answering…

And the last word is…?

True success is based on how many people are better off because of you – and I want to be sure I help/motivate/influence as many as possible over the course of my lifetime!

Visit Diane's website at www.thecircleoffriends.net and her blog (provocatively titled "Spunk on a Stick") at circleoffriends.blogspot.com.

To order the book from Amazon, click here.