I’m so grateful for these words. Now the book is out in the world for you, too. 👉 Available in paperback, eBook, and Kindle Unlimited: www.amazon.com/dp/B0FH5XQ1CC

📚 100 readers received their free copy from the Goodreads Giveaway. Congrats to the winners! For everyone else: The Dictograph Case is now out in the world. 👉https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FH5XQ1CC Thanks to the #wipsnips community for supporting my Word of the Day posts! #thedictographcase

🍸 In 1911, Ohio bars served a “Dictograph Cocktail”—named after a spying device used in political scandals. The recipe’s lost… so I’m reviving it. Invent your own & win a signed book! 📚 Subscribe to my newsletter for more information on how to enter 🔗 dianewahnshotton.substack.com #TheDictographCase

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Early Goodreads reader praise! 🎁 Enter the Goodreads Giveaway of The Dictograph Case Ends Sept. 20 — don’t miss your chance to win a free copy. 👉 bit.ly/DC-GR-Giveaway #thedictographcase

👉 Kindle Monthly Deal — Just $2.99 ⭐ 4.5 stars on Amazon & Goodreads Includes a FREE Book Club Guide Readers call it “riveting” and “unputdownable.” Read it for free on Kindle Unlimited.

Enter to win your free ebook! bit.ly/DC-GR-Giveaway #wipsnips

The Dictograph Case has an official launch date! A 1937 historical mystery about family secrets and small-town conspiracies. What journalist Michael and teacher Olivia uncover, threatens powerful forces. Available for pre-order amzn.to/4mKTWJs #wipsnips #historicalfiction #historicalmystery

🕵️‍♂️ COVER REVEAL! The Dictograph Case is coming Sept 30. A historical mystery about buried secrets, loyalty, and the cost of silence. Preorder now. www.amazon.com/dp/B0FH5XQ1CC What do you think of the cover? #thedictographcase

ARC Readers Wanted Do you love a good historical mystery? #TheDictographCase is a gripping story of legacy, betrayal, and the price of silence—set in 1937 Ellington. Looking for read and review before the book launches on September 30. Interested? Fill out the form here: 👉 forms.gle/VMKY4zt42kZN...

When you get Beta reader feedack that's not bad but now you have alot of work to do which means you have to move the publishing date. It's overwheming, yet freeing, in that I control what happens next. The initial date was set by me. Adjusting it, so the book is better, is a good thing. Right?

Did anyone watch "Good Night and Good Luck" live from Broadway? OMG what a timely and provocative play. Well done George and Company!

I’m working on a project to better understand what kinds of stories stick with readers. What do you read—and why? What’s one book that stayed with you long after you finished it? What surprised you most—something that challenged you or made you see things differently? #noagenda #learning #thanks

Does 100K pages read make me a six-figure author?! 😂 Technically yes… emotionally? For sure. Motty’s Vow—my debut novel—just crossed 100,000 pages read on Kindle Unlimited. It took seven months to get here, but let’s be honest… most of it happened in the last two. Goooooo Motty! #historicalfiction

I wish KDP had a bell ring everytime someone buys my book. For many, it would be annoying. But most of us would trade a thousand page refreshes for one joyful chime. Ding! #selfpublishing

Oh dear. My debut novel is #1 in HIstory of Women in the Civil War. I know this is fleeting but I'm gonna milk the hell out of it! #mottysvow #debutnovel #amwriting

'Tis the peonie season. My mother grew these until she passed in 2000. My sisters and I have moved them, split them, nurtured them for the last 25 years. Her spirit's in the roots.

It’s happening. The Dictograph Case is going out for beta reads this week. I’ve lived with this story for a long time—and now I’m handing it over. Nervous? You bet. But ready for the feedback that makes it better. #TheDictographCase #amwriting

NYTimes "The Morning" quote hit me: “The goal is to make it harder for journalists to ask questions they don’t want to answer or to make public things they would rather keep secret.” A.G. Sulzberger, Publisher My Substack explores this parallel to #thedictographcase set in 1937 bit.ly/3ZmuSPG

It’s been six months since Motty's Vow had her debut. That story began as a way to understand my own family’s past—but now, it belongs to everyone who's felt Motty’s quiet courage, her determination, and the weight of what she carried. I don’t share this to boast—it's for me and Motty to thank you.

This girl, Motty, has quietly made her way into nearly 200 households over the past six months. She made a promise—and readers have been showing up to see if she keeps it. 💙 Grateful doesn’t begin to cover it. amzn.to/3SbB7BP #mottysvow #histfic #historicalfiction #womenincivilwar #resilientfemale

🎬 Imagine this: All the President’s Men go to the movies to see Spotlight That’s the inspiration for The Dictograph Case—history, journalism, and secrets that won’t stay buried. Read the full story at Substack with BONUS Movie Clips bit.ly/watergatespo... #thedictographcase #histfic #wipsnips

Has anyone entered into the Kindle Book Awards for Indie Books? Thinking of entering but not sure it's worth it. www.thekindlebookreview.net

Today I typed THE END on the nearly final draft of The Dictograph Case. Then Motty’s Vow crossed 10k Kindle Unlimited page reads for April. And with 18 Amazon reviews, Motty has a 4.7-star rating. Thanks for reading, sharing, reviewing—and for being part of this journey with me. 💛

Bluebells and Battlefields—Spring paints the forest floor with bluebells, their soft petals rippling like memory. Peaceful now. This photo was taken at Monocacy Battlefield, where I did on-site research amid nature reclaiming beauty from the horrors of war in 1864. #mottysvow

It sux when you get a 5 star review and realize it’s fake. Don’t fall for this sh!t. Trolls and bots, looking for victims. #mottysvow #goodreads

Motty's Vow debuted five months ago and April is my first $100+ month on Amazon. If ever you think you can't write a book or publish it or have a 3 figure sales month, think again! I'm 70 years young and having the time of my life! #mottysvow #amwriting #histfic #indieauthor #debutauthor #neverold

Tucked into a “Thinking of You” card was this bit of art, a little piece of my sister who lives 1,700 miles away. The artist, the florist, the painter, the gardener. I need a cool place to put it so I can admire it and think of her—like she thought of me. Under a refrigerator magnet won’t do.

⏳📚 A Civil War-era story inspired by true events—a girl’s promise to hold her family together at all costs. amzn.to/3Rjt71a BONUS: Book Club Guide For readers who love resilience, heartache, and hope. 💙 #BookSky #historicalfiction #amreading #kindleunlimited #bookclub #bookclubreads

The best part of KENP is seeing the page count hit the climax. Nothing better.

Would love feedback on this cover idea for my historical thriller set in 1936. In 1930s Ellington, a brutal attack stirs painful memories for a journalist and a history teacher—both still haunted by anti-German violence that once tore through their town. #HistoricalFiction #CoverReveal #Feedback

Triple digits in under 5 months. Still wrapping my head around it. Thank you to every single reader—and to Motty, who’s been quietly making magic happen behind the scenes. You’re the real MVP. #HistoricalFiction #DebutAuthor #ThankYouMotty #Motty’sVow

My book, Motty's Vow, just hit #2 Bestseller in History of Women in the Civil War on Amazon. I'm so proud of my little book. #indiauthor #amwriting #mottysvow

Woke up to a little surprise—Motty’s Vow is sitting at #3 in Amazon’s “Women in the Civil War” category. 😲 This journey started with a question: what makes someone promise to keep a family together no matter the cost? Now I get to watch readers discover that answer for themselves.

New blog post up today. This one’s raw. It’s about George—the man who left. And Motty—the girl who stayed. It’s about promises, expectations, and how sometimes love isn’t enough. If you’ve read Motty’s Vow, you’ll know this moment. And if you haven’t, maybe this is where you begin. bit.ly/4iMCxyo

Being an author is wild. One minute I’m crafting layered generational trauma, the next I’m Googling “best hashtags for historical fiction about heartbreak and tuberculosis.” Just received my signed copy of Everything Is Tuberculosis by John Green—feeling inspired! #HistFic #AmWriting #JohnGreen

Bryce Canyon, Utah. Good for the soul.

She made a vow to hold her family together—no matter what war took from them. Motty's Vow - Limited Time Sale Price $3.99 amzn.to/3Rjt71a

Bird’s eye view… or an sand flea? Perspective is everything.

The Civil War took her father. Illness took her mother. But Motty held on—for them all. 🎥 Watch now → 📖 Read on Amazon www.amazon.com/dp/B0DMDXXX27 📖 Read on Google Play bit.ly/4iS2IDx

Things got a little wild in Kanab, Utah last night… #ironhorsekanab

What If a Single Conversation Could Ruin Your Life? 📖Check it out: bit.ly/41IWJtE In 1918 the Detective Dictograph was used to spy on unsuspecting Americans, turning words into evidence of treason. My new book "The Dictograph Case" explores what happens when a private conversation becomes a crime?

Ask the Author: How Long Did It Take? The short answer? Years. The long answer? A winding road of research, rewrites, and learning the craft. From the first spark in 2008 to publication, it was anything but linear.

📖 The journey to Motty’s Vow’s cover took nearly as long as writing the book! From first drafts to the final design, here’s how I found the perfect cover. Check it out on my blog. bit.ly/4bptyQX

🇺🇸 100% Americanism, or 100% fear? In 1918, German Americans were banned from reading their newspapers, singing their songs, discussing the war. The Citizens Patriotic League made sure they conformed - or were punished. 🔗 Read more: dianewahnshotton.blogspot.com/2025/02/what... #TheDictographCase

1936: This is Michael, a ballsy journalist who teams up with Olivia, a resolute history teacher, to reveal a clandestine organization responsible for attacking citizens of German descent – echoing the atrocities of the Great War. #historicalthriller #indieauthor #amwriting

NEW LOW KINDLE PRICE - $6.99 4.6 Stars Amid the chaos of the Civil War, a young girl’s promise becomes her lifeline—and her greatest challenge. Through heartbreak and hope, Motty discovers the true cost of keeping a vow and the unyielding strength it takes to persevere. www.amazon.com/dp/B0DM2P7FW4

My WIP: 1936-In a small town still grappling with the shadows of anti-German hysteria from World War I, a journalist and a teacher investigate brutal attacks on German citizens and uncover disturbing connections between past and present - a resurgence of hatred that once tore their town apart.

How do folks market books on your personal FB/IG accounts without losing friends? My author accounts have very few followers. I just did a sale promotion, and I'd have hit the unfollow button after the 3rd "guess what - here's my new book, please buy it" on my personal account. #authorpages #indie

Does anyone have the experience that when you are reading a book in the same genre as your WIP, that the writing is easier? I'm reading a thriller and the work I'm doing is so much better than when I'm reading another genre. #indieauthor #writer

Motty's Vow brings rich history of Cincinnati to life during the Civil War era through the eyes of a courageous daughter of a German immigrant, Motty Hesch, who lived near the now infamous Over-the-Rhine district, a hub of German culture and life in the 19th-century. www.amazon.com/dp/B0DMDXXX27