Diane Wahn Shotton
@deshotton.bsky.social
I write tories of ordinary people making extraordinary choices—strong women, complicated families, quiet heroes history missed. Exploring grit, love, sacrifice, and how personal stories intersect with larger forces. DianeWahnShotton.substack.com
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
👉 Available in paperback, eBook, and Kindle Unlimited:
www.amazon.com/dp/B0FH5XQ1CC
September 23, 2025 at 3:13 PM
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
👉 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
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
September 21, 2025 at 3:27 PM
📚 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
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
Subscribe to my newsletter for more information on how to enter
🔗 dianewahnshotton.substack.com
#TheDictographCase
September 10, 2025 at 2:21 AM
🍸 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
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
🎁 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
September 2, 2025 at 3:00 PM
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 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
🎁 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.
⭐ 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.
September 1, 2025 at 4:07 PM
👉 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.
⭐ 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.
August 26, 2025 at 8:17 PM
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
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
August 20, 2025 at 6:48 PM
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
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
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
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
June 5, 2025 at 3:15 AM
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
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
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
#mottysvow #debutnovel #amwriting
May 30, 2025 at 1:39 PM
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
#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.
May 29, 2025 at 12:30 AM
'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 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.
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.
May 14, 2025 at 12:48 AM
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.
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
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
May 11, 2025 at 1:55 AM
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
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
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
May 7, 2025 at 12:48 AM
🎬 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
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
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. 💛
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. 💛
April 30, 2025 at 11:59 PM
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. 💛
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
April 25, 2025 at 8:22 PM
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
Don’t fall for this sh!t. Trolls and bots, looking for victims.
#mottysvow #goodreads
April 24, 2025 at 2:20 AM
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
Don’t fall for this sh!t. Trolls and bots, looking for victims.
#mottysvow #goodreads
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.
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.
April 23, 2025 at 3:38 PM
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.
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
amzn.to/3Rjt71a
BONUS: Book Club Guide
For readers who love resilience, heartache, and hope.
💙 #BookSky #historicalfiction #amreading #kindleunlimited #bookclub #bookclubreads
April 18, 2025 at 3:11 PM
⏳📚 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
amzn.to/3Rjt71a
BONUS: Book Club Guide
For readers who love resilience, heartache, and hope.
💙 #BookSky #historicalfiction #amreading #kindleunlimited #bookclub #bookclubreads
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
#HistoricalFiction #CoverReveal #Feedback
April 12, 2025 at 5:27 PM
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
#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
April 9, 2025 at 3:22 PM
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
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.
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.
March 30, 2025 at 2:38 PM
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.
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
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
March 28, 2025 at 9:29 PM
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
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
Just received my signed copy of Everything Is Tuberculosis by John Green—feeling inspired!
#HistFic #AmWriting #JohnGreen
March 28, 2025 at 2:08 AM
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
Just received my signed copy of Everything Is Tuberculosis by John Green—feeling inspired!
#HistFic #AmWriting #JohnGreen
Bryce Canyon, Utah. Good for the soul.
March 28, 2025 at 1:28 AM
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
Motty's Vow - Limited Time Sale Price $3.99
amzn.to/3Rjt71a
March 24, 2025 at 1:46 PM
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
Motty's Vow - Limited Time Sale Price $3.99
amzn.to/3Rjt71a