Author: Diane Masiello

Diane Masiello is a part-time writer and a full-time mom, wife, daughter, and daughter-in-law. Like many who are currently part of the “sandwich generation,” – those who still have kids at home but are also taking care of aging parents—she is also trying to find the time to carve out some space for her own passions. In her earlier life she earned a Ph.D. in Education from New York University, and worked as an Instructor of English, then Assistant Professor of English at the University of Tampa. In 2003 she left academia to raise her two daughters—the longest, hardest job she’s ever held, and the most rewarding. During her time in academia she edited and contributed to a variety of academic publications, but her greatest joy was the publication of her first short fantasy story, “The Sunspot,” in CrossTime Science Fiction Anthology Vol. II. She has her own blog, “Afternoons with Coffee Spoons,” which started as a mommy blog but ended when she realized her daughters had become old enough that writing about them without their permission seemed invasive. She has just completed her first young adult fantasy novel, Keeper, and is starting on the maze-like road toward publication. She is thrilled to be a part of The Gloria Sirens and looks forward to the conversations her blog posts may inspire.

A Tale of Two Girls

Once upon a time there was a little girl who lived in a beautiful, four-storey home with her mother, her grandmother, her grandfather and her dog, Skipper. The little girl grew up surrounded by love and attention. Her home was the safest place she could think of, and though loved reading and learning at school, … Continue reading A Tale of Two Girls →

The Happy

This has been a rough few months for our family. My father-in-law has been struggling with some heart issues. It frustrated him, it frightened us, and it led to about three to five different hospitalizations since August. He has suffered the most and yet been in the best spirits; I've been akin to a sulky teenager, … Continue reading The Happy →

On Books and Babies

This month, thirteen years ago, was a season of terror. No, not Halloween. Pregnancy. I was in the final month of my first full-term pregnancy and I was waiting for disaster. There was no way, I thought, this was going to be okay. A long string of English literature classes in college and graduate school … Continue reading On Books and Babies →