


with Drake The Duck Muse
Multi-Genre Author ~ Editor ~ Book Designer ~ Writing Coach


A Tryst of Fate:
Romance

Thomas is a newspaper reporter. Gillian restores art for a museum. Thomas and Gillian endure a tragic shock, ending their marriage.
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Her past is blurred and her heart is lost to a child she cannot reclaim. Although he aches with the same loss, his stories bring light to a love that never truly died, restoring the art she thought was lost.
But a secret past threatens their future. Can Thomas solve the mystery of a hidden joy that binds them together? Can they rescue their love... Together, Forever?
424 pages

What Readers Are Saying:

"A tragic accident changes the lives of Thomas and Gillian forever. The loss of their young daughter rips apart their marriage, driving them away in different directions. Both try to move on, but a hollow feeling cannot be ignored.
This novel captures their journey, slowly drawing them back together. DKP’s use of old-fashioned letters rekindles their connection. It’s a slow process but a fascinating one. The stories Thomas creates pull Gillian in, reminding her of the special bond they once shared.
But there are more twists here. Secrets are revealed and plans are constantly changed. Motives are discovered that take the book in a new direction.
These characters quickly pull the reader in, urging you to keep turning the pages to find out what happens next.
A delight to read."
~Mark Love, Author of The Jamie Richmond Mystery Series and The Jefferson Chene Mystery Series


"I’m a huge fan of letter writing (between characters) within a story. This device can be effective to enhance whatever type of plot the book is reaching for because letters are a way us humans can get vulnerable at a level it is often too scary with in-person conversations.
As readers we can discover secrets, we can follow the build up of a romantic love, find out who dunnit…I just really love the letter mechanism.
Diana Kathryn Plopa does a remarkable job obtaining my emotional investment in her characters (in A Tryst of Fate) with this technique. And not only do her characters get to address their regret with one another but she adds another layer of enjoyment to these letters; storytelling.
Tryst of Fate begins as a real life tragedy tears apart a family with its echos reaching into spin off characters.
Soon, it becomes a tale within a story akin to The Princess Bride. And isn’t that what we all want, a fairytale nestled right inside our daily doldrums which brings us back to living!
A lovely book inside and out (just like the author)!"
~ D.M Taylor, Author of The Reckoning Series

A Powerful Story!
Not what I was expecting, but very good!
~Amy Klco, author of The Mystekos Series

"A Great story with twists and turns you don't really see coming, at least I didn't, Five Stars!"
~Diana Duel
"When I first took a glance at this book, I was kind of skeptical about reading it. I really didn't understand the title, nor did I understand where the author was going with the title of the book. The blurb on the back of the book didn't give much away about the story either, but I always have learned, the hard way mind you, to never judge a book by its cover. So, I dived, head first, into the story, not know what was to come. The Prologue was shocking and had really piqued my curiosity enough to make me keep reading. The more I read, the more I found myself wanting, no craving, to read more. This story fixated around real life characters, though fictitious, made me feel as if I was living the story with the characters.
The stories within the story, known only to the characters until the author deemed it the right time to tell me what they meant, were heart-wrenching, yes, but incredible at the same time. The author knew the right time and place to let out the characters deepest, darkest secrets, which in turn made this book more interesting to read.
This story really took a surprising turn of events that I was not expecting and I had a hard time wrapping my brain around the incredible shocking events. This author is a genius!! I am literally happy at the way the story turned out and I now have a clear concept of where the author was going with the title and the cover of the book. This book has made me a fan of this author's style of writing and if you have yet to discover this author's talent for writing, I suggest you check her out. It's quite the spectacular read and I highly recommend it. This book not only gets my five book review, but it gets an award for becoming my favorite story of 2016. This is a story that I will treasure and I will find myself going back and re-reading it over and over again. "
​~Jenny Bynum
​http://blackwords-whitepages1977.blogspot.com/

"A TRYST OF FATE by Diana Kathryn Plopa is a wonderful novel. Offering a wise and compelling vision of the tangled geometry of human relationships, it takes the reader straight into the heads and hearts of a cast of characters whom we come to know and care about deeply. The book calls to mind the breadth of a Victorian novel, from the well-chosen, significant epigraphs at the beginning of each chapter, to the life-changing events that strike out of the blue, to a plethora of well-developed characters with all their strengths and flaws, to the broad working of coincidence as the men and women who people this book act out their hopes, dreams, and fears.
In fact, this book does a terrific job investigating the various roles played by accident, free will, and (as the title suggests) fate in the inexorable progress of the characters toward their destinies. As the plot constantly twists and turns in the way life does, the characters experience loss and tragedy, surprises, reversals, happiness and joys, as well as all the permutations of love. Of particular interest is the way the novel explores how we come to know (and need) each other through the stories we tell.
​A TRYST OF FATE is a fine, emotional, and engaging work that will stay with you long after the last page."
​~ Donald Levin, PhD; Author of The Martin Preuss Mysteries