Interview with Diana Mikas, Author of No Regret Money Rules – NewInBooks

What’s the story behind the story? What inspired you to write this book?

As a trauma-informed life coach, I’ve supported women around the world as they rebuild after catastrophic divorces and relationship breakups. Watching them reclaim their joy is powerful—but I kept seeing the same next struggle: money.

And it makes sense. Most women were never given the same playbook for financial stability, especially after a major life disruption. Shame, fear, and self-doubt creep in fast, and without a clear framework, it’s easy to spiral, stall, or hand your power away again.

I wrote No Regret Money Rules to start a different kind of conversation—one rooted in money boundaries, self-trust, and protection. It’s a simple set of rules women can use to realign their worthiness with practical action, create financial autonomy, and make decisions they won’t regret later.

Because starting over shouldn’t mean starting from zero. It should mean starting with standards—and building a life that feels safe, steady, and yours.

What’s your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write?

My favorite genre to read is historical drama—especially when it’s threaded with fantasy or rooted in real history. I love stories that feel immersive and lived-in, where the emotional stakes are big and the world is richly researched. Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series is a perfect example of that blend for me, and I’m also drawn to authors like Gregory Maguire and Margaret George, who write with that “history-as-myth” intensity.

Is it the same genre I love to write? Not exactly. I love reading sweeping, historical, character-driven epics—but when I’m writing, I’m most at home in practical nonfiction that helps women reclaim power in real life, especially around self-trust, boundaries, and money. Reading lets me escape into a world; writing lets me build tools that change someone’s world.

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

I go through seasons with reading. In deep winter and during summer break, I’ll devour fiction—especially historical dramas and fantasy rooted in history. The rest of the year, I tend to go all-in on whatever topic I’m most curious about.

Right now, that’s money and belief.

When I’m in that mode, I can easily read two books in a weekend. At the moment I’m into Buffettology (Mary Buffett), Entity Possession (Samuel Sagan), and The Magic of Believing (Claude M. Bristol).

Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)

Not especially quirky, but I am very particular: I make sure I’m well fed, I keep a cup of mint tea within reach, and I shut down every distraction. Once everything’s quiet, I can drop in and write.

Do you have a motto, quote or philosophy you live by?

I do have a personal manifesto. A portion of it goes like this:

“I am the calm in the reset.
I am the pattern-breaker, the truth-holder, the woman who leads in transition.
I do not chase peace — I create it.
Through clarity. Through presence. Through trust that cannot be outsourced…I walk the closing chapters.
I lead the ones who are ready to begin again.
My life is not a performance — it is a transmission.
And my leadership is not loud — it is resonant.”

If you could choose one thing for readers to remember after reading your book, what would it be?

If readers remember one thing after No Regret Money Rules, I want it to be this:
You’re not “bad with money.” You’re worthy of protection—and you can build a system that makes your future feel safe.

Not through hustle or perfection, but through clear standards, small consistent decisions, and money boundaries that keep you from betraying yourself again.