Month: December 2018

You’ve Got A Friend In Me!


This will be my last Blog of 2018, so it’s a little more personal than usual. I hope that it will be meaningful to you, because it comes from my heart.

One of the things I love most about the characters I write is their fierce loyalty to their friends and family. You’re going to say that I wrote them that way, right? Well, It may have been my finger doing the key strokes, but trust me, in the AMI Series the characters were in control!

Remember how Charlotte fought for her assistant, Carol, in Lottie Loser? Even though she knew it could end up costing her the job that she loved, she stood up for someone she cared about.

Or the way Noah supported his brother, even though they were both in love with Lottie? He could have used Nick and Charlotte’s breakup as a way to slip into her heart, but instead he did the honorable thing, and went to Nick’s defense.

And of of course, Lottie’s lifelong friendship with Becca. I have several really close friends, but not one of them has been part of my entire life. Wouldn’t it be amazing to have that one person whom you’ve known forever, and can count on, no matter what?

This year I have made some wonderful new friends. Some have mentored me, some have read my books, and some have just cheered me on, but everyone of them has made an impact on my life. I also made a new BFF when I sent The Greysons to a Beta Reader for clarity. Barb has listened to all of my frustrations, learned all about my life, and shared her heart without judging me. She’s the kind of friend I want to be to others.

I read this on Instagram this week and it really resonated with me.

Your circle should want to see you win.

Your circle should clap the loudest when you have good news.

If it doesn’t, get a new circle.

My point in all of this is to tell you how much I appreciate the support and friendship of everyone who has read Lottie Loser and Call Me Charlotte, and those who tell me they can’t wait for The Greysons to release. You are my circle, and  I can hear your applause in your emails, your Facebook and Twitter posts, and even the direct messages through Messanger. You have made 2018 one of the most special years of my life, and for that I say “Merci, Gracias, and Thank you.”

I have a friend in you, and you have a friend in me!

Until we read again📚….

Christmas Blessings,

Dana L.❤️


Big Mistake…Huge!

What happens when you’ve written a book, sent it to your publisher, who had it edited, printed and distributed, and then find out there’s an error? Your cringe or cry, or both. Anyway that’s what I did.

I was holding the very first copy of the book I had left my dream job to write, and right in front of me was a mistake. I called my mom, because even big girls need their mom, and she said the greatest thing.  She told me that in her opinion the only book ever written without errors was the Bible, and that she’d seen goofs in books from even the most famous of authors. After that I relaxed.

So my question to you is, what do you do when you see a mistake in a book that you’ve reading? Do you feel the need to point it out to the author, or are you able to move past it and not let it ruin your feelings about the storyline and the book overall?

Mistakes happen in publishing just as in any business, and as much as we wish they didn’t, they do. Stuart Woods, who writes the Stone Barrington series, even has a comment at the back of his books telling readers if they find a mistake he doesn’t want to know! And he writes lots of books and I’m sure make a nice income from them.

So, on behalf of authors everywhere I’m going to say this. If you feel the need to point out an error that you’ve found to an author in their book, please do it respectfully and privately. The same mistake that I found in Lottie Loser was pointed out to me by someone at a meeting I was attending, and then she said, “but I loved the book”. 😂 I’m happy that she loved the book, but pointing out the error that way was like a huge elephant in the room!

We are all human, and humans make mistakes, but it’s how we handle them that counts. I’m not afraid to own up to my blunders, and I’m not afraid to say I was wrong. What I am afraid to say is “it won’t happen again”, because it might. And if it does, please be kind if you decide to tell me.

Until we read again,📚

Dana L.

PJ Boox and Patti! Queen of life, love and wine!

I first met Patti Jefferson when Lottie Loser was nominated for a Florida Authors and Publishers Presidential Award. She sent me an email inviting me to shelve Lottie at PJ Boox and we’ve been friends ever since. Patti is funny and quirky, but she’s honest and really kind, and I love everyone of those qualities! Sit back, relax, and meet Patti and her wonderful Indie Bookstore, PJ Boox.

1. When you were a little girl what did you want to be when you grew up?

The first thing I remember wanting to be was a flight attendant but that was mostly because they had such stylish haircuts. I didn’t have any idea what they actually did other than serve drinks on airplanes.

2. When did you fall in love with books?

Gosh, I don’t really remember a time that I wasn’t in love with books! My mom was a reader so it just seemed like that was a thing people did. I’m so grateful that she and I still read books that we can talk about afterwards.

3. What is the first book you remember reading?

Hmm… I was always a fan of mysteries so I was super excited when my aunt gave me her  Nancy Drew and Trixie Belden books. I still have some of those!

4. Besides owning and running PJ Boox, you’re also an author. Tell us about the books that you’ve written?

I started with “How Long Will You Love Me” in 2013 which is still my best seller. I think unconditional love is a great message for little ones. In 2014, I wrote “Stu’s Big Party”. It’s got a message of acceptance & diversity and was the first book I won an award for so it’s pretty special to me. My first foray into non-fiction was in 2018 with 365 Bright Ideas to Market Your Indie
Books which has now won a few awards. That was a labor of love to all of the struggling indie authors I have met in the last 5 years! And last but not least, I am releasing “I Love You to Pieces” which will be my 3rd children’s book in the beginning of 2019. It’s also about unconditional love… oh and replacement parts.

5. Where did the idea for PJ Boox come from?

PJ Boox was born out of frustration as an indie author. I wanted my books in bookstores but most independent bookstores are not set up for that in a way that makes sense for someone with children’s book margins. In most cases I was making $1 per book and chasing that dollar was more time-consuming than it was worth. I just figured there had to be a better way. There wasn’t… so I took matters into my own hands.

6. Tell us how it’s different from traditional book stores.

I used a model that has worked for antique malls and consignment shops. The authors rent space and get the proceeds from the sales. The authors keep 98% and the credit card processors get the rest. I don’t make money on the sales of the books at all. The best part of the bookstore
though is the community of authors that are involved. It’s amazing to see the support from everyone.

7. What is an Indie Author?

I like the term “authorpreneur”. Indie (independent) authors are writers who handle their book businesses personally. They create the content, select their teams (editors, designers, formatters, etc.), oversee production and often even handle all of the marketing and promotion. They are
rock stars!​

8. For people who don’t live near FT Myers is there a way to buy from PJ Boox?

Absolutely! We have a website www.pjboox.com and you can read about our authors and their books and make purchases from the site as well. Remember, most of our books are signed by the authors so a book from PJ Boox is usually more exciting than a book from Amazon 🙂

9. Tell us about Patti Jefferson and what makes her tick.

Ha! Some days I’m not sure ticking is even happening! I love to create – books, paintings, inventions, experiences – I love it all. I love being around creative people and having passionate conversations with them while drinking cheap red wine. I find myself funnier than I actually am
so I laugh a lot. I am horrible at sitting still and “doing nothing” unless that nothing is something like petting my dogs – that I can do for hours. Sunsets energize me. Sunsets with friends are even better. And no matter what productive things it looks like I am doing, I am probably just trying to
figure out how many words rhyme with tiara.

10. Now that that you’re all grownup, what do you wish you could go back and do differently?

I’m one of those people that wouldn’t change anything for fear of losing anything good along the way. I do wish, however, I had outgrown my insecurities earlier or at least discovered that wearing a tiara would diminish the self-doubt sooner. I was always willing to embrace my weirdness but I use to think it mattered if people were uncomfortable with it. I don’t so much now so I guess that means I’m actually growing up… finally!

11. What’s the one thing you’re most proud of in your life?

In spite of every challenge I have faced, I haven’t quit yet.

What a great interview! Thank you so much, Patti.

I hope all of you will visit PJ Boox online, and if you’re in the Fort Myers area, her store is something you don’t want to miss.

Until we read again,

Dana L. 📚