In May I attended the Midwest Writer’s Conference at Ball State University, where I went to college. It was one of the best conferences I’ve ever been to, and one of my favorite parts was having one-on-one sessions with literary agents.

In February I had the good fortune of meeting with an agent from The Seymour Agency who told me the novel I was writing, The Four Seasons of Summer was not a romance as I thought, but was classified as Women’s Fiction. Great, because two of the agents at the MWW Festival actually represented authors of Women’s Fiction.

Truthfully, I wasn’t really sure what the difference was between Romance and Women’s Fiction, but I was excited to talk with an agent who did. Which brings me to my book review. One of the people I spoke with said that All We Ever Wanted was her idea of the epitome of Women’s Fiction, so I knew I needed to read it.

As a mother and (gulp) grandmother, I could feel the devastation that Nina Browning felt when she found out her only child was involved in a scandal involving an inappropriate photograph. And I could feel her frustration when she realized her self serving husband thought he could make it all go away with money. Something he had too much of. But I couldn’t fall in love with her character, and that’s what has to happen for me to truly get excited about a book.

Nina and Kirk Browning are nouveau rich, but unfortunately the money has taken an already egocentric Kirk, and turned him into a jerk. When the Browning’s become aware that their son Finch; yes, named for Atticus Finch of To Kill A Mockingbird fame, has taken a provocative picture of himself with a girl from his elite high school, and that the picture is going viral, Nina and Kirk have different ideas on how to deal with it.

Finch’s future is all of a sudden in question. Will he be kicked out of the prestigious Windsor Academy, or worse yet, lose his acceptance into Princeton? Nina wants him to own up to his responsibility, but Kirk and Finch come up with their own plan to absolve Finch of any accountability.

And how about Lyla, the girl in picture being shared with the student body? Is she appalled, indifferent, or more concerned about her social standing than the implications in the photo? Her father of course is furious, and wants the truth to come out.

The back story in All We Ever Wanted, and the true crux of Nina’s feelings about what her son did, all revolve around an incident in her past. She kept quiet and allowed the person to go unpunished, and as an adult she knows how much she’d suffered because of it.

One thing I liked a lot in the book were the chapters being written from the perspectives of the different characters. I use “Now and Then” in my books to take the reader back to a earlier time, so the chapters being in different characters point of view was appealing to me.

Did I get as involved in this book as the literary agent I spoke with did? No. But it was written well and gave me some interesting perspective’s on writing that I didn’t have before. It ends with a Happily Ever After of sorts, but definitely is not a love story. And maybe that’s what I missed. No heart stopping passion, no tension between lovers, just a story about relationships gone bad. But it is a story about a mother’s never ending love and commitment to her child, and that’s something I can totally relate to.

If you like books about connections between people, and don’t have to have a romance involved, please give All We Ever Wanted a try. Emily Giffin is a number one best selling author and this book has over 1000 reviews on Amazon.

Until we read again…📚

Blessings,

Dana L.❤️

Be sure to follow my Amazon Author page to find out more about me and to receive alerts when my new books release!

https://www.amazon.com/author/danalbrown

JULY 4-7 the AMI Box Set is FREE on Kindle! Enjoy this Sweet and Spicy series at no cost to you! It’s like FREE FIREWORKS for the holiday weekend! 🎊💫💥

Are you a Nook user? Save 75% off each AMI Series book over the 4th of July weekend using Coupon we as Code BNPAMI13

BE SAFE THIS WEEKEND! READ!!!

Celebrating The Greysons and the AMI Series was definitely one of the highlights of my life! Who would have ever believed that a banker from Indiana would write three Award Winning Romance novels! Talk about a fairytale come true.

I can’t thank you enough for your love and support.💜

Until we read again…📚

Blessings,

Dana L.❤️

Meeting Author Sandy Barker has been one of my greatest joys of the past year. She’s a truly talented writer and a truly lovely person. I thoroughly enjoyed the original version of One Summer in Santorini, You Might Meet Someone, and I’m so thrilled for the opportunity she’s been given with Avon Books. I know you will love Sandy, and you’ll love One Summer in Santorini. It’s the story of how she and Ben met, and knowing that makes it all the more special.

1. Your debut novel, One Summer in Santorini, is a re-imagining of your first self-published book, You Might Meet Someone. What are the major differences between the two?
   I was really grateful for the opportunity to work with the editing team at Avon Books, especially as it had been more than eighteen months since I had worked on the book. The process made me scrutinise my own writing and correct instances where the manuscript was over-written, or where I had relied too heavily on repeated phrases or words. There were also some structural edits, particularly in chapter one, and I am (finally) happy with how the book starts. The characters and their journeys remain intact, but it is a better, pacier telling of their stories now. It was a true partnership with the editors, and an incredible process — it made me a better writer
2. When did you start writing seriously?
   I have always enjoyed writing and telling stories — even as a child — but when I was moving from Seattle back to Australia in 2013, I challenged myself to write a book. I got about 2/3 the way through and got some early feedback from a literary agent. He said, “It’s not your first book. There’s too much going on, too many characters, too many narratives. You’re not Liane Moriarty.” It stung, but I needed to hear it. He challenged me to go away and write a single, linear narrative. I did, and that book is One Summer in Santorini.
3. What did you learn from being an independent author?
   So much! The best thing about that time was becoming part of an online community of supportive and knowledgeable authors, who generously share their expertise and their time, and who lift each other up. From my fellow authors, I’ve learned writing craft, the business of publishing, and the avenues and importance of marketing. I use and develop this knowledge daily, and I share what I’ve learned. It’s an incredible community.
4. What do you love most about being an author?
   I tend to start with well-defined characters and a loose plot outline. What I love is the freedom this affords me —and my characters — to deviate from the plan. I am often surprised by where the story takes me. When I started One Summer in Santorini, I had no idea it would become a love triangle, but as soon as that plot point arose, I knew it was going to be a fun ride — both to write and to read.
5. In One Summger in Santorini, one of the themes is how traveling can be transformative. Is this something you’ve found in real life?
   Yes, absolutely. Whether it’s a lengthy trip where you’re always on the move, or a quiet long weekend away, traveling can give you a fresh perspective. Your senses become heightened, and you become more attuned to the little things that can bring great joy — the sun setting in a new city, the first bite of something tasty, waking up to the sound of unfamiliar birds chirping. It’s these details that act as reminders to be more appreciative when you get back home.
6. In 2018, you and your partner, Ben, went on sabbatical. Tell me about that time.
   It was a leap of faith, but once we made the decision in 2017 and started planning it, I knew it would be an incredible year. We left full-time work, put our household stuff in storage and started a year of living abroad. We lived in Bali, the US, England, and Portugal, with side trips to Ireland, Scotland, Wales and the Netherlands. We made lifelong friends and I wrote my second and third books, including the sequel to One Summer in Santorini. It was an incredible year and it highlighted what is important in life — spoiler: it’s not ‘stuff’.
7. What are you working on now?
   I am actually writing the fourth book in my travel romance series, which is set in Bali and Scotland — two very different locations, but both made such an impact on me, I wanted to write about them. This story is about taking a sabbatical in order to mend a broken heart, and I think readers will love feisty Jaelee from Miami and her deep-thinking love interest, Alistair from Edinburgh.
8. What do you hope readers will take away from One Summer in Santorini?
   I hope they will connect with Sarah as a woman who wants to be whole again. She’s endured a bad breakup and she wants to reconnect with the fabulous Sarah she once was – gregarious, funny, adventurous. I think we all go through periods where we forget how to laugh, how to be true to ourselves. And it is a fun and funny story set in a beautiful part of the world, so I hope readers will laugh and enjoy a vicarious visit to the Greek Islands.

If you haven’t stopped to order this book, you need to! You won’t regret it.

Until we read again…📚

Blessings,

Dana L.❤️

Fifty years ago five hundred plus young women and men walked away from their childhood and into their future. They were smart, strong, and many were scared to death, and I was one of them. This past weekend we came together to celebrate the joys and heartaches of the past half century, and how exciting it was to see that Muncie Central produced more than just amazing basketball teams. (The Bearcats had won 5 state championships by 1969, a state record, and went on to win 3 more by 1988)

From surgeons to judges, teachers and nurses, writers and a couple of published authors, the class of 1969 has definitely made it’s mark in history. We’ve also lost many classmates, some way too young, and hearing their names read, and remembering them as young and carefree kids, was very emotional.

For me the best part of the weekend was reminiscing with people I had forgotten I cared about! I know that almost seems like an oxymoron, but it’s true! Over the course of a lifetime we meet so many people that our brain has to compartmentalize them, but once you see that person’s face, or hear their voice, the memories all come rushing back. Many of my fellow graduates were with me from elementary school on, and those were the people I enjoyed talking with the most.

I realized as I started to write this that there isn’t a relationship that I’ve ever had that isn’t etched on my soul. Some are memories that I savor like a fine wine, and some I keep locked away, but each and every one has been special and had meaning, and I’m thankful for all of them. Our Fifty-fifth reunion is already scheduled for June 14, 2024! Can you believe it? It’s hard to think that once again there will be names read of people who are no longer with us, but for now I’m grateful for the wonderful time I had with old friends, and for all the blessings the last fifty years have brought to my life. And who knows. Maybe by the time the next reunion rolls around I’ll be a best selling author.

In 1969 we stepped into the world wearing Rose Colored glasses. In 2019 we walked out of our reunion aware of the realities of life, but holding tightly to wonderful memories…

Muncie Central, oh Muncie Central, Muncie Central, we’re all for you.

We will fight for the cream and purple, and to no one will we give in.

Never daunted, we shall not falter, in the battle we’re tried and true.

Muncie Central, oh Muncie Central, Muncie Central we’re all for you!

Mike says we danced to In My Room by The Beach Boys at a party in 8th grade and I was the first girl he held in his arms. I do not remember that!

“In the end you always go back to the people that were there in the beginning”. My Dear Valentine 💜

Next weeks Blogpost is an interview with Sandy Barker, a self published author who now has an agent and a book deal! She’s a joy…don’t miss it.

Until we read again… 📚

Blessings,

Dana L.❤️

I have said many times that Charlotte Luce is me with upgrades! Just like I wrote Nick to be my fantasy man, I also gave Charlotte all the attributes that I’m lacking. But there’s one place where I’m stronger, and that’s as a cook. If you’ve read The Greysons you know that Charlotte takes cooking lessons, so today I’m going to share the first dish that she makes…my famous lasagna.

When my girls were younger they used to help me in the kitchen and we even made up a song to sing while making this family favorite. Now they make it with their kids and the tradition continues!

*This recipe calls for pork sausage and that’s how it’s best, but if religious reasons call for you to abstain from pork, by all means use ground beef.

DANA L’S FAMOUS HOMEMADE LASAGNA

1 lbs good pork sausage

4-6 cloves of garlic peeled and sliced

Brown meat and garlic in a large skillet until brown, breaking the meat up as it cooks. Drain well.

Add 1-16 oz can whole or diced tomatoes, 12 oz. tomato paste, 1-T Italian seasoning, 1-T Basil and 1 t garlic powder. Simmer for 20 minutes

Combine 3 C Ricotta or cottage cheese, 8 oz softened cream cheese, 1 C good plain Greek yogurt, like FAGE, 1 C freshly grated Parmesan cheese and 2 beaten eggs. When mixed well add 2- T dried parsley. Set aside.

Spray the bottom of a 9×13, or lasagna pan with cooking spray. Line the bottom with precooked lasagna noodles, taking care to completely cover the bottom. Sometimes I have to break noodles to cover the ends.

Spread 1/2 of the cheese mixture over the noodles and cover it with 8oz of Mozzarella cheese, or 1/2 of a 16 oz package of shredded mozzarella. Top with 1/2 of the meat mixture, laying it on by spoonfuls, but not spreading it out.

Repeat layers so you end up with meat on top. (The cheese will melt through and make a beautiful presentation.) Bake at 375 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes until brown and bubbly. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving.

This recipe can be made ahead of time and frozen, or refrigerated if cooked with 24 hours. Be sure to thaw before cooking and to adjust cooking time if you’re not baking right away.

I know this recipe sounds complicated, but it truly isn’t. The first time it seems a little scary, but once you’ve made it you’ll realize how easy it really is.

The picture above are pieces of lasagna that I had leftover and cut to fit in a baking dish. But it shows you what yours will look like. Cheesy, meaty and delicious!

Until we read…or cook…again!📚

Blessings,

Dana L.❤️

In 2014, for our 40th anniversary The Captain and I celebrated by going to Hawaii. We spent a week of luxury on Maui, but first stayed a few days in Honolulu on the island of Oahu so we could tour Pearl Harbor. Both my dad and uncle served in the military during WW II, and it was important for us to see up close and personal this important part of our country’s history.

It’s said that when you stand on the USS Battleship Missouri today, and look across to the USS Arizona Memorial, you are experiencing the beginning and the end of WW II. It all happened before I was born, yet as you look down into the Arizona Memorial, and smell the oil that still leaks, your heart is right there with the men whose lives were taken.

My uncle, LT. JG Jack Reichart of the US Navy, was on the Might Mo when the peace treaty was signed, and it was an honor that he wore proudly. A documentary was made about his life, outlining his career on the brand new USS Battleship Missouri, through the peace treaty signing on September 2, 1945.

My dad was in ROTC at Purdue University, and entered the army after graduation in 1938. Soon afterwards WW II began. The picture below was taken in 1945 and the words are his.

I’m so proud of my heritage, and the men in my family, from my grandfather to my brother, who fought for this country. Do I love everything that our government says or does? No, but the great part about being a citizen of the USA is that I’m allowed to express those feelings.

I love my country and I appreciate every man and woman who has served to keep my family safe. It’s a few days late, I know, but Thank you for your service, whether you peeled potatoes in Korea like my father-in-law did, or were a Green Beret and badass marine.

Until we read again…📚

Blessings,

Dana L❤️

Three years ago when I attended my first Florida Authors and Publishers Conference I met Kathryn Knight. She immediately became my mentor and my friend, and I’m so honored to have her in my life. She’s a National Award Winning Author and genealogist, and I’m thrilled that during this busy week, and the release of Unveiled, she agreed to this interview.

1. Unveiled–The Twenty & Odd: Documenting the First Africans in England’s America 1619-1625 and Beyond released on May 18. What was your driving force for writing this book?

I’m a truth-seeker.  The truth is important, especially when it reveals a different narrative than we teach students in our classrooms. 

2. Genealogy is your passion. How did you get started, and where does your love of the past come from?

When I was a little girl, my great-grandmother passed the torch to me and I was groomed to be the keeper of the ancestors. At  3 years old I picnicked in the local/family cemetery 2-3 times a week learning to recite stories about each person who lay there.  Stories I still remember today.

3.  How did you begin your research?

My research began in 2006 putting together a family tree for my father-in-law as a Christmas gift.  He knew very little about his ancestry yet, was inquisitive about a woman he remembered when as a child he visited his grandmother.  She had dark features and knew only her last name.  It became my quest to find this long-lost cousin.

4. Tell us a little about your historical fiction series, Fate & Freedom? Which by the way I have read and loved.

My historical series Fate & Freedom tells the story of two of the first Africans to arrive in the English settlement of Virginia in 1619.  The storyline follows them from 1619 until they fall from the historic records sixty-plus years later.  It takes the reader to another time where the struggle to live in the wilds of Virginia was real, a journey of perseverance and eventual prosperity.

5. The character Margaret in the Fate & Freedom Series is extremely authentic. Does her character represent a real person?

Yes, all the character’s names, places, and events in the series are factual.  As a genealogist, the authenticity of the story was very important.  Next year, the Fate & Freedom Research Companion will be released with all the information reference information I used to retrace their footsteps.  

6. You have become one of the foremost authorities on the subject of “the truth” behind Africans coming to America. Tell us about what you’re doing to spread the word, other than through your books?

There are lots of events happening this year to commemorate the 400^th Anniversary of the arrival of the first Africans in English America in 1619.  On June 1^st, as a historian for Project 1619 and the Afro American Historical and Genealogical Society, I will be taping a documentary which will be used in several future formats to make sure the truth is revealed.  In addition, this summer will be quite eventful, as I will speaking to many associations, societies, and Universities across the nation spreading the truth. 

7. Do you have a new book or project in the works?

Yes, I am expanding my current research into DEOXYRIBONUCLEIC ACID, otherwise known as DNA and of course, writing about my research findings to identify my subjects in the aforementioned books with DNA from current day descendants.

8. Where can your books be purchased? 

You can purchase any of my books online from either the publishing website at www.firstfreedompublishing.com, amazon, or barnesandnoble.com.  If you order from the publisher you can request a signed copy! 

9. Is there one question that you’re asked the most about your research, and what you’ve discovered?

I’m frequently asked, “How did I find the information when no one else has?”  My answer – through what I call “cluster-genealogy” I was able to put the pieces of the puzzle back together.  There was no one single avenue which told the story.  It had to be compiled through a multitude of genealogies with a tid-bit here and a tid-bit there taking me more than 20,000 hours over a 13-year period.  You could say it became somewhat of an addiction.  Not uncommon throughout the genealogy world. 

10. What is it you want Readers to come away with after reading your book? 

The truth!  There are many versions of the truth in this history.  There are the half-truths –always two sides to each story.   Twisted truths – veiling the circumstances, yet not an outright untruth.  And then there is the entire truth.  Four-hundred years ago a veil was laid upon the first Africans.  Now, a new light shines upon them, unveiling their true circumstances, finally allowing them to now take their true place in history. 

This is not a book that you’ll want to miss!

Until we read again…📚

Blessings,

Dana L. ❤️

I’ve got to be honest, I love Charlotte Luce. After writing about her for over three years, and planning her story for two years before that, she’s like a part of my family. That’s why the release of The Greysons is bittersweet.

Five years ago an idea for a book started to form in my head and it wouldn’t let go. I named my main characters, wrote scenes in my head, and brought Charlotte Luce to life. She’s a part of my heart and I like to say she’s me with “upgrades”!

But now her story is coming to an end, and even though I’m very excited about The Greysons release, I’m a little sad as well. I love this book, and the way it comes full circle from Lottie Loser, and I hope that you will, too. I’ve already received so many emails and posts from readers on Social Media sites letting me know their book arrived, and they’re anxious to start reading, and that means everything to me.

Here are some pictures from the past three years and the evolution of The AMI Series. Thank you for being a part of my journey.🥂

Next week K.I. Knight, Author of the Fate & Freedom Series will be our guest. Her just released new book Unveiled–The Twenty & Odd: Documenting the First Africans in England’s America 1619-1625 and Beyond was a best seller before the book even released online. You won’t want to miss her compelling story.

I can’t wait to hear your thoughts on The Greysons!

Until we read again📚…

Blessings,

Dana L.❤️

Now that my girls are grown and gone Mother’s Day is more about celebrating them than it is me. I’ve had some great Mother’s Days, and some that didn’t turn out quite as I had hoped, but isn’t that how every day is? There are few days in life that turn out exactly as you expect them to, but that’s all part of the journey.

For me the journey was to be a wife and mother and live in a vine covered cottage with a white picket fence. That was probably the dream of all little girls born in the 1950’s, but for me it was even more of an objective. You see my mom died on October 14, 1956 when I was 5 years old, and growing up I was sure I could recapture the feeling of love that only a mother can give, if I just had kids of my own.

I’ve been blessed with three beautiful, amazing daughters, but I’m sure they’ll tell you I wasn’t always in the running for Mom of the Year. Yet I must have done something right for all three of them to have turned out so well. Which is why Mother’s Day for me is about honoring them, and the many accomplishments of their lives.

I’ve had a wonderful stepmom since I was seventeen, and it’s because of her that I’m the strong, confident woman that I am today. But I can’t help but wonder what my life would be like if my own mother had lived. It would probably be different, but there’s no way it could be better. Now I write about life, love and family. All the things I ever wanted and exactly what I’ve received.

Below are some pictures that were sent to me by my aunt, my mother’s last living relative. It’s a little hard to see my mom in pictures with me because she looks so healthy and vibrant. Unfortunately, it wasn’t much before a very fast moving sickness took her away.

(In the picture of my mom’s bridge club, she’s in the back left corner in a white blouse. In the family picture she’s standing behind my brother, Tom. )

There is also a picture of me as a baby, sitting on my grandmother’s lap, and my senior picture from high school, and one of me at about twenty. What do you think, have I changed much?

Happy Mother’s Day to my wonderful girls, and to all the women in the world who make life so special for the rest of us.

Until we read again📚…

Blessings,

Dana L.❤️