I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Barbara Daniels Dena, an established author who has released two books: “For the Soul” and “One Soul’s Journey”. Dena describes her work as an eclectic mix of short stories that cross over many genres, from the humorous to the emotional, and are suitable for a general audience. We spoke about how she draws on personal experiences in her writing, the importance of family-friendly stories, and her love for dogs and how they feature heavily in her work. Read on to find out what she has to say!
“For the Soul” is Barbara’s first book, and “One Soul’s Journey” is her second. Both are an eclectic mix of short stories. And when I say eclectic, I do mean that as my stories cross over many genres and are family- friendly. I would rate them for the general audience. I have written about memories from my past which include anything from the humorous to the ones evoking tears. In each book I try to write a story or two for the children in the family. Dogs play a huge part in my life, so there are doggie tales in both books, both fiction and nonfiction.
What is the PRIMARY benefit, above all others, that your potential reader will gain from reading this book? I want the reader to close the covers of my books after reading my stories and feel entertained, or maybe my words struck a chord in their memory banks that resonated with a time in their lives.
If you had to compare this book to any other book out there, which book would it be? I would say “Chicken Soup for the Soul” would be an apt comparison. Although my stories do not have a religious aspect to them, as the title “For the Soul” might imply, I believe a good story feeds that goal in itself. Feel good stories are what I strive for. I have been compared to a Nicholas Sparks storyteller, which is a nice compliment. In some stories, I come away thinking this reminds me of an “Aesop’s Fable.” I do like to leave a lesson at times, hoping it is subtle, not browbeating.
Hundreds of thousands of books come out every year. Why should someone buy THIS book? One difference in my book that I have not seen elsewhere is at the ending of each story. Here, I put the date, where I was at the time of incident, or when I conjured up the story, and what my thought process was in writing the story. So often, when I read a book or short story, I wonder to myself, Why or what made the author write that book or story? What was the author thinking? So, instead of making the reader wonder, I tell them why.
Who is your target audience? My primary audience would be age eighteen to adult, male and female both. I have found the gender to be split equally between male and female. Geographic area could be anywhere in the world. I have lived in many states in the U.S. so the stories reflect that and the timeframe range in years that I note would be from the ‘50s to present. If a reader enjoys short stories without a specific theme and likes surprises in their storylines, these books will fulfill that desire. As an example, my first book “For the Soul” entertains with a few of my quilting stories, each having a specific reason to be there.
Did your environment or upbringing play a major role in your writing and did you use it to your advantage? Absolutely my environment played a role in my writing. First, my family members were great readers. From the moment I learned to read to the present day, I never (to my memory) went to bed without reading a book, no matter where I was in the world. Then, once I was able to hold a crayon and write, I scribbled stories everywhere. I loved essays and term papers in school. Loved them!
Many of my stories revolve around my background and family. And I have even used my family members in my fictional stories. I often borrow from people I know and write a fiction story around their personalities. Flights of fancy make for a fun story for me to write, hoping the family gets a chuckle out of their portrayal is yet to be seen.
Tell us your most rewarding experience since publishing your work? Seeing my books in print and reading the first positive review which was from Reader’s Favorite tickled me to pieces. Also making great friends on social media and meeting my marketing guru Catherine Lyon have been so rewarding in terms of friendship and learning to better this trade.
How would you describe your writing style? I feel it is like I am sitting in the reader’s living room, and I am actually telling that person a story.
Are your characters pure fiction, or did you draw from people you know? Many are from people I know, and many are pure fiction crossing many genres. In my second book, “One Soul’s Journey,” I tried my hand at a few fiction mysteries, which I thoroughly enjoyed. In my upcoming third book, “Entertaining the Soul” I am expanding on one of the stories (The Quinceañera is Missing) and taking each character on their own mystery apart from the original story which I think will be great fun and generate interest.
Are you more of a character artist or a plot-driven writer? I believe I am more of a character artist and pantser as I write around a certain character, and I write on the fly. I do not plot. I write as the muses and spirits move me. Correction, if you ask my Yorkie, Zoe, she will tell you she is the writer, I am but the transcriptionist. We have pictures to prove it. If you have yet to recognize it, humor plays a big part in my writing. My ‘what-if stories’ are flights of fancy, and I love to add a bit of humor whenever possible.
What do you hope to accomplish with your book other than selling it? Strange as it may seem, selling my books is not uppermost in my mind. The joy of writing is the primary goal, and entertaining the reader is next. If I gain a following, that is wonderful, but selling is secondary to the joy writing brings me.
Barbara Daniels Dena is an American independent author and influential writer of her eclectic short stories series. Book one, “For the Soul: A Collection of Short Stories,” was released in August 2021, and book two, titled “One Soul’s Journey,” will release on Jan. 25th, 2023, while it is on pre-order sale. The stories are almost a memoir and are a unique collection of inspiring short stories of ‘good ole fashioned living,’ along with many past and present memories and life experiences that tug on the heart, warming stories, and fictional tall tales, some doggies tails and delighting readers worldwide. Her books are available on Amazon Books, Amazon Kindle, and many fine online book sites.
Barbara began writing at an early age as a lover of “Make-Believe.” Today, her writing has developed from memories of family experiences, various compilations of events in her life, and her love of animals. She is willing to admit that her vivid imagination plays a role in her stories. The author is an Illinois native who has lived in many places; as Barb says, like a free-spirited “Gypsy,” she has lived and worked in Illinois, Washington, Idaho, Georgia, but Ultimately, coming home settling back in the Quad Cities area of Illinois.
Barbara is a proud mother of two grown children. She was a business owner, ran a Temp Agency, then transitioned into her passion for floral design, opened, owned, and ran several floral shops. Her favorite flower is the “Casablanca Lily.” Her favorite color is Red, and when she isn’t writing, Barbara spends her free time oil painting, enjoys quilting, knitting, and reading. Her favorite book is “Death Be Not Proud” by John J. Gunther.
Her first love is and always will be playing with her fur baby, a little Yorkie named Zoe. She continues to write from her cozy nook as she gazes over a pond full of geese and ducks. On many days it is more gazing than writing.
How can our readers get in touch with you?
Twitter: @barbdena5424
Email: barbdena5424@aol.com
Facebook: Barbara Daniels Dena
Where can our readers purchase your book?
Currently, Amazon is the only place to buy my books.
2 Responses
Great Interview! Worth the read.
Thank you Bruce for the nice comment. I appreciate it.