Hi Dara! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?

I’ve known that storytelling is my life’s purpose since I could speak. Before returning to full-time writing, I was a pediatric speech-language pathologist. I have also edited several non-fiction books. Connection and community are important to me. In 2020, when the world shut down and we all felt isolated, I launched my podcast, Every Soul Has a Story. I’m grateful for guests across the globe who have trusted me to share their personal journeys.

When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?

I’ve always been fascinated by how radiance emerges from our breaking points. And that even after the toughest times, human beings can not only survive but thrive. At nine years old, I began writing poetry and journaling during summers at Interlochen Arts Camp in Michigan. During elementary school, I devoured books of all genres. (Nerd alert: I proudly won the “who can look up the word fastest” dictionary contest.) I’d create stories while “interviewing” my stuffed animals. In middle school, I interviewed residents at my grandmother’s nursing home. I also studied English and Journalism at Indiana University.

Quick lightning round! Tell us:

• The first book you ever remember reading: Ramona Quimby
• The one that made you want to become an author: Nancy Drew
• The one that you can’t stop thinking about: Crossing to Safety by Wallace Stanger. I read it years before being married and having children. And interestingly, Vermont has become my sanctuary!

Your debut novel, It Could Be Worse, is out March 12th! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?

Evocative, empowering, inspiring, healing, and heartwarming.

What can readers expect?

Readers can expect to laugh, to learn how to stand up for themselves, to cherish friends who are family, shed some tears, and feel empowered to choose how their stories end.

Where did the inspiration for It Could Be Worse come from? Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?

I loved writing Jack, Allegra’s brother, and Ruby, her lifelong best friend. These characters are both fiercely loyal, hilarious, insightful, and true to themselves. And they show up for Allegra in epic ways—they truly embody the meaning of unconditional love.

This is your debut published novel! What was the road to becoming a published author like for you?

It wasn’t a straight road, that’s for sure! But it’s led to epic personal growth, self-discovery, and writing It Could Be Worse transformed me at a soul level. As I revised each chapter, scene, and line, I delved deeper into research I’d gathered and deepened my understanding of the human condition. My perspectives on and off the page expanded in ways I could’ve never imagined.

What’s next for you?

I’m continuing to host the podcast I founded, Every Soul Has a Story. And delving into book two, which I started drafting a few years ago.

Lastly, are there any books that you’re looking forward to picking up this year?

This is such a tough question; it’s hard to pick just one! So, I’ll share a few: Nearly Departed by Gila Pfeffer, Summer Romance by Annabel Monaghan, Behind Every Good Man by Sara Goodman Confino, A Friend in the Dark by Samantha M. Bailey, and Take Two Birdie Maxwell by Allison Winn Scotch.

 Will you be picking up It Could Be Worse? Tell us in the comments below!

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