[Interview] Dana Littlejohn

Romance novelist Dana Littlejohn was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York and has been living in Indianapolis, In. for the past 10 years.

She has been writing since childhood.

The work she has published so far includes the novel, The Yin/Yang Effect; the three novellas which make up The Dioni Chronicles series, Mikhail's Hunt, Jonathan's Bite of the Apple and Sebastian's Surrender; as well as the short stories, "Hot Chocolate on a Cold Day", "The Lover and the Firefly" and "Lover's Brew".

In this interview, Dana Littlejohn talks about her concerns as a writer.*

How would you describe your writing?

I write romances that happen now, in modern day. I have touched on several sub-genres like urban lit, fantasy and shifter, but basically its sensual/erotic contemporary.

I hope to target woman between 18 and over. Some of the love scenes in a few of my books might be a little inappropriate for anyone under 18.

What motivated you to start writing?

I was waking up in the middle of the night driving my husband crazy with the craziness I was dreaming. He suggested that I write it down because if I was going crazy he did not want to go with me. (Laughs.) True story! Since writing was still in my heart I took his advice.

Who would you say has influenced you the most?

I love the writing of Bertrice Small and Jackie Collins. I’d like to be a combination of them.

How have your personal experiences influenced your writing?

I have done stories on topics that I feel strongly about, not necessarily that has happened to me, but I still feel strongly.

When did you decide you wanted to be a writer?

I have always wanted to be a writer, as far back as I can remember, but I let people and life get in the way of my dreams.

What are your main concerns as a writer?

That I don’t repeat myself. I want each one of my books to be unique.

The biggest challenge is to keep going, keep writing quality, unique work.

How do you deal with these concerns?

I try to stay fresh, do something that no one has done before or take a new look at something that has been done.

Do you write everyday?

Yes, I try to write everyday. The amount of time just depends on what’s going on that day. I work full time so during the week I can only do three maybe four hours and on the weekend a little more.

How long does it take you to start and finish a book?

[One of] my latest books, The House, was released in 2007 by Ocean’s Mist Press. It took me about four months to get it from head to paper.

One of the things I found most difficult about the book was I had to ask a few people a lot of questions so that the house would be realistic.

Which did you enjoy most?

The part I liked the most was checking out Atlanta.

What sets the book apart from the other things you have written?

I don’t know. I just wanted to show that true friends are friends through thick and thin even when they get caught up in stuff they have no business doing.

In what way is it similar?

It’s still a romance and everyone’s happy in the end.

What will your next book be about?

I’m working on an urban lit I call The Lover and the Angel. It’s about a member of the Latin Lovers gang who falls in love with a college student and starts to want more from his life. It is still in the works.

What would you say has been your most significant achievement as a writer?

I feel really good when someone contacts me and asks me to do something for them. That feels good and I know they like my work.

How did you get there?

(Laughs.) I have no clue, I’m just happy its happening.

*This article is based on an email interview with Dana Littlejohn which took place in March 2007.

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