This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Free Book Program, which is open to all readers and is completely free. The author will provide you with a free copy of their book in exchange for an honest review. You and the author will discuss what sites you will post your review to and what kind of copy of the book you would like to receive (eBook, PDF, Word, paperback, etc.). To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email.
Barbara Daniels-Dena is a new independent author of her eclectic book debut of "For the Soul: A Collection of Short Stories," released in August 2021. Almost a memoir, this 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 tails delighting readers worldwide. The book is available for purchase 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.
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 as she resides in Illinois.
Reviewed by Emily-Jane Hills Orford for Readers' Favorite
For the Soul: A Collection of Short Stories was written by Barbara Daniels-Dena. Quilts, children, and dogs – what more can life offer? Well, stories, of course. And, where there are quilts, children, and dogs, there’s bound to be lots of stories. Life is full of stories: funny stories, heart-wrenching and heart-warming stories, fiction, and creative nonfiction. Like the author, I recall spending hours rifling through my grandmother’s button box. There were all kinds of buttons: large, small, brightly colored, shiny, or dull. These buttons were a source of inspiration for stories, learning to count, learning the colors, and just savoring the precious moments spent with my grandmother. Life and those accessories we collect during our lifetime are full of stories. But so are our imaginations, our dreams, and the random thoughts that swirl around in our heads – so many stories to share.
Barbara Daniels-Dena’s book, For the Soul: A Collection of Short Stories, is a marvelous collection of stories the author wrote through the years. Each one is dated and, like the one about the black-turned-white crow with a hidden agenda and a secret message, there is often a footnote of what or who inspired the story. Each story is complete and succinctly told with great attention to detail, though often sparsely revealed in the author’s clever way of leaving the spaces between the lines loaded with veiled messages. The plots are compelling and the characters well defined, making this collection an enjoyable read: not to be read all at once, but to be savored over time.
