Interview With Author Diane Langlois Stallings
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I wrote my first “book” at the age of seven – my harrowing story of getting stung by a jellyfish at the beach in Mexico. Haven’t stopped writing since.
I became a hospital nurse, but I went right on telling stories, mostly to myself, at my desk in the dark of the morning. (A few found their way into print.)
At midlife I focused on psychology and spirituality for inner growth. I studied with an amazing spiritual master for nearly 15 years, and that led to my first five-book series, Walking the Bridge: Guidance from a Wisdom School.
Meanwhile I had studied with several healing masters, and learned how to do hands-on healing / energy medicine (many methods), which flabbergasted me at times. I still need to write more about that as it continues. Joystream.net is my site.
I’ve taught numerous ongoing meditation classes at different venues, including the local library. A participant urged me to write those meditations down, so she could use them at any time. Calm Comfort Meditations had humble beginnings but recently was named one of the best books of 2022 by the esteemed Next Generation Indie Awards for self-published books. (It was one of 6 finalists in the Mind-Body-Spirit category.)
My 7th book was absolutely the most fun, described below.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is a collection of short stories broadcasting the non-existence of death.
What, No Death? – Sheer Fiction is an amusing romp of speculative stories. I totally enjoyed writing and reading it! The stories were inspired by my work as an ICU nurse, energy healer, and soul-explorer.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Decades ago I had that pre-dawn writing habit, but these days I simply tend to spend much of my day writing on different topics. I am running two blogs on WordPress – joystreamhealth and walkingthebridgewisdom.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Agatha Christie
Barbara Kingsolver
Sue Monk Kidd
Alice Hoffman
Annie Lamont
Elizabeth Gilbert
Peter S Beagle
Kate Atkinson
Brené Brown
I read a lot of nonfiction new age healing stuff, too.
What are you working on now?
Now I want to work on another book of short stories regarding how the spirit infuses the body, affects the body, and how we can fly around without the body. 😉 I also want to do an audiobook of Calm Comfort Meditations. (My students keep asking for that.)
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I am only recently learning to promote my books, but Awesome Gang has been quite helpful and reasonable!
Do you have any advice for new authors?
write what you love
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
I could go on for pages, chapters, and books on that topic . . .
What are you reading now?
Having tons of fun reading all of Caimh McDonnell’s novels.
What’s next for you as a writer?
I want to revise my book covers and improve all my books for better promotion.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
On a desert island I want to bring a bunch of goodies I haven’t had time to read yet – such as The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay and Northern Lights, but also Science and the Akashic Field.
Author Websites and Profiles
Diane Langlois Stallings Website
Diane Langlois Stallings Amazon Profile
Diane Langlois Stallings’s Social Media Links