Women’s fiction author, Dara Levan, joins us this week to chat about her debut, It Could Be Worse
Author Name: Dara Levan
Book Title: It Could Be Worse
Book Genre: Book Club fiction/Women’s Fiction
Release Date: March 12, 2024
Publisher: Regalo Press
Welcome, Dara! How would you describe It Could Be Worse?
When Allegra Gil makes a surprising discovery in a piano bench that reveals a shocking family secret, she questions everything she thought she knew about the two people who raised her. It Could Be Worse is a tale of acceptance and awakening—but not necessarily forgiveness—that reminds us we can choose how our stories end.
What sparked the idea for this book?
I’ve always been interested in developing a protagonist whose perpetual optimism can morph to dysfunctional loyalty. And it’s ironic given Allegra’s professional background as a therapist. As a former speech-language pathologist, I love exploring how the ways in which we communicate impact—and is impacted by–our relationships.
How long did it take for you to write the book?
I wrote the first draft in fifteen weeks.
Did you do any research?
Yes, I did an immense amount of research. I interviewed several psychologists and psychiatrists who specialize in treating Narcissistic Personality Disorder. I also read numerous books and articles on the topic. I’ve known people over the years who’ve been invalidated, gaslit, and affected by narcissistic abuse. It’s one of the reasons I chose to explore this topic in a novel because creating fictional worlds can educate, empower, and connect people not just to characters but to themselves.
What’s your favorite part about writing/being an author?
The incredible people I’ve met along the way. I’m grateful for the author community, strangers who’ve become friends, and the epic personal growth through this journey.
Any words of wisdom you give your pre-published writer self (or to a new writer)?
Write from your heart, not your head. Try to tune out the noise and go within. And expect to pivot because the path to publishing is not always linear.
What are your interests outside of writing and reading?
I love traveling with my husband and kids, dancing, connecting with friends, taking photos of everyday moments, especially nature and my pups and singing but only in the shower.
Are you working on a new project?
I appreciate you asking! The idea for my next book gestated while I wrote It Could Be Worse; Allegra, my protagonist, is a stutterer but only with a family member. My next book will also include characters with communication challenges. I’ve realized how little, if any, representation I’ve seen of this in fiction. My next book will explore a neurological disorder, its impact on the caregiver, and like It Could Be Worse, it is ultimately a life-affirming story about unconditional love and resilience. I feel stories universally uplift, educate, and heal us.
Where can readers find you?
My book, It Could Be Worse: https://www.daralevan.com/debut-novel-it-could-be-worse-2023
Website: https://www.daralevan.com/
Every Soul Has a Story podcast: https://www.daralevan.com/podcast-every-soul-has-a-story
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dara.levan/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/daralevanwriter/
Author events: https://www.daralevan.com/events-2-1
Thank you, Dara! It Could Be Worse is out today.
It Could Be Worse
Mired in self-doubt and blind loyalty, Allegra Gil suspects her charmed life may be a gilded cage. She has a devoted husband, Benito, two loving children, a thriving therapy practice, and lifelong friends. But when a surprising discovery in a piano bench reveals a shocking family secret, Allegra questions everything she thought she knew about the two people who raised her. Was it true? Did her father, a respected pediatric neurosurgeon, harm instead of heal? And Allegra’s mother–how much did she know?
As the past threatens the present, Allegra plays the song of what was, what is, and what may never be in this “powerful and poignant story about letting go” (Jean Meltzer, international bestselling author of The Matzah Ball).
Composed with the cadence of a waltz–up, up, down–through flashbacks to childhood memories in Miami and a music camp in Michigan, It Could Be Worse is a heartwarming, at times heart-wrenching, multigenerational story of a woman supported and embraced by many while shaken to the core by a few. “The gorgeous prose and raw, unflinching narrative both heal and inspire. A stunning debut.” (Samantha M. Bailey, USA Today and #1 international bestselling author of Woman on the Edge)
Dara Levan writes about love, loss, resilience, and how radiance emerges from our breaking points. She’s the founder and host of the Every Soul Has a Story podcast and blog. A graduate of Indiana University, Dara is a former pediatric speech-language pathologist who lives in Fort Lauderdale. Learn more at daralevan.com.
Author bio:
Dara Levan is the creator and host of Every Soul Has a Story, a podcast in which she interviews inspiring people from around the globe. Her calling to impact others began at the age of twelve in her hometown of North Miami Beach, Florida, when she interviewed the residents of the nursing home where her grandmother lived and wrote their stories. As an undergrad at Indiana University, Dara earned a BA in English and pursued a career in journalism but decided to pivot and returned to South Florida to earn her MS in Communication Sciences and Disorders. Dara stopped practicing speech therapy to return to full-time writing. Actively involved in her community, she is currently a board member of the Community Foundation of Broward and board member of Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital Foundation/Memorial Hospital Foundation and the Community Foundation of Broward. Dara served as a board member of the Goodman Jewish Family Services (JFS) of Broward County and Junior Achievement of South Florida. She is also a founding member of the Circle of Friends for the Alvin Sherman Library Research, Information, and Technology Center at Nova Southeastern University. Dara is a member of the Women’s Fiction Writers Association, Women’s National Book Association, and the Authors Guild.