The writing world just got a little smaller yesterday. Our friend, co worker and talented writer Dellani Oakes passed away after a long battle with cancer. She was a friend to many and gave exposure and encouragement to many new writers by hosting them on her radio shows
.Dellani will be missed by all.
Dellani Oakes is a former A.P. English teacher, photo journalist, substitute teacher and Mary Kay consultant. She can give skin care & makeup advice, correct grammar, take pictures and write an article while controlling a classroom full of rowdy children.
Dellani was making up stories before she could read. Her first really cohesive work began when her older sister started school. Left to entertain herself, she invented an imaginary friend and would regale her mother with tales of Snowy Green and Rainbow School. These stories paved the way for songs and poems in elementary school and short stories in high school and college.
A college theatre major, Dellani took play writing. It became her new love. Scripts being dialog heavy and character driven, this aspect has followed her into her novel writing. She uses verbal exchanges & sparring as a way of revealing both plot and characterization.
Dellani had to set aside her love of writing when she began working as a teacher. Her creative energies were channeled into writing exams to make her students cry–although this wasn’t usually intentional. Unfortunately, between that and motherhood, she didn’t have time to write.
Once her youngest son started school in 2002, she was able to write full time. Her first novel, “Indian Summer”, was published in 2008. Her second novel, “Lone Wolf” made its debut in September 2011. “Lone Wolf” is the first in her science-fiction series. Book two of the Lone Wolf Series – “Shakazhan”, came out in July of 2013. Both have recently been reissued in Kindle Format.
In addition to her historical novel and sci-fi, Dellani has added 7 romantic suspense novels, 4 of which are published by Tirgearr Publishing. The rest, she has independently published. She also shares some of her unpublished work for free on her blog.
Dellani is a Blog Talk Radio host with two shows each month on the Red River Radio Network: Dellani’s Tea Time 4:00 PM Eastern every 2nd Monday & What’s Write for Me at 4:00 PM Eastern every 4th Wednesday. Look for her on Red River Radio Network. (Guests vary)
LET’S ALL LIFT OUR GLASSES IN A TOAST TO DELLANI WITH A SIP OF HER FAVE COCKTAIL–A GUMMY BEAR MARTINI
GRAB DELLANIS BOOKS ON AMAZON
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