An interview with Dani Santos Lang
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This week, we have the pleasure of chatting with indie author Dani Santos Lang!
A little bit about you and your life, your hobbies, your interests, etc.
"I'm 35 years old and originally from São Paulo, Brazil, but I now live in New Jersey, USA, with my husband. I came to America in 2013 for an exchange program, met him, and — well — life had other plans. I have a degree in Language and Literature, and spent most of my career working as a proofreader and translator. Today, I work in social media moderation while continuing to write in both English and Portuguese. I’m a lifelong reader and poet, a horror movie junkie, a gym enthusiast, and someone who finds joy in music, baking, long walks, and deep conversations."
Info about your latest book and/or the book you'd most like to promote
"My latest novel, Affections in the Star-Flagged Land, is a deeply personal story about identity, migration, and the emotional landscapes we carry when living between worlds. Through the intertwined voices of women navigating love, loss, and belonging in a foreign land, the book explores what it means to build a home far from home.
I'm super excited to be launching my third novel this fall. It's a tale of memory, magic, and womanhood told through the many lives of Catarina — a woman who reincarnates across centuries, carrying echoes of trauma, power, and love. This haunting, lyrical story blends speculative fiction, feminism, and quiet horror."
What inspired you to get into writing and what keeps you motivated?
"I've been writing since I was a child — I wrote my first poem at eight and haven’t really stopped since. I don’t know if I was ever 'inspired' in the traditional sense; it feels more like a calling, a longing I can’t ignore (though I've tried!). After a long creative pause, I’m learning to honour that pull again. If I don’t write, I feel like I’m only half living."
Your opinions on indie vs trad publishing and why you chose the route you did
"I believe both paths have their value and their challenges. Traditional publishing is notoriously difficult to break into, so I leaned toward indie publishing more out of practicality than preference. I love the creative freedom that indie allows — but it also means wearing every hat: editor, marketer, designer, publicist. It’s a labour of love, with the emphasis on labour."
What challenges have you faced during your writing and publishing journey?
"Honestly? Almost all of them. But the hardest has been to keep going — especially during those stretches when I don’t sell a single copy, or when it feels like all the time, energy, and heart I’ve poured into my work disappears into a void. A book only breathes when someone reads it. That silence can be hard. But I keep showing up."
What advice would you give to someone beginning their writing journey?
"Write what lights you up. Use your voice — your stories, your history, your emotions. Don’t stop after the first draft, even if it feels messy. Especially if it feels messy. There’s someone out there who needs your words, exactly as they are."
Name an author that inspired you to write and why
"Clarice Lispector, always. She's a Brazilian author. Her writing is luminous, intricate, and full of emotional depth. She explores the inner lives of women in ways that are raw and revelatory. Every time I read her, I feel like she gives me permission to say what’s been buried inside me — and the urge to write becomes impossible to ignore."
Anything else you'd like to discuss in terms of being a writer, self-publishing, a fun fact about yourself, anything.
"Being a bilingual and bicultural writer means I’m constantly navigating two worlds — not just in life, but on the page. I write in both English and Portuguese, and each language brings out a different emotional texture in my voice. It’s a challenge, but also a gift. And if I could share one thing with readers, it’s this: stories don’t need borders — just honesty."