NEWS

Capri resident’s author daughter has an Amazon best-seller

Ann Hall
ahall7911@coconuttele.net

It has truly been a dream come true for Isles of Capri resident, Gail Ueland and her daughter, L.J. Dionne, who recently published her first book.

Within a few weeks of publishing, Dionne’s book, “Dying to Live,” made its way to Amazon’s Best Seller list. This excitement escalated recently when Dionne came to Capri for a visit.

While visiting, Dionne held a book signing for residents in the Capri Community Center. Following the signing, Book Club chair Bobby Decker chose Dionne’s new best seller as the topic for discussion at their April Book Club meeting. Although the author could not stay for the book club meeting, but had to return to her home in Canada, the club held their discussion with Dionne on speaker phone.

“Dying to Live’s first book club! The wonderful people on Isles of Capri, Florida had me on speakerphone at their latest Book Club meeting. Great questions were asked, and it felt good to be pushed for books two and three already! Thanks everyone,” wrote Dionne to the Coconuttele, Capri’s informal email communication operator.

“Dying to Live” is fiction, but the events interwoven throughout the 601-page novel portrays a mindful journey of good versus evil and the cross-roads that so many come to when faced with the dilemma of choosing evil for a few if they think the end result elevates good for many. The question asked throughout the book is: “If given reliable prophetic knowledge, would you commit murder if it meant saving the world?” A central theme is one of how to combat man’s inhumanity to man.

“Dying to Live took me by surprise in its cinematic scope of a future world – a world that really could be our own if the lessons of the past cannot be learned. L.J. Dionne’s unique voice beautifully blends metaphysical concepts with the cold, hard reality of a post-nuclear world. As with all books whose characters touch my heart and become my friends, I found myself slowing down at the end so as to keep our precious little time together for as long as possible,” wrote David Tillman, screenwriter, director, producer and distinguished psychic to Dionne to be used as a testimonial in her book.

“Having my first book published did not come easy,” said Dionne. “It took years and years of research, writing and re-writing to get the story I wanted told in print.” Dionne’s research was global as she explored the critiques regarding politics, lifestyles, and spiritual beliefs of both ordinary and extraordinary people in history while looking towards history “to echo the future,” to create a better life for all.

Working in the business world as a certified public accountant, Dionne said she had vast exposure to the corporate world.

“I also worked in the entertainment industry with Turner Broadcasting Systems Inc., Warner Brothers and Universal Pictures, putting me in the position of having to interface between the ‘creatives’ and the ‘accountants.’”

Dionne spent years of researching the prophecies of Edgar Cayce, Nostradamus, and Sylvia Browne studying the psychic revelations of near-death experiences and the deterioration of racial cohesiveness in America.

As a result, “the story of ‘Dying to Live’ emerged,” said Dionne.

Contact Ann Hall at ahall7911@coconuttele.net

More information

To learn more about this aspiring author and of her upcoming books in this series, visit her website at www.lj-dionne.com.