Daryl Lopes (@daryllopesauthor)

When a story makes someone feel seen Reader feedback from the STAYED Q&A: my guest shares how the story reached a reader. STAYED is my novella about family, fatherhood, and presence. What makes a character feel familiar to you? Chapter 1 is free — link in my bio. Start there. #STAYED #DarylLopes…

Part 2 — The Update. I walked into Fred & June's Books in Denver, NC, and I was floored — the store, the feel of the place, the people. If you're anywhere near Denver, go see it for yourself. I got to talk with Steven, one of the owners. We talked books, music, and how the store came to be. He…

If we haven't met yet — I'm Daryl Lopes. I'm a new author, and STAYED is my first book. This was me yesterday, in the car outside Fred & June's Books in Denver, NC — about to walk in and find out what it takes to get my book into their store. Did they take it? Part 2 — The Update — tomorrow at 6…

The conversations at the heart of STAYED At the heart of STAYED are conversations the characters need to have. The family story gives those ordinary words weight. What makes a conversation between characters stay with you? #STAYED #DarylLopes #FictionReaders Chapter 1 is free — link in my bio…

Two months of posting about my book. 7,131 views. 14 subscribers. And I still don't know if it's working. But the long videos? 53 views — and people stayed 7 minutes. In a world that scrolls past everything, somebody stayed. What are you staying with right now, before you know how it turns out?…

When “I’m fine” ends the conversation “I’m fine” can end a conversation before it really starts. In this STAYED Q&A answer, I talked about the difference between being nearby and being present. What is one follow-up question that shows someone is listening? #STAYED #DarylLopes #BookDiscussion Get…

After a hard day, can you say what you need? Sometimes what you need after a hard day is someone beside you—or a walk and a little time to talk. That came up in the STAYED Q&A. What helps a character feel safe enough to speak honestly? #STAYED #DarylLopes #BookDiscussion Get the book through the…

The house full of books that made me a reader Before I wrote STAYED, I grew up around people who read. Books were on shelves, in closets, and all around the family. Who helped make you a reader? Find STAYED through the link in my profile. #STAYED #DarylLopes #ReadingLife

You’re there. But are you really present? That question runs through my book, STAYED. The full author Q&A is on YouTube if you want to hear more about the story and the conversations behind it. Search YouTube for “STAYED: Full Author Q&A with Daryl Lopes.” What does showing up for someone look…

We change for work. What about the people we love? We adjust when work changes. We find another route when a road is blocked. In this STAYED Q&A answer, I talked about why changing for the people we love can feel harder. What small action tells a character someone is making an effort? #STAYED…

Writing STAYED made me look at myself Writing STAYED made me ask what I still needed to work on—and how I could be more present for the people I love. That question is part of why I wrote this novella. Has a story ever made you look at yourself differently? Find STAYED through the link in my…

Have you ever seen your family in a book? Sometimes a character feels familiar for a reason. Have you ever read a story that reminded you of someone in your family? STAYED is my novella about family, fatherhood, and presence. #STAYED #DarylLopes #FictionReaders #BookDiscussion

Seeing STAYED in readers’ hands means a lot. Thank you to everyone who has picked up a copy. If you’ve read it, what stayed with you after the last page? #STAYED #DarylLopes #DebutNovella #LiteraryFiction #BookClubReads

A big thank-you to Shenitha and Anniece at @she.publishing.llc for the free consultation. I appreciated your insight, feedback, and the time you shared with me. Grateful for this part of my STAYED author journey. Working on a book? Take a look at their page. #BookTok #AuthorTok #AuthorJourney…

We often assume the people closest to us already know how we feel. They know we love them. They know we’re proud of them. They know we never meant to hurt them. But what if they don’t? Don’t leave the important things unsaid. Tell somebody today. What’s something you wish you had said sooner?…

I wrote STAYED because loving families can still carry distance, silence, and things nobody knows how to say. This is my first novella. I hope it helps start some of those conversations. Learn more: https://www.daryllopesauthor.com Amazon author page: https://www.amazon.com/author/daryllopes…

You can share a home, a room, and a life with someone—and still leave them emotionally alone. What makes you feel that someone is truly present? #STAYED #DarylLopes #EmotionalPresence #FamilyConversations #BookTok

The house was not haunted. He was. The line gets attention, but STAYED is really about what families carry—and what it costs when those patterns are never faced. What pattern do you think families pass down without realizing it? Read more through the link in my bio. #STAYED #DarylLopes…

STAYED by Daryl Lopes — "Fear can destroy relationships through hesitation, repeated for years until intimacy itself collapses from starvation." Not a single betrayal — years of hesitation. Read STAYED now: https://daryllopesauthor.com #STAYED #DarylLopes #BookQuotes #BookTok #IndieAuthor…

STAYED by Daryl Lopes — "Fear can destroy relationships through hesitation, repeated for years until intimacy itself collapses from starvation." It's never one big mistake. Read STAYED now: https://daryllopesauthor.com #STAYED #DarylLopes #BookQuotes #BookTok #IndieAuthor #EmotionalFiction…

STAYED by Daryl Lopes — character moments from my debut novella. The small, specific lines that bring Daniel, Eli, and Rachel to life. Read STAYED now: https://daryllopesauthor.com #STAYED #DarylLopes #BookQuotes #BookTok #IndieAuthor #EmotionalFiction #DebutNovella

STAYED by Daryl Lopes asks: what would you want the people you love to understand about the word "staying"? A question worth sitting with. Read STAYED now: https://daryllopesauthor.com #STAYED #DarylLopes #BookQuotes #BookTok #IndieAuthor #EmotionalFiction #DebutNovella

STAYED by Daryl Lopes asks: what would you want the people you love to understand about the word "staying"? Read STAYED now: https://daryllopesauthor.com #STAYED #DarylLopes #BookQuotes #BookTok #IndieAuthor #EmotionalFiction #DebutNovella

Thank you, CHARARRI, for purchasing 20 copies of STAYED. For a first-time author, support like this is bigger than a sale—it helps put the story into more people’s hands. #StayedByDarylLopes #DarylLopes #AuthorTok #BookTok #ReaderCommunity

I’ve spent most of my life telling stories through music. STAYED is another way of doing the same thing. Which brought you here—the music or the book? #DarylLopes #STAYED #MusicProducer #AuthorTok #Storytelling

STAYED by Daryl Lopes — "Silence only becomes loneliness when presence disappears from it." It's not the quiet itself. Read STAYED now: https://daryllopesauthor.com #STAYED #DarylLopes #BookQuotes #BookTok #IndieAuthor #EmotionalFiction #DebutNovella

STAYED by Daryl Lopes — "Silence only becomes loneliness when presence disappears from it." One of the closing thoughts in the book. Read STAYED now: https://daryllopesauthor.com #STAYED #DarylLopes #BookQuotes #BookTok #IndieAuthor #EmotionalFiction #DebutNovella

STAYED by Daryl Lopes is available now. My debut novella about presence, fear, and the difference between being in the room and being there. Read STAYED now: https://daryllopesauthor.com #STAYED #DarylLopes #NewRelease #BookTok #IndieAuthor #EmotionalFiction #DebutNovella

STAYED by Daryl Lopes — "I wrote STAYED to answer one question." A short author's note on what it actually means to be present with someone you love. Read STAYED now: https://daryllopesauthor.com #STAYED #DarylLopes #AuthorLife #BookTok #IndieAuthor #EmotionalFiction #DebutNovella

STAYED by Daryl Lopes — "I wrote STAYED to answer one question." What it actually means to be present with someone, not just in the room. Read STAYED now: https://daryllopesauthor.com #STAYED #DarylLopes #BookQuotes #BookTok #IndieAuthor #EmotionalFiction #DebutNovella