Author Interview: Danielle Blum with Fragments of Affection

Danielle Blum is the author of Fragments of Affection, a psychological thriller about trauma, identity, and the fractured spaces between memory and truth. SHe also writes emotionally charged stories about messy women and unexpeccted connections. Her upcoming rom-com series, Postcards from Rock Borrom, blends raunchy humor, vulnerability, and offbeat chaos with characters you'll laugh with, cry for, and maybe even text at 2 a.m.

A traveler and multi-passionate creative, Danielle has explored over 40 countried and draws inspiration from the absurd, the beautiful, and the broken parts of being human. When she's not writing, she's painting, photographing the world, or designing boutique travel itineraries. She lives in Portugal, surrounded by ocean air, overgrown houseplants, and entirely to many notebooks.

Q: Is this your first published book? What made you decide to write this book?

A: Yes, Fragments of Affection is my first book. I do have a first draft of a women's let novel sitting in a desk drawer, but this is the first one the world gets to see. And I am working on a rom-com series called Postcards from Rock Bottom.

I didn't exactly decide to write this book- the story chose me. A few years ago, I sat down for NaNoWriMo and started it, lasted maybe three days, and then put it away. It wasn't until the following January that I dedicated real time to just sit down and write. The story started as something completely different, which, honestly, is how most books written by pantsers end up. The pieces revealed themselves slowly, and somehow, we made a novel.

Q: What particular challenges did you face in your writing? Do you have any tips for other writers who might face similar challenges?

A: Writing a character with Dissociative Identity Disorder is hard enough on its own. I interviewed over a hundred people living with the diagnosis and worked hand-in-hand with systens for a related anthology. I wanted to learn as much as I could so I could represent my main character both respectfully and authentically. On top of that, writing a character with multiple POVs within one person was a challenge—figuring out how to make it read as one coherent voice while still honoring each personality was tricky, but ultimately really fun. My tip: do your research, listen closely, and trust the characters. Let them show you how they want to be heard.

Q: Are you a self or traditionally published author? Why did you decide this was the publishing path for you?

A:I chose self-publishing because I didn't want to wait for this story to reach the world. I've worked with so many people on this book, and I didn't want their words or experiences manipulated to fit commercial media. Characters like mine are often portrayed as monsters or criminals, which is so far from the truth, but false narratives sell. I owe it to everyone I worked with to be honest and portray these characters as the heroes of their own stories. They have this diagnosis because of severe trauma at a very young age— their brains split to survive. It's really quite extraordinary.

Q: Can you describe your publishing experience for writers who hope to publish one day?

A: It's been a wild ride— always changing, always terrifying— but so worth it. I've wanted to write a book since I was a kid, so finally scratching that off the list is a huge milestone worth celebrating. Networking as much as possible has been invaluable: learning from professionals, absorbing their wisdom, and building relationships has helped me navigate what otherwise feels like an endless maze.

Q:What is one piece of advice that someone gave you that you'd like to pass on to other authors?

A:One piece of advice that has stayed with me is: don't think—just feel. The more we overthink, the more we take ourselves out of doing the work. Writing is as much about intuition as it is about craft. And on top of that: consistency finishes books. Keep going. Even when it's messy, even when it hurts, even when it scares you. Showing up every day is how stories become real.

Jess Lewis has always lived with missing pieces—gaps in memory, lost time, and the quiet presence of others inside her mind. Her Dissociative Identity Disorder gives her answers she's never had— but some memories are better left buried.

Desperate for the truth, Jess teams up with private investigator Jackson Sinclair to unravel a brutal cold case. But someone else remembers that night too—and they'll do anything to keep Jess silent.

To survive, Jess must trust the fragments of herself who have carried her this far... before the past destroys her completely.