Review Fix Exclusive: Dawn F. Landry Talks ‘Armored ‘And More

Review Fix chats with author Dawn F. Landry, who discusses her new novel, Armored, as well as the events in her life that inspired it.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Dawn F. Landry is a bestselling author and an award-winning and respected business professional. She has spent over half of her 27-year career in Houston’s corporate real estate industry, excelling in business development and marketing leadership positions within the region’s largest economic development organization, as well as international commercial construction companies. In February 2017, Dawn founded Authentizity, LLC, as an independent B2B growth strategist and a Gallup-Certified CliftonStrengths® Coach to provide consulting, training, and coaching services that optimize technical teams’ engagement and productivity.

Review Fix: What inspired this book? How is it different?

Dawn F. Landry: My ambition is that my life experiences demonstrate that it is more than acceptable to lean into our individual backgrounds and capabilities to overcome life’s battles because we all have the power within us to courageously motivate and be an advocate for those under our charge.

Equipped with a 27-year leadership and technical services career, and with strategic thinking and communication abilities, I successfully supported my husband, Daran, through three major, life-threatening illnesses. In characterizing some of my life the past twenty years, you might call me an “unexpected caregiver,” since every illness that afflicted Daran came as a surprise, sneak attack. Although I have never felt like the noun caregiver adequately described me, nor how I served him. As someone comfortable being a big dreamer and naturally curious, I pressed myself further to explore why.

Since caregiver doesn’t fit as a description of the role that I played in Daran’s recovery, I searched to find a better word. I settled on the name care coach. It is a better measure of who I am and what I do.

Care coaching allowed me to have a role in Daran’s recovery in my own, nontraditional way. This surprised many of his doctors, nurses, and therapists, and they told me that they have never seen anyone be present for their loved one in this manner.

My definition of a care coach still encompasses the conventionally ascribed aspects of care. However, it is more personalized, individualized, and includes deep love, devotion, compassion, and respect. Care coaching also entails much more such as being an advocate, providing hope, reminding the patient of who they are and what they are fighting for, as well as being a strong supporter through the most challenging of times. Most of all, care coaching is about lovingly motivating the patient through their battles with unwavering faith.

My brand of care was not intentional, it was innate and authentic. It encompassed all my past experiences, which unwittingly prepared me for these battles. Cumulatively, I was armored, both spiritually and physically, to utilize my strengths and to encourage Daran by tapping into his strengths.

Review Fix: What’s the format like?

Landry: ARMORED is a memoir, a love story, and ultimately a practical leadership guide to managing crisis on your own terms.

Review Fix: What makes you a unique author?

Landry: I am unconventional, imperfect, determined, yet humorously self-aware, especially in the way that I write with my own real and transparent style. In ARMORED, I demonstrate that by leaning into our individual backgrounds and capabilities, we all have the power within us to courageously motivate and be an advocate for those under our charge.

Review Fix: Who do you think will enjoy it most?

Landry: ARMORED was conceived to help other business professionals like me when they are unexpectedly stretched with caring for an ill loved one. Whether the challenge afflicts a spouse, aging parent, or other loved ones, if you are not in a battle now, there is likely one on the horizon. This has never more been proven true than during these pandemic times. It is best to armor yourself in advance. 

Review Fix: How has COVID affected your creative process?

Landry: Daran’s stroke occurred on November 26, 2019. He was rendered 100% paralyzed on his right side and couldn’t speak for months. He was hospitalized in ICU and inpatient rehab for 24 days post stroke.  When we was released, it was just before Christmas. 

I had no idea what that impact would be on me and tried to continue going at my usual pace unsuccessfully. It was like I was trying to think through mud and the usual easy tasks took me 5000 times longer than they typically would have.

I don’t say this lightly. Many people have lost their lives and livelihoods because of the pandemic. However, when the entire world stopped in late March 2020 and continued through these past nine months, the COVID Gift to Daran and me was that it gave us the space and time to heal. It was something that I would’ve never given myself.  It was a gift of time and space for healing and self-reflection. 

During this time, my successful consulting, coaching and training business slowed to a halt, so I used the time to fulfill a 20-year dream of writing a book. Thirty thousand words poured out of me in three weeks in late April and into May 2020.  I then spent the summer managing the editing and design process and well as self-publishing ARMORED.  While this isn’t the book that I thought that I’d write, I knew that Daran’s story of inspiration and faith needs to be told to encourage others.

Review Fix: What are your goals for the book?

Landry: I released the hard back and paperback versions of ARMORED on October 1, 2020; I then released the ebook version on November 2, 2020. All three versions have achieved Best Seller rankings. In fact, the paperback hit the #42 ranking in one of its categories and was among the Top 12 thousand of Amazon’s more than eight million books.

Since that time, ARMORED has sold more than 500 copies and is receiving press via traditional print, as well as podcast and social media channels internationally. My goal is for continued exposure and receptivity as ARMORED serves as an inspiration to anyone who feels ill-equipped to tackle their current life battles.

Review Fix: What’s next?

Landry: Now that I’ve proven that I can author and self-publish a successful book, I now have five other books in the conceptual process. The subject of most of those are business development and client experience-related books that are in alignment with Authentizity’s consulting/training/coaching service line.