An Interview with Dottie Lee
Dottie Lee is a children’s book author, dancer, and healing arts practitioner who writes to inspire inclusion, confidence, and empathy in young readers. Her bestselling picture book, Frances Flamingo: Prima Ballerina, has sparked joy and conversation in families, schools, and libraries. Dottie lives in Texas, where she enjoys a good cup of coffee, walking her rescue Bichon Frise, Lily, and dreaming up new adventures for Frances Flamingo.
Who/what made you want to write? Was there a particular person, or particular writers/works/art forms that influenced you?
Growing up, I lived right across the street from the town library—books were my life from an early age. I devoured everything I could get my hands on: mysteries, adventures, humor—you name it! I loved getting lost in stories.
When I was 10, I got a toy typewriter for Christmas, and I decided to write a newsletter to keep my family informed about the “goings-on” in our house. Unfortunately, my brother called it “tattling,” since he was my prime subject, and I was discouraged from continuing. But even then, I had the spark of wanting to write, to capture life in words.
Over time, that love for storytelling stayed with me. The books I read—especially those filled with heart, humor, and adventure—inspired me to create stories of my own. Books like Carolyn Keene’s Nancy Drew mysteries and Helen Wells’ Cherry Ames Nursing Stories opened my imagination, and now I hope to do the same for young readers through my Frances Flamingo books.
What other professions have you worked in? What’s something about you that your readers wouldn’t know?
There’s definitely a teacher in me. I’ve been in dance since I was five years old, and I opened a dance school in the 1980s. I’ve been teaching ever since, sharing the joy of movement with children and, more recently, with adults who have neurological conditions like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.
I’ve also always been fascinated by the body—how it works, how it heals. That curiosity led me to train as a medical assistant, but I eventually found my true calling in teaching dance and working with people through movement. Even in high school, I was drawn to teaching—I taught religious education classes back then!
Something readers might not know about me? I was once a mystery shopper for the financial and travel industries! I evaluated hotels, restaurants, spas, and banks, then wrote detailed reports about the customer experience. It was a unique and interesting part of my journey.
Tell us the story of your book’s title. Was it easy to find, or did it take forever?
The title is Frances Flamingo Prima Ballerina, the first book in the series of The Adventures of Frances Flamingo. The title was easy to find because I knew the character was going to be a flamingo. I had just been to the Houston Zoo and when visiting the flamingos they all squawking at the same time. My thought was — they must have a story to tell! The ballet title came because I’m a ballet teacher and I wanted to tell a story from watching my students learning new dance steps and struggling with what was new. My job was to convince them that the dance steps were not hard – just new!
What part of publishing your book made it feel real for the first time?
The moment my story began to feel real was when it reached the illustration stage. That’s when my talented illustrator took my words and brought them to life on the page—turning the story I had in my head into a vibrant, colorful world. I remember thinking, This really is a book! Seeing Frances Flamingo dancing in the ballet studio with her new friends—it was magical. That was the moment I knew I wasn’t just writing a story—I was creating something that could inspire and delight children.
If your book had a soundtrack, what are some songs that would be on it?
“If I Were a Rich Man” from Fiddler on the Roof captures the tension I feel as a creator with a head full of stories and ideas, but not always the resources to bring them all to life. Like Tevye dreaming of what he could do if he were rich, I sometimes wish for more to invest in production, marketing, and reaching a wider audience.
“Fight Song” by Rachel Platten is my anthem of perseverance. It’s a reminder that creating stories—especially ones that uplift, encourage, and inspire—takes courage, determination, and a refusal to give up, no matter the obstacles.
“A Million Dreams” from The Greatest Showman speaks to the heart of why I write. It’s about holding onto the vision, even when it feels far away, and believing that the world can be a more beautiful, inclusive, and hopeful place through stories like Frances Flamingo’s.
These songs resonate not just with me as a creator, but with Frances’ story too. Like me, Frances faces challenges and has big dreams—whether it’s becoming a ballerina, scoring the winning goal on the soccer field, or finding her way home to her flock. Her journey reflects the same message: it takes courage to keep trying, and following your dreams is always worth the effort.
What’s one thing you hope sticks with readers after they finish your book?
One thing I hope sticks with readers after they finish my book is the sense that courage and determination can lead to growth, even when challenges feel big. I want young readers to see themselves in Frances Flamingo—whether she’s learning a new dance, trying something new like roller skating or navigating the ups and downs of life—and to feel inspired to keep going, even when things feel tough.
But even more than that, I hope my books spark meaningful conversations between children and their parents or caregivers. Just the other day, while reading Frances Flamingo Prima Ballerina to my 6-year-old granddaughter, she surprised me by asking if Fritzy was Frances’ boyfriend! I was stunned—what does a six-year-old know about boyfriends!? I almost joked, “Does he have a job?” but I saved that for later. What followed was a heartwarming conversation about friends—what makes a good friend, and how friendships can look different with boys or girls.
That moment reminded me how stories can open the door to important, honest conversations with kids, and how they can learn they can talk to us about things they’re unsure of—without fear of being criticized. That’s the real magic of a good story: it builds bridges, encourages problem-solving, and helps kids feel seen and heard.
What was the most rewarding/meaningful part of publishing your book?
The most rewarding part of publishing my book was seeing my very first book in print in 2023—at the age of 77. Learning the self-publishing process felt like earning a PhD in publishing! Looking back, writing the story was the easy part. The real challenge—and the greatest growth—came in learning about editing, illustration, copyrights, marketing, and all the moving pieces that go into bringing a book to life.
But the truth is, I loved every step of the journey, and I’m still learning. Since then, I’ve written Frances Flamingo: Rainbow and Roller Skates, and published the Spanish edition of Frances Flamingo Prima Ballerina.
The most meaningful lesson for me is this: there are no stop signs when it comes to following your dreams. I’m a lifelong learner, and I believe it’s never too late to try something new, grow, and share your gifts with the world.
What creative projects are you currently working on?
I’m wrapping up Frances Flamingo: Soccer Star, the latest book in the Frances Flamingo series. I also have a new picture book series, Tutus and Tiaras, nearly ready for publication. It’s a heartfelt story about a little girl in a wheelchair who dreams of becoming a ballerina.
Alongside my children’s books, I’m completing a prescriptive memoir titled Love, Addiction, and Difficult Decisions, which I plan to publish by the end of this year. Since the subject matter is so personal and challenging, I took a temporary detour into children’s literature, self-publishing three books in the Frances Flamingo series along the way.
I’m also developing a memoir class curriculum, which I’ll be teaching at the Houston Public Library this fall. In addition, I’m leading Frances Flamingo Prima Ballerina read-aloud events that include a short ballet class to engage young readers in the magic of storytelling and movement.
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