Dana Mentink
https://www.danamentink.com/
T4JYM: Please share with our readers a little about the books you have written.
DM: I have been in the Christian fiction writing biz for a long time. I started my career in mystery and then added romantic suspense. I still write in both those genres.
T4JYM: What is your next release and what can readers expect from it?
DM: I’m not sure when this interview will post, but currently I have a Love Inspired Suspense (Following the Clues) launching in June and a full length wilderness survival novel with Revell (Fire Mountain) on July 1. The first follows the Security Hounds Investigations company and their bloodhound companions who are swept up in a missing persons case that turns deadly. The second is a wilderness survival story that follows a truck driver who awakens from a crash in a volcano eruption zone with missing memories and a stranger’s baby in her rig.
T4JYM: Where do you get ideas for your books?
DM: The world is a wild and wacky place. There is no shortage of amazing, wondrous, and perilous situations here on planet earth. I find ideas in news stories, books, and interesting places I visit. Most of the time it starts with a “what if” question. For example, “What if a woman woke up from a crash with a baby in her truck that she doesn’t remember?”
T4JYM: Besides writing books, tell our readers a little about you and the things that keep you busy.
DM: I would say the two areas where I spend most of my time are church and gardening. Those are the places where I feel closest to God.
T4JYM: What does the writing process look like for you, from idea to publication?
DM: Whew! That’s a big question. It involves preparing a proposal (three chapters and a synopsis) sending it to my agent for a look see, then on to the editors who will hopefully want to contract the work. If they do, it’s off to the races, with six months of writing before the finished product is submitted. That is followed by back and forth with edits/line edits/rewrites etc, and a year from the time of contract it’s usually on the shelves. That’s a very abbreviated version.
T4JYM: Who are some of your favorite authors? And why?
DM: For mystery I love M.C. Beaton. Some great suspense authors are Lynette Eason and Coleen Coble.
T4JYM: When did you begin writing? Do you have any formal education in writing or communications?
DM: I began writing 25 years ago, so I’ve been at it a while. I have a Liberal Studies major and a minor in English. I learned about fiction writing through workshops, networking, and listening to speakers at writing conferences and the most important way… by READING READING READING!
T4JYM: How has your writing changed from your first work to now?
DM: I’ve become better with dialogue and description (hopefully) and more willing to take risks with plot and theme.
T4JYM: Who has been your biggest advocate and supporter in your journey to success?
DM: My husband is my number one fan. My sister has edited almost all my books so she gets massive credit too!
T4JYM: If you could have just 30 minutes one-on-one with Jesus, what would it look like?
DM: You know, I think it would be a lot of joyful crying and me on my knees, content to be in His presence.
T4JYM: If you could meet any 3 people – past, present, or future – who would they be and why?
DM: I would love to have met CS Lewis because his books enchanted me long before I understood they were Christian allegory. This sounds funny, but I would have loved to meet Mr. Rogers because he exhibited such grace to everyone around him. I wish I could talk to my grandma again. She was gone before I had a chance to grow and mature and I would love to talk with her about her faith.
T4JYM: Are you involved in ministry in your own church or anywhere else?
DM: I serve as an elder for my church and in the women’s ministry group.
T4JYM: What was the last book you read? What types of books do you typically like to read?
DM: I will read all types of genres as long as they’re well written, but I’m not much of a fantasy girl. At the moment, I’m reading a book about San Francisco and the 1906 earthquake because I’m writing a historical mystery.
T4JYM: What advice would you give to someone interested in publishing their work?
DM: Think about why you want to be published. If it’s to complete one or two projects, that’s easy to do. There are many resources to help folks self pub, including editing, formatting, cover design, etc. If your goal is to be a career writer, that’s a long term commitment that will take you on a journey to learn the craft, network with other writers, and figure out how to run a small business because that’s what writing professionally is, basically.
T4JYM: What advice would you give to the youth of this world?
DM: Hold on to Jesus. We’re here on this planet to learn to love Him and to love each other. He is the way, the truth and the life.
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