with Dana Mentink

Welcome to Patterings, Dana! Tell us about your epiphany moment when you decided you were going to seriously pursue writing and eventually publication.
After I left teaching to stay at home and raise my babies, my husband encouraged me to pursue a long simmering passion to write. He bravely signed on for infant care while I took a writing class from my mentor, Penny Warner. Penny gave me some advice I’ve always held on to. She said, “Start thinking of yourself as a professional writer.” I did and I’ve become one, amazingly enough.

Which of your books (published or upcoming) has been the most fun for you to write and which character is your favorite?
I really enjoyed writing the Up Finny’s Nose Mysteries for Barbour Books. They just released them in a three-in-one called California Capers. My favorite character in that series is an octogenarian newspaper boy who is hopelessly addicted to candy.

What is your most difficult writing obstacle, and how do you overcome it?
My attention span. It causes endless trouble. What was I talking about? Oh yes, trying to focus on too many things at once. I get around that by scheduling out my week for the different projects. A day to work on synopsis for one, proof galleys on another, research a third, etc.

What is your strangest habit?
I collect wind-up toys. My most unusual is a wind-up nose. Great conversation starter (or ender.)

Are there things you put off doing because you dread them?
Editing isn’t my favorite thing, but it inevitably makes for a better book so I grit my teeth and bear it.

Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading.
I enjoy reading just about everything except for erotica and paranormal stuff. I enjoy comic mystery and literary fiction the most, I would say.

Are there spiritual themes you like to write about?
Forgiveness seems to crop up a lot. So hard to offer and so hard to receive.

What lesson is the Lord teaching you right now or recently taught you?
To trust Him, and seek His will for my writing and personal life. I haven’t got it down yet, but I’m working on it.

When is your next book due out and can you tell us about it?
The next book is called Endless Night in January of 2010 with Steeple Hill. If you want to know more you can check out my website. There’s always a fun gift card contest going on there! Thanks for the interview.


Thanks so much for being with us, Dana. I thoroughly enjoyed your interview and love your sense of humor. :) You can find Race to Rescue in bookstores, Amazon or the local Wal-Mart and Safeway.

Dana is giving away a copy of Race to Rescue as well as Flashover and Trouble Up Finny's Nose. To be entered in the book giveaways, leave a comment and check back on Sunday, September 6th to see if you've won. If you want to guarantee that you're notified if you win, then leave your email address in the comment, otherwise, you can just check back and email me through the button in my sidebar. OR you could sign up to have Patterings updates delivered to your inbox. If you do, it will give you a bonus entry in the giveaway, otherwise you can enter twice--once for each post you leave a comment on. :^)

Don't forget to check out and enter the giveaways still going on:
Judy Gann and Joyce Magnin

On deck for tomorrow is Shirley Kiger Connolly. See ya then!

Tweet

Pin It