Dana writes in two genres, cozy mystery and romantic suspense. She’s a USA TODAY, Publishers Weekly, and Amazon bestselling author as well as a two time ACFW Carol Award winner, and a Holt Medallion recipient. She was honored to receive the Author of the Year Award from West Coast Christian Writers. Currently, she writes for Harlequin’s Love Inspired and Poisoned Pen Press.
Visit Dana Mentink online
Snowbound Escape
To rescue a witness…this K-9 team must face a killer and a storm.
After months tracking a colleague falsely accused of a double homicide, officer Tanner Ford and his K-9 partner finally locate crime tech Mara Gilmore—but the real murderer is closing in. Now they must run into a frozen wilderness to survive. Evading the killer is the only way for Mara to clear her name. But will the harsh winter conditions cover their tracks…or bury them forever?
Part of the Pacific Northwest K-9 Unit series.
- ISBN: 1335597689
- Publisher: Love Inspired Suspense
Interview with Dana Mentink
You have been in this writing career business for over 20 years. What message do you hope readers take away from your newest release?
It’s always the same message for me. I want readers to be encouraged. Entertained, yes, thrilled yes, but at the core, I believe every book is a chance to connect with and encourage readers.
This book is part of a series written with other authors, all of whom are featuring canines in their stories. What are some of the unique challenges in showcasing our beloved 4-legged friends as a key character in a story?
I enjoy bringing out the personality of my doggie heroes and that means sometimes they are going to be just a wee bit naughty. Though they are police dogs and meticulously trained, I want my dog to be as three dimensional as the human characters so that involves going beyond their “working dog” facades.
You definitely have an affinity for furry canines. What role do they play in your real life, and what inspired you to start incorporating them into your writing?
Our personal canine is Junie the Wonder Dog, a rescue from Animal Rescue Foundation. She actually has a feature in my newsletter and she’s more popular than I am, for sure. My husband likes to say she’s a comfort dog, but she’s only interested in her own comfort. In her younger years she made it a practice to chew through the spines of most of my Bibles. Quirky and independent as she is, we all adore that twelve-pound diva! I’ve always had beautiful dogs in my life, so I guess it’s natural that I’ve folded them into my books.
Whether you’re writing lighthearted contemporary or delving deep into the nail-biting suspense, you no doubt do a lot of research for your books. What literary pilgrimages have you taken for research? What has been your favorite so far and what did you discover or learn?
I’ll tell you what. I traveled with Suzy Flory to Ireland for Writer’s Week. We saw the place that inspired her book, Sanctuary, and learned about Irish authors. The Irish are very passionate about their great writers and poets. It just gave me a whole new appreciation for the written word and I came home all fired up again about my profession.
What was the best money you ever spent as a writer?
I’d have to say hiring a professional for my first real headshot. Nothing screams “amateur” like a rough-looking bio picture. It was worth the money. Also attending conferences to network with others is definitely worth the expense.
You seem to have found your niche in the mystery/suspense genre. What is it about this genre that appeals to you? And do you recall what got you started with your first story in it?
I love mystery for two reasons. First, it’s an exercise in solving puzzles. Second, I can incorporate my sense of humor better in mystery than suspense. Those who know me will tell you, I’m a bit of a ham. (For proof of this, visit my Instagram page.) Cozy mystery lends itself to humor. My very first book was Trouble Up Finny’s Nose with Barbour, and it grew from a visit to a local beach town here in Northern California.
As writers, we often must be careful of our word count. Sometimes, that means snipping bits of what we write during the revision process. That being said, what did you edit OUT of this book?
Well, of course the one thing that always hits the cutting room floor is description. Oh how we love our beautiful words and we long to paint that perfect landscape or that amazing human profile, but really, less is more when it comes to adjectives and adverbs. Alas!
If you had to do something differently as a child or teenager to become a better writer as an adult, what would you do?
Nothing, really. I was an AVID reader, and I think that’s all you really need as a child to prepare you. The rest of the tools come from simply living and observing life as it rushes on by.
A little bit of your fun-loving and silly side comes out in both your writing and in some of the experiences you share. How does this play a role in the books you write, and what challenges do you face balancing the more intense sides of the genre with the fun?
That’s exactly why I write both mystery and suspense. Cozy mystery lets me exercise my laugh muscles. In the suspense genre, I find ways to express humor with characterization. People are quite funny in the real world with all our failures and foibles. Good characters should reflect those too, it’s just harder to squeeze it in when the poor souls are running for their lives! Dogs help. They never fail to provide a chuckle.
Finish this statement: In the future, I will…continue to work on my two jobs on this planet….to love God and to love my neighbors. If I could improve on both those things, I’d be a happy camper.
Any parting words?
Writers are only successful because of readers. Thank you so very much to all the lovely readers who have come with me on my journey. God bless you, friends!
_______________________________
Tiffany Amber Stockton has been crafting and embellishing stories since childhood, when she was accused of having an active imagination and a flair for the dramatic. Today, she has honed those skills to become an award-winning author and speaker who works as a homeschool mom and independent contractor, helping others become their best from the inside out. She lives with her husband and fellow author, Stuart Vaughn Stockton, in Kentucky. They have a daughter and son, and 2 cats. She has sold over 25 books so far, three of which have won annual reader's choice awards. She is represented by Tamela Murray of the Steve Laube Agency. (www.tiffanyamberstockton.com)
It’s always the same message for me. I want readers to be encouraged. Entertained, yes, thrilled yes, but at the core, I believe every book is a chance to connect with and encourage readers.
This book is part of a series written with other authors, all of whom are featuring canines in their stories. What are some of the unique challenges in showcasing our beloved 4-legged friends as a key character in a story?
I enjoy bringing out the personality of my doggie heroes and that means sometimes they are going to be just a wee bit naughty. Though they are police dogs and meticulously trained, I want my dog to be as three dimensional as the human characters so that involves going beyond their “working dog” facades.
You definitely have an affinity for furry canines. What role do they play in your real life, and what inspired you to start incorporating them into your writing?
Our personal canine is Junie the Wonder Dog, a rescue from Animal Rescue Foundation. She actually has a feature in my newsletter and she’s more popular than I am, for sure. My husband likes to say she’s a comfort dog, but she’s only interested in her own comfort. In her younger years she made it a practice to chew through the spines of most of my Bibles. Quirky and independent as she is, we all adore that twelve-pound diva! I’ve always had beautiful dogs in my life, so I guess it’s natural that I’ve folded them into my books.
Whether you’re writing lighthearted contemporary or delving deep into the nail-biting suspense, you no doubt do a lot of research for your books. What literary pilgrimages have you taken for research? What has been your favorite so far and what did you discover or learn?
I’ll tell you what. I traveled with Suzy Flory to Ireland for Writer’s Week. We saw the place that inspired her book, Sanctuary, and learned about Irish authors. The Irish are very passionate about their great writers and poets. It just gave me a whole new appreciation for the written word and I came home all fired up again about my profession.
What was the best money you ever spent as a writer?
I’d have to say hiring a professional for my first real headshot. Nothing screams “amateur” like a rough-looking bio picture. It was worth the money. Also attending conferences to network with others is definitely worth the expense.
You seem to have found your niche in the mystery/suspense genre. What is it about this genre that appeals to you? And do you recall what got you started with your first story in it?
I love mystery for two reasons. First, it’s an exercise in solving puzzles. Second, I can incorporate my sense of humor better in mystery than suspense. Those who know me will tell you, I’m a bit of a ham. (For proof of this, visit my Instagram page.) Cozy mystery lends itself to humor. My very first book was Trouble Up Finny’s Nose with Barbour, and it grew from a visit to a local beach town here in Northern California.
As writers, we often must be careful of our word count. Sometimes, that means snipping bits of what we write during the revision process. That being said, what did you edit OUT of this book?
Well, of course the one thing that always hits the cutting room floor is description. Oh how we love our beautiful words and we long to paint that perfect landscape or that amazing human profile, but really, less is more when it comes to adjectives and adverbs. Alas!
If you had to do something differently as a child or teenager to become a better writer as an adult, what would you do?
Nothing, really. I was an AVID reader, and I think that’s all you really need as a child to prepare you. The rest of the tools come from simply living and observing life as it rushes on by.
A little bit of your fun-loving and silly side comes out in both your writing and in some of the experiences you share. How does this play a role in the books you write, and what challenges do you face balancing the more intense sides of the genre with the fun?
That’s exactly why I write both mystery and suspense. Cozy mystery lets me exercise my laugh muscles. In the suspense genre, I find ways to express humor with characterization. People are quite funny in the real world with all our failures and foibles. Good characters should reflect those too, it’s just harder to squeeze it in when the poor souls are running for their lives! Dogs help. They never fail to provide a chuckle.
Finish this statement: In the future, I will…continue to work on my two jobs on this planet….to love God and to love my neighbors. If I could improve on both those things, I’d be a happy camper.
Any parting words?
Writers are only successful because of readers. Thank you so very much to all the lovely readers who have come with me on my journey. God bless you, friends!
_______________________________
Tiffany Amber Stockton has been crafting and embellishing stories since childhood, when she was accused of having an active imagination and a flair for the dramatic. Today, she has honed those skills to become an award-winning author and speaker who works as a homeschool mom and independent contractor, helping others become their best from the inside out. She lives with her husband and fellow author, Stuart Vaughn Stockton, in Kentucky. They have a daughter and son, and 2 cats. She has sold over 25 books so far, three of which have won annual reader's choice awards. She is represented by Tamela Murray of the Steve Laube Agency. (www.tiffanyamberstockton.com)
For more great interviews, visit our Author Interview Archives.