Dana R. Lynn Interview

Q: How long have you been writing and what other careers or jobs have you had?

A:  I have been writing for pleasure for as long as I can recall. In fifth or sixth grade, I decided that I wanted to become an author. I started many books that never got further than the first chapter. It wasn’t until 2013, however, that I started to write seriously with the goal of becoming published. In addition to writing, I have worked both as a certified teacher for the Deaf and hard of hearing and an educational interpreter.

Q: Do you write in only one genre and if so which one and why? If not, which ones and why?

A: My main genre is romantic suspense. I love the fast pace and watching the characters grow in love and faith when presented with dangerous situations. I do have a couple of Regency novellas published with Clean Reads. They are Pride and Prejudice variation novellas, and were such fun to write. I would like to try my hand at contemporary inspirational romance at some point in the future. For right now, however, I plan on keeping my focus on suspense.

Q: How does your faith play into your writing?

A:  Faith plays a huge role in my writing. I think of my writing as a ministry of sorts. I long ago decided to never write anything that wouldn’t line up with my faith. Or that my children.

Q: How do you choose your settings for your books?

A:  My first ventures into writing, I picked settings that were familiar to me. PRESUMED GUILTY and INTERRUPTED LULLABY are both in rural northwestern PA. Even though LaMar Pond is a fictional town, I was still comfortable with it. For my current project, I am stepping outside of my comfort zone. For me, I have to be able to picture the setting. And, I love to travel. So I have several projects in mind that would happen in places I have never visited, but have seen in pictures. I can’t wait to research and visit new places!

Q: Do you base your characters on people you know or are they totally made up?

A: It’s a little of both. Usually, the characters are totally made up, but they might have a character trait of someone I know. For example, Melanie from PRESUMED GUILTY has asthma, like I do.

Q: Would you tell us about your current book release INTERRUPTED LULLABY?

A: Maggie Slade’s been on the run since witnessing her husband’s murder, hiding from a killer who wants evidence he believes she has. A killer who was dressed as a LaMar Pond policeman. And she’d better run fast, because it’s not just her life on the line- Maggie now has year-old twin babies. But then she’s attacked again, and rescued…by a LaMar Pond cop. Trusting Lieutenant Dan Willis is frightening. Letting him take her back to LaMar Pond to find her husband’s killer is terrifying. But to protect her babies, she’ll risk anything. Even her life. And as she grows closer to Dan and learns again….she may even risk her heart.

Q: Where did you get your inspiration for this story?

A: When I was writing PRESUMED GUILTY, I knew there was more to Dan Willis than was apparent. I thought about his character, and the idea of a former soldier dealing with emotional scars working as a cop clicked. The more I thought of him, the more I wanted to give him a chance to find love and healing. I also wanted a happy ending for Maggie Slade. She was a mystery that needed to be solved, but the more I worked out her character, I realized that I could really visualize her as a heroine.

Q: What is the main thing you hope readers remember from this story?

A: I would like the readers to remember that by trusting in God, Maggie and Dan were able to overcome what they thought were impossible odds to get their happy ending.

Q: Tell us what you like about the main characters of this book.

A: I love that Dan is tough and wounded, but is still very tender with Maggie and her twins. He is a man of his word, a man who will always put her well-being and that of her children first. I also love that Maggie is vulnerable and strong at the same time. She will do anything for her children. And even though her faith was lost long ago, she was willing to open her heart and mind again.

Q: Would you share with us what you are working on now?

A:   I am currently working on the next book in my LaMar Pond series. My hero and heroine are not the normal suspense couple, but I am really excited about them. I am also excited to be able to bring my love of Deaf Culture into my writing.

Q: If money were no object what vacation would you like to take and why?

A:  This is a hard question. I can only pick one place? I love to travel. Jerusalem, Ireland, Italy and Australia are all on my list of places I want to visit.

Q: What is the silliest thing you have ever done

A:  I asked my husband about this one. Because I have done many silly things in my life. He said one the silliest happened very early in our marriage. We were going to an event that morning. He came into the kitchen to find me hard at work cooking us breakfast. And why is this silly, you might ask? Because the event we were going to was a breakfast. Oops.

Q: What is the hardest thing you have ever done?

A:  Dealing with loss is always difficult. I lost a beloved brother from a car accident when I was in my early twenties, and a few years later, my father passed. I found great solace in the knowledge that I will see the again someday.

Q: Where can readers find you on the internet?

A:  I love hearing from readers! I can be found on Facebook at www.facebook.com/WriterDanaLynn, or on twitter as @DanaRLynn. I also have a blog/website at www.danarlynn.com.

Q: Anything else you’d like to tell or share with us?

A:  In addition to being a huge fan of suspense and romance, I am also a bit of a science fiction geek. I think I have seen every Star Wars and Star Trek made. I have also read many of the books. At one time, I thought I might write one, but then I realized I didn’t have the science know-how to pull it off. Thank you for having me on your blog!