Dana R. Lynn Interview

Q: Let me start with asking you to tell us a little bit about yourself.
A. Hi! It’s a pleasure to be here again. I was born and raised near Chicago, but now live in rural northwestern PA with my husband and my kids. My daughter just graduated from high school, and my sons will be a senior and a freshman in high school this year. They grew up so fast! I am a teacher of the deaf and hard of hearing during the day. I usually write on weekends and at night. Although I have also been known to write at my kids’ sport practices. I see my writing as a ministry. I am an avid reader of varying genres. I just love the written word.

Q: When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
A. I first realized I wanted to be a writer when I was in fifth or sixth grade. I had to set my writing dreams aside when my children were very young. When they were older, I took it up again.

Q: Do you find certain themes reoccurring in your books? If so, what are they and why? If not, what is the theme in your current release?
A. I find that the themes of reconciliation and forgiveness are recurrent themes in my books. Another recurring theme is that God is bigger than any problem, which is a theme in my current book.

Q: Would you tell us about your current book release Amish Country Ambush?
A: Sure. This is the blurb on the back of the book: “After police dispatcher Elise St. Clair’s home is invaded by her murderous brother-in-law, her nephew is hidden in Amish Country by her cleaning lady. Now relying on police officer Ryan Parker is Elise’s only hope of reuniting with the child…and evading the killer. And Elise and Ryan quickly discover their temporary partnership has long-term potential– if they can stay alive.”

Q: Where did the idea for this story come from?
A. Well, I introduced Ryan Parker back in Plain Retribution. As I got to know him, I knew that he had real hero potential. I was trying to plot his story when I went on a research trip to New Wilmington, PA. One of the spots we visited was the Banks Covered Bridge. As we were taking pictures of the bridge and watching the cars move over it, a scene started to form in my mind. A scene that is in the book. I started to expand on it and ask myself questions about what was happening. And from there, the story developed.

Q: Who/what has influenced your writing career the most?
A. Definitely God. I had no idea where it would take me until I started to really pay attention to His inspirations. I couldn’t decide where I wanted to focus my writing, other than I knew I wanted it to have some kind of romance in it. But what kind? Regency? Contemporary? Ironically, suspense, although it is my favorite genre to read, was not an option I considered at first. But God had other ideas. And now, I feel it’s where I belong.

Q: Would you share with us what you are working on now?
A. Right now I am working on the sixth book in the Amish Country Justice series. The heroine is the sister of the heroine from Plain Retribution. This book is a stand-alone story which is only slightly connected to the previous stories.

Q: Is you were a dessert, what would it be and why?
A: This is a hard one. I’m going to chocolate. Milk chocolate is sweet, but dark chocolate had a stronger, sharper taste. I can be sweet, but I also have a sarcastic streak. I am working on that one.

Q: Is there something about you most people wouldn’t know?
A. Most people wouldn’t know that I have always wanted to learn how to hang glide. Which makes zero sense, because I am not a fan of airplanes, although that is mostly because airplanes are very confining spaces.

Q: Is there a place you have always wanted to visit? A vacation spot, historical monument, overseas, etc?
A: There are so many places I want to visit! I think the number one place is Ireland. I would love to rent a castle for a couple of weeks and just explore.