Author Interview (and a Giveaway!): Dana R. Lynn

I had the privilege of meeting today’s guest at last year’s Christian Fiction Readers’ Retreat and I’m super-excited that she’ll be joining us for #CFRR2017 in August!

Dana R. Lynn grew up in Illinois, but now resides in rural Pennsylvania with her husband, three children, and enough animals to start her own petting zoo. She is an interpreter for the Deaf and hard of hearing during the day, and an author by night. Her friends know to beware…anything they say may someday show up in a story!

You can connect with Dana on her website, Facebook, and Twitter.

Her newest Love Inspired Suspense, Plain Target, released April 1st and starts the Amish Country Justice series!

SANCTUARY IN AMISH COUNTRY

Horse trainer Jess McGrath only wants to clear her disgraced brother’s name, but enemies keep coming out of the woodwork and danger only gets closer. Jess soon learns that no place is safe–and no one can be trusted…except for the last white knight she’d ever expect to ride to her rescue.

Paramedic Seth Travis was the boy behind her high school humiliation, but he’s also the man keeping her alive.

When they find sanctuary in the Amish community, can they uncover answers in time to stop a killer–and resolve their past in time to build a future together?

Hi Dana! Welcome to the blog! I start all of my guests out with a fast four:

Dana: Apples. They come in such variety, so I can choose from super sweet to sour, depending on my mood. Plus, I can eat them with peanut butter. And everything is better with peanut butter.

Carrie: Except oranges. Oranges are not better with peanut butter 😉

Dana: Summer. There always seems to be so much more to do in the summer. And although I love sitting by the fireplace with hot tea, I do not like being cold.

Carrie: I don’t like being cold either but I DESPISE being hot lol.

Dana: Cats. I love the family dogs, but the cat is mine. Cats have such personality. And I love holding them while they purr.

Carrie: Zuzu (my dog) says “No. Comment.” LOL

Dana: I like both. But I prefer tea. I just like the flavor better.

Carrie: If I had to pick one, I would go with tea but really I like neither. I’m weird.

Around here I like to say that reading is my superpower. If YOU had a superpower, what would it be?

Dana: Haha. I would have to say multi-tasking. I always have a zillion things going on. I am a mom of three teenagers (all in sports), a wife to a state representative, hold a full time job as an educational interpreter, and am doing my best to release four books a year.

Carrie: WOW!! You’re like your own superpower!

Who is your favorite book character from childhood?

Dana: Emily of New Moon (L.M. Montgomery). I have read this trilogy so many times. In fact, I still own all three books. Emily was mysterious, spunky, and so honest. I really felt her character, if that makes sense.

Carrie: I have had so many people mention this series, yet I’ve never read it. I really must make time to do so.

What’s the weirdest thing you’ve Googled while researching a book?

Dana: I always worry that my search history is going to get me trouble. This is actually a hard question, because I have researched several odd things. At the moment, though, one really strikes me. For Interrupted Lullaby, there was a scene dealing with rental storage units. I had googled all sorts of things to let me know if I could destroy them. I am sure anyone looking over my shoulder while I did my research would have been concerned.

Carrie: LOL!

Your new suspense novel, Plain Target, takes place in Amish country. What attracted you to this setting?

Dana: I live in Northwest PA. I see and associate with people from the Amish community on a frequent basis. The very simplicity of their life intrigues me. I often go into “purging mode” in the attempt to gain more simplicity by ridding my house of extra clutter. I also really like the modesty of the lifestyle.

Carrie: I desperately need to do a house-purge. The clutter is starting to make me twitchy 😀

In Plain Target, Jess McGrath’s knight in shining armor is the last person she’d expect: Seth Travis, the boy who humiliated her in high school.  What senior superlatives (most likely to… etc.) would you give Jess and Seth, and how are they living up to (or not) those expectations?

Dana: I’m assuming you mean in high school. Well, Seth is the son of a senator. He would have been the most likely to succeed. He was smooth, brilliant, and his father was pushing him to go into law school. Seth was a bit of a spoiled brat in high school. I’m sure people expected him to become wealthy, open a law practice, and marry a wealthy beauty queen. He’s not really living up to that at all. Some things happened in his life that made him take a hard look at how he was living and make a change.  He has rejected law school, and his father’s wealth, and makes his living as a paramedic. Jess was pretty much ignored in high school. Until she drew the attention of some bullies. She might have been the most likely to be forgotten, if there was such a category. Fortunately, Jess is strong, and her faith has brought her through the various trials she has endured. 

Carrie: “Most likely to succeed” combined with “most likely to be forgotten” – what an intriguing combination! I can’t wait to meet them!

What do you most want readers to take away from Plain Target?

Dana: Nobody is beyond God’s love. No matter what you’ve done in the past, no matter how you’ve failed, forgiveness is always possible.

Carrie: Yes! Amen.

Thank you so much for taking time to talk with me, Dana! 🙂 I’m looking forward to seeing you in August! Before we say goodbye for today, tell us what‘s coming up next for you.

Dana: I have two more books coming this year. Plain Retribution will be out in August an Amish Christmas Abduction will release in December. I love these stories. Readers who enjoyed any of my other books will see some familiar characters in both books. I also hope to continue my Amish Country Justice series in 2018.

Thank you so much, Carrie, for having me today! I really enjoyed this.

Dana is giving away a paperback of Plain Target to one of my readers! (US only) Giveaway is subject to Reading Is My SuperPower’s giveaway policy which can be found on the Disclosure page. Enter via the Rafflecopter form below.

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What about you? What interests you most about Plain Target?