REVIEW: FIRE MOUNTAIN by Dana Mentink

Hi, Marji Laine here. 

I have been a fan of Dana Mentink since I first met her through Suspense Sisters almost a decade ago. Some of her books are on my all-time favorites list. So I was so excited to review Fire Mountain.

I was a sophomore in high school in 1980, the year that Mt. St. Helens erupted. The before version of the mountain was considered the Mt. Fuji of the US because of it's perfectly shaped top and almost perfect symmetry to its shape. I vividly recall the months of warnings over Mount St. Helens, the weeks of evacuation, and the days when we held our breaths until the lady finally blew her top. I remember looking at before and after images, seeing what was left of towns, lakes, forests, and the profile of the mountain itself. A third of its top had disappeared, leaving a gaping crater and 230 square miles of destruction.

Reading this story was like walking the ridges of Mount St. Helens in its final days. I can honestly say, I felt like I was experiencing the same apprehension and panic right along with Kit and Cullen.

Settings are my thing. In fact, I wrote a Suspense Sisters post about settings just last Friday, HERE. So this story falls right into line with one of my sweet spots. The mountain, the ridges, the roads, even the gullies and blackberry bushes, become so visible, so real. All by itself, this wavering Mount Ember gives a percussion to the suspense with periodic tremors, fissures, and other issues from underground activity.

This is the framework where Dana Mentink places her long-hauling female truck driver, Kit Garrido. And then adds a couple of people who seem to be evil incarnate bent on finding her in order to destroy someone or something.

This story begins with riveting intensity: Cold and ice-pick pain bored into Kit Garrido’s temples. Her limbs were leaden, her body a deadweight in the driver’s seat of her big rig. Grit coated her tongue and teeth. She tasted blood. Try as she might, she couldn’t reach out to unbuckle her seat belt. Panic bubbled up inside her.

See what I mean? Fire Mountain had my shoulders tensing before I finished the first paragraph. And Mentink is a master of pacing, giving the reader just enough time to breathe before the next unexpected happens. And between the baddies and the mountain, there are plenty of options for those unexpecteds!

If you’re familiar with my suspense ranking post from a couple of months back (You can see it HERE), you’ll understand when I set this as a 9 or 10 on the intensity spectrum. This ranking is purely a scale for how intense the suspense is. I don’t rank how well I like books. If I’m reviewing it at all, it has high merit!

And this one certainly fits that category. Every word—every sentence—seemed to have impressive intentionality - I might even call it precision - that blows my mind. The setting, as I mentioned, is a masterpiece. The characters have broken histories with building understanding of their redemption throughout the story. Memorable indeed. And the plot stays at an amped up level throughout the entire book. Kudos to Dana Mentink for yet another thrilling success!

Here's a little more about the book:

Fire rains from above as they fight to discover the truth and stay alive.

In the shadow of a threatening volcano, long-haul trucker Kit Garrido wakes up in her crashed big rig, unable to recall what happened or why she's suddenly in possession of someone's baby. Fiercely independent, she has to admit that perhaps this time she could use a little help.

As the threat of eruption grows, former cop Cullen Landry refuses to leave his cabin in the evacuation area, which is why he's the only one left who can help Kit escape the crumpled cab of her truck. He doesn't want to get tangled up in the mystery of the beautiful woman with an abandoned infant, but when he sees the bullet hole in the windshield and the bloody handprint on the interior, he realizes that he's in this thing, like it or not.

When two armed men with ill intent approach, the race is on to stay alive, discover the truth, and find the baby's missing mother--all while a deadly mountain rains fire from above.

This nail-biting clean romantic suspense will appeal to readers of Lynn H. Blackburn, Nancy Mehl, and Susan May Warren. Packed with thrilling twists and themes of natural disasters, an amnesia trope, and an abandoned baby.

Our own Suspense Sister, Mary Alford, says about this book: "A flawless suspense with characters that will have readers turning pages. I couldn't put it down."

I echo that – listening to the entire thing over the course of two thrilling days, only putting it down when I absolutely had to! Read this one. Suspense fans will LOVE it!

You can find it on Amazon and Audible HERE! 

What's HOT in Inspirational Suspense by Mary Ellis

 Wondering what's new in inspirational suspense and mystery? Dana Mentink has a brand new suspense, Death Valley Double Cross, Desert Justice #3, available today from Love Inspired Suspense. 

Here's a little bit about the story:  A killer seeking revenge will stop at nothing to get it…Pilar Jefferson is shocked to learn that her supposedly deceased father is alive and has been in prison—and now his ruthless former partner is after her. Fleeing on her wedding day was the best way to protect her loved ones. But now with her mother held for ransom and her ex-fiancé, Austin Duke, stumbling back into her life, can she keep everyone safe—and escape an assassin? From Love Inspired Suspense: Courage. Danger. Faith.

You can buy Death Valley Double Cross HERE

Have a great week of reading, lovers of inspirational suspense! ~ Mary Ellis 

What's Hot in Inspirational Suspense?

by Patricia Bradley

Wondering what's HOT in Inspirational Suspense? Here are two Love Inspired Suspense books that released in June!

Her child’s life is on the line

A Roughwater Ranch Cowboys story

After putting his serial killer brother in prison, former US marshal Mitch Whitehorse chooses a solitary country life—until his brother escapes. Now Mitch’s former sister-in-law, Jane Reyes, needs protection…for herself and the toddler she’s kept a secret. Mitch still isn’t sure of Jane’s innocence in his brother’s crimes, but to keep his nephew out of a killer’s grasp, trusting her is his only option.

You can purchase Danger on the Ranch here:

Amazon

B&N

She’s keeping secrets. He must keep her safe.

An FBI: Special Crimes Unit page-turner

Were it not for Tessa Carlson, Special Agent Henry Miller’s daughter would have been abducted. But rescuing the little girl has thrust Tessa—a woman in hiding—into the media’s spotlight…and into a criminal’s crosshairs. Now her survival depends on putting her faith in widowed single father Henry if she wants to live to see another day.

You can purchase Lone Witness at:

Amazon

B&N

WHAT'S HOT IN INSPIRATIONAL SUSPENSE

Hi Suspense Sisters readers, Mary Ellis here. Here's what has just released in inspirational suspense from Barbour Publishing. The Coffee Club Mysteries ~ 6 Whodunits Are Brewing in Small Town Kansas by Darlene Franklin, Cynthia Hickey, Elizabeth Ludwig, Dana Mentink, Candice Prentice and Janice Thompson.

Here's a bit about the anthology: Mysterious events are brewing in this Kansas coffee shop! Morgan finds a worker hanged. Evelyn discovers the body of a church meal organizer. Somebody's stalking Harper for her jade owl. Jeanine's charity event proceeds are missing. Jo sends a man into anaphylactic shock. And Penny finds a gun---in her beehive. Who's behind these unexplained occurrences? 448 pages, softcover from Barbour.

The Coffee Club Mysteries is available from Christianbook.com at this link:

https://www.christianbook.com/coffee-mysteries-whodunits-brewing-small-kansas/darlene-franklin/9781683228233/pd/228232?event=Fiction|1000643

Hot new inspy suspense from Ronie Kendig!

A sniper shot hits Cole Tox Russell. The enemy is one of his own; a rogue Special Forces team operator and old friend, Alec King. Tox discovers Alec commits several horrific murders that he claims is vengeance against the wrongs committed by his victims. Then he begins targeting innocent people and tries to blackmail Tox into joining him, expressing they are the same type of soldier. Tox must come to terms with what type of soldier he really is, as it is a soldier’s duty to kill with honor in the pursuit of justice, not murder for one’s own vengeance.

Hot new inspy suspense from Lenora Worth!

Single mother Penny Potter has spent months in hiding to keep her toddler from his father, a rogue FBI agent turned fugitive. But he's determined to flee the country with the child, and she can't dodge him forever. When he corners Penny in the Montana wilderness and gets away with their son, she's forced to trust his brother, handsome FBI K-9 agent Zeke Morrow. And Zeke must decide where his loyalty lies: with his sibling or the woman he wasn't supposed to fall for. As the bullets fly and family ties are tested, Penny and Zeke will fight to save the boy who brought them together.

Hot New Inspy Suspense!

Amish bishop Henry Lapp eagerly awaits the annual arrival of 20,000 sandhill cranes to the San Luis Valley of Colorado. But his visit to the Monte Vista National Wildlife Refuge reveals more than just a miracle of God's creation. Hidden among the bulrushes and cattails is the deceased body of a young woman.

As the local authorities attempt to unravel the mystery, Henry feels God's calling to use his extraordinary talent to aid in the investigation. His ability to draw from memory in photographic detail could help solve this puzzling case.

Henry's closest friend, Emma Fisher, has always urged him to embrace his gift. As their relationship deepens, Henry realizes his involvement could put him and those he loves in the direct path of a killer, one who is willing to do anything to cover up a brutal crime, including framing the bishop.

When the Bishop Needs an Alibi is a compelling story of faith, friendship, and finding courage only God can provide.

Hot new Inspy suspense!

Twenty-year-old Claire Davis, newcomer to Juniper Creek and official sorter for Lochlan museum, has one question…
Who broke into the local thrift store, and systematically destroyed all the second-hand merchandise?

And… why?

Aided and abetted by Alec Collins, her twenty-four year old neighbor, and loaded with enough curiosity to kill a cat, Claire searches for answers.

Claire and Alec soon discover there’s more to the collectible killer’s motive than a hatred of collectibles, and that their harmless investigation…

…is anything but.

















Twenty-year-old Claire Davis, newcomer to Juniper Creek and official sorter for Lochlan museum, has one question…
Who broke into the local thrift store, and systematically destroyed all the second-hand merchandise?

And… why?

Aided and abetted by Alec Collins, her twenty-four year old neighbor, and loaded with enough curiosity to kill a cat, Claire searches for answers.

Claire and Alec soon discover there’s more to the collectible killer’s motive than a hatred of collectibles, and that their harmless investigation…

…is anything but.

Hot new inspy suspense!

Traces of Guilt, by Dee Henderson

Gabriel Thane is the sheriff and lifetime resident of Carin County Illinois, committed to upholding the law and keeping the residents safe. Lieutenant Evie Blackwell is a State Police Detective skilled at investigations. She launches a new task force to reexamine unsolved crimes across the state. She begins work with the sheriff’s department on a few of its most troubling missing-persons cases, a deputy, his wife and eleven-year old son’s disappearance, and in an unrelated case involving a six-year-old girl abducted from a hotel. As she examines old evidence, she finds a connection to a third cold case.

Springing into a new season...with a crazy spring contest!

Spring has sprung around here. What's that mean? My flowers are sproinging to life, deadlines are looming, and my teaching job kicks into high gear with standardized testing. Busy, busy, busy as the bees on my lavender plants! I thought I'd provide some fascinating facts that you might not know about the zingy, springy month of April.



- Of the eight US presidents who died in office, three died in April.


-April is the first month of the year with exactly 30 days and the only month with an “i” in its name.



-“April” is an anagram of “pilar” which means “hairy”.



-April begins on the same day of the week as July every single year.


April also means it's time to spruce up my newsletter subscriber list, so I'm doing an extra fun contest. The details are in my YouTube video so click the link and check it out if you'd like to participate. https://youtu.be/j0ac0Xp0560

Finally, tell me what you love about spring!

Fall Fun Survey...What's on YOUR plate this fall?

Honestly, though the weather here in Northern, CA is still in the 90's during the day (this drought is JUST not going away), we're seeing signs of fall. First off, my box turtle is slooowwwwiiinnnngggg dooowwwwwn. She reacts to the number of daylight hours and the cooler nights, so she's even better than a groundhog at predicting the weather. Second, there's an avalanche of pumpkin themed foods in every grocery store. 

Since fall is definitely on the way, I thought it would be fun to see what's "falling" in your life right now, peeps. Answer the questions below if you'd like. I'll pick a participant who will win a print or digital copy of Abducted, my newest suspense with Love Inspired Suspense. (If you've already got yourself a copy, I'm happy to give away any of my other titles, if I still have them. ) Ready? Here goes!

1.  What is your favorite fall activity? 

2. What is your favorite fall food? 

3.  What is the weather like in your region in the fall? 

4.  Of course, what book is on your bedside table for those long cool evenings? 

And just for fun, I've included this TOTALLY SERIOUS VIDEO I made a while back to welcome fall. Think Masterpiece Theater here, peeps. 

Review and Giveaway with Suspense Sister DANA MENTINK

Marji here. I've admired my fellow Suspense Sister, Dana Mentink for some time and am so delighted to get to interview her today! 

Welcome, Dana, even though this is as much home for you as for me! 

The first book of yours that I read was Jungle Fire. That incredible romantic suspense became one of my all-time favorites! Then you charmed the tar out of me with the contemporary romance, Sit, Stay, Love. That became another all-time favorite. Last week, I listened to Trouble Up Finny's Nose. What a hysterical cozy mystery! In which genre did you begin, and how did you find yourself moving into the other genres?

Well, the truth is stranger than fiction, I always say! I started out in the cozy mystery genre because I loved the problem solving, small town, quirky feel to it.  Cozies are a place where you can include gentle humor and really explore setting, so I loved that. My agent suggested we pitch to Love Inspired Suspense and after a few tries, they accepted me. I dove into suspense novels which kept me busy with LIS and then Jungle Fire for Moody. I love suspense, but I am a nut at heart and I missed the sweet, humorous style I was able to explore in the cozies, so when my agent said Harvest House was looking for a lighthearted, dog themed series I jumped up and down and said, "Me! Me! Let me write it!" By gosh, they actually did hire me! Such joy I've had writing that series! 

And those books are outstanding! Funny and heart-warming. I used to think mystery, romance, and romantic suspense were all very similar, but they really aren't. What are the main differences between them? How do those differences create special challenges as you move between them?

No, they are quite different and that's why I love to write all of them. Suspense is very danger driven, with tight pacing and no room for much humor. Mystery is more about the puzzle solving than the running for your life, so the pace can be a bit slower. In a straight romance, the conflict has to be teased out from the characters and circumstances, but the pacing is not as ruthless. For me, it's great to write lighthearted romance and suspense because they are so different. I don't get mixed up between the two!

Ha! That could be dangerous! Your 2016 repertoire is impressive! You released Sit, Stay, Love (Romance) in April, Seaside Secrets through Love Inspired Suspense in May, Seek and Find through Love Inspired Suspense in June, and now Fetching Sweetness (Romance) this month. Were you ever writing the different genres at the same time?

When I see my publishing schedule written out, I can't imagine how I did that either. It was an unusually busy year. I am also a part time third grade teacher so that adds to the chaos. I don't typically write two suspense or lighthearted books at the same time, so that helps me avoid confusion. That said, I'm sure my editor would tell you I'm plenty prone to messing things up! I also find it confusing when people say, "How's the book coming?" I just sort of stare blankly and try to figure out which one they're talking about.

Have you ever confused your plots, added a scene to the wrong story, or an element that shouldn't be in that genre? 

Not really, but I make plenty of bonehead mistakes like changing a character's name halfway through a novel, or skipping from a Monday to a Wednesday. That's why my editors are super important to me! They save me on a regular basis.

Oh, yes! Having other sets of eyes on the story is priceless! But your writing year has indeed been a busy one! Yet you have teenagers at home and life outside of writing. How did you publish five books in a 12-month period? What does your normal workday look like?

Normal for me during the school year is getting up real early and writing four days a week. I don't write on Sundays (that's a promise I made to God early on in the process) and I don't write on Thursdays and Fridays because I teach those days and third grade is exhausting! I try to be available as much as I can in the afternoons and weekends when the bear cubs are home. Papa Bear works from home, so we lunch together and chat throughout the day. That keeps things in balance for me (mostly.) In the summer I'm writing pretty much every day except for Sundays. I find that teenage cubs are not very early risers, so I get a lot of uninterrupted time to write!

Wow, that's great! My teenagers never quite stopped this summer. I'm not sure what uninterrupted time even looks like anymore! LOL! What does 2017 hold for you in writing and in your personal life? 

Well, still teaching, of course. I've got more Love Inspired Suspense novels coming out and Fetching Sweetness just released this month. The last in that dog series comes out in February. Looking forward to being a "band groupie" for my daughter's marching band performances and spending as much time as possible with friends and family!

I'm excited to read Fetching Sweetness! Thanks so much for sharing. 

Sure thing! I'm happy to give away a digital copy of Seek and Find and also Seaside Secrets to one of the readers! And if you want to have a sneak peek behind the scenes of my books, there's a YouTube video in which my dog Junie makes an appearance!
Lol! Love your video! 

Readers, if you want a chance to win an e-copy of Seek and Find along with Seaside Secrets, please leave your email address in the comments below. And tell us about your favorite of Dana's books or maybe the one you most would like to read.

Top three annoying qualities of writers!

Howdy, all. Dana Mentink here. I think I have to just confess up front that I possess many annoying qualities, but some of them happen to come in very handy for writing fiction! I'm going to tell you the top three below. Comments today will get you entered to win a Kindle copy of Dangerous Tidings, the first of a four book detective series. 

#1: Nosiness! Oh dear. It's just not polite to be interested in things that don't have anything to do with oneself, but golly! People's lives are so fascinating! I cannot help myself when I hear someone talking about their encounter with a bear on the trail or a crazy incident at the airport. "Mind your own business, Dana," I tell myself, but I find it hard to resist listening in on colorful moments that may just influence that scene or character that I'm writing. Sigh. So rude, yet very helpful for writers!

#2: Daydreaming! This has gotten me into trouble for sure. I'm a third grade teacher in addition to my writing life and...well....there are times during those long meetings when I have drifted off to imagination land, wondering what would happen if a feral cat suddenly ran through the meeting room. I can usually jump back into a conversation after I have gone off to la-la land, but it's not very kind, nor considerate for the person I'm talking to. "Work on that, Dana. Your fiction life can wait."

#3: Obsessing about words! There are certain things that just drive a writer bonkers. Everyone has theirs, of course. Perhaps it is the misuse of  'their, they're and there.' For me, one of my hot buttons is that horrible "funnest." That's just not grammatically correct, yet I see it all over the place. I feel the need to point out to the person next to me the mistake even though they don't care a bit. You see? That can be super annoying, but it comes in handy when words are your business.

Do you have any qualities that serve you well in life or your job? Would love to hear from you! 

  Dangerous Tidings, book #1, a Holt Medallion Winner

Summer reading survey...and a two book prize!

As a teacher...summers are especially precious, so I allow myself to become a book glutton. My goal is to stuff myself with as many great reads as I possibly can before we report back to the classroom in August.  I tend to like many genres but suspense/thriller/mystery is my fave. All right! Let’s find out what YOU, my darling blog readers, prefer in your novels. 

Comment with your picks  and speak your mind. I'll draw a winner next week to receive my TWO newest releases, Seaside Secrets and Sit, Stay, Love! 

Do you prefer...

1. Either EBOOKS or PRINT BOOKS? 

2. Either UNKNOWN VILLIANS that aren’t revealed until the end, or UP FRONT VILLIANS who are up close and personal from the get go?

3.  Either MILITARY/COP protagonists or the EVERYMAN type hero?

4.  Either SMALL TOWN SETTINGS or URBAN SETTINGS?

Book #2 in the Pacific Coast Investigations Series available now!

Seaside Secrets

Ice Skating on the Beach? The Perks of Being a Fiction Writer

It's a thrill to live in this wild and wacky world of fiction writing! Most of the time, people don't believe me when I tell them I've written thirty books or more. I think it's because I'm also a third grade teacher and they just can reconcile the two. "What's the best thing about writing fiction?" they ask. Easy. Research trips! There is fodder for books everywhere, of course, but the coolest thing is when you can travel to a neato locale and then make it come to life in a book. That's why I'm particularly excited about my November release, Dangerous Tidings. I went to Coronado Island in Southern California to do some sleuthing. Since the story takes place at Christmas time I was SUPER thrilled to take pictures of the outdoor ice rink at the historic Hotel Del which is right ON THE BEACH! Wacky, huh? The lovely Del, which features prominently in my book, was also the spot where L.Frank Baum used to stay and write some of his Oz stories. This was extremely cool for a Oz fan like myself.

So if you could travel to any spot you've read about in a book or seen in a movie, where would you go? I'm giving away a copy of Dangerous Tidings to one commenter! 

The most important rule in mystery writing....

In my humble opinion, the most important rule to follow in mystery/suspense writing is to give the reader a sporting chance! I've written plenty of novels, and the most successful ones have been those where the reader had a few plausible guesses about "who done it!" Personally, I rarely guess the ending of a mystery/suspense novel and if I do, I’m kind of disappointed. I want that author to stump me with a clue I didn’t notice or a twist I couldn’t see the significance of at the time. It’s a game I don’t want to win, but I do want the author to play by the rules and that means, sprinkling in those clues along the way. Bury them in backstory, dribble them in dialogue, subvert them in setting, but readers need to have the chance to solve the mystery themselves. The key is to sprinkle, not dump! The great Agatha Christie said she was “always wary of putting too many false clues into the plot, because with so many things to unravel the book would be not only difficult to solve but also difficult to read.” And there must be herrings, red ones! Just as the fish could be dragged across the trail to confuse the hounds, a red herring is a false clue dropped into the story to confuse the reader and perhaps the protagonist as well.

Do you usually solve the mystery before the end of the book? Does that leave you satisfied or disappointed? 

Suspense Sisters Q&A: What was your favorite book to write and why?

All of us here at Suspense Sisters took a crack at this question: “What was your favorite book to write and why?”

Elizabeth Goddard: Treacherous Skies was my absolute favorite book to write. I had a to of fun on this adventure. I love the premise of a Learjet repo man having to grab a jet in a foreign country amidst gunfire and flying away, only to learn that the kidnapped daughter of a Columbian drug lord is on board! I took the idea from an actual Learjet repo man who started his multi-million dollar business in much the same way as my hero in this story.

Cynthia Hickey: They Call Her Mrs. Sheriff was my favorite to write because the heroine, while insecure, steps up and does what is necessary to provide for her family, despite prejudice.

E.E. Kennedy: My favorite book to write was Murder in the Past Tense. It was about summer stock musical theater, which is how I spent my summers as a teen. More of the book is taken from my own experiences than any other in the series. I also loved writing about my characters as teenagers.

Nancy Mehl: It's hard to pick a favorite book. I love each book for different reasons. And I really invest myself into each novel so picking one makes me feel as if I'm betraying the others! In my entire career, there's only one book I didn't enjoy writing. (But we won't talk about that.)

As far as just having fun, I have to mention my cozy mysteries, especially my Curl Up and Dye series. The second book, Bumping Off Binky, was a lot of fun. Writing about clowns was a hoot. I'm picking that as one of the most enjoyable books I've ever written.

Clowns, murder, and a hairdresser for funeral homes. How can you go wrong? LOL!

Dana Mentink: My favorite book to write was Jungle Fire because it's one of those edge of your seat, jungle adventure tales! Spiders and snakes and bad guys, oh my!

Camy Tang/Camille Elliot: This is hard to answer since I’m usually enamored with whatever book I’m writing at the time. However, if I think about it, probably my favorite book to write was A Dangerous Stage. I still got to write suspense, romance, and also humor, but I also tackled a really tough issue for me—talking about God to my close friends who are not Christian. Charles’s struggles in A Dangerous Stage hit home for me, and I hope his emotions come through to the reader, because they’re from my heart.

Q&A: Favorite Childhood Book

We asked each of us at Suspense Sisters about our favorite childhood books:

Camy Tang:
Dragonsong by Anne McCaffrey. It was the first fantasy book I'd read and it completely transported me to a different world. It's what spurred me to write my own book for the first time.



Cynthia Hickey:
My favorite book was The Black Stallion series. I love horses, always have. I even have a letter and picture from Walter Farley! In the fourth grade we were assigned to write our favorite author. Mine wrote back!


Nancy Mehl:
I've been asked this before, and it's almost impossible for me to answer. I read voraciously as a child. Too many books to pick just one. I do remember being really moved and impacted by Dickens. I think I connected with him because I'm a very character driven author. I believe I read every book he wrote before I was thirteen.


Elizabeth Goddard:
2001: A Space Odyssey. A strange book for a child, I know, but I loved it and it stayed with me for a lifetime, it seems. I had wanted to be an astronaut when I was young, and loved science fiction.


Dana Mentink:
Hands down, my favorite book was The Wizard of Oz. I was (and am!) in awe of L. Frank Baum's ability to create worlds full of incredible creatures, yet still preserve that cherished feeling of hom.






What was your favorite childhood book?

The peeping in my office...

Mama Jay tends to her four hungry babies.

I seem to have a bird theme invading my life lately. Dana Mentink here, and I'm excited to announce that my newest Love Inspired Suspense is out right now. It has got a bit of a bird theme running through it as the protagonist, wounded parole officer Mick Hudson, helps run a sanctuary for raptors. The heroine, Keeley Stevens, is a wildlife avian photographer. Here's the blurb below and a wee little bio.

Secret Refuge http://bitly.com/1LMRj12

HIS CHANCE AT REDEMPTION
Former parole officer Mick Hudson blames himself for the death of Keeley Stevens's sister. If he hadn't paroled a criminal, she might still be alive. When he hears that the suspected killer has been spotted in Keeley's hometown, he worries she might be the next victim. Keeley doesn't want to take help from the man who could have prevented her sister's death, but she has more than herself to worry about. She'll do anything it takes to protect her family. And Mick will risk his life to make sure that the past does not repeat itself.

Wings of Danger: The path to love is treacherous
 
Dana is an American Christian Fiction Writers Book of the Year finalist for romantic suspense and a two time ACFW Carol Award winner. Her suspense novel, Betrayal in the Badlands, earned a Romantic Times Reviewer’s Choice Award. She is honored to write for Harlequin’s Love Inspired, Harlequin Heartwarming, and Harvest House Publishers. Besides writing, she busies herself teaching third grade. Mostly, she loves to be home with Papa Bear, Yogi, Boo Boo, a dog with social anxiety problems, a chubby box turtle and a feisty parakeet.

So, since I've got a bird theme going on this two book series, it thrills me that from my seat in the garden where I penned these stories, I have lately been treated to the blessing of watching the kites start their new families. They are loud, big bodied white hawks which can hover (earning them the nickname of 'angel hawk'. In addition, there's a little nest of scrub jays in the tree just over my fence. What a pleasure to see these bird families grow and thrive from the seat in my "outdoor writing room!"

So what little birds are common to your area? What is your favorite bird to watch? Post your comment and I'll pick a winner on Sunday to receive a free copy (print or Kindle) of Secret Refuge and a little bird themed treat!

Christmas pizza and a fun guessing game!

Here's those jingle bells? Dana Mentink here and I just love this month. Twinkly lights, succulent treats, friends and family. My cockles are warmed, I'll tell you! Here at Mentink Manor we’ve got many of those tried and true traditions common in homes all across the U.S., but my children’s favorite is our Christmas Eve pizza tradition. When the girls were little, we decided to start a tradition   whereby the cubs would prepare their very own pizza from scratch. While we scurried off to Christmas Eve service, our homemade dough puffed up just like magic! Upon our return, it's time to punch and roll our dough into whatever crazy shape suits our fancy. Then slather on some toppings and slam, bang, into the oven they go. Then the Mentink family settles down to watch a fun Christmas movie while our pizzas bake. 

 So help yourself to a slice of pepperoni, and turn on your favorite flick, why don't you? As a matter of fact, let's test your Christmas movie savvy shall we? Here are some quotes from famous Christmas movies. See how many you recognize. Add some of your own for us to guess!

1.    His wealth is quite useless to him, really. He doesn’t do any good with it; he doesn’t even make himself comfortable with it.

2.   We elves try to stick to the four main food groups: candy, candy canes, candy corns and syrup.

3.   Strange isn’t it? Each man’s life touches so many other lives. When he isn’t around he leaves an awful hole, doesn’t he?

4.    Didn’t I ever tell you about bumbles? Bumbles bounce.