Friday Sisterhood with Dana Mentink

Family Status: Married nineteen years, two beautiful bear cubs (stage names Yogi and Boo Boo.) One dog, one parakeet, one geriatric box turtle.

What Is Your Favorite Beverage: Chocolate milk shakes. Too bad my favorite isn’t water or something good for me!

What Is Your Favorite Food: My hubby’s barbecue. He’s the ‘Cue Master!

What Is Your Favorite Thing to do During Free Time: Reading, of course, but currently I’m trying to learn to play the ukulele (with mixed results!)

Who Has Been the Most Influential Person in Your Life:My father. He’s just the most humble, loving, amazing person on the planet. 

First Book You Fell in Love With: The whole Chronicles of Narnia series, but the funny thing is, I didn’t know they were Christian novels until I was a grownup! Isn’t that funny? I was also enamored of the Wizard of Oz books. Talking chickens? Houses made of glass? I ate that up.

A Book You Wish You’d Written: Mrs. Mike. Have you read it? I just hung on every word of that thing.

First Book Published: Trouble Up Finny’s Nose with Barbour’s Heartsong Mysteries. Then I started in with Harlequin and I’ve written for River North as well.

Most Recent Book: Flood Zone is a July release for Love Inspired Suspense.

Friday Sisterhood with Deb Kastner

Family Status: I’ve been blessed to be married for 27 years with 3 grown daughters and 2 adorable grandchildren.

What Is Your Favorite Beverage: Plain black dark-roast coffee—and the occasional Mountain Dew. Had to cut out that soda habit.

What Is Your Favorite Food: Mexican

What Is Your Favorite Thing to do During Free Time: What is free time? There is no such thing in my life. On the rare times I’m able to do something for myself I enjoy going on dates with hubby Joe to dinner theater see a musical.

Who Has Been the Most Influential Person in Your Life: After Jesus, my husband Joe. He’s been there through all my highs and lows.

First Book You Fell in Love With: The whole Chronicles of Narnia series. I got them as a set one Christmas and read them all straight through. I also remember my first Harlequin book. I think I was about twelve and was on vacation to a very small town in Oregon where my relatives live. There was a small circular rack of books in the drugstore. I picked out a Harlequin Historical called Sophie and the Prince, which was set in Russia. It was the beginning of my journey into a love of romance novels.

A Book You Wish You’d Written: Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers.

First Book Published: Beloved from Multnomah Palisades was my very first book published. My first book for Love Inspired was A Holiday Prayer, which received a 4 ½ star Top Pick from Romantic Times magazine.

Most Recent Book: Her Valentine Sheriff was a February release for Love Inspired.

Out Next: Redeeming the Rancher in July.

How Many Have You Written: 27 

What Do You Know Now That You Wish You’d Known Then: To enjoy the process of writing and the joy that comes with it. While I’m incredibly blessed to be writing for Harlequin, writing on deadline is not always fun. I sometimes look back to my prepublished days with a bit of nostalgia, simply writing for writing’s sake.

 What is Your Favorite Bible Story: The Last Supper

What is Your Favorite Bible Verse: Psalm 37:4&5

What is Your Favorite Hymn: I’m a long-time member of the church choir. Music is such an integral part of my life that I simply can’t pick one song. I love the old hymns like, “How Great Thou Art” and newer ones such as, “In the Breaking of the Bread,” plus a lot of newer praise and worship music.

Granny and Anthony

What is an Ongoing Prayer Request You Have: For the Lord’s protective covering over me and my family and that my words would be honoring to God and edifying to others.