Interview with Dana Mentink

About the Author

Dana Mentink lives in California, where the weather is golden and the cheese is divine. Dana is an American Christian Fiction Writers Book of the Year finalist for romantic suspense and an award winner in the Pacific Northwest Writers Literary Contest. Her suspense novel, Betrayal in the Badlands, earned a Romantic Times Reviewer’s Choice Award. Besides writing, she busies herself teaching third and fourth grade. Mostly, she loves to be home with her husband, two daughters, a dog with social anxiety problems, a chubby box turtle, and a feisty parakeet.

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The Interview

1. What did you want to be when you grew up?  Did becoming a writer ever cross your mind?
Well, actually I wanted to be a circus clown. No joke. They even have a clown college and everything. I became an elementary school teacher, which does let me exercise my clowning around from time to time. I've always found joy in writing, but I didn't consider making a profession out of it until I was a grown up! I am so blessed to be able to write and teach (and clown around!)
 
2. How did you decide that you wanted dogs to be main characters in your novels?
I sort of fell into that. Here at Mentink Manor we've had a crazy assortment of critters and dogs have added so much joy and zaniness to our lives. My agent told me Harvest House was looking for a lighthearted, dog-themed series and I said, "I'm your gal!"
 
3. How frequently do you hear from your fans/readers?  Do you have any funny stories involving a fan/reader?
I have a p.o. Box address on my website where people can actually send me letters. I get the best mail from darling people who love to share about their lives. I've heard a lot about people's dogs, for sure! I do have one sweet lady who writes me detailed letters describing all the errors she finds in my books. It cracks me up because it seems to bring her great joy to disagree with me on grammar matters.
 
4. What inspired the idea for Fetching Sweetness?
​I just always had this idea about what it would be like to travel on an R.V. adventure collecting dogs along the way. Such great opportunities for humor, tears and general merriment.
 
5. What hobbies do you enjoy when you are not writing?
I'm a big gardener but really the garden grows in spite of me, not because I have any particular talent. I love to cook and someday...someday, mind you, I am going to learn how to play the ukulele!

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SIT, STAY, LOVE
​FETCHING SWEETNESS