Interview with Dana Mentink

Dana is perpetually in search of a great story, either through painfully expensive trips to the book store or in her own labors in front of the computer. Her series of UP FINNY’S NOSE mysteries is coming in the January of 2007 from Barbour Books for their new Heartsong Presents mystery line.

What book or project is coming out or has come out that you’d like to tell us about?

The Up Finny’s Nose mysteries launch this month in the Heartsong Presents Mysteries book club. They feature a woman who has lost her husband, found his secret novel and stumbled upon a dark and twisted secret in the tiny seaside town of Finny, California. Sounds intriguing, no?

Tell us about your journey to publication. How long had you been writing before you got the call you had a contract, how you heard and what went through your head.

Like every other writer on the planet, I’ve always loved the written word and a story that can transport me. I dibbled and dabbled in writing for a while before I got my elementary teaching credential and then I went to work in the classroom full time. As anyone can tell you, that will seriously suck up any available creative juices. Then I had two girls and they sucked up the rest for a while. I left teaching to stay home with them. While I love my girls more than my own life, I must admit, I found at home infant care a trifle mind numbing. My husband encouraged me to take a class and start writing. He’s the reason I had the courage to start.

When I got the contract from Susan Downs at Barbour, I didn’t really believe it for a long time. The contracts from Harlequin seemed like elaborate hoaxes as well. Sometimes, even though I see my name on the cover, it still feels like I might have imagined it. I am a fiction gal, you know. Most folks still don’t know I’m a writer because it just sounds so incredible I know they wouldn’t believe me. Maybe I’ll tell them I’m an Olympic ice skater. That sounds pretty glam, doesn’t it? Nah, I definitely don’t have the figure for those spangly outfits. I guess I’ll have to cop to being a writer one of these days.

Your books are part of a series. Is writing a series more difficult than writing a stand-alone novel?

Oh you bet your bippy it is, for me anyway. On the one hand it’s lovely because you already have the cast of characters in place and usually the setting but I find it a challenge because I have no mind for elapsed time. When reading, I sail through book simply not caring what day of the week or time it is. Then I sit down to write a series that takes place over the course of several years and it’s killer. People have to get older and kids grow up and stuff like that. Characters have birthdays that must remain the same from novel to novel. My sister, who is a brilliant editor, insists that readers don’t like it to be Tuesday, three days in a row and people cannot remain the same age for several years running. Sheesh. All these RULES when you’re writing a series.

Is planning a mystery (let alone a series!) hard? What do you do to simplify the task?

The keys to my success; lots of Post-its, extremely detailed outlines, and those little roller things that slap out a strip of white out on mistakes. Now those are some helpful tools, let me tell you. Personally I think Post-its are truly God inspired. If you read about how they were invented, you’ll find it’s true! I wrote a book featuring those sticky little gems, in fact, but that’s another topic. What were we talking about?

What’s the best advice you’ve heard on writing/publication?

How clever of you to ask that probing question. My mentor told me to treat writing like a business. People in the real world do not wait for the great muse to strike them before getting down to work. Discipline yourself to work every day whether you feel that flash of inspiration or not. Writing is a business as much as it is an art form.

What’s the worst piece of writing advice you’ve heard?

I’m so glad you asked. Let me just drag out my soapbox here. The worst piece of advice I’ve ever heard is ‘write what you know’. I find this ridiculous as I know very little about almost nothing. If I wrote only what I know it would be about elementary classrooms and crock pots and how to make Playdoh snails, not the stuff great novels are made of. Write what you want to know about and get cracking on the research. Thanks to this wacky profession, I’ve learned about everything from vermiculture to flying planes to the life and times of the saguaro cactus.

What’s something you wish you’d known earlier that might have saved you some time/frustration in the publishing business?

Well, I wish I would have taken my learning seriously earlier. Approaching writing as a craft that needs constant work is the only way to go. I could have spared some editors much hair pulling and gnashing of teeth if I’d learned some basics before I plunged into the writing as a profession deal. I’m still not clear on a few nuts and bolts things really. Like what exactly is the difference between farther and further anyway?

Is there a particularly difficult set back that you’ve gone through in your writing career you are willing to share?

Setbacks? I’ve got a binder full of rejections ranging from very polite and sweet to missives that would make your teeth rattle. If ever I feel myself becoming too cocky, I just whip a few of those babies out. Whew!

Could you tell us what authors and genres you most enjoy and whether or not they have influenced your writing.

I love Jan Karon, Fannie Flag, Carl Hiaasen and Dr. Suess. I’d like to write like all of them rolled together. Wouldn’t THAT be a cool book?

Do you have a dream for the future of your writing, something you would love to accomplish?

I’d like to write contemporary inspirational humorous mystery with a dash of suspense and a hefty dose of wonder. Man. Is that possible in one book?

What is your favorite and least favorite part of being a writer?

Writing is like having a baby. You throw up, pull your hair out, worry and sweat and lose your figure. You finally pop that thing out and someone says, “Man, that’s one ugly kid.” All that angst and personal investment and then it becomes fodder for public criticism. I think folks don’t realize how very personal a piece of writing can be. That’s the bad part.

My favorite part is talking to kids about writing and empowering them to go for it. Nothing beats that thrill.

Marketing is probably an authors least favorite task. Do you have any tips on marketing?

Marketing? Well I find if you clip coupons, avoid impulse purchases and stay away from the shopping carts that go rattley bang bang, the whole marketing thing is a lot less painful. Oh! You meant THAT kind of marketing. I’m the wrong person to ask. I HATE talking about my accomplishments. It just sounds so…self promoting. Aacck. I’m open to advice if anyone wants to send me some pointers at www.danamentink.com. I think the three people that pop onto my website each month have shared all they can on the subject. If anyone has got it figured out, do tell.

Parting words?

There is a reason you are writing. You have something that God wants you to share. The power of words is a gift that should be shared gently and kindly, like Jesus shared his words with us. Use your words to lift people up and we will all be blessed by your efforts.

Now go forth, and WRITE!!!!