Authors Interviewing Characters: Dana Mentink

Fire Mountain, Dana Mentink 

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.

A woman truck driver? That’s a bit unusual. How did you find yourself in that job, Kit Garrido?  

When I was a little kid, my dad used to read me this story about a peddler who traveled the world in a camper. I adored that story. It became a dream of mine, the freedom of the open road. I worked at a grocery store, going through some hard times, and a customer told me if I got my Class A license, he’d hire me to drive for his trucking company. I learned under him and eventually invested every last nickel in my own rig. 

Tell us a bit about your childhood. 

I’m going to give you the short story. I adored my dad. He…made a bad choice, broke the law, and went to jail. My mother couldn’t forgive him, no matter how much he tried to make amends, and it tore my family apart. He died soon after he got out of prison. I’ll never get over the heartbreak of that. 

Likes and dislikes? 

I Love my rig including all the personal touches I’ve added like the blackout blinds and the little bookshelves in the sleeper. I love finding the perfect place to be alone in nature to read any kind of nonfiction book. I’m not wild about making small talk, or men telling me how to run my trucking business

What survival skill are you most proud of that helped you, the baby, and Cullen Landry stay alive in an eruption zone? 

I never in a million years thought I’d use Doritos for kindling to start a fire, but it kept us alive when the temperatures dropped into the freezing zone. Turns out, they burn really well. 

You’ve been through a catastrophic situation, managing to survive a volcanic eruption and a killer. What kept you going through the whole ordeal? 

I’m not into kids and I’ve never had children, but as soon as we found that baby in the back of my rig and figured out we were being pursued, it became my mission to save that child, no matter what. God heard our prayers, that’s all I can say. 

Were there any humorous moments, in spite of the danger? 

Oh I learned several hilarious things about Cullen Landry, the tough ex-cop who was by my side this whole adventure. Let’s just say he screams like a girl when he sees a rat. Honestly, it is the best thing ever and I will never let him forget it. 

How have you changed your lifestyle in light of your ordeal? 

I can never seem to be warm enough. I always have a bag with me with an extra sweater, water and snacks, even if I’m just going into town. And I will never again travel somewhere without another person knowing my destination. 

What are your business plans now that your rig was destroyed? 

To rebuild, if God allows it. Maybe someday I’ll own a couple of rigs. 

If Mt. Ember erupted again and you could only save one thing from your home, what would it be? 

My elderly cat, Olive. She was gifted to me, and she doesn’t much care for anyone else. I love her, the old, crotchety thing. 

What did you learn about God throughout your ordeal? 

When everything is stripped away, and it’s just you and God, you realize how magnificent it is to know He is with you through this life and into the next. 

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Dana Mentink is a USA Today and Publishers Weekly bestselling author. She’s written more than 50 mystery and suspense novels for Love Inspired Suspense, Harvest House, and Poisoned Pen Press. Winner of two ACFW Carol Awards, a Holt Medallion Award, and a Romantic Times Reviewer’s Choice Award, Dana lives in Northern California with her husband. Learn more at DanaMentink.com.

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Category: On Writing