Today I am pleased to have with me, Linda K. Rodante.

Linda has a new book coming out this Saturday! In fact, it is so new I was unable to get a purchase link for you, dear reader. However, Splash Down will be available for purchase June 11. Also, Amber Alert, Book 1, will be free that day for those who haven’t started the series.

 

Hello, Linda. I appreciate you taking the time out from your busy schedule to stop by and chat with us. I know you are excited about your new book. Tell us about Splash Down.

Splashdown is my latest book and number three in The Dangerous Series. It’s about a young woman, Lynn Stapleton, who befriends a homeless woman, but the woman is murdered during a hurricane.  The detective on the case is immediately suspicious of Lynn because Lynn loves designer handbags and high-end clothing. So, what was she doing at a homeless site in the middle of a hurricane?  Of course, there’s a romance that develops between them as they investigate the murder. There’s also a second story line with a couple from my other books. I weave both story lines together at the end. And I always have a spiritual element to my stories. Romance, mystery, suspense, and God.

Sounds exciting. And just in time for the hurricane season. What inspired you to write this story?

I live in Florida and hurricanes are just part of our lives here. Also, when I started writing Splashdown, I worked with the homeless; and one of the women we knew was killed. No one was ever arrested for it. But, you know, every life is worth respect, everyone was someone’s son or daughter. I wanted to show the humanity of those that are or have been homeless.

My secondary plot line involves a couple who are missionaries. The man is a pilot of one of those small bush planes they use. Much of this story comes from the time my mother spent in Indonesia as a missionary. I think it will be intriguing for the reader to see how the two plot lines intertwine at the end.

Okay, you’ve piqued our interest. I love that you’ve included a part of your mother’s history in your story. I love to read true stories about missionaries. Tell us, while researching the spiritual thread, did you come across something that made an impact on you?

I have two characters who deal very specifically with God in their lives. One knows the Lord well but has a hard time giving the person he loves to God. It is one thing to give ourselves to God and another thing to put someone we deeply love into God’s hand—not knowing the outcome in their lives. That is what I’ve had to do with my son, his wife, and my three grandchildren. They are now in Botswana, Africa as missionaries.

The second person’s spiritual journey is not as deep, but he is what I call a nominal Christian. He has his “fire protection”—he’s accepted Jesus as his Savior, but he doesn’t think he needs God for anything else. Of course, he comes to realize, he needs him more than he thought.

LOL. I can relate to that. And of course, in the end, we all come to realize we can’t make it without Him! Let’s talk about the writing process. What is your favorite part of weaving a story?

Doing the actual writing and seeing how the story comes together. Sometimes a plot or a character will take on a life of their own and do or say something I never thought about writing!

Are you a plotter or a pantser?

As you can probably tell from the above answer, I am a pantser. I have an idea and just start writing. I have to rewrite, of course, and often have to go back and put something in the front of the book that helps make sense of the ending

Are you happy or sad when writing “the end.”

I think I would say “satisfied.”  I like to get to the end and see how it all works together and that the ending leaves me (and hopefully the reader) feeling warm and hopeful. I want the reader to know that God is alive, that God loves us, and that He is working for our good.

I totally agree, Linda. As a writer, I love sharing God’s love with my readers. Thanks again for stopping by and talking with us. Congratulations on the new book!

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