Hi friends,
Happy Wednesday! Today I’m celebrating the release of my 14th book, The Deadly Shallows! I’m also celebrating 10 years of publishing. My debut novel, Submerged, came out in May of 2012. I’m so grateful and awed by God at all He’s done. We serve a good and gracious God. I still can’t wrap my head
I thought it might be fun to share some behind-the-scenes factoids about a handful of my books leading up to The Deadly Shallows. Since Submerged kicked things off, I’ll start with Cole and Bailey’s story.
I often get asked where I get my ideas and I always answer that they come from all different places. The idea for Submerged came from a movie my hubby and I just happened to watch about cave divers. It got me thinking….who would do something so dangerous, and then it sprung into the question of who would do something so dangerous for a living? And, from that movie and that single question, the McKenna family was born.
If you’re not familiar with the McKenna clan, they’re a family of five siblings who own an adventure outfitting company in Alaska and they each have their specialties ranging from heli-skiing to rock climbing. They believe strongly in helping others—a tradition their parents instilled in them, so they all volunteer with search and rescue.
Growing up, goody-two-shoes, Kirra Jacobs, and troublemaker Reef McKenna were always at odds. Now paired together on Yancey’s search-and-rescue canine unit, they begin to put aside old arguments as they come to see each other in a different light.
Then a call comes in from the Iditarod that will push them to their limits. Kirra’s uncle, a musher in the race, has disappeared. Kirra and Reef quickly track the man, but what they discover is harrowing.
I don’t know why, but I love stories about the good girl and the “bad” boy. The “bad” boy with a heart of gold becomes a man and finds redemption. I love that romantic trope, and it was so much fun writing one.
Speaking of fun…an unknown factoid about Sabotaged is it has every title in the Alaskan Courage series (yes, even Sabotaged) used as a word in the book. Today’s giveaway is open to everyone who comments, but if you share the page numbers the title words are on in Sabotaged (on the honor system that you find them yourself), you get an extra entry. Happy searching!
The first book in my Chesapeake Valor series, Cold Shot, starts out at Gettysburg National Military Park. Living in Maryland, we’re not too far a drive from Gettysburg, and we’ve been numerous times. In preparation for Cold Shot, I hired a Gettysburg historian to give us a personal tour. It was incredible. I highly recommend tours—either group or private—if you really want to get to know the “inside” information.
Our guide was wonderful, but I think I terrified him when I asked, “where’s the best place to hide a body?”
He helped me pick a spot on the battle hill that I chose and that’s where the story kicks off.
Deadly Isle is the only standalone story I’ve written. This novella was originally part of The Cost of Betrayal collection with Dee Henderson and Lynette Eason, but you can now purchase it as a single e-book novella. The interesting thing about Deadly Isle is that it’s based on a real island here in Maryland—Smith Island.
Smith Island has the most fascinating history. It was charted by John Smith and settlers arrived in the 17th century from Cornwall, Wales, and Dorset, England. It is inhabited by one of the oldest English-speaking communities. They’ve preserved the speech patterns from their ancestors. Their dialect is like that of Cornwall and Dorset.
Smith Island is also famous for its cake, which has anywhere from 8-15 layers. Yum! I’ve had it before and it’s delicious.
Of course, it seems only right to conclude with my new release, The Deadly Shallows. I often get asked how I go about researching my novels. I do so in a lot of different ways ranging from online to books, to interviewing people in the professions or areas of service I’m writing about. When I turned The Deadly Shallows in my editors remarked how excellent the research was, particularly in the secondary suspense thread (don’t worry, no spoilers). They joked I had an “inside” man. Truth is, I do. My hubby was my source for the secondary thread.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this glimpse at a handful of my stories. Thanks for celebrating the release of The Deadly Shallows with me today and a walk down memory lane.
Reader Question: What is your favorite romance trope (bad boy/good girl, best friend’s little sister, geek, and the popular guy, “second chance” love stories, etc.) or type of romance scenario you love reading about most?
Be sure to comment so you can be entered to win an autographed copy of The Deadly Shallows.
Blessings,
Dani
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What a fun post! Loved hearing some of your research stories. Smith Island sounds like a great place to visit. Thanx for the giveaway.
So glad you enjoyed the post, Jennifer 🙂 Thanks so much for stopping by.
I enjoy many tropes, but my favorites are enemies to lovers or marriage of convenience.
Thanks!
Oooh. Enemies to lovers is a good one!
I love bad boy/good girl. But I also enemies to more, best friends to more.
I love your books. They are some of my favorites. I was so sad to say good bye to the McKenna clan. They were and are some of my favorites.
Aww. Thanks so much. I so glad you’re enjoying the stories. It was hard saying goodbye to the McKenna clan for me too. I’d spent so many years with them. There might be another story in the future. No set plans or anything but I’ve learned to never say never 🙂
Anything with grace and redemption! And I just can’t help but love a good marriage of convenience story 😊.
Love stories with grace and especially redemption. Marriage of convenience stories are great. Love Karen Witemeyer’s Short Straw Bride. Such a great one!
I’m not very good at picking favorites, but one of my favorites is friends-to-more. That’s how my husband and I began, so it’s only natural right!? Can’t wait to read this story!
Love that’s how you and your hubby began :))
I love second chance stories and friends-to-more. I also like stories with older characters experiencing love later in life.
You picked a great one you don’t see a lot with older characters experiencing love later in life. That’s a really good one!
I have enjoyed your books. The first one I ever reviewed was Silenced. I like second chance love stories.
So glad you’re enjoying the books. Second chance stories are great.
My favorite trope is second chances but I enjoy variety so it depends on what I’m reading at the time. Congratulations on your new release. Blessings
Thanks so much! Book releases are always so much fun!
Love your books!
Awww. Thank you SO much!
That cake looks amazing. Thanks for the giveaway.
Doesn’t it? I’m half tempted to bake one….or attempt to. LOL!
CONGRATULATIONS on 10-years of publishing and your 14th book!! Both milestones are fantastic and should be celebrated.
Second chance and enemies to more is my favorite tropes.
***ARE my favorite tropes***
Thanks so much!
Those are two great tropes. A lot are sharing those. Kind of cool to see so many loving those.
I love your books. I’ve not read the Alaskan Courage series yet. It is on my list and hopefully I can get them soon and read them.
Hope you’ll enjoy them when you do 🙂
Hi guys, I read Alaskan courage few times already and I’m sure I’ll read them again!
I like this question lots lately, but my favourites are opposites attract, and rekindling and repairing broken replacements.
Oooh. Opposites attract. That’s a great one.
Second Chances! Since I’ve recently went through a divorce after 38 years of marriage.
Oh. I’m so sorry to hear that. Praying for second chances. <3
I like Romance Suspense, Cops; Military; lost loves reunited under suspense.
Ooh. Lost loves reunited. Those always make such powerful stories.
My favorite trope is the geek/nerdy.
I would have to say, I’m a fan of the bad boy/good girl (or vice versa!) myself. Thanks for this opportunity!
Think I can honestly say I love them all – just different reasons for each one. I love the romances that are military connected because I’m an old Army brat. Love the suspense romances because they have two stories rolled into one keeping one on the edge of the seat. However, probably my favorite favorite one would be a combination of second chances and enemies to more because it reminds me of my own love story. See when hubby and I first met we were more of enemies disliking each other sort of. It was because of what each of us were going through at the time. Fast forward a few years and we met again – different frame of mind and maturity – and we clicked – FAST. So we not only changed from enemies to friends but we had a second chance and romance bloomed. We have been together now 39 years and I’m so thankful for that second meeting.
I enjoy the friend/family connections.
I love all genres of Christian romance. If I’m reading suspense ones I have to take a break for a few because they definitely are suspenseful!! I have The Alaskan Courage collection on my kindle and did a quick read for the word sabotage (and any form of it) and found them on pages 22, 40, 5, 22, 24, and 30 from the different books (I forgot to write the book titles down while I was searching 🤦♀️). I may have missed some because as I said I was just quickly scanning the pages!! 😂
Huge congrats on the release of The Deadly Shallows and on your 10 years of publishing! God is good!
My favorite trope is reunion romance, and I also like small town settings.
I love Christian romance we’re it’s hard to put down the book. Congratulations on your 10 yr anniversary! God is good.
Love seeing the new books I have made over the yrs.
I really enjoy the opposite attracts scenarios. Congratulations on your 14th book.
To the best of my knowledge, I have read all of your books except your standalone novella. I have enjoyed all of them and watch for the next one. They grab and hold my interest. The only way I put them down once I start is if there is something else that has to be done, such as sleep, which I sometimes push to the limits. I like a mix of romance. By that, I mean that I do not have a favorite. It seems the “second chance” romances have been recently overdone. As soon as I read that they were once in love, got hurt, and want nothing to do with the other, I know they will end up together. Usually, they haven’t ever gotten over each other from the first time.
Thank you for this post and the opportunity to win your new book. I like most Christian romantic suspense novels that don’t edge over into thriller. I enjoy humor in those books to give relief at times from the suspense and make the characters more enjoyable.
This was a fun post! I loved learning some new fun facts about you and your writing! I throroughly enjoy a romance between a bumbling accident prone character and a smooth and confident character but that’s probably because I feel like that’s how it worked for me.🤣
Love all your stories! Can’t wait to read your latest. Keep up the good work, Dani!
I love best friends to lovers because I think they make the best couples. It’s always interesting to see when they finally decide it’s worth the risk to do something about their feelings, and they take the jump for so much more.
I love to read your books. Wish you had more! Always look forward to another book.
I love your books. I love second chance storylines best. I also like best friends storylines. My favorite books of yours have both of these two type storylines.
CONGRATULATIONS DANI on your 14th book and 10 years of publishing! That is so exciting!I really enjoy reading romantic suspense and also when it involves the CIA, military, etc. Second chance and enemies to more are some of my favorite tropes. Thank you so much for the chance to win The Deadly Shadows!!!
I have no idea what a “trope” is, but
enjoy reading “Second Chance” Romance.
I volunteer in the Church Library and
have for 43 years.
The library is 80+ years young.
Thanks for entering me in your giveaway.
We also have your books in the Church Library.
The cake you pictured is the same one my
Grandmother would make.
Every year for my Birthday I would request
her 13-layer chocolate cake.
I even have her recipe.
Thanks again for entering me in your giveaway.
I love your books, your character are so real! I love how the characters are written as living out their faith!
Love the post of the cake it looks so yummy! Thank you for the amazing giveaway and Congrats I Love reading any genre!
Congratulations on your 14th book Dani! My favorite romance tropes are friends to something more and second chance. That cake looks so delicious.
I really like it when the girl is the heroine. I’m all about a prince charming but sometimes a heroine is nice.
Congrats on 10 years of publishing and your newest book release! I loved learning about your ideas for your books – it was fascinating and fun to read. My favorite romance tropes are enemies to lovers and fake dating.
Hello!
I just love your books!! The McKennas are my favorite 🥰 I love second chance romance and best friend romance.
I have read all your books, along with my mom and mother-in-law. We still have to get The Deadly Shallows though, so I was excited to see your giveaway! The intrigue and romance you write about is the perfect balance and I know each book you write is going to be one of my favorites!
This is turning out to be quite the scavenger hunt. I found:
Stranded – 40
Sabotaged – 53
Silenced – 252
Submerging? – 54
I’ll keep looking for Shattered, and I’m assuming Submerged is still in there somewhere…
I’ve spent the whole day rereading this book, not that I minded! 😉
Found Shattered! 248
I love friends-to-more, second-chance romance, fake engagement/dating, and mail-order bride or marraige-of-convenience.
Congrats on your book release Dani! I just love your writing! Both your Alaskan Courage series & Chesapeake Valor series were my favorite 🙂 Keep on writing these fabulous books.
I love your books! I think the bad guy/good girl is probably my favorite. ☺️
I love your books so much! (I used to live in Maryland and I fell in love with your Chesapeake books because of how well they were done and the setting.) I enjoy second chances and bad boy/good girl, but only if the bad boy isn’t becoming “good” just for the girl. Because it shouldn’t ever be just about the girl, if that makes sense. There should be faith too.
Enemies to lovers is my favorite trope. For the page numbers pg. 54 for submerge, pg. 248 & pg. 18 for shatter, pg. 40 for stranded, and pg. 252 for silenced. 😉
Pg. 232 is sabotaged
I’d love to win one of your books!
I don’t have a favorite trope but really enjoy big brother’s best friend. Your books are awesome!
It’s a hard choice, and it varies sometimes, but I think I’d say my favorite tropes are opposites attract, friends to more, enemies to lovers, and second chance. Although recently I’ve read and really enjoyed a few workplace romances too…
I cannot wait to read the last book in that series, but also for the novella coming out afterwards;2023.
I love the mix between suspense and romance.