 Today, we welcome author Dana Rongione to Interviews & Reviews. Dana is the author of several Christian books, including the highly-praised Giggles and Grace devotional series for women. A dedicated wife and doggie “mom,” Dana lives in Greenville, SC, where she spends her days writing and reaching out to the hurting and discouraged. You can connect with her at www.danarongione.com, where you can sign up for her daily devotions. I am delighted that she is the first of many (I hope) authors to visit with us at Interviews & Reviews. Today, Dana is going to tell us about her latest book and she has a surprise for readers at the end of this post! Welcome Dana! For those who aren't familiar with your work, can you tell us a little about yourself? I am a full-time Christian author and Bible teacher. I live in Greenville, SC, with my darling husband, Jason, and my rotten dog, Mitchell. I currently have fifteen published books, three audio Bible study series, and a devotional blog that is read around the world. Writing is so much a part of my life that I cannot escape its grasp. Everywhere I go, I see story plots and blog ideas. When I'm not writing, I enjoy reading and hiking with my family. You see story plots and blog ideas everywhere you go, what is the hardest thing about writing for you? To me, the writing itself is not difficult. It's all the stuff that comes after the writing, like editing, formatting, marketing, etc. The writing is wonderful, and while there are days when my creativity seems low, I still enjoy my writing time. By the time I launch a book, I'm so ready to start on a new book because the prior few weeks have been filled with the steps that are necessary for publication but don't really involve writing. Those last few weeks before the launch are definitely the hardest for me. I can relate. What is your latest book about? My latest book is a compilation of several New Testament miracles, complete with information on how to apply the principles of those miraculous stories to our own lives. It is written in a fun, casual tone but does contain some serious elements like abortion and suicide. Each chapter of He's Still Working Miracles highlights a story in the New Testament where an ordinary person met an extraordinary God and gives application of how these encounters relate to our own lives and circumstances.  That sounds really interesting. What inspired you to write this book? I once heard a well-known Christian comedian comment that he had never seen a miracle while some of his friends witnessed them all the time. His statement broke my heart because miracles are all around us; we just often take them for granted. I wanted to write a book that would help people identify the miracles taking place around them and to realize that God doesn't reserve miracles for only a chosen few. They are available to all. That being said, I do want to point out that this is not a “name it and claim it” or “faith healing” book. It is a fundamental, Scriptural view of how God works in our lives today. I'm so glad you mentioned that. I like a book based on sound biblical principles. Is there a message in your book that you want your readers to grasp? Definitely! I hope that readers will be reassured that the God of the Bible is the God of today. He hasn't changed. He isn't any less powerful now than He was back then. He is still working miracles, and because of that, none of us has to face the trials of life alone. Do you have any other books in the works? I'm not sure how other authors work, but I typically have several books going at once—each in a different stage of completion. I am in the planning and research stages of the fourth book in my Delaware Detectives mystery series. I also have the first book of a new trilogy, The Merlin Missions, completed in rough draft and am hoping to work on the second one once the Delaware Detectives book is finished. Additionally, I have an entire list of book ideas begging for my attention, so I have plenty to keep me busy for the rest of my life! With so many ideas begging for attention, when is your favourite time of day to write? Morning! Definitely morning! My energy and creativity seem to be freshest in the morning, so I love to wake up early, make myself a cup of hot tea, and hide away in my office. The problem I run into is that morning seems to be the best time for me to do everything on my to-do list (like housework, errands, exercise, etc.), but there's not enough morning to get it all done. That being the case, I have to set aside a couple of mornings for other things just to make sure they get done. Do you ever have time for other things? Do you for example, volunteer in your community or at church? My husband and I are very involved in our church, Bible Baptist. I am the full-time pianist and the ladies' Sunday School teacher. We have a blast in our class as we delve into God's Word and discuss the many truths within its pages. We've been known to laugh, cry, and swing through a wide range of emotions during the course of a single Bible study series. It is an open, intimate setting, and I am so thankful for the opportunity to teach the class even though I am one of the youngest women in there. I am also involved in the music program as I sing specials and participate in the choir when we use soundtracks. You sound like you lead a very rich and fulfilling life and a busy one! Thank you for stopping by and visiting with us today. And now for the surprise from Dana. Her book is releasing on August 9th and you can get a free Kindle copy! How can they get one Dana? Sign up here to receive a free Kindle copy of He's Still Working Miracles: Daring To Ask God for the Impossible when it releases on August 9th.
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