“I want to be ready for whatever God has for me to do!”
This month’s Author 2 Author featured guest lives this maxim. Bestselling and award-winning romantic suspense author, DiAnn Mills lives life with such passion and purpose, it can only permeate everything she does, including and especially what she writes. And, my friends, it does!
In her latest release (Tyndale, 9/9/2025) Canyon of Deceit, DiAnn takes the reader on an all-terrain, breathtaking–nearly neck breaking–journey that had me taking a breather every few minutes just to follow the protagonist and the hunky love-interest.
Here’s more about what will surely be another bestseller!
When wilderness survival expert Therese Palmer gets a frantic call from former colleague Professor
Rurik Ivanov, she’s stunned to learn his wife was murdered, and his daughter Alina is missing—and even more alarmed when he refuses to involve the police. With a child’s life at stake, Therese turns to Texas Ranger Blane Gardner, whose crisis negotiation skills make him the ideal partner for the mission.
As they search Alina’s last known location in the remote Guadalupe Mountains, Therese and Blane navigate misleading intel, growing danger, and their own deepening connection. With ties to Russian organized crime and a potential international assassination plot emerging, they must find Alina before she’s lost to a deadly conspiracy—no matter the cost.
The Faith Journey in Canyon of Deceit
Both DiAnn’s main characters have really unique faith journeys. We explore this more deeply in the video interview. But DiAnn explains how God changes hearts and instills courage for His people to step into the unknown. Sometimes the unknown is physical danger, and sometimes it’s an affair of the heart, but always for unselfish motives.
Which brings us back to the maxim above: being ready for whatever God has for us to do. When DiAnn first said that to me, I really had to pause and think about that. Too often, I tend to be fearful of what our Heavenly Father might have for me to do. How about you?
Which of your characters has really stretched you as a writer?
Definitely Therese. Her role as a wilderness survival expert sent me to MasterClass. Repeatedly. I took a course by Jessie Krebs that helped tremendously. I suggest looking her up; she’s amazing and looks so fun. But other factors came into play: best kind of backpack, what to carry, first aid, rock climbing, and more. Research is one of the parts of writing a novel that I truly enjoy and dive into wholeheartedly. And I always learn.
What are you working on now?
I’ve finished Forged by Flames, a Tyndale September 2026 release. Before I begin my next romantic suspense, I’m writing a Christmas short story: Christmas with the Grinch. And I’m working on a nonfiction: Writing the Suspense Novel.
Wow! How do you have time for all this? Writers! Make special note that DiAnn has another writing tool! If you are interested in writing
suspense, you may want to invest in this book!
A friend once asked me, “What are you passionate about? So passionate that you cry out and pound your fist on the table?” What is your pound-on-the-table passion?
I am passionate about the writing ministry. That means I’ll do whatever it takes to place an entertaining, inspiring, and encouraging book into a reader’s hand. I believe in the power of Christian fiction to show, and not tell, what a character believes.
We all have family, friends, and neighbors who do not believe in God. They won’t go with us to church, Bible Study, or even visit us for fear we’ll talk about Jesus. But we can give them a novel in which one or more of the characters solve their problems and live their lives according to a Christian worldview, and the person gets it. A writer then becomes a farmer, planting seeds for the kingdom.
How about a FANTASTIC giveaway from DiAnn and Tyndale Fiction?
September’s A2A Giveaway!
Yes! Thanks to DiAnn and Tyndale Publishing, this month’s giveaway winner will receive a softcover copy of her latest release, Canyon of Deceit!
How? Well, by entering! Not just once, but up to SIX times– (see the YouTube interview)!* Leave a comment below and share this blog and if you haven’t already, please subscribe to my newsletter at the bottom of this blog and receive a free gift from me — and an extra entry.
NOTE: WANT TO INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING THIS INCREDIBLE GIVEAWAY?*
Check out my YouTubeA2A interview with DiAnn. Because, in the video interview DiAnn answer different fun questions–and we have some great discussions! PLUS! DiAnn shares such really helpful writers’ tips!
By Liking and Commenting on the video episode, you will have one more entry.* Sharing the video, another entry.* Subscribe, and you have TWO entries for a chance to win.*
The Deadline is September 12th!
Watch our interview–
That means, my friends, if you comment and subscribe -– or are already a subscriber -– to my blog, then watch the video and LIKE, SHARE, and COMMENT on the VIDEO, then Subscribe to my YouTube Channel, your name will be entered SIX TIMES–SEVEN!*
Next month: Award-winning and bestselling suspense author, Robin Pearson. PLUS, I hope to have our 3rd annual indie-writers panel!
Thanks so much for stopping by. I hope you enjoyed getting to know DiAnn–I certainly did! Until October, God bless and KEEP READING!
*So sorry, entries from the contiguous US only.
