Meet author Danielle Grandinetti

Danielle Grandinetti is a book blogger at DaniellesWritingSpot.com. Her short stories have appeared in several publications and her writing has won the University of Northwestern Distinguished Faith in Writing Award. Originally from the Chicago area, she now lives along Lake Michigan’s Wisconsin shoreline with her husband and their two young sons. Danielle especially loves quiet mornings served with the perfect cup of tea.

Tell us about your newest book A Strike to the Heart

Wisconsin, 1933–When a routine mission becomes an ambush that kills his team, Craft Agency sniper Miles Wright determines to find the persons responsible and protect the woman he rescued. But the fierce independence that led Lily Moore to leave her family’s dairy business for the solitary life of a dog trainer and the isolation of her farm don’t make that easy. Neither does his unwanted attraction to her. Meanwhile, escalating incidents confirm that she’s far from safe.

Lily fears letting the surprisingly gentle retired marine into her life almost as much as she fears whoever is threatening her. As Wisconsin farmers edge toward another milk strike, one that will surely turn violent, it becomes clear that the plot against Lily may be part of a much larger conspiracy. When the search for her abductor leads close to home, she must decide whether to trust her family or the man who saved her life.

What inspired you to write A Strike to the Heart?

A Strike to the Heart began as a contemporary romantic suspense with a different situation at stake, however, something was missing. When 2020 hit, I learned that Wisconsin dairy farmers had to dump their cows’s milk because they were losing money by bringing it to the processing plants. What surprised me most, however, was that this had happened before. In 1933. The cost of milk was so low, dairy farmers staged a strike (three, actually) by dumping their milk alongside public roads. So I changed the setting of my story to take place during the 1933 milk strikes. It revolutionized my plot and A Strike to the Heart was born.

How would you describe this book to someone in a 30-second blurb?

A Strike to the Heart is a romantic suspense set during the Wisconsin Milk Strikes of 1933. A dairy farmer’s independent daughter must decide whether she should trust her family or the man who saves her life.

What genre do you focus on?

I love history. I love romance. And a story is always better with suspense. Put all three together and it’s perfect the description of what I both love to read and write.

Why do you write?

I attended a writer’s conference several years back where the teacher of one of the breakout sessions used the term “keyboard missionary.” That struck a nerve for me. I’ve always believed story is the most powerful way to share truth with another person. My hope is that my readers will discover a nugget of truth from within the pages of my stories, without me putting it into so many words.

Who is your main character, and how did you choose that name?

Lily Moore and Miles Wright are my two main characters. Lily is a dog trainer and Miles is a retired Marine sniper. I chose their names because of the meanings and connotations. Lily’s personality is all about nature and Miles is a soldier.

What is your work schedule like when you’re writing a book?

I’m a work-from-home mom of a four year old and two year old, so I write whenever I can find sntaches of time. I also have an amazing husband who is my biggest supporter in carving out time to write.

What is the hardest part of being an author?

I’m an introvert, so putting myself out there from a marketing perspective is a challenge. I love talking books, but it’s hard to talk about my own.

What’s the best part of your author’s life?

I love story. I always have. I love telling a story, writing a story, talking about a story. Any story.

What’s one thing your readers should know about you?

One thing that is unique about me: I once worked as an adjunct professor teaching Intercultural Communication at a university. I’ve traveled to several different countries, Italy topping the list, and am, myself, a second/third generation Italian-American.

How have you changed or grown as a writer?

I began writing as a grade schooler, so there has been much growth. However, the lesson I’m continually reminded of lately is to trust who God made me as a writer. Instead of trying to fit what I think I should write, I need to quiet my head and trust the passion God has laid on my heart.

What is your favorite pastime?

Reading! I also love to cook and crochet.

Do you have other books? We’d love to know.

To Stand in the Breach is the prequel to A Strike to the Heart and it’s available in print and ebook: https://daniellegrandinetti.com/to-stand-in-the-breach/

What are you working on now?

I’m currently editing A Silent as the Night, the Christmas novella that wraps up the Strike to the Heart series. It releases in September.

Website: daniellegrandinetti.com

Link to book: https://daniellegrandinetti.com/a-strike-to-the-heart/

Social media links:

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goodreads.com/danielleswritingspot

bookbub.com/authors/danielle-grandinetti

amazon.com/Danielle-Grandinetti/e/B01BEU1602/