Meet author Linda Dindzans

I’m excited to talk to Linda Dindzans today. She’s a new author with Scrivenings Press, and she writes Biblical fiction!

Jen – Hi, Linda! Tell me a little about yourself.

Linda – I grew up in a suburb of Washington, D.C., in Maryland, during the turbulent times of race riots, Vietnam protests, assassinations, and the Cuban missile crisis. And the exciting times of the space race and landing on the moon.

I went to college at Harvard in Boston, then to Montreal for medical school where I met my Canadian husband. We graduated one day and got married the next. Then we went back to Boston to the Beth Israel Hospital. Then to Toronto for 5 years training. Our first two children were born there. Then to Pittsburg where I finished training, and my husband Vincent had his first staff job, and our third child was born.

We moved to Wisconsin when all training was finished, and we wanted to stay put at least from first grade until the last finished high school. We love the Milwaukee area and have been here for 34 years.

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Jen – You grew up in a time of amazing (& frightening) history! What genre do you write?

Linda – I write Biblical fiction because that seems to be what comes to me, and I have a long-time fascination with Bible study. My debut novel A Certain Man was released by Scrivenings Press in August 2024. The book is available on Amazon in both Kindle and paperback formats. A large print edition should be available in a few months. Also, the publisher is working hard to get all the books released in 2024 available with an audible version with virtual voice. My publisher, Linda Fulkerson, is so dedicated. This involves her listening to every word to check for errors, poor timing, or pauses.

I am happy to report that I have been contracted to write two more books for this series. The series title is A Certain Future. The next book is A Certain Mercy, and it is scheduled for release in December 2025.

There was a certain man…

He offered an outcast—a shunned, shamed woman—a new life.

Mara is a young Samaritan beginning to discover her love for Samuel—and his for her. Soon she will be deemed mature enough to marry. Her hopes are dashed when her greedy father brokers a match with the cruel son of the wealthy High Priest of Shechem. When her loathsome betrothed is killed, her beloved Samuel must run for his life. Mara and Samuel struggle to survive and reunite during the treacherous and scandalous times of the Bible under the merciless rule of Rome.

Along the way, they are entangled within the snares of such notable figures as King Herod, Herodias, Pontius Pilate, Caiaphas, and Salome.

The heartrending tales of Mara and Samuel are interwoven with their desperate love story. Before either meets Yeshua the Nazarene face to face. Before He sets the political, religious, and spiritual landscape on fire. And before either Mara or Samuel are immortalized in the gospels.

Linda has received two awards (so far) for A Certain Man.

Jen – I can’t wait to read the series! And I agree that Linda is amazing. 🙂 So, tell me about your writing habits.

Linda Dindzans’ writing habits

Linda – I am whole-brained, so I am a pantser with a heavy dose of wanna-be plotter. (Very loose outline of main points) I establish loose routines that work for a while and then seem to change to a different one. Plot ideas just come to me. I am an avid reader, and I read for plot. Character development does not come naturally, but when I have been able to dig for a character’s truth and get it on the page, I find that particularly rewarding.

Jen – I love to hear how other writers write. I’m sure with Biblical fiction, you had to do research for your story. What did you find most interesting?

Linda – I love little-known facts. For instance, some scholars believe that the phrase “there was a certain man” was not just “once upon a time” but signaled those listening to Jesus that the story he was about to tell was based on a real person. This fact became the inspiration for my first book!

Everything about Biblical fiction has to do with research. I want to be true to the scriptures, true to the history, and true to the sound of the language. It can be daunting because there are times when I don’t know what I don’t know. Though I research constantly, I finally decided I can only do my best and ask God to “cover” the rest.

Here are some examples of issues:

When I was taking a fiction intensive taught by Mesu Andrews, she was critiquing my work–– a chapter from the next book. She wrote in the margin “you may want to research stoning methods.” Huh?! Didn’t they just pick up stones, surround the person and stone them? Apparently not! Off to research…

I am very persnickety about word choice. For instance, I could never use the word mesmerized because Franz Mesmer was a physician in the 1700’s. I try to use word order and phrasing sprinkled in that gives the feel of the times of the King James Bible without the difficulties of reading thee and thou. I avoid contractions to maintain a less contemporary sound and rhythm. And the online thesaurus is my constant companion.

Some of Linda’s most used research tools:

The Jewish Encyclopedia, The Jewish Book of Why, JSTOR website, chronological and cultural background bibles, Rose atlases, charts, and maps.

Jen – Wow! I admire the detail and dedication to do all of that. What are your goals when you write?

Linda – I write because I believe it is what God has called me to do. I’m not sure if is more about the lessons he is teaching me, what he wants others to learn or feel through my work, or about the relationships I form along the way. All I know is when the going gets tough, and I wonder if I should stop, I am reminded He hasn’t called me to do anything else! Some of the feedback I have received from the first book has convinced me that there are specific readers whose hands God intends to pick up this book, and the words that have been given to me are part of His plan. I am reminded of:

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11 New International Version

Finally, I hope that my books spur readers to go to the scriptures, to find His unconditional love, and the good news of salvation and eternal life.

Jen – Amen! What do you like to read?

Linda – I read some nonfiction: psychology, healthy-living, Biblical commentary, and books based on a travel destination.

Resources for writing

Jen – Which resources do you use to help your writing skills?

Linda – First and foremost–– the website margielawson.com. This brilliant PhD psychologist and editor extraordinaire runs an online writer academy. I have spent hundreds of hours taking courses, participating in writing immersions, and pursuing individual coaching. The best values ever are the webinars which address one isolated topic at a time. In addition, I have a shelf of books–– books on writing craft by James Scott Bell, Save the Cat Writes a Novel, Writing Lessons from the Front series by Angela Hunt, the “thesaurus” books Emotion, Negative and Positive Trait,

Jen – Tell us about your platform.

Linda – I keep telling myself I “get to learn social media” because I have been blessed with a published book and want to do my part for Scrivenings Press.

You can follow me on social media. FB Linda Dindzans, Author X:@lindadindzans website: lindadindzans.com email: linda.dindzans@gmail.com

Newsletter coming in 2025!

Fun facts about Linda Dindzans

Jen – Share some fun facts your readers would love to know! (Tea or coffee? Favorite season? Favorite Bible verse? What do you do in your free time? Cat or dog person?)

Linda – Animal person! When raising our kids we at one point had 9 pets: dog, cats, hamster, rabbits, African water frogs, hermit crab. For many years we had a “butterfly garden” where you hatch butterflies and release them in the yard in spring.

At present we have two cats Sweetie Pye ( a calico) and Honey Bunch (a ginger) who are a bonded pair. My oldest son has a hairless calico sphinx cat named Bizzie, who took up residence with us during their kitchen remodel. She feels like peach fuzz and is warm (103 degrees)

Favorite verse is above Jeremiah 29:11

Jen – Those cats burrow into your heart, don’t they? What is your advice for new authors?

Linda – Read widely. Study craft. Find critique partners. Learn to self-edit by editing others. It is always easier to see someone else’s mistakes. That whole “plank in your own eye, speck in another’s” thing!

Jen – What inspired you to start writing?

Linda – I was an avid reader for over 50 years @3 books per week. And I hate to admit it, but I never reviewed a book. I had no idea how important it was for authors and didn’t really think anyone would value my opinion. It also never occurred to me to write a book (except within the context of a joke) until a story kept coming to me that I couldn’t get out of my head. But I didn’t have time to write while I was practicing medicine. When I first left medicine, I thought it was a sabbatical. After three months, my husband and I agreed it was “retirement” to write.

Jen – I’m so glad Linda Dindzans is on my blog and that I’ve heard her unique and powerful story!

Linda Dindzans, M.D. is a writer with the heart of a healer. She offers readers stories of redemption and restoration. And her compelling characters inhabit the treacherous times of the Bible. But Linda believes there is nothing new under the sun. The hopes and struggles of her cast of characters still speak to hearts today. Yet only a profound encounter with the Son transforms her characters from victims to victors.

Linda is a retired ENT surgeon with a longstanding fascination with God’s Word and commitment to in-depth Bible study. She has been a guest speaker at medical conferences, national and regional Christian conferences, and a facilitator for church and home Bible studies.

She is grateful for this time to lay down her scalpel and pick up her pen as she follows a call to write.

During her free time, Linda can be found on the pickleball court. She has no aspirations to win a trophy but remains content to supply comic relief.

Linda and her husband, a fellow physician, have been blessed with three adult children, a son-in-law, a daughter-in-law, and three grandchildren. Wisconsin is home, but they travel across the world enjoying photography, birdwatching, and singing in choirs.

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Hi, I’m Jen! I’ve been married for over 37 years, have 5 amazing kids and 3 adorable grandkids. I homeschooled our three youngest children, and I used to blog about homeschooling. I also taught Oral Communication as an adjunct instructor for over 5 years.

Jen Dodrill Writes is born of a passion of mine – to write a novel! My first cozy mystery, Birds Alive!, released Feb. 27, 2024!

When I’m not working, you’ll find me writing, spending time with my family, or curled up on the couch reading and drinking a mug of dark roast coffee. (Don’t forget to check out my mug shop – JDMugs!)