1. Your new book I Know Why the Angels Dance is a departure from the fantasy genre for you, and touches on some painful as well as joyful parts of life.

What was the motivation you had for sharing this story with your fans?

BD:I Know Why the Angels Dance is a book I wrote while contemplating a number of events, three of which involved death and grief. First, a friend miscarried twins. Later, one of my best friends died, and a little girl in our neighborhood drowned in her pool. I began thinking deeply about how tragedy forces us to deal with faith and hope in an afterlife. Do we really believe in it? If so, how should we grieve if a loved one goes to the most wonderful place imaginable? If we really believe in that place, should our grief find immediate solace? Is it selfish to grieve when a believer goes to that glorious home in heaven? This story explores these and many other questions.

Another issue involves a fathers role in teaching his children about faith. This is where the story reflects a personal journey. How does a man who possesses an analytical mind learn to communicate emotional love, especially when tragedy strikes? He is tempted to console with truth and facts, because these are the lights that always guided his own understanding. They should be enough solace for anyone, right?

As you might expect, such a man runs into roadblocks early and often. Its hard for him to rely on anything but the facts that support his faith. How other people operate and how to communicate his passion and compassion to them remain a mystery. Such is the journey of John Hanson, one of the main characters in the story.

Earlier, I mentioned a girl drowning. Her name was Tabitha, providing me with an easy choice for my catalyst characters name. With the faith of a child and a dogged resolve to lead her friends to salvation, twelve-year-old Tabitha is the gentle but determined force who guides people to the light she can see so much more clearly than can others.

I wrote this book about thirteen years ago, and I am thrilled that it is finally being published. I hope that thousands are blessed by the story and its powerful message.

2. When working on a book, do you have the beginning, middle, and end of the story plotted out, or do you find yourself surprised by the things that your characters do and say?

BD: I dont plan my story at all, and I definitely get surprised at the decisions my characters make. Sometimes I feel like a reporter rather than a writer. I just watch and listen to my characters and dutifully type it into the computer. That makes writing an adventure.