Do you enjoy adventures with pure love, strong faith, and happily-ever-afters? Today I interview Alena Mentink about her new release, A Time of Proving, and announce a special series giveaway.
Alena Mentink’s Christian western romance series, Home to Osceola, celebrates faith and family in small-town stories that combine wholesome romance, biblical truth, and a good dose of humor and adventure. Let’s hear what Alena has to say about her latest book.
“I hope that readers walk away from A Time of Proving with a desire to seek even deeper relationships inside their own families, and most importantly, to lean on the Lord’s help in doing so.”
Jayna Baas: Welcome, Alena, and congratulations on your new release! How did you first come up with the idea for A Time of Proving? What made you decide this was a book the world (or at least your world of readers) needed to have?
Alena Mentink: I first came up with the idea for A Time of Proving as I considered small town communities and the importance of reputation. My family has lived in the same area for generations on both sides, and I know that reputation isn’t something that can easily be changed. Anyone native to my county can tell me about my parents, my grandparents, my great-grandparents, or every once in a while, my great-great-grandparents. Naturally, my family’s reputation slides onto my shoulders as well. I have a reputation even before I lift a finger to do a thing.
Thankfully the locals seem charitable toward me and my extended family, but suppose that wasn’t the case? What if circumstances arose and made someone from a small town lose his good reputation? How hard would it be to persuade a town to give him a second chance?
Those were the questions that launched the idea for this story. I took a man with a broken reputation and paired him with a woman striving to reunite her scattered siblings. I wanted to create a fictional story that would highlight the reality of the importance of family.
The people and the place
JB: You highlighted that reality very well. The characters were one of my favorite parts of A Time of Proving, especially the sibling relationships. Did you have a personal favorite character?
AM: I have to admit I’m rather partial to Andy, one of my heroine’s brothers. He’s fourteen, always scheming—and yes, chock full of trouble, but an absolute blast to write. (Now if I actually had a sibling like him, I might feel differently . . .)
JB: Andy was one of my favorites too! A Time of Proving is set in Osceola, Nebraska, in the 1880s. What led you to write a story about that time and place? Did you include any real historical tidbits?
AM: Osceola, Nebraska, is a real town, although to quote Jase, it’s still so small its name barely appears on the map. I grew up on a farm just a couple miles outside of Osceola on land that had belonged to my family for generations. Seeing my great-great-grandparents’ fingerprints around me inspired me to dig deeper into my own past and the story of how this place came to be.
Those who settled this part of the state had dreams beyond gold dust and prosperity. In their writings these homesteaders often mention the importance of their faith in God and their value of creating a community to exemplify biblical morality. They desired to pass on a legacy to their children and future descendants. I wanted to write a story that honored those people in a small way.
Even though my book is fictional, I enjoyed sprinkling in real facts. As characters make their way about town, the street names and topography of the town stick to truth. I kept an 1880s map of the town propped open on my desk as I wrote some scenes (such as chapter nine when Jase returns to town) and carefully traced my character’s progress. Oftentimes I gave businesses the same names they had during that time period, and every once in a while, a real historical person makes a cameo appearance in the series. A Time of Proving’s fun appearance was the Honorable John Mickey in chapter nine. John Mickey built one of the first houses in Osceola, established a bank, and later became a governor of Nebraska. His name is still highly regarded in Osceola, and his house is now part of the town’s museum.
The process
JB: It’s a lot of work to bring together all that research plus characters, setting, themes, plot . . . What was the hardest or easiest part of writing this book?
AM: I believe A Time of Proving is one of the most painless books I’ve ever written. The characters jumped to life on the pages, and while there were sticky points, the words flowed smoothly for the most part.
The hardest part about creating the book was definitely the line edits. My editor was excellent, but pushed hard for me to do better. Toward the end I felt like I might never get past the rewrites and red lines slashed across my pages. It was tough, but a good thing for the story overall.
JB: What does your writing routine typically look like? What is your favorite stage of the writing process as a whole?
AM: I try to write a little bit every day. After my morning wake up routine and devotions, I sit down at my laptop and write for thirty minutes. When that time is up, I note how many words I produced, then carry on with the rest of my day. Some seasons involve more writing than other times, and I might do some serious writing in the afternoon too.
My favorite part of the writing process is hands down the daydreaming part. There’s nothing I love more than asking, “What if . . .” and creating a character to match the hypothetical situation. Writing the first draft takes second place on my list of favorites, but can’t quite compare to the joy of discovering the unexpected in the daydreams.
The person behind the project
JB: Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and what you enjoy doing when you’re not writing (other than daydreaming)?
AM: I live on a homestead-style farm where I find plenty of inspiration for my writing. (All of my family’s milking fiascos seem to end up on the pages of my books. There’s a reason that Jase knew better than to leave the milk bucket on the floor when dealing with a difficult cow.)
Spending time outdoors and taking long walks with my eight younger siblings ranks high on my list of enjoyments. The destination of our walks never matters. The important thing is the discussion that happens along the way about everything from theological doctrines to absurd inside jokes layered on top of even more inside jokes.
JB: Those interests explain a lot about why you write what you do. I loved the wholesomeness of the romance in A Time of Proving and your focus on faith and family. What can readers expect from your books, and what do you hope they’ll take away from this one?
AM: With each of my books, romance is one area where I tend to write carefully. My goal is to provide readers with a gentle romance that is both sweet and uplifting
Readers can also expect a strong biblical message in my books, plenty of action, and a happily ever after. All my Home to Osceola books tend to specifically feature endearing children and a small-town community where neighbors help one another.
I hope that readers walk away from A Time of Proving with a desire to seek even deeper relationships inside their own families, and most importantly, to lean on the Lord’s help in doing so.
More to come
JB: A Time of Proving is part of a series, Home to Osceola. What are you working on now, and where can readers connect with you and learn more about your writing?
AM: I’m currently working on polishing up the next book in the Home to Osceola series, An Arrival of Hope, which is scheduled to release at the beginning of 2026. This book features Zane, the brother of my hero from A Time of Proving. When his carefully arranged life is interrupted by a new-to-town woman who attracts trouble like a magnet, Zane finds himself forced to step in to assist her—even though a hero is the last thing he would call himself.
It’s a story that has its serious moments for sure, but I think this book might win the title as my most humorous story so far. I look forward to sharing it next year.
To connect with me, readers can find out more by visiting my website at alenamentink.com. I also invite anyone interested in my writing to sign up for my newsletter and download my free short stories for a sample of my style.
And a giveaway!
Enter for your chance to win two signed Christian historical romance paperbacks! Winner will receive one signed copy each of A Choice of Love and A Time of Proving, both of the books that are currently in the Home to Osceola series.
This giveaway ends on at 11:59 p.m. ET on March 25. Earn bonus entries by joining Alena’s online followers or sharing this opportunity with a friend!
Do you love stories of true faith?
Christian historical fiction series For Liberty & Conscience brings you faith-filled adventures bursting with courageous characters and biblical truth amid the danger of America’s founding. Click a cover for details or see all books here.
Happy reading!
Jayna Baas is the author of Preacher on the Run and director of The Christian PEN: Proofreaders and Editors Network. Learn more about Jayna here or join her email list for more recommendations.
I loved each of the questions you came up with for this interview, Jayna! Thank you so much for hosting me and A Time of Proving!
It was my pleasure! Thank you for your lovely answers.