About the Book

Book: Dangerous Detour (Discipleship Series, Book 2)

Author: Gail Pallotta

Genre: Christian Romantic Suspense

Release Date: March 11, 2025

Four people face a winter storm in the wilderness. Two have lost their way. One has lost his purpose and one has lost his soul.

Headed home for Christmas vacation, Ruthie, a quiet professor, crosses paths with Moose, a football coach, on an icy, blocked road in Western North Carolina. Amid a winter storm, they unknowingly take shelter in a killer’s hideout.

Escaping under fire, they flee into a frozen, snow-covered forest. Trying to find their way out and shake the murderer, they dodge bullets each day until the temperature drops and the world turns quiet. Then, they set up camps to survive in the wilderness. Even though they grow attracted to each other, neither admits it until each of them suffers a frightening injury. Finally, they head to a house Ruthie sees in the distance.

Will they meet a new friend, or a foe?

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About the Author

Award-winning author Gail Pallotta’s a wife, mom, swimmer and bargain shopper who loves God, beach sunsets and getting together with friends and family. She’s a 2017 Reader’s Favorite Book Awards winner and a TopShelf 2020 Book Awards Finalist. She recently received a Top Author Certificate for her new book, Hidden Danger. She’s published seven books, poems, short stories and two-hundred articles. Some of her articles appear in anthologies while two are in museums.

More from Gail

People often refer to modern times as the post-Christian era. We’re blessed with wonderful ministers, missionaries and other Christian leaders. Unfortunately, many people never attend a church or any Christian gathering. Yet church goers see others on a daily basis—in a long line in the grocery, at a restaurant, a company or organizational meeting. How can we, Christians who have no formal ministerial training, help spread the Gospel?

Some clergy say unchurched neighbors who watch Christians get up and go to church every Sunday grow curious about Christianity. A man (I’ll call him Joe) recently wandered in a store looking at the merchandise and humming a hymn. A stranger asked Joe about the song. Joe ended up talking to the man about his faith and his church. Another person was asked how he and his wife had stayed married for so many years. He said, “We go to church together.” That’s a loaded statement with so many churches going in different directions. However, the conversation led to a discussion of a Jesus-centered church. The teaching and sermons there apply what Jesus taught about living a godly life rather than re-shaping his Gospel to suit our advantage in worldly situations. It’s often little opportunities we take advantage of that speak to a person. All of the above stayed on my mind for a long time. Usually, when something nags me, I write about it. Thus, a Discipleship Series began. Dangerous Detour is book two.

Interview with the Author

What inspired this book?

I often hear we live in a post-Christian era. While we have wonderful Christian leaders, many people never enter a church. Yet, Christians go to groceries, stores, and meetings. One can find them almost everywhere. That’s probably why many Christian leaders now remind us we’re all disciples for Christ. With no formal theological training how are we to spread the Gospel? One man I know entered a store humming a hymn. When a stranger asked him about it, the conversation led to a Jesus centered church. A minister told his congregation when our neighbors see us get up and go to church instead of having an extra cup of coffee in our PJ’s, we are disciples. These things stayed on my mind. Usually when something nags at me, I write about it. Thus began the Discipleship Series. Dangerous Detour is Book 2.

Which author influenced the you most?

I’ve enjoyed reading a host of authors. If a book’s interesting and well-written, it doesn’t matter to me what genre it is. As far as authors influencing me, I would have to say my professional writing teacher, William Paulk, because he encouraged me as a writer. A wonderful writer, he won quite a few awards including a nomination for the prestigious Pushcart X award with small presses. Also, Josephina Niggli, who taught at the college, helped me with dialogue. She enjoyed a career here and in England as a play and film writer. To add a bit of interest and fun, she didn’t like comma rules. She said commas should only be used when someone needed to take a breath.

What is your favorite Bible verse or life verse?

Three verses: “Love the Lord your god with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. (Matthew 22: 37-39)

What is your vacation spot?

Destin, Florida. I love water—looking at it, swimming in it, walking beside it. The beautiful emerald sea in Destin rolls onto white sandy beaches. Watching it puts me in a peaceful place away from our busy world.

If you could have one book or piece of art or music on a deserted island, what would it be and why?

I’d want the Bible for many reasons. First, it’s God’s word. Secondly, it gives instructions on how God wants me to live. It’s filled with comfort, stories of God’s people and parables.