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I'm so pleased to welcome the talented Darlene Fredette on my blog today! Darlene is an artist as well as an author. Creative people always amaze me. Today, of course, we're focusing on her writing and her new release, Derailed Hearts!

Let's get to know this creative lady a bit better with my new, quick interview, Literary You.

1) What sort of books did you enjoy reading as a child? Did you have a favorite book or series?
Growing up I read Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys books. I also enjoyed reading Archie comic books.

2) What sort of books do you enjoy reading nowadays?
I love romance books of many genres such as contemporary, paranormal, suspense, mystery, fantasy, and western.

3) Around what age did you realize that you liked to write? And when did you know that you wanted to write books?
I was in my early teens when I started writing a young adult novel. I didn’t think I had a talent for writing until my high school English teacher told me I had a great writing voice.
 
4) What’s the first thing you wrote that you remember being proud of?
Finishing my first novel ‘Law of Attraction’ and seeing it published was a proud moment I’ll never forget.
 
5) Tell us about the creative force within you. You are an amazing artist as well as a writer. What inspires you to write, to create?
Thank you for the compliment! I have always loved to create stuff, from crafts, to drawing, and building things. I believe art comes in many forms. Writing is one way I release my creative side, but I also love to draw and paint. I draw a picture for my daughter every week, and I recently discovered the art of fluid painting.

​6) What’s your writing space like?
I have a desk in the den, but my favorite place to write is in the living room, sitting in my comfy recliner. My husband made a small table that sits above my lap and holds my laptop.

Oooh, I need to ask my husband for one of those! I usually plop mine on a throw pillow, which isn't the most stable situation.
 
7) Do you have a favorite time of day to write? Any habits or little rituals that put you in a writing mindset?
I would like to have a favorite time or ritual to write, but daily life gets in the way. I go with the flow of my day. After house cleaning and a long walk with my dog, I manage to get a couple of hours late morning, break for lunch, then another couple of hours before shutting down for the day.
 
8) Congratulations on your new release, Derailed Hearts. The whole series, Redford Falls, looks wonderful. How did you come up with ideas for this series? Please tell us about your writing, Redford Falls, and Derailed Hearts.
Thank you! Redford Falls is a made-up town. I created it with the visual of two places my family visits often - a small town about an hour away is our favorite place to go, and another town (an hour away in the opposite direction) has a park with amazing waterfalls. With the first book in the series, I reworked character names from some of my favorite holiday movies. The town and its residents soon came to life and grow with each new book.
 
9) I realize you’ve just published a new book and I know what that takes. But I can’t help      but ask – do you have another story waiting on the backburner?
Derailed Hearts is the sixth book in my Redford Falls series, but I am currently writing the seventh. My new story is about Eric Martini, who is the brother of Jenn Martini (the heroine in Derailed Hearts), and Jade Parsons who has been a secondary character in previous books.  My new book is part of a series with six other authors. Each book is individual and has a common object in the stories.

It all sounds wonderful!
 
10) Is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
If you are new to Redford Falls, and starting with Derailed Hearts, don’t worry because each book stands well on its own, but for those returning to this quaint little town will be looking for the town’s legendary and mysterious matchmaker.
 
I love it! Thank you for sharing your time and talent. Wishing you continued joy and success.
Thank you, Anastasia, for hosting me and for allowing me to share my new release. I really enjoyed this interview.

Links, information, and an excerpt from Derailed Hearts​ follow. Readers, enjoy!

About Darlene Fredette

Darlene resides on the Atlantic Coast of Canada where the summers are too short, and the winters are too long. An avid reader since childhood, Darlene loved to develop the many stories coming to life in her head. She writes contemporary romances with a focus on plot-driven page-turners. When not working on her next book, or painting, or drawing, she can be found with her husband, her daughter, and her yellow Labrador. 

Airdchartdan. Urquhart. To my surprise, the castle isn’t named for a family, but for its location. There are a few suggestions as to the meaning of the ancient name, but mostly I’m finding that the old Gaelic/Welsh refers to a promontory with a woodsy thicket.  A few sources translate it as "upon a thicket". 
 
Even more surprising to me was how accessible it is from the road. From my research, its image was seared into my memory, ancient and mysterious,. Then there we were, driving along Loch Ness, and suddenly it was right there, clearly in view. I don’t know what I was expecting, but I was amazed and thrilled and could hardly wait to visit.

It seemed like a dream.
 
In view of my research on the Picts, I find it interesting that the earliest mention of the site was in a biography about Saint Columba. In the 600s, a little over a century after the fact, the saint’s biographer Adonmán wrote that Saint Columba visited Airdchartdan, where he baptized Emchath, a pictish noble on his deathbed, along with the entire household.  
 
Adonmán also recorded the first written mention of the Loch Ness monster. Legend has it that while in the area, Saint Columba scared him away and, in doing so, converted still more Picts.
 
Loch Ness was calm the day we visited. Sun and drizzle danced a bit, but neither a monster nor tremor disturbed the day.
 
There is some debate as to how old the ruins are, but some portion of it was certainly there in the late 1200s, when Edward I of England invaded Scotland.
 
From that time, the castle was more or less fought over continuously. Its history is tumultuous to the point that finally, in 1692, it was blown up, never to be resurrected.
 
With such a history, one might expect a lingering air of melancholy. At least, I would. But that day, I found that it wasn’t the case. I did mention it on social media, but it’s worth repeating. To me, Urquhart Castle and its grounds felt peaceful, stoic, and proud.
 
Beautiful ruins, indeed.
 
For more wonderful Medieval Monday, be sure to visit authors Mary Morgan and Barbara Bettis.
 
Wishing you a wonderful week ahead!