Literary You: Welcome, Darlene Fredette

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!

Nana Marley has her heart set on more great-grand babies, and with the help of a folklore legendary rabbit, she might receive her wish.

Derailed Hearts by Darlene Fredette

Single father and ER doctor, Ethan Marley, is ready to put down roots. He and his daughter embark on a train adventure across Canada from west to east coast. Boarding the train, he meets a woman who steals his breath, and he learns that she too is headed to Redford Falls. He is intent on maintaining a friendship only, but Jenn makes his heart race faster than the train. 
 
Fashion designer, Jenn Martini, travels by train to Redford Falls to visit her father. Her plan for a solitude escape derails after meeting Ethan and his daughter. Sharing a confined-spaced cabin sparks an immediate attraction, and by the end of the trip, she longs to be a part of their family. Only as she opens her heart to love, do the scars from her past begin to heal.
 
With more in common than relatives in Redford Falls, is their love strong enough to overcome the truth behind the accident…and save their future?
 
Excerpt:
Avery pointed to herself, Ethan, and then Jenn.
Ethan rested his forehead against his daughter’s. “You want Jenn to come, too?”
Avery nodded.
The little voice in Jenn’s head told her to return to her cabin and to stay clear of Ethan and his daughter. They were as enticing as strawberry ice cream. “I would love to join you.” The words fell from her lips.
Ethan stood and set Avery on her feet.
The child held onto her father’s hand and reached outward with the other.
Jenn accepted the tiny hand and in doing so, she sensed a comfortable connection to this family—a connection she suspected would be incredibly hard to break.

Purchase here.

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. 

Website          Blog           My Art          Amazon Author Page CA 
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Other Books by Darlene Fredette

Law of Attraction
Twist of Faith
Hershey’s Choice
His Candy Christmas (Redford Falls Story 1)
Kissed By Winter (Redford Falls Story 2)
Under The Apple Blossoms (Redford Falls Story 3)
A Recipe For Forever (Redford Falls Story 4)
Cherry Red
Finding Home Again (Redford Falls Story 5)