Welcome, Author Darlene Fredette

I'm pleased to welcome Darlene Fredette, whose latest book Trickster launched just launched a week ago. It looks like a fabulous story, as do the rest of the books in the Mortar and Pestle series. Paranormal romance, anyone? Yesss! Those are some talented ladies. Congratulations, Darlene! Cheers to you and your fellow authors! 

The Color Behind the Covers
 
The Mortar and Pestle series took a lot of planning. Once we decided on the design of the cover -  I’m inserting a shout-out to group member Sydney Winward for the awesome design – we thought each cover should be a different color and somehow reflect the story. Here’s how we selected our cover color.
 
Selkie - Sydney Winward: “I chose the color silver for Selkie because it reminded me of metal. Shields, weapons, ruthlessness, and strength. I thought it was a good color and texture to portray, especially on the cover, to add to the aesthetic of the book.”
 
Seeker - Jean Grant: “Purple immediately came to mind because of purple thistles which are found throughout the Scottish Highlands, and the thistle is a symbol of Scotland. Then, I soon discovered that the Montgomerie clan tartan is purple.”
 
Quartermaster - Marilyn Barr: “My heroine’s eye color is gold. ‘Blimey, I say, with my fists clenched at my sides so I don’t touch her again. Those large, sandy brown eyes hold me captive as the fear drains from them. On some level, she must trust me.’”
 
Sea Hunter - D.V. Stone: “I wanted my cover to reflect the colors of the ocean. There are so many variables from steely gray to blues and greens.”

Revamped - Shirley Goldberg: “I wanted orange because Dante loves oranges. When he’s transitioning to real food instead of sucking up energy, oranges are one of his go-to foods. He eats several daily.”
 
Trickster - Darlene Fredette: “Jade, the heroine in Trickster, has eyes the color of jade stones, so it only made sense to choose that shade of green.”
 
Artist - Ginny Frost: “My book features a meadow full of fireflies at the artist retreat. It inspires both my female characters.”

Can she heal the trickster before he breaks her heart?

Working for a top modeling agency is Jade Parsons’s dream job until her boss suffers a heart attack, and his son temporarily fills his position. Eric’s push-pull approach fuels her frustration. While anticipating the troublemaker’s imminent departure, Jade’s destiny is revealed through a magical mortar and pestle, leaving her heart tormented by whispers of a different fate.
 
World-renowned photographer Eric Martini returns home to restore his relationship with his estranged father, but wounds from the past haunt him. Enchanted by his father’s feisty assistant, he masks his heart and refuses to give in to desire. Convinced his destined future is already written in the stars—and doesn’t include Jade, Eric’s only choice is to walk away.
 
Will Jade and Eric find the courage to trust the mythical and smokey signs before their paths are severed forever?


Excerpt

Two weeks ago, Eric had aired his family’s dirty laundry. Probably unintentional on his part, but he revealed the reason behind his frustration toward his father, and Jade gave her unwelcomed input.

Today she exposed her secret, which felt exhilarating. “I only wanted you to understand you have to let go of the past to be present in the future.”

“And I’m trying. My father and I are on a good path to rebuilding our relationship and for that, I thank you. You forced me to see the error of my ways. I’m sorry for taking out my problems on you. You didn’t deserve my grouchy moods. I was rude and obnoxious.”

He raised a brow. “Can you forgive me? Can we start over?”

Smiling, she squinted. “Who are you?”

He strode forward and held out a hand. “I’m Eric Martini. Nice to meet you.”

“No.” Jade pointed a finger. “You, sir, are a trickster.”

“Excuse me?”

“A trickster is someone who has many sides. Disruptive and helpful, troublemaker and hero. I know the man in the office. But I don’t know the man standing in front of me.” She clasped his hand, and a flurry of tingles surged the length of her arm. Warmth flushed her cheeks. Without thinking, she leaned up on her toes and kissed Eric’s cheek. “Thank you for being my hero today.”


Trickster on Amazon.

About the Author
Darlene resides on the Atlantic Coast of Canada where the summers are too short, and the winters are too long. Retired from a career as Director of Administration and Marketing, she now has eleven published contemporary romance books and is an artist at heart. When she isn’t researching her next book or having a pencil, paintbrush, or a cup of hot chocolate in her hand, she’s with her husband, daughter, and one-hundred-pound yellow Labrador.

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But wait! There’s more! I’m giving away a free PDF copy of The Mortar and Pestle Preview. This preview document is similar to the free prequel offered in Book Funnel, but the preview has tons of additional fun stuff – more graphics, book teasers, an inside look at how the series came to life, and much more! To get this free preview, pop over to my author website http://darlenefredette.blogspot.com/ and send me a note using the Contact Form on the left sidebar. No rafflecopter, no contest, and no drawing of names. Just send me a note through the secure Contact Form. It’s that easy!

Amazon