Greetings! Glad you're here. This week we are featuring author Darlene Foster with an author interview. We're sure you'll like what she has to offer the literary world. Her writing talent, creativity, and dedication to the craft shine through in every word.
Please welcome the stunning. . .
Author Darlene Foster
Let’s say you’re
thinking about going on once in a life time vacation…how exciting! What are
some of the places you’d consider, and what would you do while you’re there?
I love to travel and a
once in a lifetime adventure for me would be a trip to Australia and New Zealand. I would so love to see Ayers Rock, the Sydney
Opera House, koala bears, kangaroos and so many other amazing sites and animals
only found down under. I think it would be a fabulous setting for my main
character, Amanda Ross, to have an adventure.
What book or
books are you currently working on? Can we expect a new release soon?
I am currently working on
Amanda in Alberta - The Writing on the Stone, the fourth book in the
Amanda travel adventure series. I expect it to be out late spring or early
summer 2014.
What kind of
animals, birds, or fish do you like best? Do you have any pets - how many do
you have – and what are their names?
I love animals of all
kinds (so much so I don’t eat them!) I have always been fascinated by camels
and feature one in my first book, Amanda in Arabia – The Perfume Flask. His name is Ali Baba and he’s pretty cool. There
is a dancing pony named Pedro in Amanda in Spain – The Girl in the Painting and a smart Maine coon cat called Rupert in Amanda in England – The Missing Novel. I currently live with a black
cat named Monkey who sleeps at my feet while I write.
Forget about
make-believe super powers…we’ll never have them – bummer, I know right? But good
news…TRUE super powers come in different forms such as a great attitude, a
wonderful personality, loving kindness, and other cool traits like those. Who’s
the one super hero in your life, and what is their TRUE super power?
The super hero in my life is
my Dad. He taught me to never give up and to value family and friends. He was a
hardworking, honest, caring cowboy with a great sense of humour. He didn’t have
much education but he was the wisest person I ever met. He could strike up a
conversation with anyone at anytime; he had a genuine interest in all people.
He believed you could always find something good in anyone if you looked hard
enough. He’s been gone for seven years but I remember his wise words and kind
deeds everyday.
We all love
stories – especially yours! Would you be willing to give the readers a synopsis
of your current book?
In Amanda in Alberta – The Writing on the Stone, Amanda is visited
by her English friend, Leah. Amanda enjoys showing her out-of-town guest many
interesting Alberta sites and activities. They visit the Calgary
Stampede, Head Smashed in Buffalo Jump and the Royal Tyrell Dinosaur Museum to name a few. When Amanda finds a stone with strange writing
on it, she doesn’t think it’s very important until someone wants it bad enough
to put her and Leah in danger.
Creativity.
Where does yours come from? This is something writers are asked about much of
the time. Would you be so kind as to
elaborate on where you get your ideas and what sparks your creativity?
I get my ideas from my travels and the people I
meet. Every place is so amazing and
everyone I meet has a unique story. I love listening to people as they relate
ordinary occurrences. Being out in
public gives me so many ideas; on the bus, at the beach, shopping, in a coffee
shop, etc. Reading also sparks my creativity and I try to read a
variety of books.
How much
time do you devote to writing? Daily – weekly – monthly – whenever the urge
strikes?
I talked about writing a book for a long time
but “Never got around to it”. A few
years ago when I wanted to write about my travels in the Middle East, I decided I needed to make a plan. So I resolved
to write at least one hour a day and I stuck with it. Now I write two hours a
day, usually in the evening after work and dinner with my husband. It is now a
habit.
If you could
personally thank one person, or several (living or not) for giving you the
strength, determination, and perseverance to continue in your writing who would
you thank?
Other than my Dad of course, it would be my Grade
three teacher. She introduced me to the world of travel by creating such
fascinating classroom activities. For instance, she had us dress up in
sombreros and serapes, gave us Spanish names and cooked chili con carne for us
when we studied Mexico. She made me want to see the world. She
encouraged me to read and to write down all the stories that I made up in my
head. She also gave me my first Bobbsie Twins book. (Which I still have.) I
looked her up a couple of years ago through the wonders of the internet. She
remembered me after all these years and we arranged to meet. I was finally able
to thank her after all those years.
Who is your
favorite character that you have created? Tell us about him or her and why you
are so fond of them.
My favourite character is
Amanda Ross, the main character in my travel adventure books. She is an ordinary twelve year old full of curiosity.
She is adventurous, brave and kindhearted. She sees the best in people and
always wants to help those in need. Sometimes she is naïve and too trusting
whitch gets her into trouble. She values her friends and doesn’t like to upset
them. I am fond of her as she is the sort of girl I would have liked to have
been when I was twelve.
If you could
spend a day with an author, who would it be? And of course we’ve got to know
why.
If I could spend a day
with an author it would be Jane Austen. I have loved her and her books for a
long time. It would be fun to have a cup of tea with her, listen to her witty
remarks and gain some insights into her creativity. She created the most
amazing characters who could be anyone’s neighbour. She made ordinary people
interesting.
Thanks so much for being here Darlene - I hope the fans have had as much fun as I have getting to know you and discovering more about you and your writing.
OK readers, now it's your turn...here are some cool links where you can connect with Darlene and best of all, buy her books!
Connect with Darlene from these great links:
TWITTER HANDLE: @supermegawoman
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Until next week - stay casual, live life to the fullest, and have a piece of chocolate for me!
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