What books did you grow up reading?
I always had a book in my hands and curled up in a chair reading. I was a big fan of The Hardy Boys books. I also loved reading Archie Comic Digests. Then in my late teens, I discovered Harlequin books, which led me to my favorite author, Penny Jordan.I have a whole bookshelf filled with her books. Reading Penny’s books inspired me to write.
How long have you been writing or when did you start?
I’ve been writing for over two decades with eleven published novels and several in notebooks waiting to be finished. Writing only became full-time just a couple of years ago. Family, home, and work took priority.
What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
Story ideas always seem to take life while cleaning the house. I can think of an idea and have most of the story and characters plotted in my head by the time the chores are done.
How did you come up with the title for your book?
Cherry Red was born from a Rolling Stones song clip. Cherry Red is the favorite flavor of soda. Do you know which song I’m referring to? I’ve always loved those lyrics and knew Cherry Red would make a great title for one of my books.
If you’re planning a sequel, can you share a tiny bit about your plans for it?
I have sequels planned, one for each of the single firefighters mentioned in Cherry Red. The next book will feature Brando, Carly’s brother. Brando will have a secret baby. I’m just not sure when those stories will see daylight.
What is the most difficult part of your writing process?
Time. Home and family priorities come first, allowing me only three hours daily to focus on writing. I’m hoping to dedicate more time in the future.
Have pets ever gotten in the way of your writing?
I have two large dogs, a Yellow Lab, and a Cane Corso. They are an attention-demanding pair. No writing gets done until they’ve gone for a walk. After a quick nap, they circle my desk, and if that doesn’t get my attention, a paw or two gets placed onto my leg or desk and big brown eyes stare at me.
What’s your favorite and least favorite part of publishing?
Marketing. I’m terrible at spreading the word about my books. It takes a lot of time, which I don’t have. I’d rather spend my time writing than marketing.
What books do you enjoy reading?
I’ve always read contemporary romances and expanded to paranormal, fantasy, and western but lately, I’m drawn more toward suspense and mystery.
What would you say to an author who wanted to design their own cover?
If you have any design talent, then try it! I am part artist, so I enjoy designing my own book covers. However, I sometimes have too many ideas on what I want the cover to look like. I created five other covers for Cherry Red before deciding this cover was exactly what I wanted.
Social Media:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Cherry-Red-Darlene-Fredette-ebook/dp/B0CYNY67XN
Website: http://www.darlenefredette.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darlenefredette1/
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/darlenefredette.bsky.social