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Darlene L. Turner is a New York TimesandPublishers Weekly bestselling author known for her high-octane stories and riveting twists. Sparked by Nancy Drew, she’s turned her love of solving mysteries into her writing, believing readers will be captured by her plots, inspired by her strong characters, and moved by her inspirational message. Dubbed “the plaid queen” for her love of everything plaid, Darlene resides with her husband Jeff in Ontario, Canada.
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Welcome to Heartbeats & Hideaways!
Thanks for joining us today, Darlene. I’m looking forward to getting to know you better.
Can you tell us a little about yourself and how you became a writer?
My love of writing began with reading Nancy Drew as a girl, but even though I continued to read, the writing spark faded, and life happened. I didn’t have time to write…or at least, I didn’t think I had the gift, so I put it out of my mind.
Years flew by, and I through my journey, I decided to take a creative writing course. This triggered the idea for the very first book I wrote. That’s when my love of writing re-surfaced and grew. So, God does use ALL circumstances in life to grow us, right?
I took some amazing courses through the Jerry B. Jenkins group and had some wonderful mentors. I started attending writing conferences in an attempt to get an agent. I’d pitch to them and have interest but nothing happened. In 2017, I won the Genesis award for one of those books. I believe this helped me catch the eye of my agent (who is an absolute sweetie!). She started pitching both of those books and suggested I write something to send to LIS, so I did. After doing some revisions, my agent got the call from them. When she called me, I did a happy dance. Border Breach debuted in April of 2020.
Shortly after this, I received my second contract with LIS, I decided to take a leap of faith and retire from my job to become a full-time author. I’m currently writing my 18th book for Harlequin and feeling very blessed! God is good!
How would you describe your books to someone discovering your work for the first time?
I write inspirational romantic suspense and thrillers packed with danger, twists, romance, and characters who discover that faith can shine even in the darkest moments. Expect rugged settings, determined heroes and heroines, plenty of edge-of-your-seat danger, and enough twists to keep you guessing. Basically, I love putting my characters in impossible situations, throwing everything I can at them (I’m mean that way! Haha! And, of course, there’s always a thread of hope woven through the suspense.
What themes or ideas do you find yourself returning to in your writing?
I tend to gravitate toward stories about forgiveness and trusting God in all circumstance as well as second chance tropes.
When you begin a new project, do you start with the characters, the plot, or the emotional core of the story?
I start with a general idea and then flesh out my characters. I love developing the hero and heroine. It’s my favorite part of the writing process!
What role does setting play in your stories?
Setting plays a huge role in my stories. I love taking readers into breathtaking—and often dangerous—places like national parks, rugged wilderness, and remote mountain regions. I want the setting to come alive on the page, almost becoming another character in the story. Towering peaks, glaciers, raging rivers, dense forests, and unpredictable weather don’t just provide a backdrop, they create obstacles, heighten the suspense, and sometimes become as much of a threat as the villain. I love using all five senses to pull readers into the wilderness so they can feel the biting wind, hear the crack of shifting ice, and experience the isolation right alongside my characters. For me, the wilder the setting, the better the suspense!
 Coordinates of Death A police officer will do anything to catch the serial killer that got away—even if it means playing a deadly game in the icy wilderness.
Sweetwood Falls, Yukon, has seen too much terror for one small town. Corporal Aurora Hunt still blames herself for not catching the Shadow Box Killer before five women lost their lives. The killings stopped two years ago, and her colleagues believe the murderer is dead. But Aurora isn’t convinced.
A chilling discovery on a winter’s morning confirms her fears. The crime scene is all too familiar—a woman’s mutilated body, and beneath it, a box containing a gruesome souvenir. But this time, there’s a special message, daring Aurora to play a game that will lead her into the wilderness to try and save the next victim.
Canadian Watcher Squad survivalist Kordell Greene is part of the past that Aurora has tried to put behind her. He’s also the only person equipped to guide her through this deadly terrain. But somehow, the killer knows all their secrets. Solving cryptic clues as they battle the elements, Aurora and Kordell must confront dark truths they’ve withheld, even from each other. And always, the Shadow Box Killer is one step ahead, drawing them deeper into a twisted game where the slightest mistake may be their last.
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