Darlene Foster
Authors-Readers International
Brought up on a ranch in southern Alberta, Darlene Foster dreamt of writing stories, travelling the world and meeting interesting people. She also believes everyone is capable of making their dreams come true. It’s no surprise that she’s now an award-winning author. Her exciting Amanda Travels series features spunky 12 year-old Amanda Ross who loves to travel to unique places. Readers from seven-to-seventy-plus enjoy travelling with Amanda as she unravels one mystery after another. Darlene, her husband and their dog, Dot, divide their time between the west coast of Canada and Orihuela Costa, Spain.
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I have never met Darlene Foster in person, even though we were both living in Alberta at the same time. I first discovered Darlene’s books, in fact, because of that shared Alberta experience. I was scanning the Goodreads book lists for new releases and happened upon her book, Amanda in Alberta. I thought it would be a great addition to my Reading Recommendations blog to promote a new-to-me Alberta author who was writing books for children about the province, so I contacted Darlene, and she has since appeared twice on my blog. Darlene Foster has also been an avid promoter of my books and blogs as well as the writing of many other authors we’ve both met online over the years. She continues to share and like and comment upon just about every author’s promotions I’ve posted to this A-RI series. As well, like me, Darlene now spends half of each year outside of Canada – in her case, living in Spain. Plus, the main character of her books travels to many other countries. (Arabia, Spain, England, Alberta Canada, the Danube Germany, New Mexico USA, Holland) So Darlene Foster has truly become an “international” author herself!
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Amanda In Holland – Missing in Action
Amanda is in Holland to see the tulips with her best friend, Leah. She travels the canals of Amsterdam, visits Anne Frank House, checks out windmills and a wooden shoe factory, and takes pictures of the flowers of Keukenhof Gardens. While she’s there, she is keen to find out what happened to her great uncle who never returned from WWII and was declared missing in action. What she doesn’t expect to find and fall in love with is Joey, an abandoned puppy. While trying to find a home for him, she meets Jan, a Dutch boy who offers to help, a suspicious gardener, a strange woman on a bicycle, and an overprotective goose named Gerald.
Follow Amanda around the charming country of Holland, filled with colourful tulips, windmills, and more bicycles than she could have imagined. Once again, intrepid traveller Amanda encounters danger and intrigue as she tries to solve more than one mystery in a foreign country.
What Darlene Foster is working on now: I published book #7 in the Amanda Travels series, Amanda in Holland: Missing in Action in September 2019 and returned to Canada to do a successful book tour. I´m currently putting the finishing touches on Amanda in Malta: The Sleeping Lady which is scheduled for release Spring, 2021. Amanda will continue to travel and have adventures. I have just started Amanda in France (no subtitle yet) I also have a collection of short stories about growing up in the prairies I plan to publish. Hubby and I are enjoying life in Spain and love being able to explore other wonderful European locations. We will be visiting Venice next.
For more information about Darlene Foster and her books, please see her website.
Darlene Foster has been a guest on my Reading Recommendations blog twice over the years: Oct. 2014 and Jan. 2017.
Books: Publishing, Reading, Writing 
Great featuring Darlene!!
Thanks, Kirt.
Susan, how lovely how you and Darlene have connected via your shared location of Alberta and since remained good friends.
Darlene, lovely to learn more about you, your books! They sound amazing, thoughtful and a lot of fun!
I love how you share your time between two countries and this must be a fascinating and enriching life.
Have a fabulous time in Venice … one fears that one day it may disappear under water!
Wishing you both a lovely Sunday! 🌺
Thanks so much Annika. The blogging world is such a great place to meet good folks and find you have much in common.
Great to see Darlene here!
Thanks, Jennie. It is so great to be included here.
You’re welcome, Darlene. 🙂
A lovely feature, Susan. I am a big fan of Amanda in Holland. 🙂 Congrats to Darlene.
Thanks so much. I am so pleased you loved Amanda´s adventure in Holland.
So good to see Darlene and her work featured here! The new short story collection about growing up on the plains sounds interesting.
Thanks, Liz. I´m dragging my feet on that one so I better get to it!
🙂
Thrilled to see Darlene featured here! I’ve always loved the idea of Amanda having exciting adventures around the world while also giving the reader the opportunity to explore and visit different places.
Thanks, Teri for all your support.
This is a great post. I have recently read Amanda in Holland.
Thanks, Robbie. I can’t wait to hear what you thought of the book.
Having Maltese ancestry Darlene, I can’t wait to get my hands on Amanda’s new adventure next year! Great to read this!
That is so cool, Dean. I didn´t realize you had Maltese ancestry. Such lovely people.
I am a big fan of Darlene, although sadly have never met her in person. She is an amazing writer and very generous with helping other writers. Very inspiring lady.
Thanks, Gilda. It would be so great to meet at one point!
I have Amanda in Alberta waiting on my Kindle (It’s not too far down the TBR list.) I’m always eager to read a new children’s book.
Thanks, Pete. I hope you enjoy Amanda´s adventures in her own part of the world.
I learned of Darlene’s books the same way! I’m an Alberta girl as well, and noticed the title of Amanda in Alberta and had to check it out 🙂
Her stories would appeal to a wide range of kids and adults, too. I hope to read one soon.
Thanks, Jacquie. Funny how us Alberta girls tend to find each other.
Six degrees of separation, they say 🙂
Good interview–and congrats to Darlene for the success with this book.
Thanks, Jacqui!!
Reblogged this on Darlene Foster's Blog and commented:
I am so excited about being featured on Susan Toy´s A – R International Writers feature. She has featured some well-known and exceptional authors, so being included has made my day. Susan herself is a talented author. I suggest checking out her blog and her books about life on a small Caribean Island.
It was interesting to see what another Alberta author is writing for children. After I read a sample of her work on her website, I can see how her travel stories would be very engaging for kids. Good job, Darlene!
I know that Darlene has been very successful with engaging young readers at the many events she’s attended that have been organized through libraries and schools.
Thank you so much, Sharon. Such a great compliment coming from you.
Lovely to see Darlene here, Susan. Like you, I’ve never met Darlene in real life (I sent my cousin along to one of her book readings in Vancouver!) but I’m hoping that may be remedied. I’m trying t persuade her to bring Amanda to Scotland for an adventure! 🙂
I’m sure that would be a fun visit for both Darlene and Amanda!
And for me 🙂
Thanks, Mary. It will happen! Working on it.
Thank you so much for including me along with all these other amazing authors. This is such a great feature.
You are most welcome, Darlene!
Reblogged this on Reading Recommendations.