This week I am thrilled to have Darlene L. Turner on my blog for an author spotlight!
Darlene L. Turner is an award-winning author and lives with her husband, Jeff in Ontario, Canada. Her love of suspense began when she read her first Nancy Drew book. She’s turned that passion into her writing and believes readers will be captured by her plots, inspired by her strong characters, and moved by her inspirational message. You can connect with Darlene at www.darlenelturner.com where there’s suspense beyond borders.
First off, welcome to my blog. It’s so great to have you here!
Thank you for having me! I’m excited to chat with you and your readers.
What first sparked your passion for storytelling, and how has your journey as a writer evolved over time?
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 then the unspeakable happened. I went through some rough times, and 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 16th book for Harlequin and feeling very blessed! God is good!
What unique aspects of your faith influence your storytelling style or the themes you explore?
My faith is the core in my stories. No matter what my characters go through, they always turn to God in the end. I pray before I start writing and ask God to give me HIS words, not mine. I want to be His light. Someone once said that we write WITH God not FOR God. I like that. He’s right there with me when my fingers are flying across my keyboard, whispering into my ear His words!
Do you have a favorite Bible verse or passage that has guided your writing or life journey?
My favorite verse and the one I write when I autograph books is Psalm 91:4 - He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge. For Echoes of Darkness, the verse Romans 13:12b has been another favorite: Cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.
Who are some of your favorite Christian authors, and how have they influenced your work?
DiAnn Mills is one of my favorites and she’s been a huge help in my writing journey. She’s an amazing mentor! My other faves are Jaime Jo Wright, Lynette Eason, Steven James, Ted Dekker.
If you could collaborate with any Christian author, living or deceased, who would it be and why?
That’s a great question. So many to choose from! I would have to say J.R.R. Tolkien because I love his imagination. It would be awesome to learn from him!
What’s your favorite scene or moment in the book, and why does it hold special meaning for you?
There’s a moment in the book where Oaklynn and Caleb realize they have feelings for each other. They just came back from dinner and are talking out on a dock. Oaklynn shares a heart-breaking wound from her past. This was tough on her. I also modeled the dock after my friend’s cottage, so that was fun.
Are there any surprising lessons or revelations you discovered about yourself or your faith through the writing process?
I used to hesitate sharing my faith openly. Not because I didn’t believe, but because I was just plain timid. However, God revealed that He can use fiction powerfully to reach hearts. I learned to be bold and trust Him with the message.
How do you incorporate prayer or spiritual reflection into your writing routine?
I pray before I write, asking God to give me HIS words, not mine. I want Him to use these stories for His glory. I ask Him for direction on the story.
What do you enjoy most about connecting with readers, and what feedback has resonated deeply with you?
Hearing that readers have enjoyed my book still makes me pinch myself to ensure I’m not dreaming! 😊 When they take the time to contact me and tell me how my book has moved them, that makes the journey worthwhile.
Have you seen your book make an impact in someone’s life, and can you share that experience?
Yes, I had a reader tell me once that the theme of a particular book resonated her as it was what she had dealt with in the past and it touched her.
What’s one thing you wish readers knew about the process of writing Christian fiction?
That there’s a lot to it! It’s not just about writing the book, but editing, writing proposals, marketing, social media, finding launch team members, etc. But, it’s all good and worth it to write stories for our Lord and Savior!!
How do you celebrate the completion of a book, and what does that milestone mean to you?
I normally treat myself either to a movie, a latte or my favorite treat. I feel these milestones are huge steps, so we deserve to celebrate them!
If someone were to adapt your book into a movie, what would be your dream casting for the main characters?
Now that would be awesome! 😊 For my hero, Caleb Greene, I would chose Alan Ritchson as he’s who I picture Caleb (aka Grizzly). For my heroine I modeled her after Carrie Underwood in looks, but I think an actress like Scarlett Johansson would kick butt! haha
What advice would you give to aspiring authors who are just starting out?
The best advice I'd give to writer (and this was also given to me) would be to keep on and don’t give up. I know that’s easy to say as there were times when I felt like giving up, but I had many supporters cheer me on. Also, read writing books, go to conferences, and find a writing mentor. These will all help you. Read lots in the genre you want to write.
Lastly, before you go…Can you talk about any upcoming projects or books you’re working on?
I’m currently working on book #4 in my new National Park Protectors series for Love Inspired Suspense. This series is about six Hoyt siblings and each one has a vocation related to parks. There’s a park warden, archeologist, conservation officer (game warden), smokejumper, search and rescue pilot, and a park warden trainee.
Now for her book, Echoes of Darkness.
A serial killer stalks a small town, and a police officer must face her family’s dark past to catch him.
The sleepy community of Kenorapeake Falls in northern Ontario seems like somewhere Constable Oaklynn Brock can finally outrun her violent past. That is, until she’s assigned to investigate a series of suspicious deaths. She can’t reveal that she knows how serial killers think because she grew up with one. Yet the eerie similarities between these murders and those committed by her father, known as the Suicide Slayer, hint at a copycat in their midst. But why here and why now?
Caleb Greene of the Canadian Watchers Squad, a special task force, has his own reasons to be wary of working alongside Oaklynn. But with rumors of a local cult known as the Light Paragons gaining power, the stakes are too high to refuse.
As they explore connections between the killings and cult, Oaklynn and Caleb are forced to confront old secrets…and a terrifying new threat. Someone is watching Oaklynn’s every move. They know exactly who she is and what she might be capable of. And soon her biggest fear isn’t just having her past exposed, but that a killer will turn whatever days she has left into a living nightmare…
And Darlene has teased us with a snippet from her story:
Her mind recalled the last Christmas Eve she’d spent with her mother. They had gone to a candlelight service, and they sang “Silent Night” as the pastor lit a candle. Then lit the woman’s candle beside him, and she lit the next person’s. The process continued and one by one, the single flames turned the total darkness into an explosion of light.
Was He telling her she was that single light? And her light would extinguish the evil?
Something her aunt said during her father’s trial, after Oaklynn had confessed her fears, came to mind.
God will meet you in the darkest corner and provide the light for you to escape. You just have to let Him in.
Tears flowed like a waterfall, running along both sides of her neck.
Yes, it was time.
Time to surrender to the One she’d been fighting all these years.
Not her father. Not the copycat. Not herself.
Make sure to follow Darlene on Social Media:
Website: https://darlenelturner.com/
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Darlene-L.-Turner/author/B083RC78GW?ref
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darlenel.turner/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/darlene.turner.902/ X: https://x.com/darlenelturner
GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19553274.Darlene_L_Turner