I write because I love fiction and I am fascinated with the process,
particularly with how the imagination works almost automatically to
bring out the stories. I love fiction so much that I want to be a part
of the literary world. I have heard authors say they write because they
have to, but I can't say that for myself. It is a challenge and
something I know I can spend the rest of my life working at and
improving, and it is great fun.
Arleen Alleman
Arleen Allemanis
a former senior analyst with the Government
Accountability Office where she wrote
extensively on many topics ranging from
satellite systems to endangered species. She
has a science education, but has also worked as
a fashion model, insurance adjuster, jewelry
designer, and proprietor of a home décor shop.
Her interests include reading, health and
fitness, world religions, and travel. In fact,
her world travels supply authentic backdrops and
narration for her fictional stories. Born in
England and raised in New Hampshire and Nevada,
she now lives in Colorado with her husband, Tim
and their cat, Xena. Currents
of Vengeanceis
her second Darcy Farthing novel.
http://www.arleenalleman.com
Books-and-Authors.net: Where did you grow up and was reading
and writing a part of your life? Who were your earliest
influences and why?
Arleen Alleman: I was born in Bolton, Lancashire, England,
but my parents moved us to the U.S. when I was very small. I
spent my childhood in Concord, NH and then moved out west as
a teenager. As a child, I can't remember a time when I did
not read books, from Dr. Seuss to Treasure Island to The
BobbseyTwins and Nancy Drew. In the fourth grade I
ironically won a school essay contest on the topic of "Why I
am happy to be an American." That was the year I became a
naturalized citizen. That is really the only writing I
recall, until I started working on my high school newspaper.
I always loved books and began reading "grown up" fiction at
an early age. I remember sitting in the back yard tree house
at about the age of 13 with a volume of E.A. Poe's work and
falling in love with the idea of writing novels. In high
school I decided I wanted to be a journalist, but my life
did not go in that direction, exactly. For more than twenty
years, I wrote extensively on decidedly non-fiction topics
as a GAO analyst preparing reports for the U.S. Congress.
Even though I did not become an author, I never gave up the
dream of writing a novel some day, and I guess I am now
living that dream.
Books-and-Authors.net: Why do you write?
Arleen Alleman: I guess I write because I love fiction and I
am fascinated with the process, particularly with how the
imagination works almost automatically to bring out the
stories. I love fiction so much that I want to be a part of
the literary world. I have heard authors say they write
because they have to, but I can't say that for myself. It is
a challenge and something I know I can spend the rest of my
life working at and improving, and it is great fun.
Books-and-Authors.net: Discuss your book new book Currents
of Vengeance.
Arleen Alleman: The book is the continuing story of Darcy
Farthing, a pharmaceutical company rep turning into an
author, and a quirky bunch of characters on a
cruise-gone-wrong sailing around Cape Horn, South America.
Following their first ill-fated cruise (Currents Deep and
Deadly), Darcy is getting used to her new career as a writer
and getting acquainted with her new daughter, Rachael.
Meanwhile, Darcy's boyfriend, Mick Clayton, is recovering
from his near-death experience on the ship, but is
apparently in the grips of a depression that is interfering
with their romance. In the aftermath of the first cruise,
there are characters who seek revenge against Darcy, Mick,
and their friend and former ship's chief of security, Tom
Smythe. When Mick and Tom go back to the Sea Nymph to
conduct a joint GAO/FBI study of crime on cruise ships,
Darcy and Rachael go along. The currents that almost did
them in on the first cruise quickly surface in the form of a
rapist, a saboteur, and other vengeance-bent passengers. As
in Currents Deep and Deadly, intriguing layered plots wind
their way through this story to final resolution, but leave
room for the next in series story.
Books-and-Authors.net: Who is Darcy Farthing?
Arleen Alleman: Darcy is a flawed character, who starts out
with a dark secret that has interfered with her ability to
form lasting relationships. She is a 40ish tall blond beauty
with striking blue eyes and her physical fitness and
appearance are extremely important to her. However, she is
also very smart with a masters in biochemistry and an acute
interest in understanding the physical world. She is a
pragmatic scientist at heart and has decided that she is an
atheist, but the coincidences and unlikely events in her
life beginning with the first book and moving through the
stories, have made her question her non-belief philosophy.
Throughout the series she continues to grow and struggle
with these concepts.
Books-and-Authors.net: Currents of Vengeance. is a follow up
to your first novel Currents Deep and Deadly -- This turning
into a great literary franchise and would make a fine
Hollywood film. If the casting department called today and
asked you to cast the film who would you cast and why?
Arleen Alleman: I do think the series could fit into a
movie or TV series format and I will be "pitching" it to
some producers in New York at the end of October. I have
started thinking about it as Love Boat meets Bones, a
decidedly odd combination. Or an updated Titanic without the
sinking but with the romance and more mystery and intrigue.
Because Darcy's personal appearance is so intricate to the
stories, it might be a case of finding an "unknown" actor
for her, but I can see Jenna Elfman playing her because she
is very tall, using long hair and very blue eyes. There is a
little bit of comedy in Darcy's personality and Elfman or
even Kate Hudson or Reese Witherspoon would fit with that. A
Pierce Brosnan type could play Mick. He is a somewhat
conservative federal manager with a tall dark-haired classic
look, but can also be playful and is a romantic at heart. I
can see Mel Gibson playing Tom Smythe, who starts out as a
slightly overweight staunchy aging ex LA cop working on the
cruise ship, who over time, loses weight and grows into a
much more interesting and dynamic character.
Books-and-Authors.net:How did your cruise ship crime novels
come about?
Arleen Alleman: About four years ago, when I finally
decided I would try to write a novel I literally asked my
self what I knew about that would make an interesting story.
I had retired from the GAO by then and my husband and I had
been taking cruises all over the world. It just seemed
natural to use my government experience with the travel and
cruising to begin writing. I soon realized there was a very
real world issue with crime on cruise ships and I'm making
that a continuing theme. Writing about cruising has turned
out well in one respect. We continue to cruise and I had
book signings onboard during the trip around South America,
while I was working on the second book. This was great
exposure and something I plan to repeat.
Books-and-Authors.net: What are readers saying about your
books?
Arleen Alleman: I have had some very kind comments from
readers. Many say they enjoyed the fast-paced writing style
and became swept up in the story and could not put it down.
People have said there is an "intelligence" about the story
mixed in with the fiction that they liked and they thought
the intricate story-telling was well done. Some have liked
the travel parts with descriptions of the seaports along the
way, others not so much. Right or wrong, I know I was
influenced by readers' comments in developing the second
book.
Books-and-Authors.net: What do you hope to achieve with your
books?
Arleen Alleman: I want to improve as a writer and would
really like to have some commercial success. I would love to
at least recoup my considerable investment in publishing and
marketing. If that does not happen, I will still be happy
with the satisfaction of the process and having a "legacy"
of books out there.
This is a dream, but it would be wonderful to have my
stories considered similar to Diane Gabaldon's Outlander
series. By this, I mean they were very successful
"adventure" stories in what I call general fiction; not in
the murder-mystery, thriller, or romance genres per se.
Books-and-Authors.net:What was the last book you read?
Arleen Alleman: I read a lot of non-fiction books for
research, particularly in one of my favorite subjects,
religious history, but the last novel I read was Jeffery
Deaver's Edge. I have read many of his books and I thought
this might be the best one yet. He is a wonderful writer.
Books-and-Authors.net: What's next?
Arleen Alleman: Well, I have started writing the third book
in the series, Current Assets. It is about another real-life
issue involving corruption within sheriff departments and
the U.S. Marshals with respect to their programs for holding
and disposing of valuable property they seize from drug
dealers and other criminals. This one will take place in
Florida, not on a ship, although I plan to have the gang
back on board for a different cruise in the fourth book.
