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
“Alleman’s prose flows effortlessly as she combines
mystery, murder, travel, history, and science into a
fast moving plot that is totally engaging. One of
those books that I was excited to get back to for
the unraveling of more suspense . . . and, a “must
read” for cruise ship lovers!”
“Alleman’s characters add an interesting element
that provides suspense and curiosity from multiple
angles. Their antics are so well described I can
easily see them in my minds eye.”
“Alleman’s story-telling is brilliant, as is her
captivating use of the English language.”
PageOneLit.com: 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 Bobbsey Twins 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.
PageOneLit.com: 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.
PageOneLit.com: 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.
PageOneLit.com: 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.
PageOneLit.com: 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.
PageOneLit.com: 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.
PageOneLit.com: What are readers saying
about your books?
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.
PageOneLit.com: 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.
PageOneLit.com: 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.
PageOneLit.com: 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.
