Get to Know the Author and Her Exciting Mystery Series
Arleen has been writing for more than forty years, including many technical reports for the U.S. Government Accountability Office. She is also a life-long reader. At around age fourteen, after enjoying a number of mysteries, she decided she would like to write novels. Much later in life, she finally fulfilled the dream to become a fiction author in the form of The Darcy Farthing series. The books are inspired by her own travel adventures. She has also published her first children’s book. Born in England and raised in New Hampshire and Nevada, Arleen has two sons and lives with her husband in Colorado. She is also an unabashed cat lover.
for Sometimes Naughty-Always Loved
A Word from Arleen
“I’m thrilled with the feedback I’ve received on the Darcy Farthing adventure mystery series and the 5-star reviews. These books can each be read alone so you don’t have to start with the first in the series. Of course, many readers like to start at the beginning of the journey. I love to travel, including by cruise ship and all the locations in the books are informed by my personal experiences as well as lots of research.
“My main character, Darcy Farthing, is a writer, pragmatic scientist, and loyal friend and partner. Her intelligence, high degree of morality, and troubled past make her a complex endearing protagonist.“
Arleen Alleman is a former senior analyst with the U.S. Government Accountability Office where she wrote extensively on many topics ranging from satellite systems to endangered species. Due to her science education, primarily in biology, she loves everything having to do with science and nature.
Her interests include reading, health and fitness, hiking, and cruising. She describes herself as a generalist with a variety of professional experiences. She has worked as a fashion model, insurance adjuster, government analyst, jewelry artist, boutique owner, children’s literacy tutor, and has written songs and offers her time as a speaker.
A word from Arleen about the Series Finale: Currents of Sin
In Currents of Sin, true to her nature, when Darcy tries to rescue homeless teenagers from the Las Vegas streets, she becomes embroiled in a dangerous three-way war between human traffickers, Asian gangs, and the Las Vegas police.“
Currents of Sin is the final installment of Darcy Farthing’s five-year adventures. While this book brings satisfying closure to the ongoing plots and characters’ lives, it can be read as a stand-alone as can the other books in the series.
When I began writing this fictional story, I knew that human trafficking was a world-wide scourge on humanity and that traffickers often target vulnerable teens. But as I researched the topic in-depth, I realized the problem was more insidious and far-reaching than I imagined. One goal I have for Currents of Sin is that along with entertaining the reader it might further raise awareness about human trafficking and what is required to end it.
That being said, despite the dark subject matter, the book encompasses a wide range of diverse relationships and emotional responses with optimistic and uplifting outcomes.
Author Interview With Maryann Miller’s It’s Not all Gravy
Please help me welcome Arleen Alleman, as today’s Wednesday’s Guest. Arleen has quite a background working with the U.S. Government Accountability Office and more recently is writing a mystery series. I’ll let her tell you more.
“I love to hear stories about people who try new things later in life. I’m a firm believer in diving into new endeavors and I know firsthand that it’s never too late to learn something new. About four years ago, I suddenly realized that I too had one of those stories to tell.“
“It begins with a vivid fifty-two-year-old memory of a warm New Hampshire day in a wooded backyard, where my contractor father built a sturdy treehouse on stilts for my brother and me. I climbed up the ladder through the trap door and settled onto a bench with a can of orange soda and a volume of Edgar Allan Poe. I don’t remember where that particular book came from, but at age fourteen I was already an avid reader. I do remember having the thought that being a novelist must be the most wonderful job in the world since they can turn their imaginations loose and can work almost anywhere. This thought resurfaced from time to time over many subsequent years but did not blossom into reality.“
“After graduating high school in Nevada, I briefly considered a career in journalism, but life took different turns as is often the case. Following stints as a fashion model and insurance adjuster, and after a divorce, I moved my two young sons to Colorado, where I finally went to college to study science—a great love of my life. Then I went on to enjoy a fascinating career as an analyst with the U.S. Government Accountability Office. There, I conducted in-depth studies and prepared reports to Congress on many diverse topics ranging from satellite systems and health care to endangered species, to name a few.“
“After retiring from that position, I studied jewelry design and spent five years creating silver sculptures—wearable art. I sold my creations in shops and galleries, and then opened my own little shop specializing in home décor. At the same time, my husband and I were discovering the world of cruising and soon found that we loved that mode of travel.“
“With time to think about what I wanted to do next, I turned to that ancient dream of being a writer, which had been tucked away in the back of my mind for nearly a lifetime. Using the cruise ships and seaports as backdrops as well as my government work and other life experiences, I decided to dive into a new current, as my protagonist Darcy would say. I sat down one day and started to write.“
“Before I knew it, I had a published novel, Currents Deep and Deadly, the first Darcy Farthing adventure novel. The book features a strong female protagonist with edgy controversial views and a shipboard murder mystery with lots of travel and a little romance and family drama along the way. Somehow, taking it a day at a time, I had completed a frustrating learning curve on the processes of self-publishing a book and the basics of marketing. Both of which were more daunting than the writing itself.“
“When I talk with people at book signings at Barnes and Noble stores, and onboard cruise ships, the conversations often turn to people trying something new later in life. Many people express the desire to write a book and it would be great if my journey encouraged people to just go out and try something they’ve always thought about doing. I have also met many new authors who, like me, are in their sixties and beyond. It seems that the world of self-publishing has opened up many opportunities for seniors to pursue dreams that might not have been possible otherwise. For that I am grateful.“
Another Fulfilling Endeavor
Along with physical fitness and health, Arleen’s interests include reading, traveling, and studying the origins of religion. In 2002, she retired from the GAO and searched for the next thing to pursue. She began to build a custom design jewelry business working with pure silver clay.
“Working with the earth’s beautiful metals, gems, stones, pearls, shells, and wood, and turning them into wearable pieces of art was extremely uplifting and satisfying.”
In 2005, after selling her creations at a popular coop in Castle Rock, Colorado, and at art shows and galleries, she decided to open her own home decor and jewelry boutique.
In 2010 she realized a life-long dream with the publication of her first novel, Currents Deep and Deadly. She closed her shop to concentrate on writing.
Soon thereafter, she had the unfortunate experience of receiving a breast cancer diagnosis followed by ten months of treatment.
“I’ve emerged only somewhat scathed from that ordeal. I guess this begins the next stage in my evolving life journey—or riding this current to the end, as my character Darcy Farthing would say.”