Middle Grade and YA Author, Poet
Unlike her fictional characters, Darlene has never had a talking parrot or a ghost as a dear friend, but she adores working with animals and she did live in a haunted house as a child. The baboon on her shoulder is named Caesar and in the picture they were out for a walk with about thirty baboons at the Na'ankuse Wildlife Refuge in Namibia.
Outside of being a nature and animal enthusiast, Darlene loves to travel and hike. She is an award-winning writer whose publications include poetry, fiction, and nonfiction. She teaches literature and writing at Pacific University in Oregon and has taught adults and children in a variety of settings, including schools, libraries, and community centers. She lives in the Willamette Valley with her family and four cats and spends as much time as she can in the woods.
FAVORITES
Favorite Colors: Blue and Purple
Favorite Planet: Neptune
Favorite Constellation: Orion’s Belt
Favorite Forest: El Yunque Rainforest, Puerto Rico
Favorite Animal: Coquí
Favorite Pet: Cats
Favorite Fruit: Blueberries and Mango
Favorite Foods: Vegetarian Pho and Puerto Rican Pasteles
Favorite Dessert: Tembleque (coconut pudding)
Favorite Candy: Chocolate
Favorite Place: Forests
Favorite Weather: Rain
Favorite Middle Grade Novels:
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The Girl and The Ghost, Hannah Alkaf
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A Wish in the Dark, Christine Soontornvat
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Skullduggery Pleasant Series, Derek Landy
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The Thing About Jellyfish, Ali Benjamin
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The Girl Who Drank the Moon, Kelly Barnhill
Favorite YA Novels:
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The Marrow Thieves, Cherie Dimaline
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The Bear and the Nightingale, Katherine Arden
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They Both Die at the End, Adam Silvera
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Winterwood, Shea Ernshaw
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Anything by Laura Ruby
Favorite Adult Books:
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The House of the Spirits, Isabel Allende (novel)
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The Rock Eaters, Brenda Peynado (short stories)
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The Things We Didn't Know, Elba Iris Pérez (novel)
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There, There, Tommy Orange (novel)
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The Overstory, Richard Powers (novel)
Photo by Justin McRobert
