Meet Darlene Dziomba
A mystery author and animal lover.
Attendance at one of the premier crime fiction conferences, Bouchercon, the World Mystery Convention, inspired Darlene to start her writing career.
“I am an avid reader and attended a dozen Bouchercon Conventions as a fan. I found Bouchercon a great way to discover authors and cities. My friend and I would go early and explore whatever city Bouchercon was being held in. We can recommend the best breakfast spots all over the U.S.”
“Sitting in the audience at a panel at Bouchercon, in Toronto, when an idea hit me. I had never read a book where the protagonist worked in an animal shelter. I decided I would write that. To this day, I say it is the craziest thought that ever went through my head. I hadn’t written anything longer than a term paper. I had no idea how to write a book.”
“I joined a Writers’ Workshop at a local bookstore. Then, I joined Sisters in Crime and began taking online classes while I wrote and revised Clues From The Canines.”
Darlene’s hands-on work with animals provided the background for her protagonist, a woman who works as an adoption coordinator at an animal shelter. “I volunteered for five years at the Animal Welfare Association, a no-kill animal shelter in Voorhees, NJ. It is the inspiration for my series.”
Her dedication shows. “I am very passionate about animal welfare and hoped that my series would inform people about what it takes to run a shelter. It has. Readers tell me they had no idea how much goes on behind the scenes at a shelter before reading my books.”
Darlene experienced both sides of the shelter. She volunteered and worked in its operation and she adopted her dog, Billie.
“I always enjoyed walking the dogs. After a stroll with Billie, we went to a play area. She jumped into my lap and started licking my face. I knew that she chose me to be her human. She’s been a part of my family for eight years now. She is a wonderful companion; just keep her away from cats!”
Inspired by her love of mysteries and her knowledge of animal shelters, Darlene produced the first book in her Lily Dreyfus series, Clues From the Canines. This was followed by Up Close and Pawsonal and Fire and Dalmation.
Lauded with 5-star reviews from fans and readers, the series has additional books on the schedule.
“I’m working on the publicity for the fourth book in the Lily Dreyfus series, Assault & Gobblery. It will be released on February 28, 2025,” she said, sharing a glimpse of the story line. “When the tranquility of a community garden is shattered because a dead body is found stabbed with a hori hori knife, Lily Dreyfus must weed through the clues to prove her friend’s innocence while others try to shovel blame. Will she solve the case in time to clear her friend?”
“I am also working on the draft of the fifth book in the Lily Dreyfus series Tail of Deception.”
Darlene’s diligence and commitment have paid off. Clues from The Canines was a finalist for the Silver Falchion Award sponsored by the writers’ conference Killer Nashville. It also achieved a coveted spot in the Indie Author section of the August 2022 Kirkus Review magazine.
Although a relative newcomer to a writing career, Darlene is already actively supporting other authors.
“In 2024, I retired from my full-time job. When Sisters in Crime Grand Canyon Writers announced they were inviting interested chapter members to contact them about serving on chapter committees and on the 2024 Board of Directors, I wrote to the committee to ask questions about what would be involved. Yvonne Corrigan-Carr called and chatted with me and I made a good impression. I was nominated and elected to the Board. The person handling the membership responsibilities wanted to take on another role, so I became the Membership Chair.”
“I had a thirty-five-year career in Finance before my retirement. As Membership Chair, I was put in charge of keeping data in a spreadsheet up to date. It was fate. I was given the one job I knew I could excel at.”
“I also served in the national Sisters in Crime Mentorship Program this year. The official program was a six-month pilot. However, my mentee and I have decided that we will continue to talk to each other and share writing tips. We have a lot in common and made a connection.”
To further develop her networking in the writing community, Darlene has big plans for 2025.
“In 2025, I will attend Left Coast Crime, Malice Domestic, and Bouchercon. I hope to get panel assignments at the conferences. I have discovered that I love being on panels. When I got my first panel assignment, I was so nervous that I could barely sit still. I was lucky to sit next to Anita Carter who writes as part of the Abbey Sparkle team. She put me completely at ease, and I relished the experience.”
“People can check on my upcoming books and appearances, including local festivals and fairs, on my website, https://readdarlene.com.”
Darlene has favorite activities when not working on her cozy mysteries.
“I love being outside and have a dog who loves long walks. We have some awesome wooded areas where I live (in New Jersey), and Billie enjoys combing the underbrush for rabbits and other critters.”
“I also enjoy gardening. My yard is a bit challenging because it is primarily shady. Like my writing, my garden has had a lot of trial and error. Some plants have thrived, and others only had one season. I like to read in the spring and summer in the yard. Billie makes sure the squirrels don’t bother me.”
With three published novels in her Lily Dreyfus series, Darlene has established herself as a professional writer. She is optimistic about her future career as an author.
“I had an enormous amount to learn about being a writer, and I learn something new every day. I have an idea for a stand-alone suspense novel that I will work on when Tail of Deception goes off to my beta readers, editors, etc.”
“This is a difficult business to succeed in, but I intend to keep trying. Hopefully, one day, my publicity efforts will move to trial and success from trial and error. For now, I know a lot about what not to do!”
