In two days it’ll be exactly a year since I last stayed in with Darlene Foster when we chatted on Linda’s Book Bag here about her children’s book Amanda in New Mexico – Ghosts in the Wind. Little did I know when I first decided to run ‘staying in’ posts that we’d all be doing it in real life, never mind virtually!

With Darlene’s stories transporting young readers all over the world from the safety of their own homes I thought now would be the perfect time to welcome her back to tell me about her latest book.

Staying in with Darlene Foster

Welcome back to Linda’s Book Bag Darlene and thank you for agreeing to stay in with me again.

Tell me, which of your books have you brought along to share this evening and why have you chosen it?

I’ve brought Amanda in Holland: Missing in Action because it is the latest in the Amanda Travels series. Also, Holland is a great place to be in the spring. It may entice you and your readers to visit this delightful country.

It certainly will once we’re allowed to travel again Darlene.

What can we expect from an evening in with Amanda in Holland: Missing in Action?

You can expect a fun trip to Holland without leaving the comfort of your sofa.

One reader commented, “This book was quite a bit of fun. Foster combines a middle-grade fiction plot with a colourful tour of Holland, including its famous sites, snippets of history, and its wonderful flowers and food. I had the great fortune of visiting my grandparents in Holland when I was Amanda’s age, and her experiences in the book mirror my memories in great detail. It was a blast to traipse along beside Amanda and enjoy the country once again.” D. Peach

That’s lovely. You must be delighted with that response.

If you like spending time with a young person you can be sure Amanda will entertain you as she explores Holland and attempts to find some things that are missing.

Here is what another reviewer had to say about the twelve-year-old heroine.

“The book is action-packed and filled with interesting titbits of information about life in Holland, WWII and perseverance and determination in unravelling a mystery. Amanda is a clever and kind girl who will appeal to middle school and young teenagers who will admire her pluck.” Robbie Cheadle

Oh. I love Robbie. She’s been a brilliant supporter of Linda’s Book Bag over the years. She has a brilliant blog of her own here too.

I enjoy writing travel adventure books with a twelve-year-old main character. Kids at this age are typically bright, inquisitive, eager to learn, and fun. They are in the middle, no longer little children but not yet teenagers. There is still that sweet innocence but they are starting to question things and think for themselves. The sense of adventure kicks in at this age and they crave more independence, at the same time they like to feel safe in the familiar. Wouldn’t we all like to be twelve again?

I’m not entirely sure I would Darlene. I was 5′ 8” tall at 12 and looked much older than I was. Got me into quite a few scrapes! Someone once asked me out on a date and when I asked how old he was, he said he was 26. When I asked how old he thought I was, he considered for a while and said, ‘Around 23 or 24.’ His face was a picture when I said I was 12. You couldn’t see him for dust! 

What else have you brought along and why?

I have brought some Stroopwaffels and banket, two favourite Dutch treats, as well as Dutch hot chocolate. We can place the Stoopwaffels on top of the steaming hot chocolate and the caramel between the crisp waffles will melt making them even more delicious. The banket, a puff pastry filled with almond paste, will melt in your mouth.

Oh my word. I think you can come again Darlene if you’re going to bring food like this!

I have also brought you a bouquet of tulips.

They are beautiful. Thanks so much and thank you for staying in with me again Darlene.

Thanks so much for inviting me and Amanda over for an evening in. Please help yourself to the goodies and dream of Holland.

Thanks Darlene. Sadly, dreaming is all we can do at the moment but at least we do have Amanda in Holland: Missing in Action to take us there:

Amanda in Holland: Missing in Action

Amanda is in Holland to see the tulips with her best friend, Leah; travelling the canals of Amsterdam, visiting Anne Frank House, checking out windmills and a wooden shoe factory, and taking pictures of the flowers of Keukenhof Gardens.

She is also keen to find out what happened to her great uncle who never returned from WWII and was declared missing in action.

What she doesn’t expect to find and fall in love with is Joey, an abandoned puppy.

While trying to find a home for him, she meets Jan, a Dutch boy who offers to help, a suspicious gardener, a strange woman on a bicycle, and an overprotective goose named Gerald.

Follow Amanda around the charming country of Holland, filled with colourful tulips, windmills, and more bicycles than she could have imagined.

Once again, intrepid traveller Amanda encounters danger and intrigue as she tries to solve more than one mystery in a foreign country.

Amanda in Holland: Missing in Action is available for purchase here.

About Darlene Foster

Darlene Foster is a writer, an employment counsellor, an ESL tutor for children, a wife, mother and grandmother. She loves travel, shoes, cooking, reading, sewing, chocolate, music, the beach and making new friends. Her 13-year-old grandson called her “super-mega-woman-supreme”. She was brought up on a ranch near Medicine Hat, Alberta, where she dreamt of traveling the world and meeting interesting people. She currently divides her time between the west coast of Canada and the Costa Blanca in Spain, with her husband Paul.

Amanda in Arabia-The Perfume Flask was her first published novel. Once bitten by the travel bug, Amanda travels to other interesting places, sticking her nose in other people’s problems and getting herself in trouble. Read Amanda in Spain – The Girl in the Painting, Amanda in England – The Missing Novel, Amanda in Alberta – The Writing on the Stone, Amanda on the Danube – The Sounds of Music and Amanda in New Mexico – Ghosts in the Wind to find out the adventures Amanda has as she travels the world. You can find all of these books here.

You can find out more about Darlene by visiting her website and her blog. You’ll also find her on Facebook and Twitter @supermegawoman.