Christmas in October?

Howdy y'all! Crystal here. Yep, you read that title right. Today I've got Darlene Franklin with me, and she's got two new Christmas releases she's giving us the down-low on. :) Stick around to the end and you'll get a chance to win a copy.

So, Darlene, tell us a bit about yourself.

I’ve spent some time recently on Amazon’s best seller lists, but my greatest claim to fame is that I write from a nursing home. It’s near my son and his family, which is the biggest benefit. I play piano at church services here, read good books, memorize scripture, play an occasional game of Bingo. . .and write.

Wow! And speaking of writing...Congratulations on your new releases! What are your stories about?

I had two Christmas compilations release in September: Face of Mary in A Texas Christmas and Jacob’s Christmas Dream in Christmas Mail Order Angels.

Face of Mary is a reimagining of the story of Joseph and Mary. Mary “Polly” Jessup has imagined herself engaged to Joey Carpenter ever since he made a passing remark at his sister’s 13th birthday party. Years later, he comes home—with a fiance on his arm.


Jacob’s Christmas Dream is a mail-order bride story. Jake Underwood hoped to marry by the time he was thirty, and he’s passed that point. A group of men from Angel Vale gather together to find brides from Jake’s home town, Merville, Maine. Becky Patterson accepts his proposal—until she learns he’s a part-time preacher. She came to Wyoming to escape her father’s parsonage.

You can't go wrong with Texas in my book, and I do love me some mail-order bride stories. Where did you get the inspiration?

Both stories have threads from Bible stories. Face of Mary is obvious. It’s in the East Texas Piney Woods, and included a wandering woodcarver. Gabe asks Joey to paint the nativity figures he’s carving. Joey can’t decide how to paint Mary’s face and looks for a woman who reminds him of Jesus’ mother.

Do you have a favorite scene(s) in the book(s)? If so, can you tell us a bit about it(them)?

In Face of Mary, I love the scenes surrounding the heirloom dishes Polly is forced to sell to repay the money her father mistakenly took from the bank. In Jacob’s Christmas Dream, I like the opening scene, in the prologue, when Jake’s friend Thomas comes up with the mail-order bride scheme and he agrees to help.

Those do sound interesting. Thanks for the peek. :) What do you plan to work on next?

Several different things. I am finishing up a book of devotionals from Matthew for the advent season. I’m also planning for two books: a novella about a tea party that I’ll start right away, and a mystery that I want to write during NANO next month.

My next two books will be both be released in November: An Advent Journey through Matthew and Tobogganing for Two.

Where can readers connect with you? Where can readers buy your book(s)?

Website/blog: http://darlenefranklinwrites.com/
Amazon author page: http://www.amazon.com/Darlene-Franklin/e/B001K8993A/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/darlene.franklin.3.
Twitter: @darlenefranklin

Purchase Jacob's Christmas Dream

Purchase A Texas Christmas

Last but not least, apart from writing, what is your favorite creative outlet?

Music! I still get to play piano for church services here, and I love to sing. I was a musician long before I was a writer.

Oh, I love to sing too. Thank you so much for being our guest today, Darlene. 

Since Darlene and I both love singing how about we share our favorite Christmas Carol? I think mine would have to be "Mary, Did You Know?". What about you? What's your favorite?

Darlene has offered to give away 1 book (with a minimum of 5 comments) or both books (2 winners, if there are 12 comments, aside from hers and mine).  Be sure to check back on Monday for the announcement of our winner(s) in the Weekly Wind-up post. Thanks for hangin' with us today, y'all!