Weekly Windup: Comment to Win The Duke's Dilemma by Elaine Manders

Weekly Windup

Welcome to the Weekly Windup! We have a winner to announce!

Winner of Cinderella's Boots by Darlene Franklin is...

 

 

 

 

  If you are a winner, please Contact Us to claim your prize.

 

This Week's Giveaway:

Elaine Mander's Brand spankin' new release, The Duke's Dilemma!

Should he wed the perfect match—or the one he loves?

Edward Dalton, the new duke of Langsdale, must soon take a wife to ensure the hereditary line. A young war widow seems the perfect choice. She is charming, well respected with impeccable character, and her connections to the Ton’s most important people is an asset he can’t ignore. But Edward is intrigued by another widow. The mysterious, hauntingly beautiful Lady Wayte.

Cassandra Wayte could not be a more unsuitable match. She isn’t received by polite society, and her notorious dealings with London’s underclass is the talk of nobility from White’s patrons to the most fashionable hostesses. It’s even whispered she murdered her elderly husband. But Edward sees a different side of the tragic lady, and he determines to discover the secrets tormenting her. As he peels away the layers of her resistance, he discovers a malevolent adversary stalking Lady Wayte and exposes a level of depravity that shocks even his war-hardened sensibilities. Can he win her trust and her heart? And at what cost to the dukedom?

As Cassandra’s relentless search for her husband’s murderer exposes both her and Edward to unseen dangers, all they can rely on is their love for each other and their faith in God.

 Comment on any post now through June 4th to get your name in the drawing! Winner will be announced in the June 5th issue of the Weekly Windup. Paperback giveaways are for U.S. residents only.

Coming up this week:

Tuesday, 5/30: Stubby, the Hero Dog of WWI, by Shirley Raye Redmond
Thursday, 6/1: ACFW New Releases!
Friday, 6/2:  Heidi Main's book review of "Behind the Scenes"
Saturday, 6/3: Author Interview with Kimberly Rose Johnson 

Meet Cynthia - A modern Cinderella from Cinderella's Boots by Darlene Franklin

 Today we welcome Cynthia Ellen Cooper, the heroine from Darlene Franklin's newest release, Cinderella's Boots. She's here to tell us a little about herself and her adventure.

Welcome! Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
Yes, I’m that Cynthia, Cynthia Ellen Cooper, AKA Cinderella—the Cinderella who left her groom at the altar four years ago to work on her penpal’s sheep station in Australia.

Aside from that aberration, I’m normal with a capital N. My parents divorced when I was little, but I love my stepdad and my half-sister who complete my family with my mother. Believe it or not, I ended up working in the animal clinic that belongs to my ex-fiance’s father. Now that Keith has finished vet school, he’ll be working with his father. I’m a little worried about what that will be like.

What brings you to back to the West?
I never intended to stay away. I only wanted to spread my wings before I settled down.

What would be your dream occupation?

A variation on what I’m doing now. I work at the animal clinic as a vet assistant and dog groomer. I’d like to run a full-service dog facility, with a mobile pet-grooming service. You know, doggy day care, boarding services, dog training, vet tech services.

What is your greatest fear?
I don’t like getting backed into a corner. I worry if I squandered my best chance at love when I walked out on Keith.

If you could go back ten or fifteen years, what advice would you give yourself?
I suppose you expect me to say I would tell myself not to leave Keith at the altar. And I would—but I wouldn’t say to marry him. I’d tell myself to be up front and tell him I needed more time. Tell him about the opportunity in Australia, and ask him for another two years.

Where do you see yourself being ten years down the road?
Married—to Keith? Or someone else. With children and maybe even my pet-grooming truck.

Any parting remarks?
For anybody out there who feels like you can recover from the mistakes you’ve made—I believe in second chances. Every day is a new beginning with God.

Thanks so much for sharing with us today, Cynthia!

Readers, don't forget to leave a comment to get your name in the drawing for this book!

About the author:

Best-selling hybrid author Darlene Franklin's greatest claim to fame is that she writes full-time from a nursing home. This year she expects to reach fifty unique titles in print and she’s also contributed to more than twenty nonfiction titles. Her column, “The View Through my Door,” appears in four monthly magazines. Her most recent titles are Capturing the Rancher's Heart, Romancing the Ranger, and Cinderella's Boot

Website and blog

Facebook

Amazon author page

Twitter: @darlenefranklin

Weekly Windup: Still Time to Enter for Cinderella's Boots by Darlene Franklin!

Weekly Windup

Welcome to the Weekly Windup! There's still time to get your name in the drawing for Darlene Franklin's newest release, so be sure to leave lots of comments! 

We'll have Darlene stopping by for an interview with her main character on Saturday. You won't wanna miss it. :D

 

 

This Week's Giveaway:

Cinderella's Boots by Darlene Franklin

Cynthia Ellen Cooper—known affectionately as “Cinderella”—left her wedding boot in the dust when she ran away from her wedding to work on a sheep station in Australia. 

Four years later, she’s back home—and so is her ex-fiancé, now a DVM from Oklahoma State University. They reach a truce and work side by side in his father’s animal clinic. 

Cyn soon discovers she wants more—but she has to battle bad history and a demanding pet owner for Keith’s attention. 

How can Cinderella find a second chance at love? 

 Comment on any post now through May 28th to get your name in the drawing! Winner will be announced in the May 29th issue of the Weekly Windup. Paperback giveaways are for U.S. residents only.

Coming up this week:

Monday, 5/22:  Remembering... A Devotion by Carole Brown

Tuesday, 5/23: Ghosts Helped Win WWII by Terri Wangard

Wednesday, 5/24: Woven Wednesday with Elaine Manders

Thursday, 5/25: Defiance by LR Burkard
Friday, 5/26: Fun Friday with Catherine Castle
Saturday, 5/27: Meet Cynthia - A modern Cinderella from Cinderella's Boots by Darlene Franklin

The End of Orphan Trains with Special Guest Darlene Franklin

Today we welcome special guest Darlene Franklin as she shares some of the interesting historical facts behind the Orphan Trains. 

*****

When my editor invited me to write a novella about the orphan trains, I sensed I had found the perfect background for a story about a rich city gal who lost everything, only to find it again on a farm. And in terms of history, the Stock Market Crash of 1929 was the most obvious time period to write about.

            About the orphan trains themselves, I knew very little. When did they start? 1854. With my idea of a story set in 1930, when did they end? The orphan trains which began operation 1854 drew to a close in 1929. Agreements which had allowed continued placement of orphan children in several western states expired and weren’t renewed. Instead, local communities increased their support to allow poverty-stricken families to remain together.

            I couldn’t identify the actual date of the last orphan train, but I did locate a suggestion that it traveled as far as Kansas in 1930.

            Much of what I assumed was true. Then as now, infants had an easier time being adopted. Some adoptees entered lives that resembled slavery more than beloved children in a new home, although the agency did screen prospective parents.

            I quickly discovered several things I hadn’t known.

•  The trains weren’t called “orphan trains” until after they had ceased operation.
• Only some of the children were literal orphans. In many cases, the aide societies functioned as a rough foster-home system. Children from families unable to care for them sent them to families who could.
• Both New York’s Children’s Aid Society and the New York Foundling Hospital founded by Sisters of Charity sent children by train.
• Children traveled mostly to the Midwest, not to the far west.

           

I don’t say much about the stock market crash in To Riches Again, but I imply my heroine’s parents took their own lives. Suicides in 1929 jumped from 12.3 in 100K insureds to 18. The numbers grew by another 18% in 1930.  My spinster heroine chaperones the children on their trip west, but she is herself a literal orphan, seeking a new home in the bread basket of America.

*****

 Best-selling hybrid author Darlene Franklin's greatest claim to fame is that she writes full-time from a nursing home. This year she expects to reach fifty unique titles in print and she’s also contributed to more than twenty nonfiction titles. Her column, “The View Through my Door,” appears in four monthly magazines. Her most recent titles are Capturing the Rancher's Heart, Romancing the Ranger, and Cinderella's Boot.

Website and blog

Facebook

Amazon author page

Twitter: @darlenefranklin

  

 

About Darlene's Book:

A year ago, life was full of promise.
Elyssa Philbin partied with the rest of New York’s elite, not worrying about anything beyond her newest dress.

Ian and Bridget McDonnell, although part of a poverty-stricken family, lived secure in their parents’ love. Bill Ward looked forward to a prosperous crop, a new baby, and his loving wife.

Everything changed before the calendar turned to 1930. 

To Riches Again chronicles Elyssa and Bill’s return to wholeness after they have both lost everything, and gained much more—thanks in part to two orphan children.

To Riches Again Purchase Link

           

 Readers, leave a comment for Darlene and get your name in the drawing to win her newest release, Cinderella's Boots! Winner will be announced in the May 29th Issue of the Weekly Windup.

Weekly Windup: Comment to Win Cinderella's Boots by Darlene Franklin

Weekly Windup

Welcome to the Weekly Windup! We have a winner to announce!

Winner of Under This Same Sky by Cynthia Roemer is...Jan Hall!

If you are a winner, please Contact Us to claim your prize.

 

 This Week's Giveaway:

Cinderella's Boots by Darlene Franklin

Cynthia Ellen Cooper—known affectionately as “Cinderella”—left her wedding boot in the dust when she ran away from her wedding to work on a sheep station in Australia. 

Four years later, she’s back home—and so is her ex-fiancé, now a DVM from Oklahoma State University. They reach a truce and work side by side in his father’s animal clinic. 

Cyn soon discovers she wants more—but she has to battle bad history and a demanding pet owner for Keith’s attention. 

How can Cinderella find a second chance at love? 

 Comment on any post now through May 28th to get your name in the drawing! Winner will be announced in the May 29th issue of the Weekly Windup. Paperback giveaways are for U.S. residents only.

Coming up this week:

Monday, 5/15: The Bridegroom and His Bride with Norma Gail
Tuesday, 5/16: Orphan Trains with Guest Darlene Franklin
Wednesday, 5/17: Surprise!
Thursday, 5/18: Book review by Jenn Fromke
Friday, 5/19: Caryl McAdoo
Saturday, 5/20: Interview with Becky Wade

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!

Name Game with Guest Darlene Franklin #Giveaway

By Darlene Franklin

Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Reuben, for she said, “It is because the LORD has seen my misery. Surely my husband will love me now.” Genesis 29:32

Abraham had Isaac. Isaac had Esau and Jacob. Where were the descendants like the stars in the sky? Jacob provided the answer. His wives gave birth to twelve sons and at least one daughter—enough to found the twelve tribes of Israel. But who named them?

The question is not an idle one. God changed Abram's name to Abraham. He told Abraham to name his son Isaac, and He changed Jacob's name to Israel.

Jacob let his wives choose. And oh, what names they came up with: names full of joy and hope, rivalry and tension, man and God. Consider:

• Judah - Praise God
• Levi - Connect with my husband
• Asher - Happy
• Dan - Vindication

Rachel, so long barren, chose poignant names for her two sons: Joseph, "May God add another son to me," and Ben-oni, "son of my pain," on her deathbed. Jacob changed Ben-oni to Benjamin, son of my good fortune.

My son and daughter-in-law waited until after my grandson was born to choose his name: Isaiah Jaran Franklin. My son said "Our prayer is that he will grow up to cry out (Jaran) 'The Lord is salvation' (Isaiah) so that all may be free men (Franklin)." I love it!

Jordan's (granddaughter's name) is equally thoughtful. Born nine months after my daughter Jolene's death, she was given Jolene's initials and her middle name: Jordan Elizabeth Franklin. Her birth was a life-affirming gift from God in the midst of grief, and her name reflects that.

In my book, An Apple for Christmas, an orchard grower named MacIntosh Cortland named his twin daughters Pippin and Margil. All of their names reference a different variety.

Like Abram and Jacob, God has chosen a new name for all of His children (Revelation 2:17).

Best-selling author Darlene Franklin’s greatest claim to fame is that she writes full-time from a nursing home. She lives in Oklahoma, near her son and his family, and continues her interests in playing the piano and singing, books, good fellowship, and reality TV in addition to writing. She is an active member of Oklahoma City Christian Fiction Writers, American Christian Fiction Writers, and the Christian Authors Network. She has written over fifty books and more than 250 devotionals. Her historical fiction ranges from the Revolutionary War to World War II, from Texas to Vermont. You can find Darlene online elsewhere at www.amazon.com/Darlene-Franklin/e/B001K8993A/ and www.facebook.com/darlene.franklin.3.

To celebrate her new release, Darlene is giving away one ebook copy of An Apple for Christmas to one of this post's commenters (once a minimum of 5 commenters has been reached). The winner will be announced in next week's Weekly Windup post (09/14/15). 

Ruby Nelson trades her job in the laboratory for teaching in a small girls’ school in Vermont. Twin sisters challenge her position—and their father captivates her imagination. Will the orchard grower graft Ruby onto his heart?

www.amazon.com/Apple-Christmas-Novella-Traditions-ebook/dp/B012BLSKQG/
 Also available in the 8-1 anthology Christmas Traditions:
www.amazon.com/Christmas-Traditions-Romance-short-stories-ebook/dp/B0136ZFNOS/