Welcome Back Darlene Franklin - Interview & Giveaway!

THE BIO

Award-winning author and speaker Darlene Franklin resides in the Colorado foothills with her mother and her lynx point Siamese cat Talia. One daughter has preceded her into glory; her son and his family live in Oklahoma. She has published two books previously (Romanian Rhapsody and Gunfight at Grace Gulch, both with Barbour, as well as numerous devotions, magazine articles, and children’s curriculum. Visit Darlene’s blog at www.darlenefranklinwrites.blogspot.com.


THE INTERVIEW

JA: You are one of the authors in the Snowbound Colorado Christmas anthology. Tell us about your story.
DF: In Dressed in Scarlet, “Denver’s big snow” (the blizzard of 1913) traps both heiress Natalie Daire and mechanic Frabizio Ricci at the Brown Palace Hotel. Natalie and Fabrizio form a close bond as they seek to entertain the snowbound guests, but will their different worlds tear them apart once the storm ends?

JA: What was it like working with the other authors when planning out your stories?
DF: Dressed in Scarlet includes small touches on the other three stories. For instance, the other couples attend Natalie’s birthday party on Christmas Eve. But those details were easy to add.

JA: You live in Colorado, so it must have been easy for you to find inspiration. What was it like writing a novel with a Christmas theme?
DF: Becky Germany (the editor) contracted the book just in time for us to write our stories over the Christmas season. It was easy to get in the spirit of the book! I loved giving my snowbound hotel guests Christmas carol sings and gift-making activities to pass the time.

JA: What do you want people to take away after reading Snowbound Colorado Christmas?
DF: Most of all, I hope they enjoy the romance between Fabrizio and Natalie. I also hope they realize that in Christ, barriers are swept aside.

JA: What’s next for you in the writing arena?
DF: 2009 will be banner year for me. The second and third mysteries in my Dressed for Death series will be released in 2009. Next year Barbour will also publish my first full-length historical novel, Beacon of Love. The story takes place against the backdrop of the Great Gale of 1815. Pretty soon I’ll be known as the disaster lady!

I’ve also contracted to write another Christmas novella! Lucy Ames, Sharpshooter will appear in Texas Cowgirl Christmas.

JA: How can people keep up with your latest publishing news?
DF: Check out my website, www.darlenehfranklin.com, or my blog, www.darlenefranklinwrites.blogspot.com

Thanks for returning to the blog, Darlene. May God continue to bless you in your writing journey!


JEN’S REVIEW

Dressed in Scarlet, the final book in the Snowbound Colorado Christmas anthology, is a charming wrap up to a lovely collection. The pairing of socialite Natalie Daire with working class Fabrizio Ricci provides a unique and engaging romance. The perfect book to curl up with in front of a fire and read while sipping a mug of hot cocoa, Dressed in Scarlet will leave you with a warm glow.


WIN THE BOOK

If you’d like to be entered to win a copy of Snowbound Colorado Christmas just leave a reply to this blog. I’ll pick a winner at random on October 3rd. Please leave an email address so I can contact you if you're the winner. (To prevent spammers from trolling for your email, please use this format with the brackets--you [at] yourmail [dot] com--or something similar.) Good luck!