Welcome to Buzzing About Books, Darlene! Please share a little about yourself.
My greatest claim to fame is that I write full-time from a nursing home. I live in Oklahoma, near my son and his family, and continue my interests in playing the piano and singing, books, good fellowship, and reality TV in addition to writing. I am an active member of Oklahoma City Christian Fiction Writers, American Christian Fiction Writers, and the Christian Authors Network. I have written over thirty books and has written more than 250 devotionals.
When did you decide to pursue writing and eventually publication?
After I was divorced, 23 years ago now, I felt compelled to write about the things God was teaching me. Once I got into the habit of writing every day, I never stopped.
What is your writing process like? How has it changed in the last few years?
I tend to have a warm up routine. I check any recent interviews and blog spots for comments, emails to answer, sales trends to follow . . .in other words, I waste a lot of time. My computer rests on a movable table in my room. Turn on light and computer and television and get to work.
When I entered the nursing home 2 years ago, I had to adjust my daily goals. I have less time to write, and so I take longer to write a book. I do play fewer online games than I used to.
What is your favorite part of the writing process? Least favorite?
My favorite part? Brainstorming ideas. Seeing the finished product. The satisfaction that the process worked and I have another good book on my hands.
The least favorite is the writing itself. It is long and hard and boring. At times, it is agonizing. In the book I’m currently writing, I’m reliving my days of raising troubled teens as a divorced mother.
What is one of the most interesting things you’ve discovered while doing research?
I was in the Colorado History Museum researching the history of Italians in Colorado when I heard elephants bugling. When I tracked down the exhibit, I learned that circus elephants who spent their winter months in Denver helped with clearing the streets after the worst storm in state history. That scene made it into my story, Dressed in Scarlet.
Please tell us about your latest release, An Apple for Christmas.
An Apple for Christmas is Book 4 in the Christmas Traditions series. 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?
What inspired this delightful story?
I have been writing about Vermont for years – nine books in all, from the Revolutionary War to contemporary. I don’t expect to write any more books set in Maple Notch. But I love the setting (I’m a native New England), so I looked at Vermont industries in the 1890s and was surprised to learn they were leaders in apples nationwide. So I wrote my apple story.
In An Apple for Christmas, I enjoyed the characters’ names and their meanings. How did you decide which names to use?
Choosing Mac(intosh) for the hero was the easy part. I originally chose the last name “Brown” but then decided that Cortland was a fine last name which also happened to refer to apples.
Choosing the girls’ names was harder. Today there are several apples with female names. However, few of them were in production in the 1890s. Margil and Pippin were among the few I could confirm were grown in the United States in that period.
I could nearly smell the scent of apples as I read, especially during the scene where Margil was cooking in the kitchen! What are some of your favorite apple treats?
McDonald’s apple pies. Apple pie of any kind. Apple crisp. Caramel apples, except I can’t chew them anymore.
Is there anything else you would like to share? What will you be working on next?
Thank you for asking. I am finishing up my 8th Maple Notch story, Runaway Love. It should come out from Harlequin Heartsong Presents next August. After that, I will write the final book of the series, Homecoming.
In December, my novella Miss Bliss in the Bear will appear in The Preacher’s Bride Collection. This year, people seem drawn to Colorado Melodies and The New England Romance Collection.
Thank you so much, Darlene. Where can readers find out more about you and your books?
For now, the best places are my author page at Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Darlene-Franklin/e/B001K8993A/.
They can also find me on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Poet.Darlene.Franklin
An Apple for Christmas is available on Amazon.
GIVEAWAY!
Darlene has graciously offered to give away one Kindle copy of An Apple for Christmas! Leave a comment, including your email address, to be entered to win this delightful novella. This giveaway ends Saturday, Oct. 25 at 11:59 p.m. CST.
To earn additional entries, you may do the following:
◦ Let me know you follow my blog
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◦ Share this giveaway through Facebook, Twitter, your blog, or email
Be sure and leave a comment letting me know what you have done to earn additional entries.
Buzzing About Books 
I enjoyed the interview and the book looks very interesting. I follow the blog through email.
Hi Carol! Thank you so much for your comment and for following my blog!
Hi Carol, thanks for your interest
It looks like a great story. I follow your blog by email and I shared via twitter.
I love how Darlene shared that she writes everyday. I am going to share that with my kids. I believe you become a writer by writing. Your life has proven that. 🙂
Becky
Hi Becky! Thanks so much for your comment. AN APPLE FOR CHRISTMAS is a wonderful story! I appreciate you following my blog and sharing the giveaway!
Becky, I’d love to see your kids take up writing. 🙂 It sounds like you are an author as well. Thanks for your interest.
Looks like a book I’d really enjoy reading. The smells of apples & cinnamon is one of my favorite smells during the holidays 🙂 dkstevensne *at* outlook dotcom
D.K., oh, nothing like apples and cinnamon . . .expect your mouth to water when you read Apple for Christmas.
This sounds like a great book. I love the tidbit about the elephants. I follow your blog.
Susan, that’s one of my favorites as well.
Thanks for the interesting interview, Darlene and Britney!!
I already have “An Apple For Christmas” and loved it – an unusual story with a lot of warmth!! It seems we have a lot of shared interests, Darlene – singing, playing the piano, books, reality TV, fellowship with friends, apples (especially McDonald’s apple pies), and I certainly relate to being divorced while raising problem teenagers!!
P.S. Shared post!!
Thanks, Bonnie! Hopefully we will become better friends over the years.
Wow! What an inspiration! I can’t wait to read your book and will look on Amazon for others. Love apples . . . Gala are my new favorite but Fugi are a close second. Blessings to you.
Oops for got my email addy well maybe it got it but I don’t think so. Again thanks for sharing your story and blessings to you. I wish I knew how to make great pie crust so I could make apple pie. Oh, I love to eat apples in an applewich with peanut butter and honey in between two slices or if I just can’t wait . . . just cut it up and dip it! : ) Thanks!
A lot of wonderful varieties these days. Applewhich. . .if only my teeth could chew it.
I just joined your blog this weekend and received the e-mail with interview today. Darlene, I love your apple tie-in’s and New England flavor. Thanx for the giveaway!
Thanks, Jennifer. I grew up in New England and love the setting.
This looks really good! I would love to read it. Yes, I follow your blog!
Sonja, thanks for stopping by.
I would love to win this book! I am hoping to collect all of the novellas in this series!!! Ty for the interview!!!
I am a subscriber via email, a blog follower, and like on Facebook both the blog and the author!!!
I ❤ Buzzing About Books!!!
Hi Christi, good to meet you and thanks for your interest.
I love Christmas stories of any kind and I love McDonald’s apple pies too!
They satisfy my urging for an apple pie without having an entire pie left. . .
I do enjoy Christmas stories, I follow..
dkstevensne at outlook dot com
Sounds like a great book, I love Christmas stories. galinda at earthlink dot net
◦ Let me know you follow my blog I follow
◦ Shared this giveaway on Facebook and Twitter
Christmas stories can be very satisfying, can’t they? Before I started writing them, I wondered where all the ideas came from. Now I see them everywhere I turn.
Hi D.K., hope you can enjoy An Apple for Christmas
Hi Darlene! what a “delicious” sounding book! I am so anxious to read it! I appreciate the opportunity to enter your Aurora Golden Gala giveaway and would be honored to be a winner! Sweet Bramley!!!! I truly enjoyed your interview and was so happy to learn you did somethng so very “Chelmsford Wonder”ful with your life after divorce, instead of wasting it like so many of us women do!
It is a Chiver’s Delight to like and follow you on the web sites, receive your blogs and notices via e-mail as well as to share you and your awesome giveaway with friends and the public.
Look’s like we may have a Dudley Winter so having An Apple for Christmas to read, along with a nice cup of hot Egremont Russet Thanks again and may God continue His blessings on you
Look’s like we may have a Dudley Winter so having An Apple for Christmas to read, while sipping on a nice cup of hot Egremont Russet nutty flavoured cider, would be Sweet!! Thanks again and God’s Blessings!!
What a very clever way of using different apple varieties. . . .
I love Christmas stories! Follow on Facebook.