POSTS ABOUT BOOKS BY CHRISTIAN AUTHORS
WEEKLY BOOK GIVEAWAY
COLORADO COLUMBINE
by Darlene Franklin
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Darlene Franklin |
Welcome, Darlene. What is your favorite dessert?
Let’s see. A tossup between pie—blueberry or pecan, please—or an ice cream sundae. Favorite: turtle sundae on peanut butter cup ice cream.
“Professional” writers can’t afford writer’s block. We sit down and write. If we don’t like what we write, we fix it.
Having said that, I do have times when I sit and stare into thin air. What do you do when you discover you’ve written two almost identical chapters? How do you describe a stiff back posture that indicates someone is proud or scared or determined?
But that thinking time counts as writing. When I’m writing my rough draft, I don’t worry about getting it right. I just spill the words on paper. Most of the time, it’s pretty good.
What was the main inspiration for the new book? Had the idea been on your mind for a while or just popped into it one day?
The Colorado Columbine story is one of my favorites. I’ve become a fan of word search puzzles. When I worked on a page about state flowers, I thought, “that would make a fun book series.” My publisher, Forget Me Not Romances, has since published nearly 30 books in the American State Flower series.
I chose Colorado for two reasons. First of all, Colorado is the home of my heart. Second of all, I lived in Denver at the time of the Columbine shootings. I considered writing a novella centered around that, but decided to go with a historical story. Colorado school children chose the blue columbine as the state flower in 1899. I decided to make my heroine one of those school children. Then I looked at events in Colorado’s history from 1900-1910 and discovered a children’s home, which once helped my family was founded at that time. Voila! In some ways, it’s a very personal story.
Lighting Round:
Vacation: Beach or Mountains?
Mountains! I moved from the ocean (Maine) to the mountains (Colorado) with stops along the way. They both do similar things for my spirit, reminding me of how great God is. For geography, give me the rocky coast or the majestic Rockies, and not Oklahoma’s flat plane where I now live. (However, Oklahoma has something even more important: GRANDCHILDREN.)
Please tell us a little about your novel, Colorado Columbine.
THE RICH MAN AND THE ORPHAN
Garnet Harvey graduates from an orphanage and lands a job as a nanny for three motherless girls. Chester Paul, a wealthy businessman, lost his wife in childbirth. After a long period of mourning, he hires a nanny to take care of his children while he works in the city. He remains
Garnet be introduced to Chester’s social circle? How will secrets from Garnet’s past affect their growing love for each other? Is it strong enough to grow as beautiful as the Colorado Columbine?
To the right is a picture Darlene colored of her story's heroine in a fancy dress inspired by the colors of the Columbine.
Where can readers find you online?
Website and blog
Amazon author page
Twitter: @darlenefranklin
Where can readers purchase Colorado Columbine?
Amazon
Any parting comment?
Thanks for having me as a guest on your blog today, Jo!
Leave a question you’d like readers to answer. (Commenters are not required to answer to be entered in the book drawing.)
What’s your state flower?
Darlene, thanks for visiting with my readers and me. Darlene is offering an eBook copy of Colorado Columbine to one commenter to this blog post.
Commenters, to enter the book drawing please leave your comment on this post through February 14, 2017 and remember to leave your email address so I can contact you if you’re the winner.
The winner of last Thursday’s blog post for a copy of Second Chance Love by Pam Meyers is Melanie. I’ll email you. Thanks all for commenting. Watch for more book giveaways.
Till next time … keep on smiling.
You can keep up to date with my writing by signing up for my mailing list. You'll receive a free quarterly e-newsletter and timely announcements about happenings of interest. I have a monthly drawing among those who sign up for my mailing list for the first time, and the winner receives a free eBook copy of their choice of one of my books.
On my website, you can read the first chapters of all my novels and novellas.
The SC (where I live now) State flower is the Yellow Jessamine. My home state of MI has the apple blossom as its state flower.
ReplyDeleteDarlene, what do you use to color with? Colored pencils, gel pens etc. Someone gave me coloring book for Christmas, but I don't know what to try to color with.
pattymh2000(at)yahoo(dot)com
Patty, I use colored pencils. Others use gel pens, but I like the shading I can get with the pencils. It's a lot of fun. Jessamine and apple blossom--the scents are wafting on the air to my nose!
DeletePatty, thanks for coming by and leaving your comment.
DeleteThis sounds like an interesting novella. And the cover is lovely. Thanks for having the giveaway. The Apple Blossom is my state flower.
ReplyDeleteI'm a follower by email.
harnessrose(at)yahoo(dot)com
Rose, are you from Michigan as well, or does a different state also have the apple blossom as the state flower? Unless you don't care to say. :)
DeleteRose, thanks for commenting and for following my blog!
DeleteSounds like a very good subject to read about
ReplyDeleteOops forgot the email address: paulams49(AT)sbcglibal(DOT)net
ReplyDeleteThanks for the chance to win!
Paula, you're also supposed tell us your state flower, lol! Thanks for your interest.
DeletePaula, you're welcome. Thanks for leaving your comment.
DeleteOops again typo real address: paulams49(AT)sbcglobal(DOT)net
ReplyDeleteGot it. Thanks.
Deletewisconsin's state flower is wood violet...
ReplyDeleteritaDOTnavarreATyahooDOTcom
That sounds like a pretty flower, Rita
DeleteThanks for stopping by and leaving your comment.
DeleteDarlene what a beautiful cover for your book. I love Colorado I lived in Colorado Springs for a year when I was 18. I absolutely love the name Garnet how did you come up with it. Can't wait to read your book.
ReplyDeleteCarla, Thanks for commenting. I NEED YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS TO ENTER YOU IN THE BOOK DRAWING IN CASE YOU WIN SO I CAN GET IN TOUCH WITH YOU.
DeleteCarla, Colorado Springs is a lovely area. Garnet is on the list of popular baby names from the 1890s--that's where I get most of my names these days.
ReplyDeleteMinnesota's state flower is the Pink and White Lady's Slipper or the Showy Lady's Slipper.
ReplyDeleteI am a follower
nlgriggs902atgmaildotcom
Nancy, thanks for commenting. I appreciate you following my blog!
DeleteMinnesota's state flower is the Pink and White Lady's Slipper or the Showy Lady's Slipper.
ReplyDeleteI am a follower
nlgriggs902atgmaildotcom
This comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteA Lady's slipper--that's a story begging to be written.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a great story. I can hardly wait to read it. I am a follower of your newsletter. I enjoyed your interview. dDOTbrookmyerATyahooDOTcom
ReplyDeleteDonna, glad you enjoyed the interview. Thanks for following!
DeleteHi Donna, glad you enjoyed the interview!
ReplyDeleteHi Jo and Darlene! Enjoyed your interview with Darlene, Jo. The book cover is lovely and it sounds like an interesting story.
ReplyDeleteI live in Maryland and our state flower is the Blackeyed Susan.
I follow your blog.
Blessings, Tina
KINGsDaughter5683 (at) gmail (dot) com
Tina, glad you enjoyed the interview with Darlene. Thanks for commenting and for following my blog!
Delete