Giveaway and Author Interview: Seaside Romance

Welcome to Writing for Christ, Darlene Franklin! Thank you for being with us today.
Tell us a little about yourself!
My writing reflects my passions. A contributor to Kids Ministry Ideas and On Mission, I draw from my experience in children’s ministry and missions. God’s love fuels my fiction, including my first book, Romanian Rhapsody (Barbour Publishing, 2005). And my latest release Gunfight at Grace Gulch, a cozy mystery from Heartsong Presents Mysteries.

1: How long did you write before you were published?

I had a devotional published after I had been writing for two years; however, my first book didn’t come out for another twelve years!

2: When you held that first book in your hands, what was your first thought?

I loved the cover! In general, I love Barbour’s covers. Of course I couldn’t stop smiling—and wanting to get another one pub lished as soon as possible!

3: What are you working on now?

Beautiful cover!!

I am finishing up my third historical romance set in Vermont for Heartsong, Love’s Raid. Constable Daniel Tuttle investigates a bank robbery. Are they Confederates, like the ones who robbed in a bank in nearby St. Albans, in the northernmost skirmish of the Civil War? Or are they copycats—someone a lot closer to home? The first book in the trilogy, Prodigal Patriot, was just released in July.

4: Where can readers find out more about your books?

They can check my author’s page at amazon.com. I also have a blog (darlenefranklinwrites.blogspot.com) and contribute to thebookdoctorbd.blogspot.com. Every month I run a book giveaway on my blog, so check it out for more information.

5: What message(s) do you want to be clear to your readers?

The bottom line behind writing romance is that God’s love underlies and identifies everything that is holy and beautiful about human love. His love is enough. In each and every circumstance, time or place. I have lived that in my life, through abuse, divorce, suicide—and my characters do too.

6: What are two things that people wouldn't normally know about you as a writer and or person?

I worked a brief stint as the society editor of a small town newspaper decades before I considered writing as profession.

I spent a summer in Mexico City as a summer missionary.

Thank you for being with us today. Any final words for readers?

Thanks for having me today! I love getting to know my readers. When you read my books, I hope you are entertained and inspired.

Check out my most recent book—Seaside Romance, a set of three stories in historical Rhode Island. My book, Beacon of Love, tells the trials of a lighthousekeeper’s daughter and a doctor afraid of the sea during the “Great Gale of 1815.” (1816?)

Readers here is your chance to enter to win this novel! Leave a comment with your email address. IF I DRAW YOUR NAME AND THERE IS NO EMAIL ADDRESS YOU WILL NOT WIN!

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~Follow Darlene's blog HERE

(to FOLLOW Darlene's blog: visit her page, copy and paste her blog URL, visit your blog dashboard and go down to your list of blogs you follow. Click on "ADD", then follow the directions. Viola! You are following Darlene. : )

Contest is only open in the U.S. and void where prohibited. Chances of winning are based on the number of entries and winner is draw from a non-biased third party- Random.org. I am not responsible for any lost or damaged items of said prize.
Thanks for coming by to enter!

Contest ends on August 14th.