Question for you, dear reader-writers: How many Christmas stories have you read so far this fall? Maybe none. Maybe you wait until a bit closer to the big day. Because I'm a reviewer, I've read two so far. They always help me anticipate the beautiful Christmas season. Today we're launching a Christmas story series for Mondays through to the New Year. We'll feature interviews with authors of holiday books due out this Christmas season. So, I know it's a little early, but light a cinnamon candle, grab a pumpkin latte, and let's check in with
Darlene Franklin, one of the authors of Postmark: Christmas, a novella compilation from Barbour. Enjoy! ~ Annette
Darlene Franklin, one of the authors of Postmark: Christmas, a novella compilation from Barbour. Enjoy! ~ Annette
First, welcome, Darlene! Please share a bit about the book, Postmark Christmas.
The holidays are stamped for love in
Christmas, Florida. While keeping her eye open for her next job lead, will
nomadic event planner Stella find romance instead? How will one retired major
change war widow Randi’s postcard-sending mission? Can photographer David Levine
draw shy Gabi Archer out of her shell? Will retired police officer Rick Stanton
be able to steal postmistress Edie Hathaway’s heart?
Postmark: Christmas is contemporary
romance.The authors on the compilation are: Paige Winship Dooly, Darlene Franklin, Kathleen E. Kovach, and Paula Moldenhauer. How did the compilation come about?
I turned to people with a working knowledge of Florida. First,
Paige Winship Dooley, a resident of Miramar Beach, joined me. Next I invited
Kathy Kovach, who wrote part of the contemporary Florida volume, Florida Weddings. In turn, Kathy invited
new-to-fiction author, Paula Moldenhauer. It didn’t hurt that I knew Kathy and Paula from my years in Colorado! We
had a reunion of sorts.
What makes your Christmas compilation
different than others you’ve seen or read?
The setting—Christmas, Florida—isn’t your typical snowy
Christmas scene, although we do add a snow machine at the Christmas festival
for those who must have snow with their Christmas. The use of the post office
is another unusual angle. Several years ago, I saw a news story about the post
office in Christmas that would postmark Christmas mail with “Merry Christmas,
Christmas, Florida.” The idea of using that post office as a setting for a
Christmas novella immediately appealed to me. We also sought to have a variety
of ages among the heroes and heroines. Love can happen at any age!Becky Germany (the Barbour editor who offered us the contract) made us wait until the ACFW conference in late September, because she wanted to introduce Paula as the recipient of a first-time fiction contract. The manuscripts were due on February 1st. So we got to write the stories during the Christmas season. Becky is good about that!
I remember Paula receiving that contract. What a moment! Nice of Becky to give you the "assignment" during the season. What’s next for you in writing? Will you do more Christmas
stories?
I hope to write more
Christmas stories! But nothing slated for Christmas 2013 at this time. Next
year I’ll have three books in the Maple
Notch Dreams series published in the new Heartsong book club from
Harlequin. Those are historical romances set in northern Vermont from
1927-1942. I also have more novellas coming out next year: all four stories in Calico Brides (June 2013) and Angel in Disguise in Texas Brides (May 2013).
It's been delightful hosting you today. Congratulations to you and the team!To learn more about Postmark Christmas or these authors, visit Barbour's website. See you next Monday for another great Christmas book feature!
(print version) (e-book version)
