Guest Blog With Darlene Franklin!

photo © 2006 François Rejeté | more info (via: Wylio)


Day 1 with Darlene Franklin:

The Christmas holiday has crept into my books. My first book, Romanian Rhapsody, includes one memorable Christmas at a Romanian orphanage. In my book released this month, Bridge to Love, the folks of Maple Notch, Vermont, are more worried about surviving the winter (that lasted all year long in 1816, when snow fell or the ground froze at least once every month) than about celebrating Christmas. My heroine, Beatrice Bailey, gets involved with providing every family in town with enough food to survive until the next year's crops come in.

Neither the orphans in Romania or the people of Maple Notch could afford extravagant holiday displays such as we've become accustomed to. They were concerned with survival. But still they worshipped the baby in the manger, sent to bring us life.

That new life means a great deal to me this year. Two years ago, I faced my first holidays without my daughter. Last year, I was snowed in and had hot dogs and chocolate chip cookies for my Christmas dinner. My mother died in February, so once again, I am dealing with grief and loss as the holidays approach.

What I discovered two years ago, what still resonates today, was that in my time of grief, Christmas became less noisy and yet more real. That baby in the manger represents my hope for the future. And He means more to me now than ever.

So as you read and watch your favorite Christmas stories (you might include one of my Christmas novellas in your reading--this year I'm in A Woodland Christmas), think on that original Christmas story, and give thanks.

What is your favorite Christmas story?