To get us in the Christmas spirit, Darlene Franklin visits us today and shares the story behind her book, Jacob’s Christmas Dream. And, if you scroll down to the end, you’ll find a chance to enter to win her other book, Christmas Mail Order Angels Volume 1. You’ll get six fun Christmas stories in one!
Tell the readers a little bit about the story.
Becky Patterson escapes the stifling life at her father’s parsonage for an exciting life as a mail-order bride, only to learn her potential groom is a part-time preacher, Jake Underwood. Her dreams of working alongside Jake in his store stall when an itinerant preacher wants to ordain Jake as pastor of the growing church. Will Becky accept God’s calling on her life—or will she reject Jake’s love and the future God has planned for them?
Why did you choose to write a book set after the Black Hills gold rush?
I had decided a gold rush was the perfect setting for a mail order bride story. Who needed a bride more than men newly rich (or still poor) after trolling for gold? The Black Hills had the setting and time period I preferred: Wyoming in the 1870s. After the gold rush because I wanted to avoid a lot of research about mining, but instead look at what happened to the many ghost towns and the miners, those who won big and those who didn’t find anything.
How does the story of Abraham sending Eliezer to find a wife for Isaac play into your story?
My hero Jake’s father had made him promise to seek a bride from their home town of Merville, Maine—just as Abraham sent Eliezer back to Ur to find for Isaac.
So when the men of Angel Vale decided to seek mail order brides, they contacted the Ladies Aide Society of Seaside Community Church in Merville. Merville is short on men, due to the Civil War and deaths at sea, as Angel Vale is short on women. God made a great matchmaker between the two towns.
Late in the story we learn of a further connection between Jake and Merville which adds an extra dollop of sugar to the romance.
Oh, that sounds like fun! What themes do you hope resonate with the readers?
Do they get tired of the same old everyday life and hope to get away? That’s how Becky, the heroine, feels about her life in her father’s parsonage. When she arrives in Angel Vale and finds out her groom is a part-time preacher, she feels like God played a mean trick on her. Working through her will vs. God’s will—don’t we all struggle with that from time to time?
Why do mail-order bride stories continue to enjoy such popularity?
I’m not sure, although I loved seeing the variety of stories our group of eleven authors came up with. Perhaps because we get to live the adventure vicariously. Why do so many people use online dating sites to meet a potential mate? Here we can exchange pictures and daily (or more often) messages. Back then, letters took days and weeks to cross the country. They couldn’t know if a person was telling the truth or not. But for women looking for a way to escape, to enjoy an adventure—to have a family! For men in women-starved parts of the country. It took courage and faith in hopes of finding love to take the risk.
Thanks for joining us, Darlene! It was great having you. I, for one, am looking forward to checking out this great Christmas read. Enter below to win a copy of Christmas Mail-Order Angels.
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Best-selling author Darlene Franklin’s greatest claim to fame is that she writes full-time from a nursing home. She lives in Oklahoma, near her son and his family, and continues her interests in playing the piano and singing, books, good fellowship, and reality TV in addition to writing. She is an active member of Oklahoma City Christian Fiction Writers, American Christian Fiction Writers, and the Christian Authors Network. She has written over fifty books and more than 250 devotionals. Her historical fiction ranges from the Revolutionary War to World War II, from Texas to Vermont.
I love the history of Mail-Order Brides. Traveling across the country to marry someone sight unseen and only knowing them through letters exchanged across the miles via Pony Express.
In today’s “modern” times you can meet up with someone online in an instant.
There’s a lot to be said about both but I prefer the “old-fashioned” way.
Janet, well said.
I enjoy stories about mail-order brides because of the time period and I’m a hopeless romantic. Thanks for the opportunity to win!
A “hopeless romantic.” I guess I am, too–because of God’s great love for us.
The mail order bride stories are so much fun! Thanx for writing them, Darlene.
Jennifer, you’re welcome. I’m glad I had the opportunity. Next up I undertake writing a matchmaking story for next Christmas.
They are interesting because of the dynamic between 2 strangers, and I’ve always been fascinated since my great grandmother WAS a mail order bride! 🙂
Vicki, how fascinating! What part of the country was that in?