A Tree, a Smart Phone, and an App

I was playing around with a new editing App called Aviary that I downloaded for my smart phone. Using the same photo, I tried several effects.

^^^This ^^^is the original, which I seriously don't think came out bad at all. I just have a hard time not experimenting. :)

 

There is a subtle difference using the Lucky effect; sort of like cross processing.

The sepia tone effect, Boardwalk, makes it look sort of old and western-y.

Using the Sentosa effect and decreasing the saturation, gives this one a bit of a chilly feel to it.

To give it a more dramatic look, I used Metropolis, which is their version of a B&W effect.

The App has lots of features to choose from. And you can share on multiple social networks once you're finished editing.

Once I was done, I emailed them to myself, opened them in Picmonkey and watermarked them. I could have done this in Aviary because it has Text ability, but I needed a bit of extra to make my text visible. So, in Picmonkey I used a Tape Overlay sent to the back to make my name more visible. Otherwise, it was lost in the grass. :)

Do you edit photos on your smart phone? If so, which program do you prefer?

Interview ~ Darlene Franklin, and FREE book days

I’m pleased to have with us today award-winning author and speaker Darlene Franklin. Darlene has written An Apple for Christmas (the fourth e-novella in the Christmas Traditions Series) which will be free on Amazon Nov 7-9!

Welcome to Stuff & Nonsense, Darlene! Tell us a little about yourself and your writing journey?

I began writing in the wake of my divorce, more than twenty years ago. I’ve written almost every day ever since, but my first book, Romanian Rhapsody, wasn’t published until 2005. Now I have over 35 books in print. I’m thankful to God for the opportunity to continue writing. I also write a lot of devotions and have just taken up poetry as well.

Share with us a little about your novella and why you wrote it.

About the book: Ruby Nelson trades her job in the laboratory for teaching in a small girls’ school in Vermont. Twin sisters challenge her position—and their father captivates her imagination. Will the orchard grower graft Ruby onto his heart?

When I learned that Vermont’s apple industry was burgeoning in the 1890s, I loved the idea of a teacher (an apple for the teacher’s desk, after all) and a widower father. To make matters more interesting, I gave the hero’s family apple names: Mac(intosh), Margil, and Pippin Cortland. I had a lot of fun weaving apples throughout the story and making it a vital part of a Christmas romance. 

What do you think makes a good story?

Interesting characters, interesting setting, and problems to overcome.

Where is your favorite place to write?

Boring. Sitting in my chair, computer on a bed table, in front of the TV.

Do you ever wake up in the middle of the night and just have to get up and write down a thought? If so, do you keep a tablet on your bedside table or go to the computer?

Sometimes I scratch it down on the word search book I’m working on, but not often. If I’m awake, I’ll tuck a few words away in my idea folder on m y computer.

Do you talk to your characters? Keep story boards? Pictures? 

No, to all of that.

Can you give us a glimpse into your next book or story idea?

            Hmm. I had a friend once who described the four stages of writing:

·        Developing an idea: I’m working on a Valentine’s Day story centered around candy hearts and Anne of Green Gables, in 1915.

·        Writing a book: I’m writing the next (and final) book in my Maple Notch series: Homecoming, where the curator of the Maple Notch Historical Museum entertains the archeologist who comes to town to dig the family’s Revolutionary War-era cabin.

·        Editing a book: I am working on edits from my Harlequin editor on Small-Town Bachelor, scheduled for a May release; and galley proofs for Priceless Pearl, which will appear in Homestead Brides in February 2015.

·        The final step is promoting a book. This interview is part of the promotion. J

Have you traveled to locations that your books are set in? Where is the one place you would love to set a book but know you can’t possibly go there? Would you write it anyway?

I dream of a series set on Florida’s gulf coast. I may write it, even if I can’t go. I have never been in Romanian (the setting of Romanian Rhapsody) but people who have say I got it right. Research can help a lot.

What’s the one food item you can’t live without?  


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Oh, my, that’s under review. I think I would miss chocolate the most. (I insisted on a chocolate bar for Halloween.)

In your spare time, do you have any hobbies you enjoy?

I do a lot of word searches. I keep in touch with my family, but that’s not a hobby. I also read a lot. Now that I’ve discovered free Kindle books, I have far more books than I have time to read. And too much TV. I’m also walking and exercising, which is helping my overall health (I live in a nursing home)

Do you have a favorite book? What about it makes it stand out from others?

Three books stand out above others (besides the Bible, of course): The Lord of the Rings trilogy (I almost regret the movies that deter people from reading the original stories in all their glory). Dick Francis’s book, Whip Hand, which is one of the most suspenseful books I’ve ever read, not to mention an unforgettable character. And The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffeneger, in which the book is far better than the movie, and the best romance I have ever read.        



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What is your favorite Christmas tradition? Why?

Christmas carols, all of them. Music has been the language of my heart since childhood, and I love singing all the carols.

Where can you be found on the internet?

I am wanting to update my blog, so I’m not recommending you check there. For daily updates, check for me at https://www.facebook.com/darlene.franklin.3 and like my author page at https://www.facebook.com/Poet.Darlene.Franklin

Author Bio: 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 thirty books and has written more than 250 devotionals. Her historical fiction ranges from the Revolutionary War to World War II, from Colorado to Vermont.

Don't forget!!!

 

An Apple for Christmas will be FREE Nov 7-9!!!

 

 

This Old House

Digging into the archives today but I love this photo.

I edited it in PicMonkey and added a texture, making it look like a canvas painting.

What do you think?

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If you're a follower of my book blog, I have a new giveaway. Click here.

The Barn Collective

This old barn looks cold and lonely.

Hop on over to The Barn Collective #6 to see more gorgeous barns, hosted by Amy @ Rose Street Reflections.

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If you're a follower of my book Blog, Stuff & Nonsense, I have a new giveaway. Click here to be taken to the post.

Until next time...

Short Review & Giveaway ~ A November Bride by Beth Vogt

About the Book

Can a decades-long friendship marred by two romantic missteps ever lead to happily ever after? 

Sadie McAllister’s clients know how lucky they are to have her: an ultra-fastidious personal chef who leaves behind a spotless kitchen and a week’s worth of mouth-watering meals. 

Erik Davis, her best friend since middle school, is content to enjoy Sadie’s culinary skills too while maintaining their “friends only” status. Most of his energy is focused on his just-launched freelance business and casual dates that never come close to a commitment. 

But when Sadie is offered a once-in-a-lifetime cooking job across country, Erik realizes maybe he’s taken his best friend for granted.  Even more, he’s about to lose his only chance for lasting love. 

How can Erik convince Sadie that the well-known adage “Marry your best friend” just might apply to them? With God’s help, can they both move past their assumptions about each other and their future? Should Sadie and Erik risk taking their relationship to the romantic point of no return? If they do, their decades-long friendship is as a good as done . . . unless it ends at the altar.  

My Thoughts 

I could not wait for this novella to come out. I pre-ordered it from Amazon but when it said it wouldn't be delivered until four days after its release, I cancelled my order and bought it on release day. I mean, why wait four more days, right?!

After I finished the story, I enjoyed it so much I thought I would share the love, so I purchased a Gift Certificate through Amazon for one of my readers. 

All you have to do to enter is leave a comment with your email address. No email, no entry. I’ll draw a winner on Nov 7^th!

Remember, This drawing is for an *E-book ONLY!!!  

*Not to worry if you don't own an e-reader. Amazon has FREE Kindle apps that make it possible to read an E-book on your laptop, desktop, tablet, or smart phone. You can search their website for more info before entering by clicking here.

Have a blessed week in the Lord!