I'm delighted to welcome my good friend Delia Latham to my blog today. Delia is a wonderfully gifted inspirational romance author with over twenty-five books published. Book Three in the Grace Kitchen Series, One Harvest Knight, just released and you'll want to grab your copy soon.
This is a "rolling release" collection with several authors contributing. One release follows another with only weeks between titles of this perpetual series.
Welcome, Delia. Thanks for being here today.
I am so happy to be here, Dana. Thank you for having me. I know you have a lot of questions for me, so fire away!
Why did you choose to write in your particular field, genre, or sub-genre?
I consider my writing skill, and my love for it, a gift from God. So why wouldn’t I use it to glorify Him? For me, it’s a ministry. I reach out to other Christian women through my books with messages of hope, healing, redemption, forgiveness, etc. Even non-Christian readers who might never consider entering a church, might pick up a Christian romance novel. Maybe I can plant a seed in that way, as well.
Where did your love of books, writing, reading, and/or storytelling come from?
God. ?? I think I might’ve been born with a pen in one hand and a book in the other. My mother hated to read, but Dad loved his Westerns. I remember him, on his days off or in the evenings when I was a child, with a book in his hand—usually a Louis Lamour, but sometimes Zane Grey.
How long have you been writing?
I’ve been writing something as far back as I can remember. Started off with little poems and songs, then (really bad) short stories. I worked as a journalist, on staff at a large daily newspaper, as well as on a freelance basis, for a number of years. But I always wanted to try my hand at a novel. My first book was published in 2006. Not a really positive experience, to be honest. But the second one released in 2008 and I haven’t looked back since. At the time of this interview, I’m blessed to have twenty-seven published novels and novellas, as well as a few short-story length titles.
What do you think most characterizes your writing?
Angels (or hints of angels) seem to find their way into a good many of my story lines. Wasn’t planned, so I can only assume God sent them winging their way into my writing. He’s the real Writer, after all—I’ve always known I’m merely the transcriptionist. ??
Are there under-represented groups or ideas featured if your book?
Actually, the Grace Kitchen books center around a soup kitchen, so there’s a lot of mention of the homeless, under-privileged, or simply ‘down on their luck’ segment of society. I loved writing One Harvest Knight! From plotting, to researching, to writing, the topic touched my heart. I hope that connection shows in the story itself.
Who are some of the authors you feel were influential in your work?
I devoured Grace Livingston Hill books as a teen, and even into adulthood, and I still now and then see “shades of Grace” in my own writing. I enjoyed a lot of authors, but Hill probably had the greatest influence on my writing style.
What projects are you working on at the present?
I’m currently working on a 3-author, 3-book collection with a couple of my critique pals. It’ll center around a coffeehouse called the Speakeasy, which is located in an old building literally packed with history. It’s one of those places where you can’t help thinking, “If these walls could talk, what stories they could tell!”
I’m also plotting the first of three Potter’s House books (a perpetual, multi-author series built around hope, redemption and second chances) and a novella for Love at Christmas Inn, Collection 3. I’m one of four authors who write the Christmas Inn stories.
What is your favorite quote?
It’s a scripture, actually. “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” Psalm 51:10. It’s my daily prayer, because I seem to need a constant refreshing of those two things.
NEW RELEASE!!
A raging Knight in rusty armor storms her flowery world.
She lives in a world of petals and pretties. His heart is soured on romance and suspicious of dreams. But a special soup kitchen, a pair of aging twin sisters, a nudge or two from God Himself…and a mysterious child, might just bring these two hearts together.
Amazon Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07X4CK7QL
About The Author
Delia and her husband Johnny live in East Texas, where their pampered Pomeranian, Kona, kindly allows them to share her home. The author enjoys multiple life roles as wife, mother, grandmother, sister and friend, but above all, she loves being a princess daughter to the King of kings. She admits to a lifelong, mostly un-battled Dr. Pepper addiction, and loves hearing from her readers.
The Grace Kitchen Series
Book 1: Andante, Andante
Book 2: To Love and To Cherish
Book 3: One Harvest Knight
The Grace Kitchen Collection (Vimeo Link)