H. Schussman's Interview with Delia Latham

Delia Latham Interview

Heidi:

First, Delia, tell us a little about yourself.

Delia:

I wear many hats as a Christian wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and friend. But above all else, I treasure my role as princess daughter to the King of Kings! Hubby and I are in the process of moving from Tehachapi, California to East Texas. It'll be great to be closer to our four grandchildren! :)

Heidi:
What genre do you write?

Delia:

I have one novel that is Women's Fiction, but I write mostly Inspirational Romance, so I guess that's where my heart is.

Heidi:

When did you start writing?

Delia:

I always say I was born with a pen in my hand. lol … Truth is, I can't remember a time when I wasn't writing something. First it was little poems and songs, and then short stories. I graduated from that to writing country western music, and then to newspaper journalism. But I always dreamed of writing a novel...thank God He finally opened the door for me to do that. My first novel was published in 2006.

Heidi:

What are you working on now?

Delia:

Packing! lol … Actually, I'm working on the first book in a 4-book series that will be set in and around the Central California coastal town of Cambria. I'm also working on a Christmas novel that will a part of Pelican Book Group's Pure Amore imprint, which promotes chastity before marriage. We're hoping to reach a multitude of young people who have never been taught the value of the gift they can give their wife or husband, if they treasure and protect their virginity until they're married. I'm very excited about these books. They come in a time in society when young people are being taught "safe sex" rather than abstinence. Many of them have never been taught the value of chastity, and we're hoping to touch a few young hearts with these romantic stories in which the hero and heroine choose to treasure that once-in-a-lifetime gift.

Heidi:

Do you see yourself in any of your characters?

Delia:

I suppose there's something of myself in most of my heroines, although it isn't intentional. My son says my first heroine - Hannah, in Yesterday's Promise - is me. lol … She really isn’t, but she's a singer, and I sing as well. She's much prettier and much sweeter than me! :)

Heidi:

Where do you write? Describe your workspace?

Delia:

Have laptop, will travel. I usually write kicked back in the recliner in my living room, because I haven't had a real office in Tehachapi. Hopefully that will change when we arrive at our new home, because I much prefer writing in a dedicated office space. I even find that it's easier on my body, because I get up and move around more when I work at a desk.

Heidi:

Who are your all-time favorite authors?

Delia:

I have many favorites...and I read a lot of genres that surprise people, given the fact that I write inspirational romance. I love epic stories of good vs. evil, like Stephen King's The Stand and Robert R. McCammon's Swan Song.But I grew up on Grace Livingston Hill, and I love Janette Oke, Lori Copeland, Mary Connealy, Vickie McDonough...and so many other Christian writers.

Heidi:

Did you find writing a query letter a challenge? If so, how did you overcome it? Do you think there was a key phrase or idea in your query letter?

Delia:

Query letters have never been hard for me. Synopses, on the other hand, are a different story altogether. I used to panic at the very thought of writing them - I'm a seat-of-the-pants writer, and often have no idea where the story's headed when I first start writing. But since Pelican Book Group requires the synopsis, I've learned to have at least a basic plot in mind, and it has helped. I still don't outline or draw up fancy charts, but I do have a beginning, middle and end in mind. I have to, so I can write a synopsis! lol

Query letters are actually fun. I usually look for something very catchy to start with...something that will make that editor want to read more. The letter should show a sample of your writing style, and that's what I always strive for. It should be just as exciting and interesting as the story itself. If a writer can accomplish that, he/she is guaranteed the editor will at least finish reading it. There's no guarantee she'll be as excited about the story line as you are, but if you can get her to finish reading, you certainly have a better shot than if she stops reading at the second paragraph because she's bored. Hook 'em, just as you try to do with your readers!

Heidi:

What advice do you have for a writer aspiring to be published?

Delia:

Never, never, never, never, never, never, NEVER give up! 

Heidi:

Would you like to acknowledge someone for their help/assistance/faith in you/etc?

Delia:

I had an amazing mentor when I was younger. She was my pastor's wife and my biggest source of personal confidence. She always believed in me, and encouraged me to write, even when I didn't think I could do it. She was unforgettable, and I'll always be grateful for the influence Rita Mae Dawson had on my life. My only regret is that I didn't get my first book published in time for her to read it...but I know she would've been proud! :)

I’m sure your readers would like to know more about you. Could you share some links for them?

Of course, here are my links:

Website

Blog for Readers

Blog for Writers

Facebook

Twitter

Pinterest

Heart's Haven series, which I write with three other authors...we have several Heart's Haven collections. The collections: Heart's Haven: The Beginning; Heart's Haven Holidays; and A Heart's Haven Easter.  Each collection consists of four books, each book written by a different author. More information on Heart's Haven can be found on my website. We also have a Heart's Haven Facebook page.

H. Schussman's Interview with Chuck Walsh

Chuck Walsh Interview

Heidi:

First, Chuck, tell us a little about yourself.

Chuck:

I reside in Columbia, SC. I am a lifelong resident, although I find the oppressive summer humidity an unnecessary burden I shouldn't have to bear. 

Heidi:

What genre do you write? 

Chuck:

I write in various genres, primarily because I'd get bored writing within the same style and the same premise. I have written two murder/suspense novels, two literary fiction works, and one that is a blend of literary fiction and fantasy. So as you can see, I like to go in different directions with regard to theme and subject matter.  In order for me to write the best I possibly can, to take readers into worlds they might likely have never entered, I have to be excited and passionate about that new world I'm creating. And if it's new and fresh, to me anyway, I feel more passionate about creating and developing it.

Heidi:

When did you start writing?

Chuck:

I began writing in 2004. My mother was diagnosed with breast cancer, and I wanted to write something to her to express how much she meant to me, and how much I loved her. This produced A Passage Back, which will be released in August, 2015. It is also the only book I've written in first person, and I did so because it is based on my childhood, and my family.

Heidi:

What are you working on now?

Chuck:

I am working on Jakob's Well, a story about a man whose parents were killed in a car crash when he was three. Orphaned, and now grown, he seeks to find who he is; his roots. The only thing linking him to his family is a keepsake box containing personal items such as a necklace, ring, and a medal. He's found a man who can send him back in time if he removes an item from the box and stands next to a well. Whoever that item belonged to in the family is who he goes back in time to briefly visit. The catch is, he'll have no recollection that he has come from the future. Not only that, he won't know that the family member he's gone back in time to visit is related to him. It's only once he returns to the future that he'll know who it was: his mother, father, grandfather, uncle, etc. Each time he goes back in time he knows he faces the chance that he might never return.

Heidi:

Who is your favorite character in your stories? 

Chuck:

That is a tough one. In each book I have a favorite character to some degree, and it typically is not the main character. Most characters in my books are based on people I know, and are typically ones I have a fondness for, a closeness to. And there are certain traits in those characters that I absolutely love and admire. In Shadows on Iron Mountain, my murder/suspense, the mountain guide, Emma, who takes the big city detective onto Iron Mountain, is based on my aunt. She is one of the most colorful, funny, and contrary people I've ever known. My love for her made it so much fun to bring her character to life in the book. Now the world can truly get a glimpse of this spectacularly unique woman.   

    

Heidi:

Do you see yourself in any of your characters?

Chuck:

Yes, sometimes. The writer, Pete, in A Month of Tomorrows, who befriends a WWII vet dying of cancer, listens to, and documents, what the man endured in the jungles of the Philippines. The WWII vet is based on my uncle, and the writer is based on me to a certain degree. The same applies to Cape Jeffers, the baseball player in A Splintered Dream. I played baseball for over twenty years and truly love the game and what it stands for, and could totally relate to the peaks and valleys he experiences in trying to reach the top.

Heidi:

Where do you write? Describe your workspace?

Chuck:

I write in two different spots. One is the love seat in my den, and the other is a chaise lounge in my Florida room that looks out over our swimming pool and an array of plants and flowers. The den lends a darker and deeper tone, and the Florida room is warm and uplifting.

Heidi:

Who is your all-time favorite author?

Chuck:

My favorite author is Cormac McCarthy, who I believe is the greatest writer of the last fifty years. The way he places the reader into each setting, into the hearts of his characters, often hearts filled with evil and hell bent on destruction, and the way he confronts the battle of good and evil, heaven and hell, God and Satan, often through the use of obscure characters, is simply amazing. When I want to be inspired to write better than I've ever written before, I read ten or fifteen pages of one of his books and then I am fired up and ready to go.

Heidi:

Did you find writing a query letter a challenge? If so, how did you overcome it? Do you think there was a key phrase or idea in your query letter?

Chuck:

I find it easier to write a full length novel than a one page query letter. Well, that might be a slight exaggeration. One of the best things that happened to me was signing with my agent, Jeanie Loiacano, so that she now prepares the query letters. The premise of instilling a desire into a publisher to read one of my books, and doing so in basically two or three paragraphs, drives me nuts.

Heidi:

What advice do you have for a writer aspiring to be published?

Chuck:

My advice to aspiring writers is to write about people and/or places that you are close to, have a love for, a passion about. I think you write best when you are inspired, and there's nothing like the inspiration of family, friends, or of people who have impacted you in some way, to be the basis for your characters.

Heidi:

Would you be willing to share your Facebook page and website with your fans?

  

Chuck:

Absolutely, 

Facebook

Website

Publisher

Interview With JK Bovi

H. Schussman's Interview with JK Bovi

Heidi:

Tell us about yourself.

JK Bovi:

I live in Savannah Georgia with my wonderful husband. I have two great grown-up sons who live within “hugging distance”. I enjoy fishing and boating. I have a degree in art and I paint with acrylics. I am a professional graphic designer and work from home.

Heidi:

What does JK in JK Bovi stand for? 

JK Bovi:

Joan Kay. My mother had intended for me to be named Joankay, but they misunderstood her and separated my name on my birth certificate. JK Bovi is shorter than my full name and easy for readers to remember.

Heidi:

What genre do you write?

JK Bovi:

I write Young Adult & Teen Paranormal Humor Fiction that take place in Savannah. (boy that’s a mouthful)

Heidi:

When did you start writing?

JK Bovi:

I started writing when I was twelve. It was out of necessity more than anything else. I didn’t have any books to read, so I wrote my own story. (It was the first time I wasn’t writing for a school assignment) I really enjoyed it, and from that point on I had a story scribbled down in a spiral notebook somewhere. This was before computers. I had to write everything by hand which really makes you think more about what you’re saying when your pencil is getting shorter and shorter and your hand is cramping up. I finally got a Brothers Portable Typewriter for Christmas and it was the best gift ever!

Heidi:

Who is your all-time favorite Author?

JK Bovi:

Mark Twain. His wit is timeless.

Heidi:

Where do you write? Describe your workspace.

JK Bovi:

I write by the seat of my pants…I mean that literary. I use my ipod. It slips easily into my back pocket. I take it out and write whenever I want. (It is so much better than dragging that Brothers Typewriter around.) When I think the story is finished I move it to my computer in my work office and then it becomes a work in progress. This is the researching, spelling, double-checking, cutting, moving, editing part that polishes the story.

Half of my office has all the peripherals for a graphic designer: printer, scanner, computer, bag of gumdrops, file cabinets etc… The other half has my painting easel, paints, light box and sketches. My office walls are covered with my artwork and everything I own has a splotch of paint on it that doesn’t belong there.

Heidi:

Who is your favorite character in your story?

JK Bovi:

I don’t have a favorite character. I love all my children the same. Even the crazy mischievous dead ones.

Heidi:

Do you see yourself in any of your characters?

JK Bovi:

I would say I am most like Jenny. She is a painting major at the art college and everything she owns has a splotch of paint on it (like me). She is practical and levelheaded, but also a believer that anything is possible.

Heidi:

What are you working on now?

JK Bovi:

I have two books coming with Vinspire. Zombies Y’all! will be released in October 2015. (Southern Fried Zombiefied) Heels & Souls will be out the following year. (It’s a ghostly thing … that Savannah swing.) I am tweaking final edits for both of these. I have two more I am working on, but they are on my ipod in my back butt pocket.

Heidi:

Did you find writing a query letter a challenge, if so, how did you overcome it? Do you think there was a key phrase or idea in your QL?

JK Bovi:

I never found writing a query letter a challenge. The hard part is checking grammar and making sure to use spell-check. I keep my query letters simple and don’t fill it with flowery fluff. I like a bullet format because it is quick and easy for the submission editor to evaluate.

Heidi:

What advice do you have for a writer aspiring to be published?

JK Bovi:

Research publishers of your genre. Follow their submission guidelines. Mostly, don’t take rejection personal. Publishing is a business.

I took a lot of time researching publishing companies for Dead Man’s Fingers. I was looking for a regional (Southeast) company that would appreciate my southern sense of humor. I wanted a smaller publisher that treated their authors with dignity and offered e-books as well as printed books. I found Vinspire in Charleston and it seemed like a perfect fit. They have a diverse readership and offer humor, paranormal and young adult books. (I had a one in three shot of getting in somewhere) I kept returning to their web site to see what genre they were accepting submissions for, and when they opened the door to young adult manuscripts, I was ecstatic and ready to submit.

Be prepared. “Your dreams will come true when you least expect it”, but until then be watchful, persistent, and believe in yourself.

Heidi:

Who would you like to acknowledge?

JK Bovi:

I want to thank my husband, family and friends for their support and encouragement.

I want to thank Dinah at Schiffer Publishing who believed in me and helped get my first book Wicked Haints, published.

I want to thank Dawn and the editors at Vinspire Publishing who published Dead Man’s Fingers and welcomed me so kindly into their group of talented authors.

Heidi:

Would you be willing to share your Facebook page and website with your fans?

JK Bovi:

Of course!

Facebook

Website