Heidi~
First, Delia, tell us
a little about yourself?
Delia~
I'm a mother of four adult children, nanny to four grandchildren
-- a Christian wife, mother, grandmother, sister and friend. I live in East
Texas, although that's happened very recently. I was born, raised and lived in
California's San Joaquin Valley up until my husband retired, and we suddenly
became gypsies... moving first to Oklahoma, back to California where we enjoyed
a pleasant stint in Tehachapi, and then to Texas to be nearer our
grandchildren. One never knows where life will eventually take them.
Heidi~
What genre do you
write?
Delia~
I write inspirational
romance -- mostly light-hearted, but I like to throw in the occasional dose of
deep, wrenching pathos.
Heidi~
When did you start
writing?
Delia~
I was born writing.
lol Actually, I'm not sure how far that is from the truth. My earliest
memories have me toting some type of notebook and a handful of pencils with me
wherever I went. I wrote little stories, poems, songs...whatever came to mind
-- and my mind was always busy!
Heidi~
What are you working
on now?
Delia~
Right now, I'm mostly
promoting my most recent series, Paradise Pines, which is set on California's
Central Coast, in Cambria. I've taken a little hiatus from writing, but will be
diving in again right away to write a novella for a Christmas collection with a
few of my dearest writer pals.
Heidi~
Who is your favorite
character in your stories?
Delia~
I can't even imagine
trying to choose just one! In Paradise Pines, it's probably Summer. But I
really loved Spring Raine, as well...and Autumn, and oh, yes -- Winter! See
what I mean? I did love all of my seasonal heroines. Shay Light, one of the
secondary characters, was another favorite.
Heidi~
Do you see yourself
in any of your characters?
Delia~
Many times. I think
all authors tend to write a bit of themselves into their characters. We can't
help but do that! Who we are is bound to come through in our characters actions
and reactions, even when we try not to let it happen.
Heidi~
Where do you write?
Describe your workspace?
Delia~
I do have an
office... but I often write in my living room. My loveseat, with the center
console brought into full use as storage, has become my "lazy writer's
desk." I've recently found, though, that I was reclining too much and
causing problems in my legs. So I'm trying to write at my desk more, even
though I enjoy being where I can see my children and grandchildren when they
come traipsing through my house at odd times. I do find it necessary to
actually hide away in my office at crunch time, when I'm desperately trying to
meet a deadline.
Heidi~
Who are your all-time
favorite authors?
Delia~
I grew up reading
Grace Livingston Hill, and she had a huge influence on my writing style.
Janette Oke is another favorite from years ago. I also enjoy some of the more
modern, humorous Christian authors like Mary Connealy and Vickie McDonough. I
also love a good suspense story, and even those with a touch of the paranormal.
So many good authors...so little time!
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~
Oh, I love writing query
letters...said no author, ever! Query letters are the
bane of most authors' existence. For me, the key is to not over-think them. I
try to make my queries sound as natural as possible, and I try to have some fun
with them. Even editors enjoy a little humor now and then. Of course, there's
still a certain core format that needs to be followed, but originality is a
wonderful thing!
Heidi~
What advice do you
have for a writer aspiring to be published?
Delia~
All the usual things~
Don't give up. Do your homework. Write every day. Yada, yada, yada. Add in one
more thing, and push it right up to front of the list: PRAY. Pray long and hard
about your writing career before you commit to having one. And then pray before
every writing session, inviting God into the pilot's seat, while you slide
gracefully into the co-pilot's corner. Having the right hands on the controls
goes a long way toward successful landing at your desired destination.
Heidi~
Would you like to
acknowledge someone for their help/assistance/faith in you/etc?
Delia~
My dad's brother was
my pastor as a child and throughout my teen years. His wife was an amazing
woman...talented, funny, anointed, and completely unforgettable. She saw
potential in me when I saw none. She knew before I did that I should be
writing, and encouraged me in that direction. Without her influence, I doubt I
would ever have found the courage to write a book, much less get it published.
My only regret is that she didn't live long enough to see it happen. But
somehow, I think she knows... :)
Heidi~
Any new releases
coming out?
Delia~
Yes! Summer Dream,
which releases May 19th. Here's the blurb:
Summer
Callahan isn’t in Cambria for the beach or the ocean or the pine-scented air
around Paradise Pines Lodge. She’s there as a companion to her flighty cousin,
Deah—with the understanding that they will have separate agendas the entire
time. Summer just wants to be left alone to dream up the romance novels she
writes under a pseudonym.
But
never in Summer's wildest writer's imagination does she dream of being caught
in an undertow and almost drowning, only to be rescued by a wealthy artist. And
when Logan Bullard proves hard to shake, Summer fears for her heart—especially
when Deah sets her sights on Logan.
But at
Paradise Pines Lodge, what's meant to be has a way of happening...at the best time
and in the best way. Miss Angelina Love—who may or may not own the place—has an
"in" with Heaven's own "department of romance." And she's
determined to see Summer and Logan together.
Heidi~
How can your readers
learn more about you and your books?
Delia~
I'm not hard to find,
but here are a few key online locations:
