Wicked Wordsmith

Introducing Delia Latham

Delia Latham is a former newspaper Staff Writer and a frequent contributor to her hometown’s regional publication, Bakersfield Magazine. She also writes greeting card verse, short stories, articles, and songs. Her editing and proofing skills have been utilized by numerous authors, including Dr. Chuck Wall, founder of the Random Acts of Kindness movement.

A debut novel, Almost Like a Song, was released in June 2006; Goldeneyes will be released in March 2008 by Vintage Romance Publishing. Delia’s work is included in an upcoming short story anthology, The Shortstack: 20 Stories to Fill You Up. 

The author lives in Bakersfield, California with her husband, Johnny, a Pentecostal minister. Her four adult children and four “beautiful, absolutely perfect” grandchildren daily light up her life. She loves to hear from her readers. 

www.delialatham.com
www.themelodywithin.blogspot.com

Who is Delia Latham?
I’m a Christian wife, married to a Pentecostal minister. My husband is the assistant pastor at our church, and I’m involved in the music ministry. I play piano and sing. I have four grown children and four beautiful, absolutely perfect granchildren – no, really, they are! We all live in Bakersfield, California. I was born here and have resided in or around this desert town my entire life.

What books are on your nightstand right now?
Too many.  I write reviews, so there’s always plenty of reading material in my room.  Right now, I’m looking at Rainbow’s End by Irene Hannon, Veil of Fire by Marlo Schalesky, Abandoned Identity by Tamara Tilley – that’s just a few of the unread books.  I just finished Loving Liza Jane by Sharlene MacLaren and – a little detour from the usual – The Darkest Evening of the Year by Dean Koontz.

Your novel, Goldeneyes, is scheduled for release in March. What is it about?
It’s an historical romance about a depression-era man who does something horrible to satisy his alcohol addiction, and the ripple effect his action causes in the lives of two families over twenty years later.

What inspired you to write Goldeneyes?
I grew up in Weedpatch, the little farming community where Part One of Goldeneyes is set.  I’ve always wanted to write something using that location as a backdrop. This story has been brewing in my mind for several years, but it was hard for me to get past the reality of Weedpatch in my own life and get on with turning it into a fictional tale. I prayed a lot! Once God gave me the go-ahead, He also gave me the inspiration, and I’m very pleased with the completed product.

Where do you get your ideas?
Ahhh … the question every writer gets asked most often - and for me, quite possibly the hardest, because I’m not always sure. Sometimes I get ideas from little snippets of history; a few of my stories are major exaggerations of tiny occurrences in my own life or the lives of people I know; and sometimes I sit down to write with absolutely no idea what I’m going to write about. Oddly enough, those are the times I usually wind up being happiest with the results, maybe because I’m most open for God to take my writing wherever He wants to.

So you don’t always plot or outline your book before you write?
How’d you guess?  No, I write like I do most other things in my life – totally off the cuff. I’m what the writing community refers to as a SOTP: Seat-of-the-pants writer.

Which authors have most influenced your own writing?
Too many to possibly mention here! As a child, I devoured just about every book I could get my hands on: Nancy Drew, Trixie Belden, the Bobbsey Twins – even the Hardy Boys; I wasn’t gender specific as to reading material. As I got older, I graduated to romance and found Grace Livingston Hill, Barbara Cartland, Emilie Loring, and oh, yes – I discovered Harlequin Romance (oh, my!). Now some of my favorite writers are Joy Fielding, Lori Wick, Lori Copeland … the list goes on for miles.  My favorite book of all time is Swan Song, by Robert McCammon – rather surprising for an inspirational author, I know, but it’s a beautifully written epic account of good vs. evil. Unforgettable!

What other projects are you currently working on?
My current work-in-progress is surprising me by actually creating a connection between my debut novel and Goldeneyes, which I wasn’t expecting at all. I’ve also just completed something completely new  - at least for me. While it’s still Christian romance, it will fit more easily into the Chick Lit genre, bringing in a touch more humor and lightheartedness than is in my other works.

From the Heart of a Christian Writer by Delia Latham

Why does Mary Higgins Clark continue to write such fascinating suspense? Ask Stephen King why he dreams up so many tales of horror. Question Danielle Steele as to her reason for book after book of unapologetic romantic drama. Why is J.K. Rowling so at home in the world of witches, warlocks and other strange and mystical creatures?

Ask any author in any genre why he or she writes what they write. Chances are you’ll get pretty much the same answer. They write what they think about, what they’re familiar with, what they’re passionate about.

They write from their hearts.

In a world where most forms of entertainment – including the print industry – have become increasingly more risqué, some writers still choose to pen novels for the less popular Christian market. Writers such as Janette Okes, Lori Wick, Robin Jones Gunn and so many others write words of hope and encouragement. They create characters who either trust God through every obstacle, or learn to do so before the last page.Their sweetly romantic tales keep sex behind closed doors and within the confines of holy matrimony.

Why? Because this is the essence of who those writers are.

A scripture in the book of Matthew reads, “… the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart.” (New American Standard Bible) Taking that statement a step further … what is in our hearts will be reflected not only in the words we speak aloud, but what we think and – if we’re writers – what we write about.

I love sweet romance – hence my chosen genre of inspirational fiction. Call me old-fashioned, but I truly believe romance is more romantic when some things are left to the imagination, and when consummation of a couple’s feelings takes place behind closed doors. Sex should be something beyond special, and just between those two people – it’s not meant for public display.

Many writers of Christian fiction fail to realize their own ministry. Within the pages of their books, readers find encouragement and hope. They find a reason to keep believing that prayer changes things – a glimmer of light in a world that grows darker with every passing day. Without preaching, and steering clear of denominational tenets and didactics, seeds are planted. With a little tending on the part of the reader, those seeds can flourish and become a renewed trust in God, bringing about prayer-filled actions and reactions and a fresh, positive outlook on life.

Another scripture states that God’s word will not return to Him “void” – meaning empty or unfulfilled. Every person who reads the pages of an inspirational novel is absorbing words penned under inspiration given by the Creator of the Universe. Hidden within those pages is something that reader needs. Perhaps a reminder to pray about every situation in his life. Or maybe a mental nudge to become more familiar with the Word of God. Who knows what readers might take away with them from the words of an inspirational novel?

Am I willing to make the effort of writing an entire book on the chance that somewhere, some young woman might find a new determination to remain sexually untainted until her marriage vows are spoken? Yes. Is it worth all the hours of writing to point someone in the direction of Christ and

Calvary

? Without a moment’s hesitation, unequivocally, yes.

My heart says it’s worth it.

Delia Latham's next novel, Goldeneyes, is an historical.  It will be released by Vintage Romance Publishing this year.